Lance listens to others plan for a moment. "Yeah we would probably want to isolate them a bit into smaller groups and strike fast like Mike is suggesting.  Then again  maybe be our best chance at spotting them ahead of time."

The conversation is interrupted as you all hear the sound of a police siren getting closer.

And closer.

Then it abruptly stops (as opposed to fading away in the distance).

One or more police cars in now in the vicinity.  Not right in front of The Fish Tank, but nearby.

"Surprising them works too. We'll pick of their outliers one by one. Let's go!"

That'll do. As long as they can pick off the perimeter, what's left'll be easier.

"Whatever we do, we're not engaging their 4 bigshots at once. One at a time for those guys."

"Here we go again." the Slayer says as she grabs her crossbow, pistol crossbow, stake, and regular sized knife.

"Let's sneak out the back like we did earlier and hopefully see them before they see us."  Annabelle said while she headed towards the back door of The Fish Tank.

"Silent and sneaky guys. The more of them we can pick off undetected, the easier this'll be for us. Smash the radios first, then take them out before they can scream."

They'll wanna be ninjas as long as possible. A pitched battle favors the enemy.

Before following the others out the back way Aaron checks his equipment in a quick and experienced manner. Maybe if they could bring the vampires down to a manageable number they would have some time to think about some of the other problems that seemed to be plaguing them.

Lance also does a quick recheck of his arsenal "Knife check, Taser check, smokes CHECK!" Lance then moves out with the others.

The group of five creep silently behind The Fish Tank and then the adjacent buildings getting closer to the builidng where the mercenaries were encountered earlier.

Finally you reach the back of the building directly across the street from the site of the last battle.  You cautiously look around the corner.  Across the street, you see the building in question with one police car in front of it.  Red lights still spinning on the police car, but the siren is off.

The lights are off in the building. You can't readily tell from here how many vamp cops are inside.


OCC: Make a perception plus notice roll if you want to try to detect the number of vamp cops inside. There are two ways to get inside the building; 1)cross the street and enter through the front door.   2)cross the street and circle around to the back, climb the fire escape and enter through the door on the roof.

Buffybot was really regretting that she should've asked Annabelle to pick up another crossbow. That would be something that she'll correct in the next shopping run. But for now only the stakes will have to do. After completing her checklist. She looks at the others as much as she wants to go in slicing and dicing. The surprise approach will have to do. "I'm going to circle around back to see if there is a way up..."

Before they make their move Aaron peers through the shadows in an attempt to see what kind of odds the will be facing.

OOC: 16:04, Today: Aaron James rolled 16 using 1d10+7.  Perception + Notice.

The watcher has the eyes of a hawk wearing infra red glasses as he can make out two regular beat cop vamps looking around inside.


One vamp cop kneels down and lifts a human form close to him, he's apparently feeding on one of the dead mercenaries who took a cyanide capsule.

"I can only see two of them in there. I doubt we'll get much better odds than this." If one of them was feeding it seemed likely that they we're paying too much attention to what was going on around them.

Mike nodded.

"Right. Stealthy and quiet. They can still call for help, and we want to stake them both before they can so much as scream. You guys focus on staking the feeding guy. I'll stake the other one."

Lance nods in agreement with Mike, "I will watch your backs from here." He takes up a semi concealed spot behind a street lamp allowing the more powerful members of the group the chance to take on the enemy at close range. "Just in case they already called for backup."

"Right then. The three of us will move in. Let's go."Annabelle said as she begin walk quickly but quietly across the street.

The group has barely gone a few steps when Mike, Aaron, and Lance get that spider-sense tingling "somebody is about to ambush us" feeling they get sometimes.

The three of you turn around at once and see bad news.  Really bad news. Two of the four elite SWAT vamps are here, specifically hiding in the first floor of the abandoned building opposite the one you were advancing on.  Their rifles are raised, their intent to open fire on you from behind when you went after the two beat cops (also known as the bait).  Nothing between you and them except a large picture window, certainly nothing that will stop a bullet.

They're about to open fire.


OCC: Combat thread time, bad guys have initiative.  The two elite SWAT vamps will be shooting first.  And one of you guys be a gentleman and shout out the danger to the girls (they don't have sit awareness and haven't turned around.)

The SWAT vamps opened fire.


Lance rolls to the side in a full on defensive position. "Snipers!" he yelled as hit the ground.


Aaron is already moving as he hears Lance call out, sprinting to dive behind the police car. Hopefully that will provide some protection from the snipers.


"Oh crumbs." Annabelle said as heard the warnings and turned her head in the direction of the elite SWAT vamps about to open fire, then immediately went for the nearest available cover, trying not to get shot.

BLAM! The bullet went through the air in her direction, but the Slayer was moving with such speed and grace that made a gazelle look like a tired old feeb as the bullet whizzed past her.


Before Buffybot got into position on the roof, she heard the heads up.

BLAM!  The rifle struck her in the side as sparks flew out, she kept stride and made it up the stairs and up on the roof.

As  soon as the bullet left his rifle, he jumped through the picture window, and chased Buffybot up the stairs and onto the roof behind her.

Mike wasn't worried about the bullets...but then, the bullets weren't for him. The big vamps weren't stupid enough to waste bullets on one of their kin. Well, probably not.

Still, he rushed forward at the two vamps, and ignoring defense (those were only bullets aimed at him), went to stake the two 'bait' vampires on his own, with a couple double staking manuever, going after the non feeding one first, and the feeding one second, since he'll be an easier target.

This also makes him the obvious target for the snipers, but also the one they couldn't do much about. The first beat cop turned in the direction of the gunshots and saw Mike charging at him. Crash!  Mike jumped through that front window.  THOK!  FOOM!  The first beat cop quickly turned to dust before he could make a move.  The feeding vamp cop was still feeding (can't fight, eating)as Mike easily plunged the stake into his heart from behind.  THOK! FOOM!  He's dust.

Mike had little trouble dispatching the two beat cops used as bait. And finally turned to the snipers.

"Guns? No. You'll have to play with me the old fashioned way."

He beckons them to come out and play.

One had already chased Buffybot up to the roof.

But it looked like the other one was going to accept his invitation.  He dropped his rifle with a THUD, then jumped through the now broken picture window as he charged towards Mike.

OCC:Back to the combat thread.  Buffybot takes 22 points of damage. BAD GUYS HAVE INITIATIVE.  Two elite SWAT vamps left, no sign of any others.  Yet.  One is on the ground about to engage Mike up close.  The other has followed Buffybot up on the roof (and still has his rifle). Aaron, Lance, and Annabelle you can either help Mike with the one on the ground, or help Buffybot with the one on the roof. The SWAT vamp on the roof can be attacked with ranged weapons from the ground.

The SWAT vamp on the roof raises his rifle and fires on Buffybot once again.  This time she dodged the speeding bullet.


Buffybot growls it wasn't that she regretted the roof approach, No that wasn't it. The regret came for failing to get the crossbow or ranged weapon. Even if (like the real Buffy) believes in getting up close and personal. She closes the distance, nailing two punches on the super SWAT vamp. Out of the corner of her eye she was being aided by Lance and Aaron.


Trusting to his fellows to deal with the vampire on the ground Aaron spins to help out Buffybot on the roof. The shot was a little tricky as he would have to arc the shot just right. A few moments of aiming and two arrows loop over the roof towards the vampire.  THOK!  THOK!  Both arrows nailed the vamp in the chest, but with his SWAT armor he looked more annoyed than wounded.

Figuring their vamp and slayer can hold their own for a moment Lance follows the bot towards the roof taser in hand.  At the last moment he sees the arrows coming their way and stops short to let them find their mark. The arrows hit the SWATvamp on target, leaving Lance ready to do battle on the roof.

While not QUITE the same as an all out offensive, it may as well have been.

Mike held nothing back, putting as much as he could into the grab and EVERYTHING into the toss. He wasn't overly concerned with defending about counterattacks at all though he made a nominal effort in that regard. Truly, though, more of a berserker charge.

And that would prove his undoing as the SSV charged forward to meet him and got the drop on him first, executing a perfect judo flip leaving Mike on his back.  As the SSV walks up to his prone form, Mike sees he's got a pistol on one side of his belt, no big problem there.  But on the other side he has a wooden stake where the billy club would usually be.  That is a problem.

"Lucky for you, I don't hit another vamp when they're down, I kick em'!!!!" the SSV said as he planted his size 13 SWAT boot in Mike's face.  Mike has rarely been hit so hard in his immortal life.  If he were still human, that kick would have done permanent brain damage.

Annabelle opts to go after the Super SWAT vamp going after Michael on the ground.

If I hit him, maybe he'll even feel it under his armored vest she thinks as she races over to him, aiming a punch followed by a spin kick at his body.

But she never makes it that far as the SSV whirls around and nails the Slayer with another perfect judo flip.  "I've got something for you too limey tart." he says, following up with a judo chop to the stomach that made Annabelle cough up blood.

OCC: Back to the combat thread.  Mike takes 36 points of damage, Annabelle takes 41 points.  BAD GUYS HAVE INITIATIVE AGAIN.  Mike and Annabelle will begin the round on the ground on -4 to defense to any attacks (and there will be some), then they can get to their feet and attack.

[top]

Now this was what Buffybot wanted! Toe-to-toe. She could've sworn that being around Mike did wonders to her. Of course she HAD hoped to for the quick knockout but.....the SSV had other plans as he drops his rifle and reaches for her.  If Buffybot was channeling Mike, she was doing it in the worst way as she got exactly what he just got.  THUD!  A masterful judo throw puts her on her back. WHAM! Followed by a powerful boot to the face that rattles the nuts and bolts in her head.


Lance moves to flank the swat vamp that the bot was going toe to toe with. The SWAT vamp gets to him first and unloads a punch to Lance's head.  Lance has never been hit so hard before.  This guy is an HST of the highest threat level.

He then levels the taser at its legs and fires. But this vamp is fast too, dodging the stream of lightning.

Knowing that it had been successful previously Aaron carefully lines up his shots at the Vampire on the roof. The shot was trickier than last time due to needing to aim somewhat lower. He would almost feel bad for the necessity, had his target been human rather than merely able to pose as one.

THOK.  AAAAHHH!!!!  THOK. AAAAHHH!!!  Two bulleyes for the watcher as both arrows find their mark.  The SSV doesn't look so tough now as slumps to the ground in a fetal position holding his now arrow ridden groin area in pain.


Mike wasn't in a good spot. But then he smelled something. He smelled something powerful. Something his companion had that would give him the edge he needed to defeat this opponent.

The SSV stands confidently over Mike's prone body.  "End of the line punk." He pulls out his wooden stake and drives it towards Mike's heart.


Dodging with peternatural grace, he doesn't attack the enemy as the wooden stake hits the pavement where Mike was a second ago. Instead, he races to Annabelle, where she's wounded, and...kisses her.

Is that the power up?

No, the blood she just coughed up is. It's very little...but it's enough.

Michael feels his blood burning.  If a vampire can feel reborn for a second time, this is it.


Annabelle clutched her stomach, that vampire packed a punch.  "Michael, we've got to......mmmmhhh!!!!!.....what the bloody hell are you......mmmmhhh!!!!" The ensouled vampire has lost it.  He was certifiably off his trolley.


Annabelle could then only manage to jump to her feet and avoid getting hit again, Michael's totally mad action deprived her of coherent thought.

OCC: Back to the combat thread. Buffybot takes 44 points of damage, Lance takes 25 points.  GOOD GUYS HAVE INITIATIVE THIS ROUND.  SSV on the ground is still standing and ready to fight.  The one on the roof is lying down in pain from the double arrow shots to the groin.

Is Mike crazy? Maybe. Is Mike effective? You betcha.

Whatever it is Mike did, he charged at the enemy SWAT Vampire, and then did his typical grab and throw. After the SSV hit the pavement, he grabbed a nearby car (Yes, car! Okay, it's only one of those cube vehicles that are pretty light, but still, a friggin CAR!) and smashed it down on the vampire's legs. The SSV screamed in pain as you could hear the crushing sound of the car hit him. Then Mike finally went to stake him. All in the space of a second or two.

THOK.  FOOM!  This one's dust.

Michael certainly seemed to get his second wind (figure of speech of course since he doesn't breath).  Annabelle touched her mouth and found no blood.  Michael wasn't after a kiss, he wanted her blood and her mouth just happened to be in the vicinity.

Did my blood do that? she thought.  Slay first, think later.  That's what her watcher always said.

The Slayer charged forward, wooden stake in hand, ready to plunge it into the SSV's heart, twice if that's what it took.  But zero was enough as the SSV was dust by the time she reached the dust pile that used to be a solid vampire.


Buffybot needed to get up in a hurry. She then snaps to her feet. "Sorry pal not happening."She attempts to finish what she started as she attempts to once again finish the vamp cop off......the stake plunged into the SSV's heart, but no dusting occurred.  Tough vamp combined with SWAT armor made him hard to dust.

"You dirty son of a ...." Lance rubs his face where he took the shot.  He shakes it off and lets that last sentence hang and fires another taser shot.  Hopefully he can knock the thing out and the bot can finish it off. If not Lance knows he can start hacking with his knife but first he must knock him out.

"Here you rat bastard!"

ZAP!  The taser blast strikes the vamp's unprotected arm and rips through him. But he's still awake.  He then pulls the arrows out of his body, trying to get up, but still can't.


The vampire above dropped out of site, so Aaron spins to shoot at the other. He repeats his tactic, aiming around the protective layers of the vampire's SWAT armour. His two arrows were flew one after the other, hitting the pile of dust, the SSV was at just a second ago before Mike finished him off.


OCC: One super SWAT vamp left, currently lying on the roof in pain (but still awake).  Good guys have initiative this round too. 

Mike dashed off upstairs after the other SSV. Moving faster then ANYONE's ever seen him move, he swiftly arrives at the other downed vamp, grabs him, and goes for some brutal all out stakings. He knows he doesn't have long before what he got from Annabel wore off, and he wasn't about to waste it.

With strength that can toss cars, he drives that stake right through the armor....THOK....THOK...FOOM! Two shots to the heart does it as the last SSV turns to dust.


OCC: This fight's over.  All vamps are dust.

The battle was over.  Time to turn attention to other matters.

"Michael Smith!  Get your bloody bum off that roof and get down here NOW! I want an explanation for your assault on my person!" Annabelle screamed at Mike on the roof, now nearly oblivious to everyone else.

In his current enhanced state, Mike simply leaps off the roof, landing a nifty forward flip on the way off, and nails the landing.

"He was winning. And hit you, a Slayer, hard enough you coughed up blood. Unfortunately, this is going to wear off in a few seconds, but it was enough to cut their numbers in half. A Slayer's blood is the key to making things like this happen. I don't trust myself enough to take anything from you the normal way. Angel loved Buffy with his heart and soul and STILL nearly killed her. I probably wouldn't do so well."

"Well then, we're in agreement on that.  I don't trust you either."

And that's all the Slayer is saying on that at the moment as she gathers up her weapons.

"We need to be on our way." she says to everyone.  "When this group of vampires doesn't report in, another group will be dispatched to this site. We can't return to The Fish Tank right now.  It's too close in proximity to this spot, the next group would find us."

Mike has one of those haunted looks...

"You're probably right not to. Even the vampire I'm emulating as a role model has been known to lose his soul now and again."