Scarlet Wolf sat in the jeep as Crusader drove them to the emergency that was happening. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, but she would do her best to use her powers to help stop whatever was going on. "Do we know what's happening, Crusader? It might help form a plan about how to go about this."

Scarlet Wolf, who usually shortens it to Scarlet, was buckled in and trying to pay attention to where they were going. She felt she knew Century Station pretty well as the researcher raised her here and she'd lived here most of her life. She was able to mostly keep track of where they were and if they were taking the best route possible to get where they were going. Though the problem is she didn't know exactly where they were going yet. She'd missed that part.

OOC: I'm playing it so that Scarlet missed hearing their destination, she was lost in her own thoughts when that was mentioned.

Hal, in his normal form (in which he was only huge), sat in what would have been the driver's seat if this particular vehicle had needed one.

He kept his hands well away from the steering wheel and fiddled with the getting the various gear he carried settled into place. It was all essentially useless to him now but years of habit would have their say.

When Cannon piled into the passenger seat Hal casually sprayed him with sport strength aerosol deodorant.

"Bro, you gotta start camping somewhere with a shower. Your fur looks like you scalped 114 balding detectives from a 70's cop show. Nobody's gonna wanna pet you..."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Sun 10 Sept 2023.

"Dammed. I was all set on sleepin' under the stars fir a change."
Hearing the retreat was to be in a rural setting, Hatfield had discovered a line nearby and rifted out the previous evening. Still, what was done could be undone as long as nothing precious were lost. That was his father's wisdom and it served.
Now it seemed his plans were to be dashed on the rocks of duty, technically the only reason he came to this world in the first place. It just couldn't be helped. He began to walk the familiar patterns and prepare to open a way back to Century Station, pulling energy from the wòdland creatures to fuel the spell. Even with the help of the forest creatures, the spell took so much energy he ended with a little over half of what he began with.
But the door was opening in front of him and he could see the street. Stepping through and closing the door behind him gave him space and time to see the situation. He had arrived ahead of the fleeing car. Now to slow it down so his friends could take care of the bad guys. Hatfield waited, staring down the road where he thought the car would be.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:21, Thu 31 Aug 2023.

Loose Cannon retires his "secret personality" attire as he sniffs his underarms.

Oh well, I learned no writer can edit his own writings, I guess that applies to body smelling too. I never thought the situation was so desperate. I will take showers more frequently. Promise.

Loose Cannon does not have the age to understand what is or how to use sarcasm, so Hal could be pretty sure he was talking seriously.

The car won't stop.

"I was jokin' LC. We'll keep workin' on it. But I mean, yeah, showers are good."

Hal shook his head and smiled.

"What's our ETA Al?"

Pulling his mask on, Crusader stopped, leaving his mouth exposed. He understood that might be a necessity and made a mental note to look into getting a new one. "Rattle Bridge @ the 109 interchange. Vehicle with enhanced flying air support. It's a kidnapping Scarlett, a little girl. Two police casualties."

Just to clarify: it is a regular car but assissted by the super villain Proton who flies over the car guarding it. The cops are not dead, just "down", wounded.

Scarlet grit her teeth as she was informed of the kidnapping. "Thanks boss, sorry I'll try and pay better attention next time. Do we have any kind of a plan to get this little girl back?" Scarlet blushed a bit as Crusader repeated the information they had for her. Her mask left her cheeks bare so they could be seen turning red from her blushing. Shrugging out of her oversized coat, the rest of her purple and black costume was revealed. It was pretty conservative for a super heroine costume, though the bottom of it did have a leotard cut to it. Purple knee high boots covered her feet and legs. There was a stylized wolf's head on the back of the costume that can't be seen at the moment since Scarlet was sitting back against her seat as Crusader drove.

Puck had opted for a ride along, as extended periods of flight would have drained all his energy reserves.    Because he tended to make American football players look small; he invariably opted for the backseat, and by that the entire backseat.    Rather than contribute much to the conversation; he chose to listen to the back and forth banter with very little to add.   When it turned around to be time for action; he opted to wait for a plan to be put forward.

Hatfield stared down the road, and became perplexed. Everything was sedate and quiet. Looking over his shoulder, he sighed, "dang it, I'm on the wrong side."
Turning around, he hurries across Rattle Bridge.

Hal radioed the other vehicle, "Want me airborne Jefe?"

Crusader didn't like that he was suppose to have a plan already, but hey that was why they picked him. "With so little onsite intelligence, this is subject to change. Our first priority must be the child. To that end, Alloy and Puck will keep Photon busy. Alana and L.C. should stop the car carrying her and disable the driver if possible. Scarlet and I will get the girl and make sure she is Okay. Hopefully Hatfield will be there by that point and he can teleport her to safety. If not, we wing it, but she is the priority. Once she is safe, all bets are off. Subdue if possible, terminate only in the case of life preservation. Keep tight, watch each other's backs, and if you get dead walk it off." He stopped, giving them a moment process, "Suggestions or questions?"

Puck gave a nod, waiting until they were close before beginning any sort of spell-casting.  He casts the following spells at the following intervals:

• When they're about a minute or so from intercept: Fly as the Eagle. (20 minute duration, 25 P.P.E.)
• When they're ready to engage: Armor of lthan*, first on Alloy then on himself. (1 minute duration, 10 P.P.E. each).

"I can try and catch him in a Mystic Net before you go to blows with him."  Puck suggested to Alloy.   "It might take him out of the fight before it even starts."

*This powerful spell instantly creates an invisible, weightless, noiseless, full suit of mystic armor on the spell caster. This mystic armor has an A.R. of 18 and 100 S.D.C. plus 10 S.D.C. per level of experience. Furthermore magic fire, lightning, and cold do half damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:54, Fri 01 Sept 2023.

No more able to talk than any other car Alana does have a few tricks.  As they pass beyond the police control zone where the road is free of normal traffic the Tesla roadster starts playing the "Ride of the Valkyries" most easily identified segment as ut once again accelerates up to what most would consider an unsafe 180mph which quickly closes the distance to the target vehicle.

Once there they slow down almost as quickly and pull in front of the fleeing vehicle.  Slowing as gently as possible the little roadsters stays in front of the other vehicle, or jumps out ahead if it manages to slip past.

"I suggest Photon watch his ass."

Hal nodded at Puck.



"That doesn't even sound fair. I love it!"

Hal opened the driver side door and stood up 3/4 out of the car. 290 kilometer per hour winds took his breath and swept his hair back. Not for the first time he was amazed at the abilities of his robotic teammate.

He patted the top of the car and shouted, though he had no way to know if anyone but Pupck could here him,

"Going high!"

He kicked into a jump, carrying him a couple of meters from the car and up slightly. He rolled over, his already large body seeming to swell in every proportion until the 7 plus foot dull grey metallic form of Alloy was revealed.

At the last his huge wings exploded from his back, unfurling to their full over 20 foot wingspan, and he rocketed into the sky at full speed. Angled to keep himself directly above Alana so as to coordinate their arrival.

Scarlet nodded her head as she heard the plan from Crusader. It was a good plan, hopefully it'll work. Though she wasn't sure that it would work that way. This was their first true test of working together. Drills and practice doesn't have that sense of urgency and near panic that a true emergency has. So hopefully they'll pass this test, if not ace it altogether. "Got it, you and I will get the girl out of there."

In the very moment the girl is in the custody of Alana, the two thugs start running for their freedom. The Justice Front see how several men dressed as law enforcement agents run after the two thugs, all of them have a number 10 on their helmets, so you know they belong to Sector 10. The arrest is fast and easy.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!As3yY-2vjI...0rSjbP9ya7w?e=bXUDEz

Two very well known members of the Sector Squad (a division of Sector 10), Pegasus and Manticore arrive to the place with a power nullifier that use over Proton. That is an interesting procedure to watch but what really attracts all the sights is an imposing figure hovering over the place, his name: Apex, the most known and popular hero from Century Station.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!As3yY-2vjI...i-z1ULDAIdw?e=xu7zIx

After the effects of the magical carpet have faded, Manticore handcuffs Proton and takes him to one of the containment vehicles Sector 10 owns.

Apex adresses to the Justice Front:

CHIMERA thanks you for your contribution, you have just helped us to rescue a high profile person of interest. Could you please tell me your registration number?

Alloy simply looked from Apex to Crusader and back smiling.

Unable to answer properly and almost uncapable to understand what was going on, Loose Cannon just keep in silence, attentive to what his partners will do about the weird question the flying man just asked.

Hatfield puts on his confused face, "Registration number? Listen, I jist popped in from a dimension where they ain't got no spandex set, on either side. I 'aven't got a registration number. I also don't have driver's license, or a birth certificate, or a passport, or even a library card. Does that mean I don't exist or is it like that tree falling quietly in the forest?"

Although lacking anything like hands, a face, or much of the sorts of things used for humanoid identification the roadster does have a license plate with all the normal tags and symbols appropriate to the local area and reads in big block letters "ALANA" clearly for anyone who bothers to look.

Now that the quick and dirty part of the hostage recovery is over, the girl transferred to whatever legal authority wants her, and some time has passed the few dents and scratches in the one side panel that even got that damaged begin to recover, slowly but visibly shrinking.

Crusader put his hand on Hatfield's shoulder, hoping to both soothe his friend's nerves and let him know it was going to be okay. "We're new in town. We were heading to Oregon when the call came across. We heard back up was well out of reach and there was a child's life at stake. We chose to act without a registration number. We haven't discussed such things amongst ourselves and when we have we will be sure to let you know." He started to head for his Jeep but stopped, "I'm pretty sure those goons were calling for back up. I don't speak whatever Proton does, but I'd bet he was doing the same. Just a heads up."

Then to his crew, "Crisis averted, people. We are still camping together, I hope. Lets get moving."

"I'll see you when you get back, then."   Puck says before flying off in the general direction of his residence.   He was no longer interesting in whatever bonding ceremony the team was going to engage in, and at this point would just rather not be around.   Instead, he could better spend the time in meditation.

Apex takes the little girls and warmly sits her over his powerful arms, then addresses to the group:

As legionnaires you must be aware that in about three months Operation Overlord will be decreed and all non-registered super humans will be considered outside the law. I strongly recommend you to register and abide the law, if you choose otherwise your extraordinary abilities will be for sure well received in another city.
Sector 10 operatives will remain here processing the scene, please cooperate with them and answer their questions. They will also sweep the area looking for that coming cavalry you mentioned.
Thanks again for your invaluable services, next time we meet again, I hope it be from this side of the fence.

Saying no more, the powerful icon leaves flying gently for the sake of the little girl.



To some respectable distance, behind some bushes, there is a group of super villains looking the interaction between the Justice Front and Apex.

Lady Hive: Only some seconds late and we would have had an unpleasant encounter with the Sector Squad and Apex.

Modulus: We are outnumbered, there is nothing we can do for Proton right now, they for sure will take him to Gramercy Island. This was a round job, we have just lost a couple millions. I knew it was not a good idea to trust those goons but our only chance was buying those bodyguards and send Proton alone as he is the least noticiable of us.

Phaze: And what now boss?

Modulus: First we avenge this loss and take down all these legionnaire clowns whatever their name is and then....

The last panel is a close up of Modulus's face in grim and gritty shades.

Modulus: We recover Proton from Gramercy Island, even if we have to burn the place to ashes.

Be here in 30 days for the explosive first issue of Justice Front.