"We are now in Ruritania airspace," Colonel Steel announced. "Your powers are being switched off. Powers are usable, but they will still explode if you attempt to take them off. Get ready for the mission. You have five minutes."

Diana tested this, pulling her gear around her.  Good enough.

"All right," she said.  "Low profile for now.  Let's move out."

The jet let you, the group and Colonel Steel down on the building across from the hotel.

"All right," said Hazel.  She stood on Larry and rose a couple of feet in the air.  It was good to be back.

"Recon first," she added, raising Walpurgisnacht.  An orbiting collection of strange little dolls and toys arose around her; one, a small bat-toy, shot out at incredible speeds towards the building.  From her hat, a visor dropped down, showing her what the bat saw.  Presumably the others on the Stealth team would follow with their own tricks.

Lynx and Trickshot began making their way down and into the hotel using alternative methods. You can see that several of the windows are covered and that the police are covering the ground level.

That wasn't a problem.  She'd used the bat before in relatively covered locations-- she sent it squeezing through a ventilation shaft.

Since it's just Remote Sensing, normal obstacles won't stop it.

As you moved through the vents, you can detect hostiles in different areas of the hotel. They did have hostages tied up and right in front of some of the rooms with covered windows.

She communicated this to the others.

"Did anybody spot their heavy hitters?" she asked.  "We're going to need to be ready to get the hostages out fast-- take out any guards on them, first."

"I've found two on the top floor," Lynx said.

"I found one all alone," Trickshot said.

Who was guarding the hostages?

Lynx had found the Alchemist and The Flame. Trickshot had found Electrode. Mad Dog and Sabre haven't been located yet. The hostages behind the blocked windows were unguarded.

"Brick, you're the key distraction here," said Diana.  "Your job is to be a supervillain with a grudge against someone there.  Shout it really loudly that you're there after-- I don't know, pick someone.  Saber or something; if you know any of them, so much the better.  The point is, challenge them outside and then break in; make it seem like you don't give a damn about the hostages or anything else.  Maybe act drunk or stoned or something.  But your job is to get their attention, and for you to NOT appear to be acting for the government or anything like it, so they don't waste time threatening the hostages..."

She evaluated the others.

"We don't have the kinds of powers for a mass evacuation," she said.  "We might not be able to get the hostages out... I'm not really sure what's keeping them there, honestly.  Let me take a closer look."

She sent the bat in to look more closely at the hostages.  Were they tied up?  Were there locked doors, planted bombs, traps?

There were certainly locked and even the occasional barricaded door. You don't see any bombs.

(OOC: Give me a current events roll.)

13 isn't good enough, so Luck: 24

You recognize one of the hostages as the niece of the president who had been getting into some legal trouble.

"...okay, the hostages look honestly pretty safe," said Diana.  "Enough so that there's something weird going on here.  Anyway, Brick, you distract 'em, Lynx, you ought to be able to unlock the doors and get them out.  Hotshot, you're on fire control duty, Trickshot backs up Brick with sniper attacks as they turn up, and I'm fast enough to be a floater.  Sound like a plan?"

Everyone agreed.

Brick smiled and leapt down off the roof, landing noisily.

"Sabre, you bastard! You still owe me money!" Bricked yelled as he loudly stomped over to the hotel.

Hazel took advantage to move towards an available window.  Her next move depended on how the enemy reacted...

"The hell are you doing here?" Electrode yelled, sticking his head out of a second floor window.

"I want my money!" Brick yelled back.

It does seem that they are distracted.

For the moment, the hostages were priority.  She slipped in and headed for their location.

(OOC: Stealth check, please)

23:43, Today: Witch Hazel rolled 9 using 1d20+2 ((7)).

There was a loud squeak as you opened the window, but no one came.

That was good.  She headed for the hostages.

You were able to get to one without issue.

She took the door down with the Halloween Army; much faster than normal methods.

"All of you, be quiet," she said.  "You're getting out of here now.  Let's go!"

(OOC: Another stealth roll.)

7.  I'll take "Skills I Don't Have for Failure," Alex.

"Hey, they're trying to escape!" a voice shouted.

"That way!  Stay under cover," said Diana, moving the hostages towards an exit while she stayed back to engage anyone who came after them.

A bolt of flame came shooting at one of the hostages.

Power Stunting to pick up Interpose so I take the hit.

(OOC: Toughness Save vs DC 26)

20:59, Today: Witch Hazel rolled 27 using 1d20+12 ((15)).

The fire struck Diana's shields and went out harmlessly.

"Rude, ignoring me to try and kill a bystander," she said.  "You're very naughty, and naughty children get punished.  HALLOWEEN ARMY!  DANCE!"

She raised her wand high in the air, and the orbiting toy drones shot out at all angles, raising clouds of dust and smoke, and providing cover for the fleeing hostages.

Halloween Dance to protect the bystanders while the actual bad guys come into view.

"Gah! Damn it!" The Flame shouted.

"Now, now!  Such language!" said Hazel, laughing at Flame as she approached.  "Naughty twice and twice again-- Get 'em, Larry!"

The broom obediently sprung into action!

OOC: I'm keeping the Halloween Dance up and instead unleashing Larry, who is a Damage 10 Selective Area attack on Flame and any other enemies around.

You knock The Flame senseless, but it was hard to tell if anyone else was coming. A very loud fight was coming from outside.

"Flame's down," Hazel reported to the others.  She went to look in on the fight outside.

It was Brick fighting Mad Dog and Electrode in the streets.

That was fine-- they weren't a threat now.  She went to look after her escaped hostages, and try to get more of them out.

"I could use some help," Lynx said over the coms.

"On my way," said Hazel, heading for Lynx's location.

You arrive to see lynx trying  to hold off Sabre.

Hazel flew in, unleashing a Pumpkin Drone at him, hopefully taking him off-guard... it locked in on the target and began spewing fire!

23:02, Today: Witch Hazel rolled 25 using 1d20+10 ((15)).  Damage 10 with Secondary Effect.

Sabre was caught off guard, but still managed to dodge out of the way.

"Annoying, there are more of you. But now I'm wondering why so many villains are acting like wannabe heroes," he said as he swung his sword at Lynx, who barely got out of the way.

"And now you're being terribly naughty," said Hazel.  "As well as not thinking!  And not thinking, young man, is a capital offense!"

She directed a gas bomb at him-- let him try and cope with that and the drone and see how he liked it!

That's an Area Fort-Based Affliction (Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated) 10 for him to deal with, and the Homing drone attacks again!

15:03, Today: Witch Hazel rolled 16 using 1d20+10 ((6)).
Okay, that's gonna miss if a 25 did, but let's see how he likes the gas...

"Damn it, damn it! We are leaving!" Sabre said as you can hear him running in the gas.

"...is the pretty kitty all right?" Hazel asked, incapable of breaking character if there might be an audience.

"...just great," Lynx said. She did have several shallow cuts you can see. Long shallow slices.

"Let's get those patched up," said Hazel.  She sent the bat-drone out to check on the hostages while she bandaged Lynx.

The hostages had made it outside and to the police. Brick was still fighting with the two villains.

"Are you all right now?" Hazel asked Lynx.  "I want to check on Brick and the others."

"Yeah, I'm okay," Lynx said.

"I'll go back up Brick," she said.  "Did you see Trickshot anywhere?"

"I'm here," Trickshot said behind you.

"Good.  Do we have to worry about the Alchemist?" she asked.  She didn't want to get caught by surprise by the last one she hadn't accounted for.

"Nope," Trickshot said. "He's taken care of."

"Ditto Flame," said Hazel.  "Let's go get Brick dealt with."

The three of you arrive outside with Brick still fighting Electrode and Mad Dog.

Hazel flew in, looking for a chance to lob a gas bomb at one or the other... or, ideally, both.

In which case it's the same DC 20 Area Fort Save.

The two supervillains started coughing as Brick got a solid punch in on Mad Dog which sent him flying as Electrode started fleeing.

Hazel considered stopping Electrode, but it wasn't worth the trouble.  They'd done their job.

"...So did anyone hear what they were after?" she asked.  "I know that there was a hostage here with some kind of connections..."

She didn't mention who, not yet.  Why draw attention to the poor girl?

"Nah," Brick said. "Is she hot at least?"

"I'm not sure that I ever laid eyes on her," said Hazel.  "It's not like we're likely to see her again..."

A statement that might well be entirely wrong, of course.

"Ah well, I guess we'd better get out of here," Brick said.

"Agreed."

She reported in.

"Mission done, get back to the aircraft," a certain gruff military voice said over your communicator.

"Let's be off, then," said Hazel, flying back.  Really, her time with her toys was going to be too short... but better than none at all.

And they still couldn't shut off her mind.

"Good work people," he said when everyone was in and the plane took off.

"So why was that girl so important here?" Diana asked.  "I'm just curious."

"Daughter of a high ranking official. They were hoping to be able to effect policies," the Colonel said.

"Ah," said Hazel.  "Ridiculous plan.  Those idiots should stick to liquor stores."

"A few of them were more dangerous than that," the Colonel said. "I certainly wouldn't want Mad Dog on a team for a job like this."

"Which is why it was either amateur night or a much deeper ploy," said Diana.  "I doubt that we were expected, though, so if it was, I hope we wrecked it."

"Works for me and you probably," the colonel said. "Don't expect everything to be a cakewalk."

"Oh, I know that full well," said Diana.  "It's not like any of us aren't used to defeats.  We wouldn't be here if it wasn't like that."

"That was fun," Trickshot said.

"It was nice to get back out there again," agreed Diana.  "Lynx, honey, how are you doing?"

"Not bad, I suppose," Lynx said. "I'm not a great fighter."

"Not everybody has to be," said Diana.  "But more, I'm asking if your arms are all right."

"Oh! Yeah, I'll be fine," Lynx said.

"Good," said Diana.  "All right... so what's the plan now, Colonel?  You said we get better housing than the cells we were in.  I'm also going to need some kind of facilities to do maintenance on my gear."

"We're still working on the gear thing with you," the Colonel said. "But yes, you will all get larger cells with some privacy."

"There really isn't a way to compromise too much," said Hazel.  "Besides, you've got that collar on me.  I can't just escape.  But it's pointless to have me do these missions if I can't take care of my equipment."

"Yes, we're working on it. Some officials are dragging  their feet," the colonel said.

"Well, all right," said Diana.  "Can we at least socialize a bit with each other?  Solitary confinement is torture.  Literally."

"Yes, the cells will be in the same area, with a shared common area," the colonel said. "Don't try to abuse that."

"That'll do for now," said Diana.  "Perhaps we can earn more privileges..."

"I don't know anything about that," the colonel said.

"Oh, I think the idea will find its way to you," said Diana.  "It's good to have both carrots and sticks.  I think we all know that."

"It's not in my power to do anything, I should say," the colonel said.

"The idea's still going to occur to them eventually," said Diana, firmly.  "They can give us missions, but they'll want more."

At least from her, surely.

"I agree," the colonel said.

"Well, I suppose we may as well rest for now," said Hazel.  She did some work on Larry during the trip, though-- she did have tools with her for some basic maintenance.