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Post by Scarlet Storm on Oct 12, 2019 13:17:40 GMT -5
Sunny stepped out onto the balcony of their penthouse in Founders' Falls, closing her eyes as the cool autumn breeze ruffled her hair. She looked out over the railing, smiling at the vista. The hills in the distance were a vague green-grey, but she was lucky to live high enough to see them. It was convenient, too, for a couple of flying heroes. In a pinch, they could jump out a window and go.
The redhead tucked a wayward lock of hair behind one ear and turned, planning to sit down. Erik's ashtray, clean and untouched for several weeks now, sat on the small patio table. She moved to one of the two chairs beside it, then stopped and frowned. Draped over the chair was a garment she'd never seen before. A black leather vest with a large skull and crossbones on the back, it looked heavy. A rocker over the top of the skull read, "DEATH RIDERS," and a similar rocker underneath read, "PARAGON."
"Erik," Sunny called into the house, "is this yours?"
"What?" The response was muffled. A couple of seconds later, his black-haired head poked out the open door, a frown on his face. "Is what...oh..." He trailed off, staring at the vest. Wordlessly, he walked over, his particular graceless stalk thudding on the balcony. He reached for the collar of the vest, his expression unreadable.
Sunny frowned. "What is it?"
Erik picked up the vest and turned it around. There was only one patch on the front. It read, "BRAWLER."
A knife, looking freshly-sharpened, with a black handle, had been run through the patch.
Erik's voice was almost dead-sounding as he said clearly, "Fuck."
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Post by British Steel on Oct 12, 2019 13:22:42 GMT -5
Erik's face had a peculiar, almost blank look. He eyes stared at the vest, the patch, and the knife with an intensity as though he was trying to burn through it.
"It was mine...once," Erik said slowly.
Sunny frowned. "Once," she asked.
Erik nodded. "Back when I was a member of the Death Riders. Brawler was my gang name because I was good at fighting, and because of my strength. Slaughter, the leader of the gang, he treated me like I was a little brother. He was the only other person in the gang with powers. In fact, he was a mutant like me. With superstrength. It was funny not only were we the only metahumans in the gang but we also had the same powers. He was pissed when I left the gang. He took it as a personal betrayal."
Erik ran a hand through his long black hair. "He said he would get me for it. I don't know why he waited 8 years. This is a message."
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Post by Scarlet Storm on Oct 12, 2019 13:28:11 GMT -5
"A message?" Sunny's expression was blank. She was a sweet girl, but sometimes not very quick.
"A threat." Erik's voice was still peculiarly devoid of emotion. He clenched his fist around the collar of the vest, the shifting fabric caused the knife to fall to the balcony with a loud THUNK.
Sunny frowned, then pulled her phone out of her pocket. "We should tell someone. Probably Dave. I just hope they don't decide we're too much trouble, after everything..."
He looked at her, his gaze still intense. "Sunny. What are you doing?"
She gave him a dirty look. "Shut it. I'm telling the Patrol NOW...before this goes any further."
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Post by British Steel on Oct 12, 2019 13:35:30 GMT -5
Erik looked at Sunny for several seconds. "Did...you really....just tell me to....shut it?" He shook his head and for the first time since he saw the vest he actually smiled.
"You're right," he said. "They need to know. And if they kick us out for this well, they keep talking about being family. I don't think they will kick us out. Should we throw this vest out? It's a pretty nice knife, but I suppose it's evidence now."
He sat down heavily in one of the chairs on the balcony. "Wish I had a damn cigarette now."
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Post by Battledog on Oct 17, 2019 11:53:06 GMT -5
Dave Kinmount stared at the cellphone that laid on his desk. It beeped incessantly at him. He sighed and reached for it. "What has the douchebag done now, Sunny?" "Not my brother this time thankfully. It's Erik's 'brother' this time." she responded back. Dave leaned back in his chair and listened to the particulars. "Have you thought about moving?" he asked. He held the phone away from his ear as Sunny let loose a stream of profanity. "Don't worry we are not going to kick you out of the Patrol. Let me send a couple boys over to see what we can do." Dave slid the phone back on to his desk and let another sigh. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in thought. Nope, he couldn't use his own team for this. It would have to stay in house. He lifted the phone again and dialed from memory. " Ramsey. Get Team 3 up and ready for a counter-surveillance op. Target is the residence of Sunny Martin and Erik Meier. Have them look for anything out of the ordinary and possible meta-human snoopers. Don't worry, I will clear it with Tania." Dave leaned back smiling this time.
"Way to delegate, dude." he thought to himself as he went back to his paperwork, forgetting he just made more for himself.
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Post by British Steel on Oct 20, 2019 21:06:56 GMT -5
Erik walked into the Dawn Patrol base carrying a bag. He passed the memorial plaques, walked around the desk, and stepped into the elevator. He thumbed the button that would take him to the level containing administrative offices. Stepping out of the elevator, he wished not for the first time that he hadn't chosen to quit smoking when he did. A cigarette would be welcome right now. But, he had made a promise to Sunny and he wasn't about to break it. He walked down the hall and stopped outside of the security office. He knocked on the doorframe and waited.
Dave heard the knock and looked up from his paperwork. "Oh, hey Erik. What can I do for you?"
Erik stepped into the office and sat the bag down on Dave's desk. "I know Sunny called you and told you what happened," he said frowning.
Dave nodded. "Yeah, she did. I've already dispatched a team to set up 24/7 surveillance on your apartment."
"That's good." The frown still hadn't left Erik's face. He opened the bag and pulled out the vest. He pulled out a smaller, zip-lock bag containing the knife. "I brought what was left at our apartment. The vest and the knife. I don't know if you can get fingerprints off the handle or anything. But, I figure if this stuff can give you any kind of leads I'd bring it in."
Dave looked at the vest and the weapon, then looked up at Erik. "How are you doing?"
Erik shrugged. "Good as can be expected. I mean, Sunny's little shit of a brother wants to kill her, and now I got people who want to kill me. Thing is, the other day Sunny and I went to the D. Her idiot brother was there. We had a conversation and at one point he asked me if I could hear a motorcycle. He also used the word slaughter a couple of times. Slaughter is the name of the guy that's the leader of the biker gang. Makes me wonder if he's the one that's getting the gang to come after me. Maybe he figures killing me is a way to hurt Sunny. I don't know. Anyway, I just wanted to drop this off with you. I'm going down to the bar to get a drink."
Erik turned and left Dave's office and went back to the elevator. He hit the button marked "L" and rode to the Lamedh deck. Stepping out he walked into the bar and frowned. There was no one else there.
"Hey Erik," Gregory, the bartender, said. "Usual?"
Erik nodded. A few moments later, Gregory handed him a Jim Beam and Coke. Erik picked up the glass and took a swallow.
"You look like a man with a lot on his mind," Gregory remarked.
"You could say that," Erik replied. "Sunny's brother is gunning for her. And now I got a biker gang coming after me to kill me."
Gregory shook his head. "Shit man. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. But from what I hear you can handle yourself pretty well. I think it would take a lot to take you down."
Erik finished his drink quickly. "Let's hope so," he said. He turned and walked back to the elevator. Leaving the base, he quickly changed into his rocket boots and blasted off into the air. As he flew toward home he frowned when he saw a line of motorcycles roaring down the street. He couldn't help but wonder if it was his old friends, The Death Riders.
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Post by Snowdaze on Oct 21, 2019 22:35:36 GMT -5
The notification had gone off on her phone over an hour ago, for surveillance to be placed on Sunny and Erik's place. Snowdaze knew with their recent troubles it couldn't be good.
She sighed putting her phone away, and muttered to herself "I shouldn't have even hesitated. I know we all got our own problems, but we are supposed to help each other with them. And I need to keep telling myself that."
She calmed her breathing and focused as the gloom of the Isles shimmered away from around her, and moments later she was standing on the roof of the Founders Fall's high-rise. She looked over the edge of the building, "This looks about right" she thought to herself and jumped down to the balcony of the penthouse.
Snowdaze could see Sunny was in the main room off of the Balcony. She pulled down the mask of her tactical ops outfit as she knocked on the glass doors.
"Oh! Hi Chisi, I wasn't expecting you!" Sunny said as she slid the door open.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I should have been here sooner. I guess Dave is setting up a firewatch on you guys. Is it your brother again?"
Sunny explained the mornings events as Snowdaze listened.
"Ok, well I'm going to go get in contact with the surveillance team, and run patrol around the area." Snowdaze cupped her hands together and closed here eyes for a moment. "I'm gunna leave this here for you just in case for some reason trouble shows up and we aren't already here, I want you to throw this at the biggest scariest guy."
Placing a small angel figure made of ice on the coffee table. "Call it a guardian angel, it's basically one of my freeze spells in grenade form." She winked at Sunny as she headed back for the balcony. "I'll also know it was used and I'll be here as fast as I can. If you need it, you need it. If you don't, well... it won't melt. Let me know if you guys get any leads."
"Thank Chisi, it's nice to have friends to lean on."
Snowdaze pulled up her mask, stepping off the balcony into the air. "That's what friends are for!" She waved as she floated away.
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Post by British Steel on Oct 28, 2019 9:41:33 GMT -5
Erik sat on top of a building in Kings Row. Thus far his patrol had been uneventful. He reached up and switched his ear piece over to the police band to see if anything was going on.
"All units....The Death Riders motorcycle gang has taken over an office building in Talos Island. Shots fired. Several casualties. All units...."
"Shit," Erik said. He switched his ear piece back to the team band. "Ultrastrike to Sunsong."
"Sunsong," the familiar voice replied over the comm.
"Just heard on the police band that the Death Riders have taken over an office building in Talos Island. There have been shots fired and casualties. Get the team together. Looks like Slaughter is on the move."
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Post by British Steel on Nov 4, 2019 22:34:37 GMT -5
((After the AE arc))
The Paragon Police Department swarmed the warehouse. In a few minutes a long line of handcuffed bikers were being led out. Slaughter was led out last, his broken nose bloody. He spat at the Dawn Patrollers as he was led by. Erik smiled and waved.
"See ya in court Big guy."
****
The trial was short. Slaughter tried to pin the entire affair on Sid, but the judge and jury weren't buying it. In trying to talk his way out of this situation he admitted to six other murders and a host of other crimes. In the end, a life sentence plus 30 years was handed down. He swore he'd get out and get revenge. But as he was led away by six large officers, the grim certainty that the rest of his life would be lived in a six by six cell dawned on him. The last Erik and Sunny saw of the Death Riders' leader was him being taken away, his head hanging low and look of fatal resignation on his face.
"At least he's dealt with," Erik said to Sunny as they left the courthouse.
"Yeah," Sunny said. "Now we just have to deal with Sid."
"We will," Erik said as he took his wife's hand. "We will."
-END-
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