2019-05-13 - Item Retrieval Becomes A Task

Summary:

Captain America is beset by Task Master again

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Mon May 13 04:45:51 2019
Location: East River

Related Logs

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Theme Song

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thorbuckysifsteve-rogerskeiko

.~{:--------------:}~.


The sun set about an hour ago and two other teams have deployed on this operation. This team, led by Captain Steve Rogers, has been deployed to a dingy looking place on the bend in East River where it meets Luyster Creek.

The buildings here are old and rundown. It doesn't seem a likely place to hide something so important but the Nightfall have proved illusive so far. So why not?
Keiko Kurita has been here for a little while and is sitting cross legged on the ground, hidden in the shadows, tattooed arms bared. "I believe what we're looking for is in that first building, Captain America." she finally says in that heinz variety accent of hers. "Arananet has found something that looks like it. I can see it."

Arananet, Keikos enormous spirit tarantula. It might have shocked those she's with when she called it.

The building in question is a demountable, with stairs leading up to a door on the end. There are small windows in the side of building and no light spills from it. According to Keiko the building is empty. The door is locked though. How the spider got in there … it's probably better not to ask.

They'll need to get in there. Perhaps that crystal sceptre that Agent Turner from SHIELD sent over will help.


"Alright, folks, target confirmed." Steve speaks quietly from where the group is tucked into shadows, out of immediate line of any form of sight, mundane or technological — magical is another thing entirely. He's in his full uniform, dark-blue with the white star-and-bars across his chest, shield on his back, and sceptre in his hand.

"Agent Turner gave us this, told us it's got a few uses: a glamour that'll hide us completely, track something, and pick a lock. I'm thinking maybe a use for lock-picking if it'll apply to any containment the relic's in. We need cover from up high so nobody flanks the building while we're inside. I need someone beside me while I work at getting through the door — someone else to lay a smackdown if we find there're defenders that show up. Figure we've got our bases covered," the Captain finishes, glancing between his cohorts.


"If only you knew a highly trained sniper," deadpans Barnes. He's got Sif's blades at his hip, but he's also got a rifle with him - by its almost arachnid lines, it's a sniper rifle. "You know, one who could provide overwtch from on high."


Sif is there alongside Rogers, in her usual battle attire with her sword and buckler ready at hand. Her armor is likely a bit shiny for the subtle task at hand, but she moves quietly enough when necessary. "I will accompany you, Rogers." It's also a silent promise to the blond Midgardian's shield brother that she'll make sure he stays safe. Her eyes glance over each of the other people in their group and she gives them a nod or a respectful warrior's bow, as is warranted.

"When you are ready."


*

Thor was distracted; he wasn't immediately nearby, he had been ranging out around another building, but his hearing is fine. Indeed, the start of the speech by Rogers draws Thor right over with long strides. Thor is dressed to Avenge 'stealthily', in a version of his more common battle attire: metal and leather armor, and there's shine much like Sif's, but he was talked out of the red. He left the bright red cloak at home, and is armed with an Asgardian round shield, and a long, heavy mace, both currently strapped on his back. Still, 'stealth' has limits. "Are you not that sniper?" Thor asks with full, honest curiosity to Barnes, direct.

"I would prefer not to stand idle, and would like to meet this foe directly; let them waste their ammunition upon me," Thor says firmly, patting a palm onto the pommel of the mace. "But I will do what you find me most suited to." Thor's firm defer to Rogers is important, in a sense: a clear statement that he won't be issuing battle orders, and is trusting the Captain to lead.

*


Keiko unfolds from her sitting position, picking her quarter staff up and looks at the group. "Arananet is sneaky but she can't open locks. That would seem a good course of action, Captain America." She's been introduced to the others, having met Sif and Bucky before.

Bucky can find a nice vantage point just over there to provide overwatch. It might be needed if things go south.

The sceptre feels cold in Steves hand until he holds it to the lock of the door. Then it warms. It takes a few precious moments before he hear the lock click and the door swing open …

That's when the others see it. The portal that forms. Out steps a familiar face to Captain America. A man wearing a skull mask. Two others follow behind him - tattoo bearers. With tattooes like Keiko's.


"Barnes is that sniper," confirms Steve to Thor. He gives Bucky a curt nod, all business, his voice dropped that subtle bit as Captain rather than that one blond guy. "It'd be an honor to have you and Lady Sif at my side. Be stupid to assume we'll get a welcome mat. More like a welcoming committee." A glance back at Bucky again. "Think you can set up shop in under a minute?" he asks the man, reaching up to tap a finger against the ear-comm beneath his helmet. Test-test-one-two-three, live signal.

Opening that door doesn't seem too difficult thanks to the sceptre, handy thing that it is, and Steve does take those first critical steps into the darkness of the building. It isn't dark for long. He can be seen to set himself by the turn of hips and alignment of sceptre to the outer line of his thigh. His jaw sets and his eyes narrow.

"Wondered if I'd see you here, Taskmaster. Whatever they're paying you, it better be worth it because you will be moved," he says, voice low and cold, and heard in the comms.


The other Odinson gets sarcasm. But Buck refrains from rolling his eyes. A nod to Steve, and he's vanishing like a cartoon character….and he's lined up on Taskmaster, even as Steve's speaking.

No taking the shot, though. Not yet.


Sif keeps pace with Steve as they enter the building, to his right and one step behind in a manner that Thor is likely very familiar with. She's done the same for the Thunderer many, many times.

When the portal opens, she immediately goes on guard and raises her sword and buckler. The skull-masked man is given a calculating look immediately followed by the two tattooed people who remind her of Keiko… partly. From what she's seen of the image-skinned woman's abilities (she demanded that Sif not call it sorcery), these two are very likely to summon creatures to fight this battle for them.

She mentally marks them as her targets.


*

Thor nods once to Captain America at his assessment of Barnes and sniping ability, with a simple acceptance. He doesn't know the man, and took the speech at face value, not sarcastic. He'll learn about the man soon enough.

Thor barely has to look at Sif to know what she's doing; he mirrors her perfectly as he moves to Rogers' left, choosing to flank from that side, and readies both mace and shield. Gone are the warm smiles and upbeat attitude that have been gracing the thunder god's features recently, replaced with a focused quality. He remains positive, though: at the ready and alert.

Anticipatory, but he won't start anything… yet.

*


Taskmaster doesn't stop grinning. Well, he can't. That skull mask paints the grin firmly on his face. "Captain America, we meet again." His voice sounds a bit hollow under it. "And you've bought friends for me to learn from as well. It's good thing I have too."

A woman appears carrying a sword. A sword that she salutes Sif with. "I've been looking for a match." she says, falling on the Asgardians weapon.

Without more adieu, the two fall on Steve and Sif accordingly. Bucky will think that he's watching Steve move, when he sees Taskmaster. Sif knows this woman is a master swordsman in her own right.

As for Thor. He's beset by a glowing blue spirit animal in the shape of a flying lizard appears. One that arcs and sparks and throws bolts at the Thunderlord. From beside him, the small tattooed woman tumbles and rolls out of the way "They can be killed like any other beast. Just don't hit my Wolf, I'll be most upset."

A glowing blue spirit wolf - that's enormous - appears and heads off towards the tattooed Nightfall.


Sif turns her attention the swordswoman when she appears. This could be problematic. She doesn't return that salute, mostly because the battle is already begun and while there is honor there are no pleasantries to be had until the battle is complete. She's keeping half an eye on the two image-bearers, but the lion's share of her focus is now on the woman.

Bring it, sister. "Let us see who the Valkyries choose to carry to Valhalla today."


The team shifts into action. Through the scope, the Taskmaster can be seen to be eclipsed by the shine of outside light across the shield temporarily on Steve's back. Of course, it comes to a few battering blows of punches thrown and blocked in a bout appearing to be nearly choreographed; only the subtle delay on both Captain and Taskmaster's parts prove it to be in deadly earnest and not for show.

The next kick thrown by Taskmaster carooms into the upraised spangled shield and the metal resonates hollowly like an old church bell. Steve drops low and aims his next kick at the outside of Taskmaster's knee with the intent to cripple him. So far, in the comms, he's been silent.


On the comms, "Steve, you want I should take the shot?" He can make it…..but it'd be close. The last thing he needs is to punch a high caliber hole in his fiance…..and adrenaline wars with worry on that front.


*
Thor's weapons, /shockingly/, are very conductive. As soon as he gets them near the spirit animal, that may become extremely apparent. He recently fought a thunderbird with a similar tactic to this: this may be something he's confident about!

Thor takes on a defensive posture, angling the shield forwards into the electricity bolts as if blocking them: but mostly encouraging the creature to just unload on him, while circling to one side to give Rogers more space, and to coax the beast to rotate out, and not electrocute others, with a sudden forward press and lash of the mace sideways at a wing.

*


Bucky is going to find his shot even more difficult in a moment. A blue glowing eagle swoops down into the scene, obscuring Taskmaster from his scope as it does. He's going to have to take that out before he can do anything.

Sif finds the swordswoman nearly her equal. As the blades join and she parries and thrusts. It's like she's one with the sword, the way she moves and she presses the attack on the Asgardian.

Steve finds his tactics echoed. Taskmaster adapting quickly. It seems almost futile to the Avenger. Anything he does is countered. Can he mix it up enough to get the edge?

As for Thor, that flying lizard sends a bolt of electricity to the Thunderlord as it turns to follow. Then another and then another. If it weren't Thor, it's likely the target would be charcoal.

From not far off there's a howl then a scream. Bella is hunting … clearly.


"Hold the shot, Barnes," grits Steve into the comms as he takes a hard blow to the shoulder. It leaves the socket hot and stinging as he brings the flat edge of the shield around in an arc of painted vibranium. It slams HARD into the blocking arm of Taskmaster, potentially with enough force that armor might fail. Limbs get to blurring as the combatants dance, exchanging blows that rattle without knocking down.

A punch makes its way into Steve's floating ribs around the shield and he rolls his shoulder to take the kick rather than blocking it, semi-curled upon himself as he is. Ooh, lovely, not a broken nose this time, but a fractured rib.

What a delightful job superheroing is.

Breathing a little harder than usual, he then wrenches himself around to huck his shield at the Taskmaster dancing away from him. Of course…it's caught, and with a mocking laugh, no doubt thrown back at the Captain. He too catches it with the brunt of his torso and cringes as the rib pangs.

"Damnit, he's running!" The report flies across the comms as well as aloud in the room, perhaps at a volume to be heard over the fracas.


Now…..now he has no compunction. Let's see if blue spirit animals have problems with high-power rifle rounds. Might not do much good, but it's worth a try.

So Buck takes careful aim on Sam the Eagle there, and squeezes the trigger.


This swordswoman is exceedingly skilled, that much is clear almost instantly. The first flurry of attacks puts Sif at a slight disadvantage, but then she stops with the kid gloves and starts putting her full Vanir strength behind her attacks. That, along with the tactical advantage that is her buckler, gives Sif the edge so that she ultimately knocks the other woman's blade from her hand. And, while she could very easily go for a killing blow at this point, she knows that that is not the Midgardian way of doing things.

The swordswoman gets a VERY decisive buckler swat to the head. Stay down, sister.


*
Thor forgets any sort of stealth thing, and releases one of his battlecries into the spirit beast's face. It is a jubilant, powerful vocalization: Thor loves a good brawl, and one that is unleashing massive electrical bursts into him is just about the best type. Who needs a storm outside when you have a foe like this?

Thor closes suddenly, directly into the electrical blasts: switching from pretending to shield to spin in an arc into the creature and swing his mace up and under the creature's jaw. He was playing before, with smaller crippling shots, but this one went for the head. It's often good to just go for the HEAD.

Thor comes out of the spin and aims the mace towards the fleeing foe, sending a bolt of electricity towards him. It's inaccurate, it may also arc to one of the other minions, but Thor did attempt to assist Rogers at the call for aid.

*


Sam the Eagle has lots of problems with high-power rifle shots, it seem. Bucky has to time the shot but of course his timing is nearly perfect. The shot hits the creature, it starts to plummet and disipates into smoke. Smoke that flows in the direction of that scream.

Taskmaster does indeed run, back towards a portal that's opening. This time, there's no smart alek words for the Avenger. That's twice now that he hasn't bested him. Will he try a third time?

The swordswoman gives Sif a run for her money. The Asgardian might wonder where she trained. Eventually though, Sif gets the advantage and she sees stars when the buckler hits her. She's collected by a running Taskmaster and dragged through the portal that opens. Sorry Sif.

Thors attacks slow the creature but the mace to head does the trick. The flying lizards head snaps round and Thor might almost hear the crack of the neck. It too dissipates to the smoke and heads back towards that scream.

There's nothing left now but to collect what was in that building and get the hell out. News is coming in from the other teams. Mission successful and the Spiders have a captive.


One last huck of the spangled shield in a briefly enraged motion has the discus buried into one of the interior beams of the building. It didn't fly through the portal after all, thank god. Seeming to realize this and, unable to decide whether or not he's pissed or relieved, Steve stomps over to it.

"Targets escaped," he reports to Bucky through the comms. "Nothing left to do but see what we can find." He winces as he clicks the shield back into place on his shoulders.

"Thor, Lady Sif, we'll scour the place. Somebody find sometime odd, shout. If it looks like it might bite, don't touch it."


There isn't time to make a second shot. "Yeah," comes Barnes's voice over the link, audibly disappointed. He remains in his perch long enough to make sure no nasty surprises remain, but once he's satisfied, he's packing up and slipping down.

Back with the group, he's disgruntled.


*
Thor relaxes with some disappointment, though he doesn't discharge the rest of the electricity yet. It flutters and bursts through him, at the ready, causing his hair to whip, eyes to glow. It's an overdramatic godlike presence that then begins to look around and poke at things on desks or surfaces.

He does get lucky, and knows well enough to not touch. "Here, a scroll," Thor calls, drawing a hand towards Sif to beckon her over, as she's nearest compared to others. "I suspect magic."

*


Returning her own sword to its scabbard and picking up the swordswoman's, Sif looks at Steve and nods. She can tell he's taken at least one good blow to the ribs, but as with most Aesir warriors, she doesn't mention it. Not here and now. Maybe when they return and there are healers about to assist.

She moves off to search, though she's honestly not sure what she's supposed to find.

When Thor beckons her over and goes promptly. Looking at the scroll, she calls back to Steve. "This is it. We've found the scroll."

But who gets the dubious honor of carrying it?


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