Summary:When a subway train crashes, heroes arrive to help out. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The Subways in New York are always busy and in constant need of repair. It's one of the things that the City struggles with - the balance between maintenance, budgets and having the services running is a challenge. Not that every day commuters realise this.
The call went out to Emergency Services in the city about twenty minutes ago. A train between the Lower East Side and Brooklyn has derailed. The first of the first responders have just got to site - it's a mess, the front of the train is a mangled wreck and there's people trapped in cars all the way along.
Worse though, the reports indicate that the structural integrity of the tunnel itself is questionable and the floor is shaking and groaning. Time is limited to free those trapped and get them to safety.
Nicholas Gleason - mutant and graduate of a certain private school in Westchester County - had been on the street when he actually heard the noise of the crash echo up from the stairs of the station not far from him. It had taken him a bit of time to get down to the actual site of the crash as it wasn't so considerate as to happen AT one of the stations. When he'd gotten there the first thing he had done was find NYFD.
"I can help." Is all he said, and who would doubt him? The wolfman looks as strong as he is and with claws that can cut metal and the raw muscle needed to move wreckage out of the way by main force he can indeed help. It's just a question of the best place to do so.
Christopher Powell had been going down the steps to enter the subway station when the crash occurred, echoing up eerily and disturbingly from below. It had been a quick jaunt to someplace a little more private for him to make the switch, but now it's the Darkhawk that makes his way toward the tunnels, set on helping to make sure that people get out safe as quickly as possible. He's not sure exactly where the train is within the tunnels, but it doesn't take him long to get down into the station, and then begin his search, heading in the direction that the commotion appears to be coming from.
Brandon has been waiting for the subway to arrive when he heard the noise from further down the tunnel. It didn't sound at all good. Glancing both ways - it's important to always look both ways when jumping down into a subway tunnel - he head toward the crash, stashing his duffel bag in an alcove further along where it's unlikely to be stolen. Since the wolfman is already offering, he wait to hear what it said and where he should pitch in.
Even as Hisako scurries down the stairs from street level, she's already trying to take in the situation - seeing where debris has fallen, where it's blocking paths, where it's threatening to collapse, and listening too, unable to pin down where the floor might give way, and not knowing what's underneath. Her sense of smell isn't keen enough to zero in on details, but she pays attention to her nose as well - and to the feel of the floor underneath her. Any detail might save lives.
"Hey Nick," she greets the wolfman as she comes up next to him, digging a wallet out of her jacket's inner pocket. "I'm with RESCUE," she says to one of the less-preoccupied police officers. "Any idea where we need to worry the most? And how close is medical assistance?" If it's just that the train derailed (which it's done more than that, she can see), then they *probably* don't have to worry as much about the tunnel *above* collapsing … but if it derailed and then went on to take out a support pillar or three, then … yeah.
Either way, time is of the essence, and she knows it.
Isis was Nick when they heard the sound. For the slim feline mutant, she also felt the panic. She's gripping Nicks arm as she they arrive on the scene - growling a bit. "People are so scared, Nick … " She's almost as obvious as Nick, with those cats ears on her head. But it's the black figure hugging jacket with pink piping that makes her really stand out - there's a 'cat head' on the back with the words 'Hello Isis' in cursive around it.
The paramedics give Nick a look and nod. "Get to the fourth car and lend a hand there. We've people inside and we're being told that the floor is giving way just in front of it. That's our priority … " There's a screech of metal as the floor shakes again, the cars slowly starting to slip.
There's a couple of places that Isis could perch and give aid to the stronger of the group. She's not strong but she's quick and agile … not to mention she can keep people calm - maybe.
Brandon, Hisako and Chris, who gets there just in time to hear this, are given a look by the man. "This isn't the place for civilians right now. I suggest you two lea——" Hisako is pulling her RESCUE card and he just assumes the other two are with her … or Nick. "Lend him a hand. We've more paramedics coming in and our trucks are at the station about a mile back."
"Hey Hisako." Nick greets. "Sounds like some are here and some are still getting here. Thing I'd worry about most right now is the people in the car closest to the derailing, that'll be where the trauma is worst and-" Screech. Wait. What?
"Uh, is it me or is this car acting like it's perched on something?" Which it shouldn't be. It's in the subway on the ground. Whatever the case that means they need to move quickly and carefully. The wolfman nods to the other two arrivals and begins to push through, cutting with his claws where necessary, giving way to make room for the others where they might be able to help. Hisako in particular is stronger than he, he knows. The others? Well not sure but if they're with her…
"Oh I'm Nick by the way." That's to Chris and Brandon "Feel that?"
The wolfman nods to Isis to hurry ahead and help whom she can, since she can move more quickly. "Feels like this whole train is slipping… down?" How is that even possible? He can hear people calling up ahead.
"Probably another tunnel under this one." Brandon says, heading toward the fourth car. "There's multiple levels." He came to Manhattan on leave once and used the subways a lot. Which makes evaluating the situation quicker than it would otherwise be. Each car weighs over 40 tons so he's not going to be picking any of them up or dragging them all back. "Best bet is to get under this one and shore up the ceiling while the passengers evacuate." Once they can get out.
Christopher Powell doesn't look particularly civilian-like with the avian mask and the metal wings, though they are mostly concealed for the time being, retracted for ease of movement in the tighter spaces of the subway. The expressionless mask just stares at the paramedic until he tells them where they can best be of help. There's a look at Nick when he addresses him, and he nods in the affirmative. He can definitely feel that.
"Time to move," he says. There will be time for introductions later. "Then let's get a look at that tunnel," he adds to Brandon, and then he's off, moving as quickly as he can toward where the train teeters toward where the floor is giving way, to see what there is to use for support in the tunnel below if possible.
"Do we even have time to get down there and look?" Hisako points out to Brandon and Christopher. 'Another tunnel under this one' *was* her first thought, but she doesn't see stairs or a ladder to go check out what lies below - and with the floor already making ominous noises, they have a limited time to work with. "Let's focus on getting everyone out that we can. If somebody's hurt too badly to move, then make sure moving won't hurt them *worse*."
With that said, Hisako joins Nick and Isis in checking on civilians; she's focusing on those further away from the door, and she's ready to armor up at the drop of the proverbial hat. And she's following her own advice: if somebody can move on their own, excellent. If they can't move, she exercises her limited first-aid knowledge to make sure moving won't exacerbate a dangerous injury.
Not looking at the rest of the group, except for a quick wave to Hisako, Isis almost bounds off down the track. The others can see her, jump to a pipe and then another one, before she perches above a car. It's a small space and the pipe isn't large and yet she doesn't seem to worry about it.
"Nick … Opening here. And one over there." She gestures. "If you get this one open for me, I can help people out and pass them over to one of you." The same can be done for the others if they work in groups.
Nick can see a panel he can rip open, to give Isis room to slide in.
A paramedic nods as Brandon speaks. "An abandoned tunnel that's no longer in use. We're not sure why the floor is giving way, though. It's possible when the train derailed it hit a weakened support but we won't know till we get this clear." And the priority is on getting the people out.
The metal screeches again and Isis yowls. Her bright blue eyes glow nearly neon - those with her feel the wave of fear and panic as she broadcasts it. That's quickly suppressed though as the feline quiets, replaced by a wave of calm and reassurance. People cry out and sob in the car. "Please …. take my baby …"
As the group works, the roof above them crumbles a bit. Thank goodness some of them have protection. "RESCUE is trying to stabilise the roof. They'll need another couple of minutes." The group is told.
Brandon nods, not to anyone in particular but just in general as he assimilates the situation. And then his body is replaced by shifting, shimmering energy of some sort which quickly reshapes into a suit of translucent power armor similar to Iron Man's though noticeably different. Bracing himself against the side of the subway car, he grabs one of the doors then pulls it off. < Help the people out. I'll make more openings for them. > His 'voice' is heard in their heads.
Nick has a slightly augmented. idea. He does rip the panel open so that Isis can get through, but then at Brandon's urging he follows in himself. Brandon will make more openings and that will make the evacuation faster. This is aided slightly when Nick starts ripping out the emergency break line and fashioning it into a sling for some of the worse injured ones so that he can pass them onto Hisako and Chris - if either of them don't have better ideas themselves. The sooner they get everyone out the sooner they can get below this thing and deal with THAT problem, because if the floor gives way this gets a lot worse. A LOT worse.
While the others are busy helping with the evacuation, Chris flies down into the opening beneath the car and takes a look at the damage, surveying what is there. Finding the corroded supports, he takes a bit of a sample from one of them. That will need to be looked at later. Then, he finds one that has enough left to it that he can weld it back together.
Reaching through to null space, he pulls forth a strange looking almost gun-like weapon and uses the energy pulses from it to strengthen the support beam. It's not going to keep things up forever, but it might help buy a little more time before it gives way.
If additional entrances to the train car need to be forced, above and beyond what Nick is wrangling, then Hisako can armor up and help provide some additional psychokinetic 'muscle' - and as they start getting people out, Hisako needs to do that anyway, a sheath of yellow-tinted energy forming around her, for protection as well as providing additional strength. "It's okay now," she says soothingly to one young man. "Let's get you where it's safe."
Even the wave of alarm from Isis doesn't seem to faze Hisako as she works, although it's enough to get the Japanese woman to give Isis a look of worry. She gets back to work, though, as Isis shifts gears back to calm and reassurance. Brandon's armor draws a bit of a look from Hisako, too - a different 'aesthetic' than her own, it looks like, but … two of them with a similar power?
Questions later; rescue work now, she reminds herself, helping a little girl and her mother out to safety.
Brandon ripping panels from the cars causes a rush people trying to make it for safety. They're still panicked though they seem to respond when the paramedics get there and lead them back to safety. When this over, some of the injuries won't be from the crash itself but from the flight from the train.
Nicks break line sling aids in getting the wounded out. Though some of the people look at him twice and some shrink away - only to find Isis waiting for them. All through this, she keeeps projecting calm and reassurance, it's an effort and she'll be exhausted later.
Chris's makeshift repairs do the trick, stabilising the worst affected car. It groans and slips just once more before coming to rest on the newly mended beam. It will give them some time that's for sure.
Hisako is hugged by the young man. "Cool armour. It's nicer than his …" he says as he points to Brandon. "Can I have armour like this when I'm older?" Like most young people, he's scared but he's resiliant.
As they last of people are evacuated from the train, the group is left in a position to examine the area. This tunnel will be closed and an investigation conducted, that's for certain. For now, they can see the hole that was forming. It drops several feet to the next level - a car dropping through it with people, would have been bad.
They can also see what Chris saw - the supports seem to have corroded - which is interesting, because that metal shouldn't corrode like that. There seems to be something on the supports as well.
As people struggle to get out the opening, Brandon pulls off the other door to widen the exit. Lesson learned; calm and orderly does not happen with civilians. Moving down the car, he punches through the side then tears open another exit, making sure to curl back the edges so no one's likely to get cut. If anyone's trapped under anything, he'll help them out but aside from that, lets the people exit themselves. < The question is what caused the crash. >
Nick does in fairness look like something that people would normally think of as causing crashes like this, not solving them. He hears the young man's comment and chuckles. "It's hard work being as 'cool' as she is, believe me. The armor's just part of it." Yes Nick is aware, at least in a general level, what she does now. He's a PI. He keeps track of people he knows, sue him.
"That's everyone out of this car. Well. He's got the rest." Nick points to Brandon. "Good work Isis. Let's take a look beneath this thing now."
He saw Chris fly down there and tries to pick his way over. He doesn't have wings so he's got to be a bit careful and when he gets there he sees the newly fused metal.
"Ooooh. Nice work." Which it is. He peers about to see what he can see and… "Those columns look damaged. Look at that concrete spalling. There's moisture infiltration. I'll be the rebar inside those things is rotten." But that's odd. The spalling looks recent and he can't off the top of his head see why it would happen now. Then again that tunnel is probably old so it could just be one of those things.
Christopher Powell holds both hands up in front of the car as it slips a little more — like he's going to catch it? It would flatten him. Flat. Two dimensional Darkhawk. Flathawk, even. But it's a reflexive thing. When it stops, there's a sudden wash of relief, and he moves away from the car to help with the evacuation.
The black suited figure with reflective impassive avian mask and silver wings is not the ambassador of soothing feels that Isis is, and his odd dual-toned voice isn't entirely comforting, but he is strong, and he is able to lift the injured up and over obstacles and to put himself between those who have fallen or who might have gotten pushed aside so that they don't get trampled, and so he sets about doing that. "Something corroded the supports below," he says to Brandon. "I took a sample. It doesn't seem natural. Not sure if that caused the crash though or if the crash happened first and then the supports got hit." He nods when Nick confirms as much in greater detail.
"If something corroded the rebar or the metal support braces, it could easily have corroded the rails as well," Hisako observes. Now that the civilians are out safely (and more or less soundly), she doesn't have any objections to taking a closer look at things - and she's got a bit more freedom to 'grow' her armor, meaning the strength she can ezert with it is also boosted.
Y'know. Just in case a train tries to fall on her.
While Hisako can't fly, she can hop down through the now-open hole and get a better look for herself … and she does, along with inspecting the rails (what there is of them) on her way past. She isn't metallurgist enough to know a lot about corrosion, but if it's just plain visible *rust* or if the rails were subject to something more than 'heavy object that they couldn't support without intact flooring underneath,' she's hoping that'd be obvious enough to a layman.
Plus, she overheard that RESCUE was trying to stabilize the architecture. She knows some of the people who are likely working on that; she's confident in their work.
"That's a good question…" One of the paramedics answers Brandon, looking around a little confused as he tries to work out who said that. "Control says there was a glitch in the computers. They're running diagnostics now." Another one says. That could be hearsay though.
"The supports in this area are old. It could be a function of that." the paramedic adds to Chris as he appears. "Thank you, all of you, though for the assistance today. We would have lost a lot more people if it wasn't for you."
The tracks when Hisako examine them are mangled with no obvious sign of corrusion.
A NYPD detective approaches the group "Dective Gibbs, NYPD. We'd be interested in what you find." He says to Dark Hawk. "For now, we're closing down this tunnel pending an investigation. The City'll be busting my ass to open it back up too…."
Now more hard work begins. The task of getting this track back in action and investigating. At least there's a couple of places to start looking, right? Maybe this was just all one of those things. Old infrastructure and all.