(2014-10-02) Crusader Caper
Crusader Caper
Summary: Jack Flag meets Batman after they both briefly think the other is a culprit at a factory fire - until the real culprit attacks; Solomon Grundy
Date: (2014-10-02
Related: http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:the-menace-of-mongo
NPCs: Solomon Grundy
Scene Runner: Jack Flag.
Social/Plot: Plot
Players:
batman..jack-flag..

Its October, no telling how busy things might be in Gotham for certain individuals monitoring things like civil disobedience. Jack Flag had come to town, to spend a few days at Amusement Mile. Not being part of the infrastructure, he hasn't really been doing anything hero like. However, as a morning fog lifts out of the swamps and rivers, there is such a call. Listening to a morning radio, there are traffic warnings about a Factory fire out on Mercey Island, on a plant near the rivers edge, close to where the swamps rise further west of the city itself.

Maybe its more than he needs to worry about, but he puts on his mask and runs out there, not a speedster, he's fast as any car on most interstates at least and is arriving as the first truck is awaiting the arrival of more trucks as the fire rages on. Its a multi-building complex, the wait buildings for grains or cehmicals, cylindar in shape with ladders on the outside and foreman rooms on the top to monitor everything going on.

Without waiting, knowing he can take most of the heat in a regular fire, he rushes in, snooping through the indoor areas looking for anyone trapped but perhaps also looking like a snoop taking advantage of the fire to find something.

Inside was found a group of teenagers. Some have already gotten out but Batman has found a young girl whom he lifts up in his arms. Noticing the masked man his eyes squint watching but he first has to get the girl out. He passes her out an opning to a fireman before now turning to go after whomever is messing around inside.

Not seeing the tapped group himself, Jack catches some movement and spots a black shape moving about. Moving in that direction, he calls through the heat and flames that are intermixed here and there as the fire eats at the wood and combustible objects. "Whoa, not so fast," he bellows, his voice maybe lost some in the roar of the fire, he might think the black shape is ignoring him, thus he picks up a nearby cannister, a barrel with nothing flammable in it and gives it a good toss in that direction to try and get the other's attention. Definitely not realizing there are trapped souls, or that the caped figure is actually helping them, perhaps suspecting the other is up to no good.

The voice is heard and the cannister blocked. Glaring through the haze at him, "Woah yourself! Is this your handwork?" he asks quickly not missing a couple of voices calling for help from somewhere deeper within.

"The Union Jack says you," says Jack Flag, it means something to him, more like the hell you say, but he's clean on the language for the moment. "Like I have time to burn buildings down. Besides, I'm not the one all blacked out and sneaking through fires." Well, technically he was sneaking through the fire, in all honest, trying to help but never mentioning to anyone what his intention was. "I'm here to help!" He doesn't hear the voices yet, being more on factory floor and around the machines, not were people would hide in afire.

"The Union Jack says you," says Jack Flag, it means something to him, more like the hell you say, but he's clean on the language for the moment. "Like I have time to burn buildings down. Besides, I'm not the one all blacked out and sneaking through fires." Well, technically he was sneaking through the fire, in all honest, trying to help but never mentioning to anyone what his intention was. "I'm here to help!" He doesn't hear the voices yet, being more on factory floor and around the machines, not were people would hide in a fire.

"I am not sneaking around. I am trying to get out those trapped." Batman tells him but hearing the voices he looks in their direction. "I hear voices from over there." he points in a direction that is closer to him and would take a moment to get to himself.

Keeping his gaze on Batman a moment longer, Jack Flag nods and turns to listen, going where Batman pointed, "Okay, help the trapped, jesus pal, you scared the bejesus right out of me. Don't sneak around a fire like that," says the pot calling the kettle black. But its batman, black is a fitting theme. Jack turns to the voices, opening whatever door is there. A few more teenagers trapped, maybe immigrant workers in the factory even, under age. Doesn't matter he takes a few to start getting them out to where Batman had been helping the others, starting to trust the other.

Clearing a path for them to get through he helps get them to safety. "That all?" Batman calls to him since he has the better view. "perhaps we best make our exit now." he tells him rather concerned that this structure may come down on their heads at any moment.

They both turn with that thought, and moving to the exit, last of the trapped in tow or in hands. "All I saw, on your hells buddy," says Jack Flag, carring who needs to be carried. All seems well as they near the exit and the firemen out there that have been taking victims from Batman.

That is when a big explosion resounds from within the complex, the whine of metal rending is heard as one of the big white tower things collapse. Not on them, but testiment to the building collapsing. Slightly odd as its the metal part that goes first, not the wooden frames of the parts where the humans work. They here a massive yell, "Ahhhhh!" Not in pain, more a roar actually. "Who done this to Solomon! Solomon make them pay for pain!" Whoever is in there is alive and well and upset they may have been hurt it seems.

Once outside Batman blinks as someone clings to him as the building explodes. He takes a moment to try and console the frightened girl. He manages to get her to go with a fireman to be checked. He now turns facing the burning structure. "No telling in times such as these." he notes a few of the locals staring at Jack, "He helped with the rescue." he tells them and a few cheer a little.

If not for the mask, they might see Jack Flag grinning, he does wave, "Ya, here to help." Then he looks more at Batman, maybe the man's legend proceeding just enough that he might have some clue now who he is even. Turning to the fire, the load roaring voice inside, he looks to Batman, "That might be the culprit, I'm-a-go in there and see." He says, totally ready to go back into the burning structure.

That's when the figure comes out, large like a mack truck, mabye 7' tall'ish, pounds of muscle that looks putrid, as if in formaldhyde for a long time, scares and stitches and ripped up clothes likely too small but pulled on to fit just right. It crashes through a wall nearby, roaring again, then is put off by the lights of the nearby fire trucks, "Solomon no like lights, he make them stop." And he rips off part of the building and hucks it at a fire truck. The siren goes wonky as the truck looks like something collided with it from the impact, then sputters more irritating before. Solomon Grundy holds his hears, then starts running for that truck.

All this happens rather fast that it can't be stopped. Batman hisses and is after this giant. Taking out a rope he begins spinning it above his head and then tosses it towards the feet of the culprit to try and trip him up before he can reach the truck. "Don't think so."

Jack is running too, he runs fast, but doesn't have a rope to toss out and head like Batman. It hits Solomon's feet and causes him to spill, digging slightly at the earth, just enough to raise some dust up as he skids a few feet closer to the truck. Batman beat him to that punch, but he agrees, "Ya, not today, you do all this?"

Though guessing by Solomon's choice of words, the answer might not be helpful, even if he did cause the fire to begin with even by blundering around out of the swamps and moving towards Gothom. "Squishy men leave Solomon alone," he says, moving his feet to snap the rope that grappled him, showing he's stronger than he looks and then some.

Even if Batman is gadgeting away, Jack moves up to punch the guy as he's trying to get up, the crack can be heard, showing that Jack's stronger than he looks two, but it only up-ends Solomon from his front side to his back side, "Solomon getting mad."

Running towards them Batman leaps trying to grab the giant from behind locking an arm around the throat. Batman never goes for a kill so this is more of a sleeper hold. "How about Solomon take a nap?" he hisses.

Solomon reacts as one might to a sleeper hold, trying to reach for Batman, with Jack on his front side, he punches to the face to mix him up and tries to grab his hands. It seems this could work, a sound tactic. But alas, the reanimated corpse that is Solomon grundy doesn't seem to need oxygen so much. In fact, his slow brain realizes it and he starts to stand up. Giving a kick to Jack, is sends him flying into the wrecked fire truck. Being durable, he starts to climb out as Solomong is backing up with Batman towards the fire. More to knock Batman into a wall to shake the pest. Jack rushes forward again, only to try and grab and turn at Solomon so Batman can hold on. "Any other tricks to stun him," asks Jack. He could exchange some blows with the giant, but he can't do much more than fist-a-cuffs with the giant zombie.

Hanging on to the giant Batman goes into quick thought of what might help. Taking a pellet from his belt he tries sticking it into the mouth of the giant to make him swallow. "Sleeping gas." if the thing belches it may get them too in the process.

Not needing oxygen is one thing, nerves on the other hand are reanimated and react the same. Dull senses, enhanced strength, its all one thing, but sleeping gas, direct to the gullet, is another thing. It starts to go off smoking come slightly from mouth or nose, but Batman holding jaw seems to keep it from coming out even if he doesn't swallow. IN fact, the more he keeps it in his mouth, the more he gasps. Oxygen isn't needed so much, but breathing is a natural reaction and with Batman holding his mouth, he inhales more sharply.

Jack clear out of the fire truck and comes to help hold Solomon where he can. Being in front, he's more privvy to excess gas from Solomon's nostrils as he snorts it out like a bull. Even he gets a little woozy, but the trick works, and eventually the giant zombie falls over, on top of Jack. He grunts, but the only hassle is being pushed into the dirt a little for Jack Flag.

It is like trying to ride a bull and this one is going down. Batman holds on as he calls upon Jack and giving a visible wince at thiss. He gets off the giant and then works on turning him over and off the other guy. "He should be out for a while." a hand is offered to help Jack out of the crater he made with his body.

Taking the hand, Jack Flag gets up and nods, trying to dust himself off a little. "Thanks buddy, good thing you had that." The gas pill, not that he knows what it was persay, but that Batman did it is enough. "Okay, same team, sorry about that in there, with the barrel, you just looked like, well, a crook - not to be offensive." The guy does wear black where Jack is all red-white-blue.

This rather draws out a laugh from him. "I try to look fearful to the bad guys. I an called Batman." he introduces himself. "New to Gotham?" he questions though never know might be a guy he just hasn't come across.

"Get out," he says, knowing the legends full well, while not normally being from Gotham. "The Batman, there's only one of you?" He chuckles in his mask just a little, "Man, this is awesome, a legend. Its not quite Cap awesome," says the Captain America fanboy, "But this is pretty cool. Ya, sort of new to Gotham, me and my friend were hanging out around Amusment Mile, but wanted to put on the suit, help out a little. I guess you could say, I spend more time in Metropolis, when I'm on earth and all."

"The one and only." Batman tells him rather amused at this. "I know Cap rather well. He and I are on the same team of sorts. So your name?" he asks.

"What, you're with SHIELD," says the man, his head tilting just a little. Realzing he lost his manners, knowing the other guy finally and geeking on it for a moment. "Jack … Jack Flag is what I go by. I guess it seems a rip-off if you know Captain America, but damnit, I can like me some 'Merica right?" He uses the current fun reference to the country he likes the most, picked up with the fun of it all the same. "You really know Captain America, like, yo Cap, lets go get a beer, this was a long day, we could wind down over some darts?"

"Actually no. We are part of a group called the Justice League. He isn't the only SHIELD agent that works with us though." Batman tells him with a bit of amusement. "Well met, Jack. I know him well enough yes. I know Iron Man as well."

"Ah, the Justice League, who isn't with you guys," he questions, out of all the big names, he's hitting them all. "Not to get all professional, but curious how your Mongo thing was coming, Power Woman had us take Jean up to his planet to recon, wondering if something helpful came off your sensor feed before Jean smashed Tony's relay from our ship's sensors?"

As the latest mission comes up, "She caused his sensors to go down?" Batman looks at him now a long moment. "You didn't happen to bring back some of those.. things with you right?" he hasn't had the time to really read all the reports as of late with diffrent things happening. "We are getting together a team and have a way to get there."

"You should ask Jean … that's, uh, Marvel-Girl with you guys," says Jack, meaning the Justice League. "Power Woman knew we … the Guardians of the Galaxy," he ads in, not that it helps, not a big name on earth itself, "Had a worthy spaceship that could get there fast. Marvel-Girl and Stargirl thought we could recon somehow, Power Woman talked with start about adding a device to our sensors to relay everything back to your Watchtower. You guys should have everything we got scanning the planet, and leading up to the battle we had with three of Mings warships."

Batman nods his head, "Guardians of the galaxy. So there is a team of you then?" he knows there likely is but perhaps he might tell him a little more. "Perhaps you'd like to join us when we go to face this evil. Not really face but gain more intel."

Nodding, Jack returns, "Ya, whole team. Power Woman and Marvel-Girl knows about us. Its me, Stargirl and Justice, he works for NASA. Lots of space stuff." He scratches his chin, "More intel, we didn't get you guys enough when we went up there?"

"Maybe more of a attack them before they attack us again." Batman tells him with a shrug, "Getting together those that are stealthy. Perhaps you'd like to ge tin on it. More the merrier. I believe they plan to use means of maic to get us there."

"That works, if you guys need help, we can get to Mongo pretty quickly in our ship," responds Jack, "Up to what you need. And double check with Jean, we met some Prince up there when we landed on the surface, might be willing to help with rebel forces, if you guys go to assualt them. We'd love to help."

"I'll speak with the others but I don't see it being a problem." Bat tells him and then looks over the current scene around them. He even watches as they try moving the sleeping giant into a large police wagon. "Looks like our work here is done."

"Mostly," grins Jack, "Ya, let them know, Marvel-Girl can probably find me pretty quickly, but Power Woman knows where to find us too." Then he moves to help, picking up the sleeping gian with ease to help move him. "Good to meet you, sorry about that barrell."

Batman nods his head, "No problem. Nice meeting you too. I'm sure we'll met again soon." a hand reaches ut a hand to shake his own.

Jack Flag gladly takes the hand, glad his mask is on so Batman can't see him grinning at how excited he is to shake the hand.

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