Chicago is Burning: Showdowns
Feb. 23rd, 2023 02:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsQuire, Havok, Dust and Skin, with Madin tagging along, head to the site of the police disturbance.
Chicago PD were arrayed outside an unpreposing suburban house, the road blocked, lights flashing and sirens on. A dozen cars, give or take and all surrounding traffic was blocked. Smoke had started to pour of the of house and the fire brigade was out, too, two fire engines parked on the street, further back and unable to access the building with what seemed to be an argument brewing between at least one of them and the police.
Madin shook their head. "I'm really sorry guys. I thought they'd still be there. Postman is so paranoid. He hates coming out and they never leave all together like this." They pulled their beanie further down their forehead and sighed.
"I feel like we might have slightly bigger problems," Alex said, looking between the police, the firemen, and the burning house. "Those guys look a bit too trigger happy, and none of us are fireproof. Thoughts on de-escalation before someone starts shooting?"
"Dust", Angelo said after a moment's thought. "Do you see a way you could get in there in sand form, to talk to them?"
"Getting in is no issue. Housefires generally don't get hot enough to hurt my sandform." Sooraya studied the house for a moment, thinking back to what she'd picked up from Angel's stories while she studied with the firemen. "I can probably help to create a way out, but the rest kinda depends on what I find there. If smoke inhalation or something else gets to them first... I'll let you know. Clear whatever path to get away though... that's gonna be vital." With those words, Sooraya nodded at Angelo, then dissolved into her sandform.
"You do that. I'll keep the pigs' hands off their guns as long as I can." Maintaining the peace on so many people at a time was not one of Quentin's psychic specialties, but a mutant kid's life was potentially at stake. Who knew what he was capable of in this situation? What any of them were capable of when a mutant's survival was on the line. Stabilizing himself with a deep breath and promises of indulgences as a treat when he returned to New York, he extended his mind to the police officers', projecting as calming an aura as he could. It would buy them a few minutes, hopefully.
Madin looked from Quentin to the cops and back. "If you're holding them, do we rush them from the side?” They swallowed. "Is this a -- " how to put it? Training said there was going to be a kill order coming but that wasn't what Quentin was. Probably. "You asking us three to kill the police while Dust extracts Match?”
"No casualties," Alex said firmly. "Not if we can help it, at least. If we can just keep them distracted, or disarm them, or..." Damn it he wished Lorna were there. Getting rid of those guns would've been easy. His eyes fell on the police cars. "Maybe a little property damage?" He ran his hands through his hair, letting out a long breath. "Okay. Q, keep the cops distracted a bit longer. Let's find a way to get around to the backyard and stay out of sight. The house isn't on fire, so the kid must have some kind of control. If Dust can talk him down, we can get him and his grandmother out through the back while everyone else is busy."
Madin nodded and, wincing at the cold air, took their coat off, stuffing it under the straps of the backpack they wore - coats were too expensive to lose or destroy - and pushed up the sleeves of the hoodie underneath. "I can distract them." Purple plasma crackled around Madin's hands and forearms, coming out like long knives from their fists. Madin took two long steps, hurling the plasma like spears. The road exploded where they landed, soil and rubble raining down on everyone. "Fuck off, arseholes!" Madin dropped to cover behind a car.
"That works too," Alex muttered, grinning. He liked this kid. He turned to Angelo and Quentin, jerking his head toward the house. "Come on, let's see if we can get in back and away from all the eyes."
Meanwhile, in the house
Sooraya stayed fairly close to the ground till she got past the cops, then rose up to slip into the ventilation grate, even though a small smoke was billowing from it. It didn't bother her though and she quickly shot up to the upper floor, peeking into the various upper rooms to make sure no one was there.
Returning to the lower floor and heading back to the house she finally caught some voices and she headed in the direction. Two people were arguing in a low voice, but Sooraya couldn't hear what they were saying. Rapidly she slipped into the room and resumed her own form. "Time to talk more later, but we need to get out of here now."
Match jerked in surprise, one hand raising towards the voice as he looked away from his grandmother. Sweat was dripping down his forehead as he put his all into focusing on keeping the flames around them at bay as best he could. The worry on his face shifted to clear annoyance as he glared at the woman. “Would love that. What the fuck are you gonna do?”
Jackie flicked Ben sternly on the ear. "You know better than to say that word in my house, young man." She gave the woman in front of her a onceover, then nodded decisively. "I assume you can either take people with you in that form of yours, or you've got an idea, young lady. Let's hear it, so we can get this one calming down and the two of you somewhere safer. Chicago PD ain't it, especially with the weirdness lately."
"I've brought some friends with me. They are outside, taking care of the police. A safe place we can also offer. To the both of you." Sooraya explained as she carefully took in the room. "They'll come to the back of the house... so that's in that direction, right?"
At their nods, Sooraya frowned, trying furiously to remember the rest of what she'd picked up from Angel. "Ben, I should be able to smother some of the flames, clearing a bit of path. You're keeping back the flames now, right... think you could do the same where I put out the flames, creating a path outside?"
Ben bit back the angry retort building, eyes flickering towards the back door before going around the room, mind spinning uselessly. "No, I can't," his voice cracked, already beginning to shake his head negatory before looking to his grandma. He curled the raised hand into a fist, thumb popping in its socket. "Yeah. I can. Let's do it."
"You can do it. Try to slowly let go of the flames behind us once we get closer to the door." She counseled him before dissolving back into her sand form. She spread out into a thin, but airtight sheet of sand and descended onto the nearest smouldering patch of carpet. Small tendrils lashed out from the edges, pushing away smaller burning objects.
Jackie gave Ben a reassuring smile and shoulder squeeze. "You can do anything you put your mind to, just like you always have. I have always believed in you. Go on, now. Help the young woman out."
Ben forced a smile and nodded. "C'mon, 's time to get outta here." He put his hand over hers to give a light squeeze before nudging her to move in front of him. For what he was about to do it would be easier to have her in his line of sight. He focused, biting his lip as he pushed back the flames as the woman's sand form flowed, following her towards the exit.
The heat didn't affect Sooraya much, but it was a challenge to catch as much of the flames as possible and she had to trust Ben to keep the ones she couldn't catch away from him and his grandmother. Still, not too far away the reflected blue flashes of the police car could be seen through a window and as long as smoke inhalation or the heat didn't cause too much of a problem Ben and his grandmother should be able to make it.
Jackie let herself be nudged to the front, pulling up the corner of her jacket as a makeshift cover for her mouth and nose as she moved towards the back door. The police lights were still visible, but she couldn't hear them calling for Ben to come out anymore... still, she crouched as she reached for the doorknob, body partially hidden by the frame as she turned it and pushed it open.
His hand had shot out after hers, brain moving before he recognized that the knob was okay. But they'd done it, made it outside, even if there were still lights flashing. It seemed they'd realized that the place was ablaze, for better or worse. He followed her movement and tried to make himself even smaller in the oversized coat, as they crept out of the house and into the backyard. This person seemed to know what they were about, so he motioned at her, seeing what they would do next.
Outside the house, a plan to remove the threat is made.
"We've got to get the cops away from here before they get up the nerve to go in", Angelo said grimly, "and I've got an idea. Omega, can you make them all think something's going on down the street? Another fire, a gas explosion, anything you like as long as it gets them gone for awhile."
Quentin rolled his eyes and refocused his telepathic influence on the cops. "Don't need much of a push after Madin's display. Though you're right, better make them think that was an accident and not a mutant." This was a little easier than mass psychic sedation, and before long, the authorities had turned their attention to the busted gas line that threatened to incinerate the neighborhood. "You all go to Dust. I've got these motherfuckers covered here."
Madin followed the others around the back of the house. Things were kinda... There was a lot of smoke. Possibly fire. Absolutely fire, based on the smoke. The boy- Match - and some old lady - his mum, maybe, were crouched outside in the lee of the porch.
Alex tugged up his shirt to cover his mouth, taking lead on the way inside. The house itself was untouched, at least; the whole thing looked completely normal, if one ignored the flickering flames at the windows. Like that weird this is fine dog. "Yo? Anyone home?"
A tangle of slender tendrils of sand rose up from the sheet of sand that was slowly moving forwards, smothering the flames as it went. Tiny hands formed on top of the tendril, waving furiously at the people standing near the window.
Chicago PD were arrayed outside an unpreposing suburban house, the road blocked, lights flashing and sirens on. A dozen cars, give or take and all surrounding traffic was blocked. Smoke had started to pour of the of house and the fire brigade was out, too, two fire engines parked on the street, further back and unable to access the building with what seemed to be an argument brewing between at least one of them and the police.
Madin shook their head. "I'm really sorry guys. I thought they'd still be there. Postman is so paranoid. He hates coming out and they never leave all together like this." They pulled their beanie further down their forehead and sighed.
"I feel like we might have slightly bigger problems," Alex said, looking between the police, the firemen, and the burning house. "Those guys look a bit too trigger happy, and none of us are fireproof. Thoughts on de-escalation before someone starts shooting?"
"Dust", Angelo said after a moment's thought. "Do you see a way you could get in there in sand form, to talk to them?"
"Getting in is no issue. Housefires generally don't get hot enough to hurt my sandform." Sooraya studied the house for a moment, thinking back to what she'd picked up from Angel's stories while she studied with the firemen. "I can probably help to create a way out, but the rest kinda depends on what I find there. If smoke inhalation or something else gets to them first... I'll let you know. Clear whatever path to get away though... that's gonna be vital." With those words, Sooraya nodded at Angelo, then dissolved into her sandform.
"You do that. I'll keep the pigs' hands off their guns as long as I can." Maintaining the peace on so many people at a time was not one of Quentin's psychic specialties, but a mutant kid's life was potentially at stake. Who knew what he was capable of in this situation? What any of them were capable of when a mutant's survival was on the line. Stabilizing himself with a deep breath and promises of indulgences as a treat when he returned to New York, he extended his mind to the police officers', projecting as calming an aura as he could. It would buy them a few minutes, hopefully.
Madin looked from Quentin to the cops and back. "If you're holding them, do we rush them from the side?” They swallowed. "Is this a -- " how to put it? Training said there was going to be a kill order coming but that wasn't what Quentin was. Probably. "You asking us three to kill the police while Dust extracts Match?”
"No casualties," Alex said firmly. "Not if we can help it, at least. If we can just keep them distracted, or disarm them, or..." Damn it he wished Lorna were there. Getting rid of those guns would've been easy. His eyes fell on the police cars. "Maybe a little property damage?" He ran his hands through his hair, letting out a long breath. "Okay. Q, keep the cops distracted a bit longer. Let's find a way to get around to the backyard and stay out of sight. The house isn't on fire, so the kid must have some kind of control. If Dust can talk him down, we can get him and his grandmother out through the back while everyone else is busy."
Madin nodded and, wincing at the cold air, took their coat off, stuffing it under the straps of the backpack they wore - coats were too expensive to lose or destroy - and pushed up the sleeves of the hoodie underneath. "I can distract them." Purple plasma crackled around Madin's hands and forearms, coming out like long knives from their fists. Madin took two long steps, hurling the plasma like spears. The road exploded where they landed, soil and rubble raining down on everyone. "Fuck off, arseholes!" Madin dropped to cover behind a car.
"That works too," Alex muttered, grinning. He liked this kid. He turned to Angelo and Quentin, jerking his head toward the house. "Come on, let's see if we can get in back and away from all the eyes."
Meanwhile, in the house
Sooraya stayed fairly close to the ground till she got past the cops, then rose up to slip into the ventilation grate, even though a small smoke was billowing from it. It didn't bother her though and she quickly shot up to the upper floor, peeking into the various upper rooms to make sure no one was there.
Returning to the lower floor and heading back to the house she finally caught some voices and she headed in the direction. Two people were arguing in a low voice, but Sooraya couldn't hear what they were saying. Rapidly she slipped into the room and resumed her own form. "Time to talk more later, but we need to get out of here now."
Match jerked in surprise, one hand raising towards the voice as he looked away from his grandmother. Sweat was dripping down his forehead as he put his all into focusing on keeping the flames around them at bay as best he could. The worry on his face shifted to clear annoyance as he glared at the woman. “Would love that. What the fuck are you gonna do?”
Jackie flicked Ben sternly on the ear. "You know better than to say that word in my house, young man." She gave the woman in front of her a onceover, then nodded decisively. "I assume you can either take people with you in that form of yours, or you've got an idea, young lady. Let's hear it, so we can get this one calming down and the two of you somewhere safer. Chicago PD ain't it, especially with the weirdness lately."
"I've brought some friends with me. They are outside, taking care of the police. A safe place we can also offer. To the both of you." Sooraya explained as she carefully took in the room. "They'll come to the back of the house... so that's in that direction, right?"
At their nods, Sooraya frowned, trying furiously to remember the rest of what she'd picked up from Angel. "Ben, I should be able to smother some of the flames, clearing a bit of path. You're keeping back the flames now, right... think you could do the same where I put out the flames, creating a path outside?"
Ben bit back the angry retort building, eyes flickering towards the back door before going around the room, mind spinning uselessly. "No, I can't," his voice cracked, already beginning to shake his head negatory before looking to his grandma. He curled the raised hand into a fist, thumb popping in its socket. "Yeah. I can. Let's do it."
"You can do it. Try to slowly let go of the flames behind us once we get closer to the door." She counseled him before dissolving back into her sand form. She spread out into a thin, but airtight sheet of sand and descended onto the nearest smouldering patch of carpet. Small tendrils lashed out from the edges, pushing away smaller burning objects.
Jackie gave Ben a reassuring smile and shoulder squeeze. "You can do anything you put your mind to, just like you always have. I have always believed in you. Go on, now. Help the young woman out."
Ben forced a smile and nodded. "C'mon, 's time to get outta here." He put his hand over hers to give a light squeeze before nudging her to move in front of him. For what he was about to do it would be easier to have her in his line of sight. He focused, biting his lip as he pushed back the flames as the woman's sand form flowed, following her towards the exit.
The heat didn't affect Sooraya much, but it was a challenge to catch as much of the flames as possible and she had to trust Ben to keep the ones she couldn't catch away from him and his grandmother. Still, not too far away the reflected blue flashes of the police car could be seen through a window and as long as smoke inhalation or the heat didn't cause too much of a problem Ben and his grandmother should be able to make it.
Jackie let herself be nudged to the front, pulling up the corner of her jacket as a makeshift cover for her mouth and nose as she moved towards the back door. The police lights were still visible, but she couldn't hear them calling for Ben to come out anymore... still, she crouched as she reached for the doorknob, body partially hidden by the frame as she turned it and pushed it open.
His hand had shot out after hers, brain moving before he recognized that the knob was okay. But they'd done it, made it outside, even if there were still lights flashing. It seemed they'd realized that the place was ablaze, for better or worse. He followed her movement and tried to make himself even smaller in the oversized coat, as they crept out of the house and into the backyard. This person seemed to know what they were about, so he motioned at her, seeing what they would do next.
Outside the house, a plan to remove the threat is made.
"We've got to get the cops away from here before they get up the nerve to go in", Angelo said grimly, "and I've got an idea. Omega, can you make them all think something's going on down the street? Another fire, a gas explosion, anything you like as long as it gets them gone for awhile."
Quentin rolled his eyes and refocused his telepathic influence on the cops. "Don't need much of a push after Madin's display. Though you're right, better make them think that was an accident and not a mutant." This was a little easier than mass psychic sedation, and before long, the authorities had turned their attention to the busted gas line that threatened to incinerate the neighborhood. "You all go to Dust. I've got these motherfuckers covered here."
Madin followed the others around the back of the house. Things were kinda... There was a lot of smoke. Possibly fire. Absolutely fire, based on the smoke. The boy- Match - and some old lady - his mum, maybe, were crouched outside in the lee of the porch.
Alex tugged up his shirt to cover his mouth, taking lead on the way inside. The house itself was untouched, at least; the whole thing looked completely normal, if one ignored the flickering flames at the windows. Like that weird this is fine dog. "Yo? Anyone home?"
A tangle of slender tendrils of sand rose up from the sheet of sand that was slowly moving forwards, smothering the flames as it went. Tiny hands formed on top of the tendril, waving furiously at the people standing near the window.
