The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Sitting at home on his couch, Luke sipping at a cup of hot tea as he listened to the rain falling outside. Winter weather had come to New York and that always helped keep the crime rate down. It seemed like criminals were like anyone else... they despised getting wet. Other than the excitement several night before when Wraith had helped Sara with that gang, things had been quiet and so Luke felt that he deserved a night off to relax.
"Maybe I should give someone a call and get out of the house." He mused quietly to himself, "Don't have Sara's number so she's out... Raina might be available but she wouldn't want to leave the mansion in this weather. Well there's an idea... I could always go see what's going on at the mansion."
In the kitchen Luke's home phone began to ring so after taking one more leisurely sip of his tea the blind man stood and walked confidently into the next room.
"This is Luke."
"Where in the world have you been for the past two days?! China?" The voice of Miss Langstan rang out over the phone. It didn't take a scientist to tell that she was a little upset and so Luke immediately set about calming her down.
"Whoa, whoa! Slow down Deborah! I know I haven't missed any meetings and I haven't left town. What's the problem?"
"We haven't been able to reach you on your cell phone for the past two days and customers are calling us with complaints about your manners on the phone!" She replied without missing a beat, "Have you been out partying with some girl again?"
"Deborah, you know as well as I do that other than taking those 'girls' to parties, I don't spend any time with them." Luke replied sternly, "I must have forgotten to plug in my phone and since it's not rining I haven't even thought about it. The customers complaining must have been getting a wrong number. Look, I'll call you back after I've had a chance to charge my cell. Ok?"
"Call me as soon as you've got a charge so that I know everything is OK. You've had me worried Luke." Miss Langstan replied, apparently beginning to calm down.
"I'll call you Deborah. Bye."
Hanging up the phone Luke turned and walked into the bedroom. As he approached the bedside table he realized that he had deffinately forgotten to charge the phone... it wasn't even there. For second he could believe what he was 'seeing'. How in the world had he forgotten to plug the phone in? Where had he left it?
"No panicking." He thought to himself, mentally calming himself down as he breathed in and out in measured breaths just as he had learned in martial arts, "Where did I have it last... the past two days have been quiet and other than couple of patrols I've been here at the house. It must be in my belt on the uniform."
Nodding with satisfaction Luke made his way to the bathroom. It had been sprinkling last night to so he had hung up the suit when he got home so that it could dry before he put it on again. Grabbing the still somewhat damp belt Luke swiftly ran his hands through the pockets.
"Keys... money... empty." Luke muttered as he went through first one, then two, and then three pockets. "Empty... how in the..." He began before his fingers touched the edges of the torn fabric on the bottom. For a moment his breath was frozen in his lungs as he slowly ran his fingers over the edges of the hole. The fabric wasn't ragged as though it had been torn by force but instead were smooth with only slight fraying as though they had been cut by a sharp object. With mind racing he began to put together the evidence that made a pit of fear begin to grow down deep inside. Two days out of touch... pouch cut by a sharp implement while he was in his costume... phone taken with extreme dexterity.
After walking back over to his home phone Luke slowly dialed his own cell phone number and waited as it began to ring. There was the chance he had just misplaced it but the cut he had found in the pouch of his utility belt led him to believe something completely different. "Sara... what's going on?" The blind man muttered to himself as he waited for someone to pick up.
Having a phone was a completely new experience for Sara. It was sort of like having a pet. You carried it everywhere, you programmed it to do tricks, like the alarms that go off at different times of day, the ring tones, that Sara had chosen flight of the valkyrie after spending quite a while, exploring the list of sounds that ranged from Porky the Pig saying “Abidabadabadaba, pick up the phone, to R&B, to this awesome singing rooster. Oh, and who could forget that, just like a pet, you had to feed it. Sara frowned when the phone ran out of battery power the night after she stole it. It took her an hour to figure out, on line what cord, was right for the phone, and another half hour for her to get one… that also happened to be a little stolen article.
That’s right people. Stole! S-T-O Oh yeah you already read the letters… Why steal a phone? Because she could. Because who she was talking to was lying to her face, and she knew she could prove him wrong. Mr. Who’s Luke. Ha!. Because, because was a good enough reason, when her snout’s ability to smell was being insulted.
The phone calls started coming the morning after she met Luke, who was pretending to be Wraith. A blind man, pretending to be a super hero who has sight, who was blindly robbed. Oh the Irony was wonderful.
Of course there was a plus side to this. Sara had a business phone, it seemed. She found herself setting the phone down in front of her, hunched over it, and staring, at it, until it started to perform more tricks, like the little pet of hers that it had come. Someone would call, Sara had no idea, or care, about who, but the phone did this marvelous choreographed dance to the flight of the Flight of the Valkyrie ring tone. It would jump to life, vibrating sideways as it slid and danced to it’s own music. Amused, Sara chose different intervals to pick up the phone. Sometimes right away, and sometimes letting the short dance, repeat four times, before she scooped up the device, to cradle it under her ear.
Then there were the people on the other side of the line. Never had Sara talked on a phone before, even though she watched people talk on them all of the time. Call the first two experiences, kitty see, kitty try to do. First of all, who knew there was a separate button on the cell phone to hit, when you wanted to answer it. Sara had watched this action several times, always so smooth with those who were well experienced in the handling of their pet cell phones. However, she never saw what button they pushed. As a result, she hit all of them at once. That seemed to work, but the person on the other side complained about the sudden noise, and hung up instantly. How rude. A little more research about her new pet cell phone, and she found the answering button. Googling on library computer, is a pet life saver.
The second phone call, Sara was about to say something, but the words froze in her throat. She was going to speak to a norm, and he would have no idea that she was, what she was. This thought resulted in her stammering followed by a “Ummm… BYE!” *Click!* Anxiety had taken over her reaction, and the knowledge that the usual pattern of people not seeing her could be broken, was unnerving. Sara couldn’t understand why it was unnerving but it was. Could she loose her edge? Any Edge that she had? What ever that edge was… again, she didn’t know, and unlike pet phones, it wasn’t something she would look up on Google. So she found a plan B for playing with her new pet cell phone.
The phone rang again and again and Sara found different ways to mess with the people on the other ends, every time.
Ring Ring Ring
“Hellllllllooooooooooooeee Mummmmmzie”
Click
Ring Ring Ring
Sara lowered her voice and did lots of heavy breathing. “Hello. May I help you?”
Click
Ring Ring Ring
“New York City Bonds and bands, We bond the bandits. Who for you, can we let out of prison, today?”
Click
Ring Ring Ring
“Is your refrigerator running?”
Click
Sara was sitting at a table, towards the back of Dragon Inn, when her new cell phone rang yet again. She scooped it up on impulse, and was about to say something about rag tag rats and the NY City’s favorite, most explosive, pesticide, when she choked on her egg role. Giving the lady on the other side a chance to talk and filling Sara’s head with new ideas and possibilities.
“Hello, is this Jacobs and Jacobs? For home security.” Said the lady on the other side of the connection.
“… Sure is.” Sara replied as a new plan for the cell phone formed it’s self in her head.
“This lovely, kind, and cute, man gave me your card the other day. I believe he aid his name was Duke. Something like that.”
“You mean Luke”
“Oh yes. I’m sorry, Luke.”
Sara grinned.
“Yes Mamm. How may we, at Jacobs and Jacob, help you?”
The conversation lasted about five minutes. The lady was a Miss. Moors, and she would in the need of a wall safe. Sara was to come to her home, later, tomorrow, afternoon, and give her an estimate. What in the world someone needed a wall safe for was beyond Sara but she would find out and precisely 3:30 PM.
The next phone call that came, Sara picked up. Ok just one more time messing with someone. In the most cheerful voice possible, she said. “New York City Morgue, You stab ‘em we Slab ‘em. How may we help you today.”
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 1, 2008 15:53:56 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
It was nerve racking listening to the phone ring but finally the connection was made. Swiftly opening his mouth to speak, Luke stopped in stunned silence as he listened to what was being said by the person on the other end of the line.
“New York City Morgue, You stab ‘em we Slab ‘em. Who may we help you today.”
Had he dialed the right number? For a brief moment Luke hesitated as he mind ran over the digits he had dialed. No, it was deffinately the right number and now that he was thinking more about it the voice sounded familiar. As much as he had wanted to deny the possibility, it was looking more and more like someone who was a good friend of Raina's had intentionally stolen from him. "How in the world am I going to explain this situation to Raina? What's going to happen if Sara talk to her first?" Luke thought before finally finding the focus to speak.
"What are you doing Sara?" Luke asked quietly, his voice maintain an almost clinical emotionless sound to it as he stood there with the home phone gripped tightly in his left hand. "Why in the world did you decide to steal from me?"
“I’m being a vindictive bitch.” Sara said, quite truthfully and cheerfully into the phone. “I’d ask you how you got this phone number but I already know, you’re the one who gave it to me.” Sara was rocking back and forth on her feet, heal to toe, as she talked.
"Why in the world did you decide to steal from me?"
“I thought you said, and I quote, ‘Luke who?’” Sara smiled to herself. “I thought you were Wraith. Technically I stole from Wraith. Not you Luke.” Sara sat down on an upturned crate, and crossed her, furry, legs. Clearly enjoying the conversation more than the man on the other end.
“Next time, don’t try to fool with me, Luke. I’ve got a built in lie detector” and Sara sort of took the being lied to, personally.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 1, 2008 18:33:26 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
“Next time, don’t try to fool with me, Luke. I’ve got a built in lie detector”
Inwardly he was beginning to get angry but anyone that knew Luke well also knew that he didn't get angry in the way that most people did. Instead of getting loud and stupid his anger tempered him to a sharpness he couldn't achieve while calm. Anyone within range of his sonar would begin seeing shadows and ghosts right at this moment but he kept things under control, holding the range down to a ten foot radius so that it wouldn't get out of his apartments.
"I apologize if my trying to protect friends from the danger associated with my Wraith persona offends you Sara." He continued in a rather emotionless, detached voice that most would know meant he was really ticked off, "Next time I'll make sure to keep Wraith's nose out of your business. Now when and where can I pick up my phone?"
It wouldn't be that easy... it never was with someone that was willing to commit crimes. There were certain things you could justify, such as breaking and entering in order to collect evidence and assault in order to get information from a known criminal but stealing in order to get back at someone was just cold. "Note: Sara goes in the acquaintance column... friends don't steal from friends." Luke thought to himself as he idly listened to Sara's reply. Really the words didn't matter much, what was more important was the background noises. Were there cars nearby? Any sort of an echo? Was there the sound of water or anything else that might give away her location? She wouldn't just hand the phone back... it was never that easy with criminals.
Wow. Sara was breaking records today. This conversation with Luke was already the second longest phone conversation Sara ever had. The longest being from Miss. Moors. Oh, oh, oh! Sara should put the 3:30 PM appointment down in the little calendar area of the phone. She carefully made a mental note of telling the phone to give her a mental note tomorrow.
"I apologize if my trying to protect friends from the danger associated with my Wraith persona offends you Sara."
Without having Luke right in front of her, to listen to his heart beat take in his breathing, and smell if he started perspiring, Sara had no way of telling if the apology was sincere or not. Part of her wanted to believe it was, no matter how hard it was to hear in his voice. The other part of her told her he lied once. He’d do it again. Sara was still breathing, because she often listened to that second voice. A voice raised from experience.
Sara had to admire his tone of voice. If it wasn’t for the fact she had to change the angle of the phone so that it was in front of her, rather than just under her ear, she’d buy into the possibility that he might be taking his missing phone well. Wow. Shadows danced at the corners of her eyes, and she pulled the phone back even further, so the ear piece was tilted away, held parallel with the ground, and the mouth piece was close to her, furry, lips. The shadows disappeared.
Ok kiddies. Stealing is wrong, and our friendly neighborhood WereCat knows that, but Lying is wrong too. Despite it being for a good reason, and stealing, makes the vindictive WereCat feel better. “I’m a six foot tall cat, Luke. Who’s going to believe me?”
While the conversation went on, Sara stood up, off of the crate, in the back of the restraint. The owners had a separate room for her to sit. She dropped her dirty dishes into a sink making them ting together and the water splash lightly against the sides of the sink. There was then the sound of Sara rummaging through the bills in her pocket, with her free hand, to pay for her meal. A teenage boy, with a clear accent, chimed in the background, “You have good evening, Miss Nobes.” Sara was pushing the back door open, and the bells jingled, just for her, as she entered a back alley way. The teen yelled at her before the door shut completely, “See you again, tomorrow.” Sara gave him a close lipped smile and a wave.
"Next time I'll make sure to keep Wraith's nose out of your business. Now when and where can I pick up my phone?"
In the alley behind the restraint, the sound of the cars were muffled, as was the sound of the Monorail, that was screeching to a halt, so it could gather passengers at the station, that sat a block away. “I’ll decide that later. Good bye Luke.” Sara activated the next thing that she really liked about phones. She could hang up on people. It was so much faster than just walking away. A simple, fact, audible click, and everything was hunky dory. Sara hung up the phone.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 2, 2008 20:20:46 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
(OOC: The power clues were just what I had in mind. I hope you don't mind my using the clues to get close, though not actually there where Sara is.)
As the phone disconnected Luke smiled grimly. The sounds he had heard weren't perfect and they wouldn't give him all the information he needed but they were deffinately a starting point. "I hope you like hide and seek Sara." The blind man murmured softly as he hung up the phone and waited for a moment before lifting it again to the sound of a dial tone, "Because as of this moment you are being hunted."
Pressing the '0' on the phone he waited for a moment before a very polite female operator asked how she could assist him. "New York Transit Authority please." Luke replied immediatley. Moments later the connection was made and Luke was speaking with a Transit Authority representative.
"How may we help you sir?" A rather hauty sounding man asked after greeting had been made.
"I'm heading for a monorail station to pick up an out of town friend but they don't know exactly where they are. Could you tell me what trains just made their stop in the last minute or two?"
"Your friend couldn't just look at a street sign?" The man asked in obvious disbelief.
"He's blind... I'm trying to make this easy on him. He's never been to the big city before."
"Well, let's see... two have just made stops."
"He said he can smell food from restaurants nearby... does that help narrow it down?" Luke interupted before the man could continue.
"Ok... well then it must be the (insert station name), near the river. Plenty of restaurants in that area."
"Thanks for all your help." Luke replied as pleasantly as possible before hanging up. Now he had a hunting ground to work in... the game was on.
***
Wraith crouched on a fire escape right across the street from the monorail station that was his primary target. Tantalizing scents and aromas wafted through the air but that didn't matter. There were two things that mattered at this exact moment. 1) It was still drizzling and he was getting more and more annoyed with every passing second. 2) The sounds were what would draw him towards his prey. In the distance he could hear cell phone after cell phone ring and get answer so he knew just calling the phone again would do him no good but there was that bell he had heard when Sara left that restaurant. Closing his eyes as his eyebrow knit together in concentration, Wraith focused on his enhanced hearing as he listened to restaurant door after restaurant door open and close as customers came and went. The chimes were all so similar that he knew it was going to take some time to recognize the right sound... maybe all night but he was in no hurry. Sara had started the hunt and Wraith never left a job before it was finished.
(That’s just fine. I wouldn’t of typed them if I didn’t want them used.)
Sara left the restraint, Dragon Inn, and headed down the back alley. With her stomach full, there wasn’t much to do, but figure out exactly how she was going to look normal for the next day. When she was giving that lady her estimate on the wall safe. Her tail could probably be stuffed down a paint leg, and her hands could be covered by gloves, but her face would be the real problem. Or would Jacobs and Jacobs hire mutants?
When the lady called the business back, she would have a definite description of Sara, but if it was discovered that there were lost goods, not saying that Sara was really going to take anything, but if she did, the lady would have an exact description. Sara bit her lower lip as she walked. If Luke wasn’t coming to find her yet, he would then. After all, hadn’t she told Raina where to find her while Luke was within hearing? Sara couldn’t remember. The sushi shop had been too long ago.
Sara turned a corner, and started walking on a new, back alley. This one would take her straight to her chosen home for the night. An empty apartment, with a loose window. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Mean while, Back at the alley behind the restraint, the bell for the door where Sara had exited, jingled. Johny, the boy who had wished her well as she was leaving, was taking out the trash. Sara’s special table was right next to the back door.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 3, 2008 10:14:36 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
Wraith had sat almost motionless for an hour or so just listening to the sounds of the different chimes... he thought he had heard the right one once but until he heard it again to make sure he wasn't ready to move on the information. Finally, the chime souded again and he smiled within the shadows of his hood. "Perfect." He murmured quietly as he suddenly lept from his spot, grabbing onto the fire escape on the next building and climbing up to the slightly higher roof before running across to find himself perched above the exact alley way he was out to find. Crouching low Wraith found himself watching a young man apparently taking out the trash for the restaurant.
"Now to get the information." He growled to himself as he lept from the roof, grabbing onto a drain pipe and sliding down about twenty feet before pushing off the wall and grabbing onto the next building's fire escape. Kicking off that wall Wraith bounced across to push off of the opposite one more time before somersaulting to a landing only six or seven feet away from the young man.
"I'm not here to hurt you." Wraith said just loud enough for the young man to hear, his voice grating unnaturally, "I'm just here for information. I'm looking for the cat lady... her name's Sara."
Completely frightening the young man out of his wits wasn't going to get Wraith the information he needed but perhapse an explanation of some type would. "She was attacked by a street gang a couple of days ago... they even shot her in the shoulder. I learned they have some plans for her and I'm trying to find her to warn her. Do you know where she might be?"
Lies? Deffinately. Blatant lies? No question. But Wraith was more than happy to lie if it meant getting his property back and stopping a thief. He didn't doubt that if she was willing to steel from someone that helped her than she was more than willing to steel from strangers. The question was whether he could step in and stop her before things went to far... or maybe he was to late already.
Here poor Johnny was, minding his own business, when this guy somersaulted down near him. And it wasn’t the type of landing that one normally takes, when coming down from that height. He landed on his feet! Most people go slap.
Johnny stumbled on his heals, falling backwards and scrambling like a crab, to the door. Till his shoulders bumped against the wall, and he was pushing himself up. By that time, the figure had spoken, and Johnny was calming down. Ok so he meant no harm. And his parents’ best customer was in danger.
He swallowed, working his mouth and his throat, His right hand ran his fingers through his hair. Trying to gather the information he was given, and make sure he actually heard it right. “No, no. Don’t know.” Johnny mumbled. His gaze was up to the masked, hooded, figure, then back down at his shoes, where he pushed himself up. Still shaken, but steadier.
She was shot? Johnny’s mind raced to think of how she held herself when she was seated in the back room. Sara hadn’t looked hurt. But she hid a lot. “You missed her. About an hour in a half or two hours ago, she left.” He began dusting himself off as he stood. “She didn’t say where she was going. And when she gets deliveries they’re always in a different spot. I could give you the location of her last delivery.”
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 3, 2008 11:24:34 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
Wraith was beginning to make the connections out of all the information he had obtained. There had still been some question back at the sushi shop but this young man's comments made it all clear. Sara lived on the streets bouncing back and forth wherever she could... more then likely she didn't have a steady job so she stole in order to survive. It changed the circumstances and changed how he had to look at the situation.
"The last address might help me get closer... I've got to warn her before she gets hurt worse. Any help you can give me would be appreciated." The man gritted out as he stood up from the position where he had been crouched. The world was continually changing and inwardly he could sense that even this encounter might change him. Up until his meeting with Calley several days before he never would have thought he would help someone steal something but that was exactly what he had helped the young man do... take a dog. Now he was beginning to wonder whether he would be able to face down Sara about her own thievery.
"This is not shaping up to be a good day." Wraith thought to himself, "And it gets worse with each passing moments."
The boy nodded and ducked into the door way of the restraint. “I’ll look the address up to be sure, The street is street is three blocks north, and about 7 east from here.” All the same, Johnny was going to check. “It’s never an exact address.” He continued apologetically. “But a street corner.” The shop door was propped open by the boy’s foot as he looked through a book that was next to a phone, where they took orders. “yeah that it.” He announced the street corner, looking up from the book.
.. … .. .. .. .. .. ..
Mean while, Sara had made it home. Well. To tonight’s home. The building was brick. The lower apartments were occupied by lower income families, and the upper apartment were empty, with paint chipping around the windows, and there were places where the fire escape hardly connected to the building. She’d managed to open one of the windows on the fourth floor, where she now camped out. Her backpack full of belongings was dropped onto the floor. Sara sat cross legged, with her back to a corner. A drawing book propped open in her lap. The Cell phone on the floor in front of her. Un aware of the hunt going on.
(Feel free to do some GMing with Johnny. He's an NPC I've made for the Dragon Inn restraunt, but I don't use him enough he has a form.)
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 3, 2008 15:01:49 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
"Three blocks north and seven east? Thanks." Wraith replied with a quick nod, "Next time Sara calls tell her that Wraith is looking for her and said he's got information about the gang that attacked her. Tell her that I told you to tell her that or she might think I'm after something else. OK?"
"OK." The kid replied, still obviously nervous to be facing a man garbed all in gray and black. "You're Wraith?"
"That's what people call me. Take care of yourself." Wraith replied as he turned and suddenly lept, grabbing onto the fire escape and pulling himself up acrobatically. Moments later he was on top of the building and out of sight.
"There's no telling if Sara will actually be around or not." The gray clad man thought to himself as he ran across the rooftops, leaping from one roof to the next or from one roof to the fire escape and then up or down as necessary. The three blocks north were covered in just a moment or two and then it was time to head east. The problem came when he had to cross major intersections but it really wasn't that huge of an issue. Using flagpoles as balancing beams and jump off points, Wraith could maintain his momentum although he did have to drop towards the street below.
"Note to self... invest in grappling line of some type." Wraith though in exasperation as he once again had to use a fire escape to climb up to the building roof, "Having to use fire escapes is getting old."
Finally after about twenty to twenty-five minutes of travelling Wraith was crouched on the tallest building that sat on the corner where Sara had taken her last delivery. "She might not even be in this area any more... she ate at the restaurant tonight. No delivery. But this is all I have to work with." The man thought to himself as he settled in and focused on what he was hearing. Traffic was the most obvious sound but hidden in the sounds behind the traffic he might just be able to find Sara... if she was even in the area.
Sara had been sitting in the corner of the room. She was pouring over the pages of her sketch book, working out the details for a water color painting she’d been trying to get started on. No matter how many times she redrew the rough drafts, she couldn’t get things right. The motion was off, or the anatomy of the figures. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but she knew she needed a break.
She glanced down at the phone. It hadn’t gone off for over an hour. Too bad, because Sara could have used some entertainment. Unaware that anyone was listening for her, Sara started moving around. Standing, from her corner, stretching. Sara dropped her sketch pad next to her bag, and opened the window, that was just over the part of the fire escape, that was most messed up.
The wind pushed through the open window, and Sara enjoyed the scent of fresh air flooding her nose, and making her hair flow like waves of water. Padding her pocket, she made sure that the cell phone was there. Her right foot braced against the lower part of the windowsill, and she pushed herself out, so she was air born. Practically flying over the decaying fire escape, like the Supercat she was. Sara grasped the fire escape below, her rotting one, and swung her legs over the bar, so that she could walk the rest of the way down to the street, like a normal person.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Nov 4, 2008 6:54:47 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
The night was beginning to drag on... later and later the time ticked and still Wraith crouched on the building listening intently to everything around him. Under his hood he could feel his eyes beginning to droop as weariness tried to overtake his body. It would be so easy to drift off... the lateness of the hour combined with the dampness of his clothes to just make him want to rest and sleep but night was Wraith's time and so he shook his head to clear the cobwebs and then returned to focusing.
The street noises from bellow echoed upwards between the building. Off to the east was the sound of a woman walking her dog and chatting animatedly and a cell phone. Not far behind her was someone jogging while listening to some type of rap music. Behind his mask Wraith's face took on a distasteful expression before he turned his attention to a different area. A man chatting with a street vendor about the latest crime rates that had been released in today's paper... a woman in high heals walking away, obviously in a hurry. Suddenly Wraith stilled as he focused on the woman walking again... there was another set of footsteps sounding behind her. Light... sneakers probably but they were keeping pace.
"Cell phone just dropped in priority." Wraith muttered as he suddenly felt his awareness suddenly spike as the addrenaline began to run. It was possible that both people were innocently going along his way but after this long in the city he suspected something else entirely. Running across the roof Wraith hit the fire escape almost before he realized it and headed towards street level. His sonar was running active but at the moment he was mainly focusing on his enhanced hearing... there was the sound he had been dreading.
"Don't move *****!" A gruff man's voice rang out, echoing in Wraith's ears as he concentrated on the area in front of him. Leaping forward Wraith grabbed onto the next building fire escape and swung forward, somersaulting and landing in a window sill. Without a pause he lept off of th ewindowsill across the alley to land on the next building's window sill. With each jump the shadowy figure came closer to the ground below as he listened to the women's scream and and gasp of panic. She was beginning to babble that the man could have anything he wanted but there was no telling if all this guy wanted was money.
"Grappling hook... gotta find out about getting a grappling hook!" Wraith thought angrily as he closed in on his prey. Finally with one last leap he soared in, crashing his shoulder into the man's side, throwing him away from the woman he had been approaching.
"Get out of here lady! He's not gonna bother you any more!" Wraith growled as he turned his back to the woman. As the man began to stand Wraith approaching, spinning suddenly and slamming his foot into the side of the perpetrator's head. He knew that it was more than the force that was necessary but the frustration from the situation with Sara was carrying over into the rest of his life. As he stood looking down at the unconscious form he knew that he had gone to far tonight.
"You get the rest of the night off Sara." Wraith murmured as he turned and disappeared into the shadows, "But the hunt begins again as soon as its light."