CHAPTER FOUR ♔ does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love

[coldheritage]

♬ The Truth - Nonpoint

WHO || Failboat, Rafael, Isabella, Nadia  [Closed]
WHAT || After an exciting Grammy night, the Knights meet up with Nadia to hear what she has to say
WHERE || Staples Center, LA -->  Warehouse
WHEN || Feb 8th, 2015  [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[  The Knights' mission to stop the signal and prevent Draken's cult from spreading whatever subliminal message  was lurking beneath Keijen Blade's performance was a success.  It didn't come without its bumps in the road, however:  Alexander Anderson showed up, and the Knights ran afoul of the Mind Master.    Buffy nearly died fighting Anderson, but in the end, he was defeated, beheaded, and hopefully put to death forever.   Finnick, though, found himself thrust into a mental illusion that convinced him he might still be in the Hunger Games, and left him uncertain about whether any of his life here was real.  

Another surprise came in the form of an announcement by Nadia Reichenov, an artist working with Crombe and company, that she was changing her band name and taking things in a 'new direction'.   This direction was perhaps revealed when after her performance, she approached the Knights in Rafael's dressing room - and handed them the necklace that connects her to the Nightmare God Malaak'a, saying she was willing to tell them everything.  ]

Comments

[isisagent]

Yes sir, ma'am. [Archer replies sarcastically. He may never get along with Isabella.]

[doubletake]

[Elena makes sure to lean towards the window so that anyone that catches a glimpse of the car will be able to see her.]

Way ahead of you.

[She's not kidding, with her spot check of 31.]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael's spot was a whole 11 so it's a good thing elena is paying attention. he's still not used to these doppelganger shenanigans, ok.

isabella steers through the streets, slowing down a little bit since they're specifically trying to draw the attention of some of the pursuers. elena would be the one to spot the black car that abruptly peels off a street about three blocks down and turns to head their way ]

[doubletake]

[She catches sight of the car from the side mirror, her gun in her hand in her lap. She's not going to be much of a shot from here unless she leans out the window, but she'll do it if they boys end up needing help.]

We've got one. Black car, just turned onto our street. Looks like it's gaining on us in a hurry.

[savemyself]

We shall see about that. [ and she fucking floors it with a 36 drive check, cranking it up to highway speed. all of their attack rolls will be at a -2 while she's driving this speed. annnd we're going into init so here comes ze plurk ]

[isisagent]

[Archer rolls the window down as a move action, leans out and fires two blasts (Heroic Surge). 17+14-2= 29 Atk, and 14+14-2= 26 Atk. For 17 and 12 damage respectively.]

Oh wait... We do want to kill these guys, right? Am I reading the room right on this one?

[romanticidal]

Whatever is necessary. [ as in, you're probably asking the right car that question, archer. both of his shots land, and the driver of that vehicle guns it to all-out, but can't quite catch up as isabella speeds down the road, hovering behind them much closer now, trailing only sixty feet.

a figure leans out of the sunroof with a sniper rifle, leveling it to take one shot at their car (atk 27-4 from speed = 23) doing 10 dmg to the back tire of their car and blowing it out. isabella gets a 28 drive check to keep control of the car but her teeth grit together in irritation.

rafael hangs out the other side window in the back, and aims just one gun this time, specifically at the shooter (atk 28), just hitting the sniper (8 dmg), his 21 and 24 follow up shots striking the vehicle's roof instead thanks to his cover. ]

[doubletake]

[Elena's shoulders tense as the tire goes out, and considering even if she leaned out the window she'd have to worry about shooting whoever's window is behind her, she focuses on the road instead, trying to help Isabella navigate (drive action pointing that 6 17 to assist).]

[savemyself]

Hang on. [ isabella abruptly makes a hard turn down a tight alley (drive 27 with elena's assist), but the other vehicle looks like it's going to try to follow... ]

[isisagent]

They have bullet-resistant paint or something?

[Full Attack + Heroic Surge for 3 Shots]

[17+14=31 14+9=23 19+14=33 | (IDK what current negatives are) | 8, 12, 14 Damage]

[romanticidal]

[ the driver makes the turn after them as archer's shots continue to tear up the car, which is starting to look in shitty condition back there as it races down the alley after them. the sniper goes for another tire (atk 18, dmg 22), and now both their back tires are blown. isabella keeps it steady with a 19 total (25 drive + 2 assist - 8 tires), but it's sure not getting any easier.

rafael keeps focused on the sniper again, but misses all three times, because that bitch's ac is whack. HE EVEN HAS SHARP SHOOTING GDI. it doesn't help when you roll like 2s and 3s tho. ]

[doubletake]

[This time Elena visibly winces, though she will probably never think poorly of Isabella if she gets them out of this still driving because gurl be badass right now.

Okay, she might, but she's way more likely to hold her tongue at least. Progress?

She directs Isabella to keep left so they don't have to swerve to avoid a dumpster further up the alley. At least she's not a bad backseat driver???]

[savemyself]

[ combined, they get a 19 to avoid the hazard, which is just enough, scraping by it dramatically as she slow down - because at the end of the alley, another black car turns in to face them. there's no room to maneuver around them, and isabella swears up a spanish storm. ]

[isisagent]

STOP SHOOTING OUR FUCKING TIRES, ASSHOLE! [Archer takes aim for that fucking sniper, heroic Surging his last time of the day for 3 shots]

[14+14= 28 Atk, 19+9= 27 Atk, 14+14= 28 Atk | (Running dangerously low on Action Points Archer...) | 9, 17, 10 Damage. If the Sniper retreats/dies, extra attacks will be directed at the vehicle.]

[romanticidal]

[ all archer's attacks strike the sniper, but he's still alive. he's also unable to really aim at their front tires from this angle, so he shoots at archer instead ... and gets a nat 20, and then a 23 (missing). with a x3 crit, the sniper's bullet catches him right in the chest for 51 dmg as their vehicle slows to a stop, locking them in. far ahead, a passenger sticks their head out of the window of the oncoming car, firing at their vehicle from the front with an mtar micro assault rifle, popping both the front tires of the vehicle out.

rafael grimaces and fires at the vehicle behind them (atk 20; 14 dmg), and the shot is enough to finally disable the vehicle, the car shuddering dead as the bullet buries itself in the engine. continuing on with his lightning shot barrage, he fires on the sniper, plugging him all three times (22/29/27; 11+4+9+23 for using bullseye = 47 dmg ). the sniper slumps dead half out the window, the rifle slipping from his arms and clattering to the ground. ] BELLA! [ he shouts over his shoulder, and she seems to understand what he's signaling without asking more, moving her hand to the gear switch. ]

[doubletake]

[Elena rolls down her window and apparently doesn't bother to aim because her shot is fucking terrible as she fires a bullet at the car blocking their path forward. (atk 16, dmg 8) But might as well hit something if you know you can't hit a person.

And then she just...holds on because are they really going to drive with no wheels? o.O]

[savemyself]

[ ♬ arlandria - foo fighters

with a -16 to her drive check from losing four tires, isabella slams the car into reverse, and the entire thing clunks as it moves backwards, gaining speed until she slams it straight into the broken down vehicle behind them. while it jerks them all violently, their vehicle is still intact enough that none of them will take damage... and she keeps her foot on the pedal, ramming the other car right back out of the alleyway. the tires screech against the action, but comply for now, and finally they break free out the way they came.

she made that check with only a +2 left, be impressed. ]

[isisagent]

Jesus Fuck! [Archer looks at the fountain of blood erupting from his chest, then takes aim at the vehicle that cut them off - assuming they'll be coming after us next. Taking a page out of their book, he goes for the tires. 11+14= 25Atk and 10+9= 19Atk for 10 and 9 damage. (Not sure how far away they are, 100' range increment on this gun)]

Should we steal a new ride? Maybe an ambulance?

[romanticidal]

After we have lost them. [ clearly, rafael has faith in isabella to drive a car with four blown tires. this is not new territory for them. meanwhile, archer popped both the front tires of that vehicle, and rafael leans out so that he can shoot back at the guy with the assault rifle (atk 38/31/22), striking twice (total 25 dmg) while it comes charging down the alley and... runs into that dumpster b/c they did not make their drive check lmao ]

[doubletake]

You okay, Archer? I'll take a look at it once we can stop.

[Elena stays put in her seat, returning to the task of assisting Isabella, especially now that they don't have any fucking tires (drive 18).]

[savemyself]

[ with a nat 20 this round, isabella steers this car like it's TOTALLY FINE down a series of side streets, until they are well and truly clear of any pursuit. she looks in the rearview mirror, smirking a bit ] It will be good to leave a few of them alive, so that they can claim to have seen us go this way, relay the message to their friends and keep them off her trail. We find another car, change her face, and they will never find her.

[ /init ]

[doubletake]

[Elena seems to relax a bit into her seat as they appear to lose their pursuers, and the more time passes, the calmer she gets.

Her head turns to the side against her headrest so she can look at Isabella.]

You are officially my hero right now.

[romanticidal]

[ isabella's eyes flick up to the rearview mirror again, this time seeking out rafael, who doesn't notice (ahaha ofc dice), too busy glancing behind him to check for pursuers, and looking over at archer with some concern. ] There is a lot over there. I think we should be safe to change.

[isisagent]

[Archer sighs, and slides back into his seat, presses his hand to his chest and pulls it away covered in blood - stares at it for a bit - then returns to keeping pressure on the wound, using his free hand to grab his flask because he sure as hell needs some booze right now.]

You're officially on my Zombie Apocalypse team, Isabella. [First time Archer has used her actual name?]

[savemyself]

[ isabella turns into the parking lot, glancing back at archer with a raised eyebrow ] That may not be only a joking matter, once Blade's brainwashed masses awake.