(Champions)

---------------------------------------------------------

No Rest for the Watchman, Finale Part I

St. Jude's Cathedral

A high vaulted stone church in the New Gothic style. The main stained-glass rossette has long been shattered by vandals' rocks and stray gunshots. Most of the pews have been broken up for use as firewood by squatters. The main altar has been carved and defaced with graffiti. The murals depicting the travails of St. Jude have long since been covered over by scrawling gang tags, fire burns, splashes of human exrement and worse. The high ceiling disappears into the darkness, but the colonies of pidgeons that infest the eaves have made their presence felt on the floor below.

The shattered pews have been cleared away in the middle to make room for about 20 people to gather. An overturned shipping crate has been placed in the middle as a makeshift platform for speakers to address the crowd from.

Benny slips in silently onto the roof top of the nearest building behind the church. He watches quietly until he sees people arrive.

Sidhe teleports along the rooftops trying to keep hidden as he makes his way towards the church Connie told him to meet her at. He scrunches his face in frustration as he cant' see her anywhere around. o O (damnit, now what?)

Wraith waits in a pre-arranged place for those that are coming to help will hopefully arrive.

Elissa moves into the area, using her skills to try and remain stealthy. She seems to be heading for the area where the Night Watch will meet. She notes the gathering of heroes.

Sidhe teleports again, clinging to a wall over Wraith. He blinks his big green eyes in the dim light and loks about, whispering, "Is this the place ta be meeting the cross town maglev?"

Benny checks his watch and looks about to see if people are guarding the building.

Wraith her head snaps up to look at you. A second later the tenceness leaves her stance slightly, "I guess so. Come join me."

Sidhe blinks in surprise as he sees Elissa walk up but hten shrugs, she must have helped Connie with the investiagiton. he waves and ports over, "Hello there, have ya been seeing Connie around?" he whispers.

Elissa says, "I was trying to find the ones responsible for the summoning!"

Elissa whispers somewhat irritatedly at Sidhe

Sidhe cocks his head, "ya talkin about the Nightwatch case Connie's been workin on? I'm here because of it too, and So I'm thinkin is someone else." he offers his hand out to Elissa.
Benny slips off the back of his building and makes the long way around to come creeping up behind the three others. He doesn't say anything, but watches for a bit, not hiding, nor announcing himself.

Wraith cocks her head, "If we can talk? I think we need to work out what to do. My contact has given me alot of information."

Elissa says, "I have a bit of information. Gramps worked on this case"

Sidhe ops back over to Wraith and nods whispering, "Sounds good ta me, cuz I'm bein a bit lost about it all and Connie's been too busy ta really discuss things with lately... she was saying something big was goign down tonight though and ta be meeting her here."

Elissa says, "We might be better off pooling what we know? All I know is I've heard this Nightwatch is responsible for the raising of the ghost."

Benny says quietly, "He had a name, you know."

Elissa says, "And recalling it is part of what has caused the problem"

Benny says, "Johnathan Leshkin is a much a victim here as anyone."

Sidhe nods, whispering, Aye, that he is, and it's the spirit of a hero named Nightwatch from about fifty years ago who's come back because of this young mook bein disgracing his name by causing these vigilante murders as 'Nightwatch' just ta be wipin out the competition for his own gang of hooligans. So the spirits wanting vengence adn was looking for an honest man thing and I'm thinkin he was finding one somewhere but I'm not knowing who or how, but Connie seems pretty sure he was being ready to be strikin down the imposter and everyone around."

Sidhe nods, "I've been speaking with the spirit meself nad he doesna seem ta like being called Nightwatch too much though Jonathan Leshkin dina seem ta bother it much..."

Wraith nods, "Well this is what I know. I got involved because of a friend asking me too. I found out that the person who leads the Night Watch is a man named, Fowler. Fowler claimed to have the diary of the ghost. How ever, this Fowler is playing all sides. I followed him to a meeting of local gang leaders, where he told them about this meeting tonight. He arranged to have the gangs turn up and take the Night Watch out. How ever there is even a layer beneith this. Fowler has his own gang of drug dealers. He briefed them on the meeting and ambush. With this he has ordered that the church be blown up with the Night Watch, and the other gangs inside. Whiping out not only the vidulanties but the competing gangs as well."

Elissa says, "That's not all of it. Gramps removed a curse put upon him, 50 years ago, removing his name from the collective unconcious. When his name returned, so did his curse."

Benny says, "What's the curse?"

Elissa says, "If he does not fight injustice, all he loves, and his bloodline, will wither and die."

Wraith shakes her helmeted head.

Wraith says, "Thats tradgic."

Sidhe nods, "Aye Connie mentioend he was gonna be trying ta finish takign out the opposing gangs tonight but dinna say how. Has anyone been able ta see if they'vebeen bringin in bombs yet if they're gonna blow the place up?" He turns to Elissa, 'Do ya happen ta know how? I know the ghost keeps saying, 'my name spoke, my curse unbroke' but I dunna have a clue how to get poeple to forget his name."

Benny says, "I have an idea... Friend of mine once said the worst thing in the world to tell someone is the truth. Why don't we just tell everybody they were set up?"

Wraith nods, "Yes. They have rigged barrels of jet fuel in the rafters. Fowler seems to have the detonator."

Elissa says, "It's fairly simple, really. I have the ceremony. But those that remind the world of his name have to be removed. And, somehow, I need his blood."

Benny smacks his lips alot, "jet fuel... tastey."

Sidhe purses his lips, "is there anyone inside yet?"

Benny says, "Why don't you just dig him up?"

Wraith looks at Benny, "Or perhaps a blood relitive. After all they are his blood."

Elissa says, "Blood, not flesh. All has passed, unless we can find some somewhere."

Benny says, "I don't think any of his children survived."

Benny says, "Red stuff is dripping from his hands all the time... will that do?"

Benny says, "How big are the barrels? 55 gallon?"

Wraith thinks for a few seconds, "The person who first got my contact to look at this claimed to be the grand daughter."

Elissa says, "It might. I'd have to see. But, with his blood, and those that bring him back, dispersing his curse is quite simple."

Elissa says, "What are we facing here? I'm afriad I came at this from a direction different from you."

Sidhe rubs is chin, "if I can be seein this jet fuel I should be able just ta teleport meself nad hte barrels one at a time outta the chruch, anyone knowin how ta disarm them?

Wraith nods to Elissa, "In the present moment we are facing a man who wishes to set off four barrels of jet fuel over the heads of alot of people."

Wraith says, "How about a point of referance. Can you teleport to a point of referance. Like a glow?"

Sidhe says, "anyone know how ta disarm them if I bring them out?"

Sidhe nods, 'if it's close neough I can teleport ta anything I cna see.

Elissa says, "55 gallons of JP-4? It would blazebloil even the bunker!"

Benny thinks outloud, "Too much to drink..."

Wraith nods, "Then I hope you have a good balance. I can give you a dim glow to teleport to. As to disarming I have no idea.

Sidhe looks baout, there's noplace nearby enough ta place them where htey aren't gonna be setting this entire neighbor hood off if no one can be disarmin them... maybe it's best ogin after the trigger then... are they timed or remote controlled?"

Wraith says, "Remote. Fowler has it."

Benny hisses, "Just get it in the field and lets worry about the rest later. Not so much colaterial damage that far out."

Sidhe nods, "let me look about though tfirst..." With that he teleports up to a high window nad looks into the chrch for one of the barrels.

Sidhe pops from barrel to barrel collecting the plastique and detonaters.

Wraith looks to the rest, "So. Once the barrels are sorted, what next?

How do we stop the gangs killing the Night Watch?"

Elissa says, "I was just going to try and join up, and figure out who had raised the spirit. Gang politics really isn't my field"

Sidhe hops into the middle of the field and looks about, finding a hole dug by some dog, he dumps the plastique into it and looks from something heavy to cover the hole with to absorb the shockwave, then comes back, 'Ok, there'll be a big boom out here but no fuel on fire I hope... I think I was findin them all."

Benny says, "I was going to stand in the middle of them and tell them the truth."

Sidhe cocks his head, "can they be killin a ghost?

Wraith shakes her head, "I ment the Vigdulanties. The gangs are still turning up to kill them."

Sidhe says, "Well they're saying the trth is a powerful thing, we can be tryin that ta start and then running interference and disarming who we can ta breka up any fighting that persists...""

Wraith nods reluctently, "Ok."

Sidhe says, "if we're tell them about the police comin too it might help, by the way anyone been callin them?"

[OOC] Box says, "Ok, some basics before we begin. There will be a lot of potential combatants tonight, so this will *not* be a normal Champions combat. Instead, once combat begins, each of you will pose a full turn's worth of actions, with results. No die rolling needed and you won't be in any real danger (they're just thugs after all and y'all are 250 pt heroes) but feel free to pose being hit if you like. Combat ends once all the opposition has surrendered or been beaten silly."

Wraith checks her watch, "Looks like it will be time soon. Shall we move to places where we can be ready to act. I'll take a place by the podium. If I can I'll try and stop Fowler from leave."

Sidhe looks about and nods to Wraith, "I'll be takign a place up high like on the ceiling. with luck ya won't see me but I'll be there."

Elissa moves around towards the shadows. Combat really isn't her thing, she tries to get a vantage point in the nave, trying to get some height.

Sidhe teleports himself back up to the broken window and then up into the rafters, finding a shadowy spot of stable looking roof to look straight down on the actions.

Benny says, "I was thinking of standing inside the church, behind the podium."

Benny says, "Comments?"

Wraith says, "Concealed?"

Benny says, "Nope."

Wraith says, "That might scare everyone off."

Benny says, "Wouldn't that be grand?"

Benny says, "Are we trying to capture everybody?"

Benny says, "What is our goal here?"

Wraith says, "No. Because that means Fowler would just set it up again. But you do have a point."

Benny says, "Fine, We go for fowler, "What's he look like?""

Wraith shows a picture.

Benny jumps up and over to hide on top of the church, for now.

Wraith nods, "Ok. Good luck. Don't get caught..... sorry. Slip of the tongue." Vanishes from sight and sound. She moves to where the podium is.

As you take your places, the Night Watchmen start arriving in ones and two, along with a few normally dressed people. Potential new recruits perhaps.

The Night Watch
17 men in black jumpsuits and ski-masks. Each is also wearing light body-armor and carrying a length of cloth wrapped steel pipe. They are accompanied by 6 normally dressed people, presumably new recruits.

Sidhe hangs upside down form the ceiling watching them come in. He sighs silently as he waits to act and his mind wanders. He starts pondering why his head doesn't get flushed and he gets dizzy whle doing this. The wrong thing to think as a wave of dizziness strokes. he pulls himself up to cling to the ceiling with his eyes closed. O o (Dumb Colin... you're powers work by thiking about them rememebr?)

All in all 23 men make there way into the church. A few set up portable electric lights.

They make uneasy chatter amongst themselves as they await their leader's appearance.

Sidhe blinks his big green eyes as they lights get set up and tested, scurring quickly and quietly into the new shadows of the rafters as they shift and change form the new lightsources.

Benny scratches his chin and thinks a bit.

Benny sees, from his vantage point atop the church, several cars pull up quietly, their headlights off."

Wraith waits, thinking uneasily. o O (Bank jobs were easier.)

Sidhe thinks . o O (we should have radios... don't police have radios when they do this sort of thing?)

Outside, shadowy figures begin creeping around the sides of the church...

Wraith starts to get twitchy . o O (What am I doing here?"

Benny leaps high into the air and shouts at the top of his lungs, "MAY I HAVE EVERYBODY'S ATTENSION BEFORE YOU START SHOOTING???" as he hovers in the air, he's streached WAY out so he looks a bit larger then usual, a real attension getter.

Sidhe is startled and looks baout as he hears Benny shouting from outside. O o (Subtle signal...)

Somebody shouts, "What the @#$!^&*# is that!" Then somebody starts shooting in confusion, causing the others to join in. Some of the drug gangers fire blindly at the night sky, the others rush in and begin firing at the Night Watch...

The Drug Gangs(#1595On)
19 assorted thugs wearing a variety of gang colors. They carry a variety of cheap guns and knives.

Sidhe Sighs and Leans from the ceiling, crashing out one of the stainedglass windows to kick a shooter. The gangbangers, buddy turns at Sidhe with an uzi in hand, but the speedy sprite teleports to the guy's left and rips the grun from the thug's hands. o O (hold it' what's to keep the Nightwatchers form pulling out guns nad shooting at us?) The thought doesn't have long to form though as he teleports to avoid a spray of bullets and bring himself within striking distance of the shooter who he gives a goot kick to the gut, doubling him over nad letting Sidhe collect his gun as well. Sidhe pops up to the roof to stow the guns out of grabbing ahnds and looks for his next target.

Benny says to one one special, "They never listen, do they?" He drops out of the sky and lands in front of some gangers. They turn and pop off a shot or two at him. Benny snaps his hand up and catches a bullet which bounces around inside his fist for a second before it settles down, "Put the guns down. Please." He tosses the bullet at thier feet and stares at the two guys standing in front of him with a sad expression.

Elissa plans ahead, being above the crowd as she starts taking out the gangers as the battle starts. Concentrating on getting the ways of luck flowing through her body, the feet slip beneath four of the gangers, letting their heads smack and bang on the ground. The eaves of the church rumble, as the wings of fate blow through

Wraith stands up on the podium . o O (I can't belive I'm doing this.) Takes a deep breath and fades into visability, "Fowler's set you _all_ up people. Get out of here." An image of flame lashes out in a sweep towards those coming in the front door, designed to distract the gunmen, and generaly make herself a target.

Some of the Night Watch and the gangers turn to look at Wraith uncomprehendingly.

The rest of the Night Watch leap into action. Using the shattered pews as cover, they advance on the drug gangers and engage them, body armor and club against knife and bullet. The gangers respond with panicked sprays of gunfire and try to back away as the two sides devolve into a swirling melee that causes the shadows to dance in the pale lamp light to the stacatto rhythm of gun fire, the chime of falling casing against the stone floor and the steady drumbeat of steel club against flesh.

The Night Watch do not attack any of the heroes, thought the drug gangers fire random showers of bullets in their direction. A few gangers try to turn and run but are cut down as they try to leave the church by a volley of automatic gun fire...

Standing outside the church door, smoking machine pistols in hand, is Fowler's gang.

Sidhe sighs as choas starts running amuck. He blinks as he wriggles aside fomr a druggie's knifethrust as he sees the firgures in black and purple advance. A quick punch KOs the drugger and then colin leaps up in a high arc to land top one of Fowler's men as he tries in vain to take a bead on the quick moving Sidhe. Kicks lash out at two more to drop them to the ground and then Sidhe disappears with a pop to come up on the other side of them, slugging one of the gunners in an attemtp to throw Fowler's troops int completel disarray.

You paged Benny with 'Fowler's gang is more or less together, the rest are all mixed together, drug ganger and night watch both'.
Benny leaps high into the air and streaches himself out as far as he can in all directions and comes crashing down on Fowler's gang, "Death Pancake!" He cries! He spies Sidhe on one side and aims for the other side of the crowd. Benny isn't moving THAT fast, however. he's obviously learned how to be a bit more gentle on his 'Death Pancake' manuver. But still, while it might not put people directly into a coma, it certainly breaks a rib or two. There is a huge *WUMP* as he impacts, sending Thugs sprawling!

Sidhe winces at the sound of Benny bellyflopping.

Wraith swears with the fluancy of a street kid and heads for the serious gun fire. She barrels towards the doors, inenvertenly charging through a stream of bullets that spins her around but she remains on her feet, thanking the powers that be for the impact gel and kevelar weave of her armour, she charges on, the rapid gun fire her target. As she reaches the doors she vanishes.

Fowler's men scatter to avoid the assault of the heroes, trying to drive them back into the cathedral with streams of teflon coated lead. Inside the cathedral, the Night Watch begin to make headway against the confused drug gangers, A cloud of pidgeons erupts from the rafters, and swirls about the conflict like some sort of urban host of Valkyries.

Across the street, a man gets out of a beatup Nuevo Chevy Nova...

Ernst Fowler screams in frustration, "It won't work heroes! I win!" He stabs at a button on a device he holds in his hand. A muffled, but woefully small *thump* is heard in the distance, and a look of horror starts to carve itself into his features.

Ernst Fowler
A well built but sleazy man in a cheap black cotton suit. He's unshaven, with a greasy pontail, and slightly balding. He's carrying a katana and a fancy european machine pistol.

Sidhe hooks a punch into a black and purple clad gunman's gut as he sees the nova pull up and the guy they're looking for show up. He gives a kick ot another gunman, then teleports over to Ernest. "The game's over and you're bein the loser. Give up now nad clal this off." he grabs the man's arm to restrain him.

Benny snaps himself together and leaps from the fray, having done his part to disrupt things. He launches himself at the cars that Fowler's gang drove up in, obviously hoping to catch sight of Fowler himself. There is a *KA-RUNCH* sound as he lands /Hard/ on the engine of said Chevy Nova. He smiles, "HowAreYaHowAreYaHowAreYa? Funny thing happened on the way to the ambush..."

Wraith ivnisable she charges a machine pistol whielding ganger. An armoured fist is driven into his unsuspecting gut. She blinks into view and lashes an arm out, an arching, snaping bolt is lanched at another ganger who is running. The man is suddenly in a world of silence and darkness, he stumbles at speed straight into a lamp post.

Elissa ducks when she hears gunfire. She seems to concentrate her invisible attacks on the gun-wielding gangers, The winds of luck know knock guns adise and trip gangers into each other as they topple like ninepins. The bullets whiz by, and she tries to make sure the most dangerous are her first targets

The remaining Night Watch get the remaining drug gangers and members of Fowler's gang under control. Broken and battered men litter the church yard and the cathedral floor. The Night Watch look around in confusion, searching the faces of the heroes for answers.

A Night Watchman asks Wraith, "Wh-what's this about, Miss?"

Sidhe jerks Fowler's arm a bit to make him fae the nightwatch members, "Here is your Leader. nothing more than a rotten low down hoodlum just like those he supposedly lead you against. He used you. He preyed upon your good if misguided intnentions nad helped eliminate his competition on the streets using you all while defiling the name of hte hero he posed as. Nightwatch is dead. Let him rest in peace. This is over. If you dont' beleive it, go look at the barrels of jetfuel in the chruch he was goign to roast you alive with."

Wraith walks towards the Night Watch group. She stops, looking them over then at the gangers that lie around. She shakes her head, "You lot had better start making this lot comfortable and seeing to injuries as best you can. An aweful lot of assult has gone on here." She looks at the one who spoke, "Your leader, he sold you out, as he sold out these guys." Points to the gangers, "He was going to kill you all so he would have free riegn over all of the drug deals and such."

A few of the Night Watch pull off their masks and slump to the ground, defeated. Several of the drug gangers begin cursing and threatening Fowler.

Benny steps forward and leaps into the air to hover over everybody and shouts, "HEY!!!" He hopes to gain everybody's attension.

The battered and dispirited men look up.

Wraith glances up, a greenish liquid congealing on her arm where a bullet penertrated on of the impact gel sacs.

Benny points to the Night Watch Gang, "You guys had yer hearts in the right place, but how you went about it is wrong! There are ways to help the neighborhood and help people without Breaking Legs! trust me! I was there, I tried that! ya know what? If ya help the person get off his knees, ya don't have to break them..." He turns to the drug dealers, "As for you guys, Just look around... what do you see?"
The battered and dispirited men stare at the ground, shamed.

A warm, feverish wind sweeps down the street, A reddish glow like a swirling pavane of torches illuminates the street. Shadows twist and moan with a life of their own, as a figure appears at the end of the block...

Benny says, "This... is your future." He stabs a finger at a distant fireball, "Death! Oh Sure..." He spies the Watchman, "Oh sh..."

Sidhe nods to Wraith, then looks at the Nightwaters again, "Fowler will pay for his crimes, but don't let his type lead you astray again. If you really want ta make a difference, really want ta clean things up here. start here adn now. Killing isn't the way to do it, it only furthurs thign snad makes you as bad as those you're supposedly stopping. Form neighborhood watches to help the police legally. Don't turn a blind eye to what's going on around you but offer a helping hand to thos ein need. and you know what? enough poeple see you doing it, they're goign ot start doing it too. A lot more popele here want to do good than those who want to go about causing mayhem and destruction. Stand up as leaders of these people, not by raising guns and becoming as bad as the gangs you want to stop, but by becoming something for fearsome... a Community."

Sidhe nods and Benny at his speach, then blinkblinks as Watchman shows up, "Uh oh..."

Fowler' squirms in Sidhe's grasp, "Y-you gotta save me! Don't let that thing get me!!!!"

Wraith looks to Fowler and the glare is almost visable, "Why.... you deserve it."

Watchman drifts closer, a triumphant gleam in the single eye that gazes forth from its insignia.

Sidhe keeps hsi grip tight on Fowler's arm but shifts to plce himself between The Wathcman and Fowler, 'He might deserive it, he might not. that's for a court to ecide. I canna just let you take him Watchman. We came ta stop the murders, not facilitate one. Even for scum like him."

Benny drops to the ground and says calmly to Fowler, "Don't worry, I won't." He starts walking straight for The Watchman, Benny's face shows an expression of resolution and determination. He smiles a bit in a wistful sort of way, "How's it going, John?" He says when he gets within ear shot.

Watchman intones to Sidhe, "DoEs'Nt A kInG wHo SaCrIfIcEs HiS pAwNs DeSeRvE tHeIr FaTe." It recoils a bit when Benny adresses it, but does not respond to his greeting.

Wraith looks around and smiles in the privicy of her helmet. She walks to Sidhe and says quietly, "One ghost here is enough. We saved lives. I hope we might work together to do it again. Good bye." Starts to walk off.

Sidhe shakes his head, "that's not for me ot decide. and I dunna think that's for you to decide either. I beelive in justice. and I beleive in the legal system. He'll have his day in court. Besides... if he deserves their fate for trying to take their lives for his purposes... what would you or I deserve for letting you kill him for yours? I dunna beleive in that. Let the courts do their job. Let justice take it's course as it's ment to."

Wraith slowly sees to fade from existance as she walks away.

Watchman nods slowly and speaks to Fowler, "KnOw ThIs FaLsE pRoPhEt. YoU aRe KnOwN tO mE nOw. ToNiGhT i WiLl LeAvE yOu tO tHiS wOrLd'S jUsTiCe, bUt I wIlL nOt Be AbLe To ReStRaIn MySeLf FoReVeR."

Elissa says, "Nightwatch, why do you stalk? Damion set you to sleep, and I can do so as well."

Benny steps forward towards the Watchman, "It's not over yet, is it?" He holds his hand out to The Watchman in an aimless sort of way. It is as if he wants to reach out to him, but has no idea how.

The cacophonous ululation of sirens can be heard in the clear night air, drawing ever closer.

Benny says, "John... Hurry, we need some of your blood. Please. She says she can end this."

Watchman sighs, "I cAn NeVeR rEsT, tHe WaTcH aGaInSt EvIl NeVeR eNdS." It stares blankly at Benny.

Sidhe breathes a little sigh of relief both that Watchman listened to his line of reasoning nad that he managed to keep control of his bladder as he specter advanced on him. He looks over towards the sound of hte sirens and looks to Fowler, 'Sounds liek your ride is approaching... I wonder how many years you get for about 40 counts of attemtped murder, possession of restricted chemicals, not to mention all the actual completed murders of those gang mambers..."

Fowler is far too frightened to even squeek.

Benny steps forward inches from the Watchman, "Ectoplasm! Whatever is on your hands! I don't care what it is, she says she can end this! Please..."

Watchman stares at its hands, "My HaNdS... i HaVe BlOoD oN mY hAnDs..."

Benny reaches forward to takes the Watchman's hands in his, "mine too... sucks, huh?"
Watchman-> Benny reaches forward to takes the Watchman's hands in his, "mine too... sucks, huh?"

Watchman wails and disappears in a burst of flame and shadow.

Police cars and ambulances race down the street toward the Cathedral of St. Jude.

Benny clutches at empty air and just stands there, hands held high in mid grasp. Motionless.

Sidhe turns to the policecars and tugs Fowler a few steps, "Come on it's getting late. If we get ya ta jail fast enough ya might be in time for hte tuna surprise..."

Benny turns and looks at the Night Watch gang and shouts, "NO MORE!!! Do You /Hear/ Me??? NO. MORE." He stands there breathing heavily glaring arounf, "Nobody else dies. Nobody. Not on my shift." He moves forward to try and help the wounded. using his rubber hands to apply pessure to gun shot wounds and his Supress Movement to gently move people in puffy and cushy hands to places where they can lie not hurting so much.

The police take statements and the ambulances cart off the wounded...

...Far across the city a mugger leafs through the wallet of his victim. Even in a City of Heroes, there can be no pause for the sentinels of justice, no rest for the watchman.