The Exemplar: Engage

[Attn: Closed]

Armada, Attack!
Warriors, Rise!
Exemplar...Engage!


I've forgotten how long it's been since my dad passed away. It feels like it's been years. God knows my sense of time is terrible. The Exemplar disbanded not a month later. That was one heck of a decision. Then again, most of them have gone and settled into normal lives. When daddy died, I guess it scared a lot of them. The chance to have a normal life isn't something to take for granted, I suppose. I still see some of them every once in a while but...I miss it. I miss going out and smashing bad guys' skulls together. Ah, come on, Polly, how would Liberty or American respond if you'd said that out loud? "It's not about that. It's about helping people and doing the right thing." They're right but...god beating up bad guys was fun.

The Exemplar, the debatable greatest superheroes on the planet, disbanded some time ago. This woman, the jovial young Paulina Powers, walks in through the front door of her large suburban home, feeling strangely empty. It was a feeling she'd hand since the day her father perished, helping to defend Earth's Greatest Champions against their deadliest foes joined under the title of "The Nefaria". She lived alone now but that wasn't it. She'd lived alone before. Now was simply the first time she actually felt...lonely.

Then, as if a star listening from the sky had heard her wish, something truly unexpected occurs. As Paulina sits at her reading desk, she sees a light approaching the window. Using her psionic powers, she wills a barrier of psychic energy into place. It helps nothing. The figure is the mighty demigod, Gladius, powerful enough to level the entire building ten times over. As he crashes through the window and the floor, Polly looks to him as he lies in the basement of her home. Forming butterfly-like wings upon her back, she floats down to him. "Gladius! What are you-"

"Mortal friend, Powers," Gladius says as she helps him up. "This world is in dire need of its greatest champions."

"So you came to ME, of all people? Not American or Liberty, or-"

"You were the nearest and know, by heart, the whereabouts of the quarters where the rest lay their heads."

Super Criminals and Villains were at large by the dozen in the bustling city of Skyline as of late. Meanwhile, more and more heroes were beginning to decline. The Exemplar, the shining examples of heroism in this city, had gone. The next best thing, the Warriors, had only just disappeared. The city was falling into chaos. But Polly hadn't the faintest idea of how bad it was until she saw this, the Exemplar's biggest gun, second only to the nigh omnipotent Number 7, battered and thrown aside. "What did this to you?"

"I am unsure. But if I were to venture a guess, they will have been the cretinous demi-devils known as the Negative. There were but three of them. They attacked, having taken me unawares. Fight, I did, but their power was great individually. When combining their efforts..."

The Negative...the Warriors tended to take care of situations involving them. They had the only usable weapon against them in the city; Scarecrow. The Negative were a high level threat. They would need to be dealt with in high level response. They'd need the Exemplar treatment. "Come on," Polly says, deciding to help the injured demigod outside. "Try not to change back into your mortal form. I have a feeling this one is the only thing keeping you alive right now. I'm getting you to some place where you can get medical attention. Then...then I'm getting the band back together," she says as she moves him toward the garage where her car sat.

[ATTN: Open]

Gosalyn sat cross-legged on a stool in the warehouse. The place was huge, the roof towering above her and huge storage shelves reaching up all the way to the ceiling, packed with scrap metal and tools. Cold fluorescent light shone down across the warehouse. The door was at the far end from where she sat, in the bare living quarters she had set up, with a small refrigerator and a cot on the floor for when going home was too much of a pain.
 
She cradled her helmet in one hand, inspecting the wiring on the inside. The thing had malfunctioned last time she went out, the altitude meter was all off. She pushed off the stool, going to the mini fridge still holding the helmet and tugging it open. The fridge was packed almost entirely with Mountain Dew, with a small space on a shelf reserved for other energy drinks she had been trying.
 
Gosalyn cracked open a can of Dew and took a drink, her eyes wandering to her other big project lately. On the other side of the room from her was her main work station, her suit against the wall, but she was working on the helmet all the way over here because her workbench had been converted into something else entirely. I should buy another workbench.
 
She strolled over to the bench, looking down at the blue, glass-like material that now covered it. She grabbed the power cord attached to the table and plugged it in to a power strip, then stood over the table contemplatively. “Argus, boot up.”
 
A small keyboard flashed up on the blue paneling, outlined in green, and she tapped her password in one-handed. Immediately a two dimensional map of the city appeared across the table, somewhat distorted by the table’s dimensions, longer than it was wide. Problem one to fix. It’d also be nice if she could get full 3D going so she could see altitude…
 
On the map, besides the outline, was one small blinking blue dot. The whole system was still in a testing phase at the moment. It had been nearly a week and a half and so far her one test subject had yet to find the nanotrackers she’d planted on him…
 
Breach of privacy? Maybe. But it was with good intention; after all, how was she supposed to take care of the idiot if she didn’t know where he was?

[Attn: Open]

Bridget Sky stands at the scene with her cameraman and News Van, reporting for Channel Six.  "--What's more, crimes like these have been on the rise in recent months, likely in correspondence to the massive decline in superhero activity.  The Exemplar disbanded months ago shortly after the death of Justin Powers, father of mainstay Exemplar member, Paulina Powers.  No contact has been made with any of the Warriors roster, including reserve and honorary members.  Self-Styled vigilantes and solo heroes alike aren't making nearly the same impact as these two titanic teams once did.  The only member of the Exemplar to even be spotted as of late has been The American.  However, even that living legend's influence only goes so far in such a chaotic town--" It wasn't news she was happy to share.  She was fond of caped and costumed heroes lending a helping hand and for more reasons than their giving her things to report about.

Wild-Child lands on a low rooftop and wraps her Snap-Lash around her waist.  She'd been tailing a few police cars, finally coming to what seemed to be a jumper.  "Oh...lovely.  Because we all know I have SUCH a way with words.  I mean, people just ADORE me," she says to herself.  She unwinds the Snap-Lash again, latching it onto a distant rooftop.  She could swing in and snatch him out of the air before he hit the ground.

[ATTN: Coir]

Gosalyn gazed absently down at the Argus Map, seeing the small green dot wandering over the city. Its course suddenly changed, flying off to the side and stopping suddenly against the line of a building.

She frowned, adjusting one last wire in her helmet before she put it on and turned on the built in communicator. "Justice Boy, how goes heroing?" she asked casually.

[Attn: Coir, "Rock Man", Jumper]

Wild-Child watches her jumper plummet for a few seconds then finally sighs.  "Well, at least I won't have to worry about talking anyone down now," she says to herself before leaping from the roof and swinging down on her Snap-Lash.  She scoops the jumper from the air and looks down on him.  "Okay, not trying to be insensitive but we all have our demons, dude.  This isn't the way to deal with 'em."  She gracefully lands and hands him over to the police, one of which pulls a gun on her and tells her to freeze.  "...I'm going to forget you just did that," she responds before turning and leaping off.

She lands near the "Rock Man".  "Dude, I've heard some lame names in my time; Photo-Man, Concrete, but Rock Man?  Seriously?"

[ATTN: Coir]

She stood up, walking over to her suit charging on the wall. She thought she could barely hear someone else's voice, at a distance from the comm. "Need assistance or do you have things under control?" she asked, all business.

[Attn: Coir, Rock Man]

Wild-Child looks up at Coir.  "Nice punch," she says.  Then she unwinds her Snap-Lash and swings it at her side like a mace.  "What Thing Jr here's story?"

[Attn: Rock Man]

"Yo, Pebbles!"  Wild-Child shouts as her Snap-Lash coils around Rock Man's ankle.  "That was RUDE!"  She yanks with all her might to trip up the colossus then swings him over her head where he lands in the street, forming a small crater in the ground where he'd landed.  "I'd say to go take a dirt nap but...well...you'd probably enjoy that."

[ATTN: Coir]

Gos listened, confused for a moment as he started babbling, and finally she gave a heavy sigh, cradling her helmeted head in her hand. He was such a dork

His voice cut off as she heard something get hit, and with a sigh she stepped up onto the small square platform below her suit. "I'll be there in five," she said, turning and starting to put her suit on. She hit a button on the side of the helmet, fully powering her suit up. The thing was run neurally- that'd been fun to set up, but now with a thought a smaller, more simplified Argus appeared in the corner of her visor. Coirs green light flickered. She could fix that later, but now, it was about time Sentinel took to the city anyway.

[Attn: Open]

Wild-Child nods to Coir as he issues his thanks.  But as he lays out the stone-hide goliath, she disappears, having left to avoid the hassle of the police.

Watching from the crowd of vehicles in the area, held up by these events, is the jovial Ms. Powers in her light pink suit.  Once it was all clear, she gets back into the car to help Gladius to the hospital.

[ATTN: Coir]

Sentinel let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Whatever. About time I hit the skies anyway. Seeya out there."

She was careful not to activate her flight boosters until after she'd walked through most of the warehouse to the door - there was flammable stuff in there - and in another minute the silver-armored heroine was up in the air.

[Attn: Closed]

In his mortal form of Kent Wilkinson, Gladius was entirely vulnerable.  Even though he hadn't suffered any actual damage in this form, it felt like he'd gone skydiving...without a parachute.  Polly hadn't told the doctors much of anything about him.  They didn't need to know he was practically a god and one of the planet's mightiest champions.  Given his condition, though, she doubted they'd even believe it.  She stayed for a few minutes then was off.  The first place she stopped was an apartment complex not far away.  The door opens and a tall, built man stands before her.  "Hi John," she says with a halfhearted smile.

"Polly?"

"Hey, Carmen," Polly says with a wave as John's girlfriend steps out from the kitchen.  "I need to borrow him for a little bit...preferably in his 'good suit'.  Important business."

John and Carmen glance to one another.  "What are you waiting for?  Go get dressed!"  Carmen demands.

"Yes ma'am," John says, walking off to a back room.

"Thanks," Polly says as Carmen steps to the door.

"I missed you at the funeral.  Listen, I'm sorry you had to go through that.  If you need anything-"

Polly looks up into Carmen's eyes with a forced smile.  The two hear footsteps and there, by the window, is Jonathan in the iconic red, white, and blue costume.  "Ma'am," he says before climbing out on the fire escape.

"Good luck.  Call me up if you need any extra muscle."

"And to make sure your boyfriend is still faithful."

"Good girl," Carmen says.

Before long, Polly and the star spangled American walk in through the front doors of the Delta Building and arrive at the penthouse level, being the former base of operations for the world's greatest champions.  "I tried getting Lady Liberty already but she's going through some stuff of her own right now.  Solace is spending her time with her husband and Seven just wants to be with her son.  I don't blame any of them."

"What about Hotshot, Pest, or Excalibur?"

"No one knows where Excalibur is, Pest is busy with college, and Hotshot outright said no.  But I'm sure there's at least one other guy we can count on," Polly explains before whistling a loud, room clearing whistle.

Suddenly a large man with beastly features and posture, covered in black fur drops down from the darkness.  He takes Polly's hand and kisses it as any gentleman does a lady.  "Greetings, my good friends!  Did I hear correctly?  You're trying to get the old motely crew back together?  Well, my dear, Man-Monster stands readily at your service."

"Nice to see you too," American says.

"As much as I appreciate your attitude toward this whole thing, James, we're not doing this for Nostalgia," Polly adds.  "Gladius is down.  He should be okay but anything that can bring him to his knees-"

"Ah.  Say no more.  To fell a god the threat must be...sizable.  But if I may ask, what are the three of us to do.  From what I heard, none of our other heavyweights are primed to go anywhere."

Polly looks up to American who turns his head to the Situation Room door.  "Easy, Jimmy.  We go on a little recruitment drive."

In time, the three heroes are off with a list of heroes reportedly still active in the city.

[ATTN: Coir, Open]

Sentinel landed on a roof, straightening as she looked down at the city. The altimeter was working again, at least, and she drummed the side of her helmet thoughtfully. With a thought, Argus expanded to fill her entire visor.

The city had taken a real blow to it's heroes lately, and in spite of all their best efforts it was starting to be a losing battle against crime. She tapped another button on the side of her helmet, and police chatter started to come in through her comm. She figured a while back it'd be nice to have access to police communications. Easier to figure out where she was needed.

She listened for a minute - there was a hostage situation at the bank on 33rd, apparently. At the same time there was apparently a car chase that just passed the intersection at Mainstreet and 22nd. She looked back up at Argus, then switched her comm over to Coir.

"There's hostages on 33rd or a car chase... just crossed over 21st. Pick one."

[Attn: Open]

Near the underside park area, a burning building is entered by a young, African/American lady in a bright yellow and green get-up and mask.  She swings in on some manner of ultra thin cable, strong enough to support her.  All is quiet among the people outside.  Suddenly she leaps back out and weaves together a sort of net/slide.  Climbing back in, she throws two people out onto it, one a middle aged man, the other a small girl.  She manages to get out on her own shortly thereafter and swings away.  "Good girl, Pat.  Now to get home and cook," she says to herself before hearing the sudden sound of screeching tires.  "I really hope that's a runaway."  She directs her next swing to follow it.

[ATTN: Open]

Sentinel nodded and changed her comm back to police radio. In a moment, she shot off towards 33rd.

She landed on top of another building, overlooking the bank. The police had already set up a perimeter, but there was no going in or out while the people inside were being held hostage.

With one hand she reached up to the side of her helmet for another button - her voice changer. Maybe the 'incident' made her a little paranoid about identity, but she didn't care.

She flew over to another roof to see another angle of the place, planning her attack.

[Attn: Car Chase]

With the police cars in pursuit, and the controlled nature of the car in the lead, it was apparent to this girl in green that this was no runaway vehicle.  But O' how she wished it were.  "Okay, girl, looks like we're gonna be pushing our limits," she says.  She swings down and keeps low, leaping along the street lights at this point.  She shoots out a line of bio-cable from the back of her hand that latches onto the trunk of the car.  Then she finds herself yanked down from the street light and into the street, being towed by the getaway car.  She manages to steer herself out of the path of a truck crossing and intersection and gets to her feet, pulling back with every ounce of strength the can muster before using her other arm to fire a line at a wall.  She kept the car from going anywhere but it was a real strain at this point.  She felt like if the trunk of the car or the wall didn't give, she'd have to let go for fear that she'd be split down the middle.  "Not going to get involved in crime fighting, I said.  Just stick to helping people, I said," she struggles.  "Pat, you're terrible at listening to your own advice."

[ATTN: Open]

Sentinel listened in silence to the police chatter for a while. Hostage situations were a delicate business. As much as she wanted to she couldn't go in guns blazing, and it seemed like the police had started negotiations.

The guys inside had robbed the bank and wanted the police to back down and let them go free. The police were estimating up to ten hostages inside the building with the hostage takers - three of those at least, possibly more. 

Sentinel knelt down on the rooftop and cleared her throat. She played with her communicator until she found she was able to speak to the cops below. 

"Consent to their demands," she said, and with the voice changer working her voice came out smooth and low, not definitely male or female. 

"What? Who is this?"

"Up and to your right." She waved one armored hand as a few of the cops looked up at her. "I can help, but I need them out in the open."

"Listen," one of them said back - probably the sergeant in charge of this debacle - "whatever you're planning on doing, if it's some stupid heroics we don't need it because you'll only get those innocent people killed."

"Nah, my friend's the one with the stupid heroics," she responded. She held out her left arm, staring down it's length like a sniper down his rifle. She had two gas darts in her left arm - knockout gas. Also caused brief paralysis, but it should do the trick. "Tell them you're backing down," she said. "I'll get your hostages and your criminals."

There was a long pause. "I'm going to trust you for this," the sergeant said. "Don't make me regret it."

"I won't," she said, with stern determination. She had a special hatred for cowards like those in the building below.

She flew up into the air, hovering right on the roof of the building. No one looked up. She watched as the police shifted, moving back their perimeter and putting up their weapons.

It was maybe ten minutes before they came out - three of them, alright, two of them carrying sacks of money and the third dragging a young man out at gunpoint. Her hand's twitched.

She dropped low on the roof of the building, taking careful aim and activating her targeting system at the hostage holder below. Wait for him to relax a little...

She shot a small capsule down at him, between his legs, and the long narrow capsule let out a hiss of gas even as it fell. Man and hostage barely had time to stop and notice it before they were paralyzed, then collapsed on the pavement. She fired her second immediately after, closer to the other two to be safe, and they too fell.

"Your hostage is safe and your crooks are down, sergeant," she said, flipping on her comm again. "And the name's Sentinel, by the way," she said, jumping up into the air and taking off.

[Attn: Coir]

The girl all but collapses as the car stops and she is allowed to relax herself.  When the boy who'd stopped the thugs inside speaks to her, she turns her head and stares at him.  She refrained from saying anything, though that was mostly due to the fact that the simple act of breathing felt like being impaled on a dozen tiny daggers.  She had to catch her breath after that.  Every muscle ached.  "There are over...two hundred bones...in the human body.  Right now, I can feel every one of them," she finally says, more to herself than him.  "Ah...thank you."