The Artifact Heist
This scene played out in story form only to advance the kidnapping of Adamantine plot and serve as an introduction to Alva Fitz.
Location: Gulf Stream Marine Port of NOLA
Time: Sunday January 27th, 2030 @ 3:30 AM
I tried Addy one last time, but she's ghosted me or busy with something of an emergency. I'll just have to do it solo like I'd originally planned.
I arrive at the warehouse early to scout around a bit, and find any vantage points that might come in handy and eventually find a home in one of the floor-to-ceiling storage shelves that has a good view of most of the warehouse. Now I just wait.
There are four people I can see mulling about, one with a briefcase that looks to be large enough to hold quite a bit of cash. It's definitely DEMON holding the cash tonight, I have already sensed magic all over them. My source didn't have many details on the seller, but any punk can steal a staff from the church, right? Ha. Funny thing, me, chasing a staff... right?
It's showtime when the other party appears. There's just two of them, and they've got what looks like a hockey stick bag. That's got to be the Staff of Saint Christopher. I'm not sure what DEMON wants it for, but I'm sure I don't want to find out.
I let the transaction play out and DEMON checks the goods - I can sense that's the real deal in there, but these initiates are probably just checking to see it looks like the stick they were told to get. Everyone on the DEMON side seems satisfied it's what they came to retrieve and they hand over the briefcase. They seem to get into some disagreement, and the two sellers seem unhappy with the deal. It sounds like DEMON is altering the terms of the arrangement and the sellers want the staff back instead, something about finding a different buyer. This isn't going to go well is it? The DEMON initiates draw wands like some Slytherin' wannabes and get ready to shoot. I can't stand by and let them kill some punk thieves. I have to drop my veil of invisibility but I'm able to throw up a barrier in front of the punks, which catches everyone by surprise, but does its job. The punks turn tail and run out of there with the briefcase - apparently the deal was better than dying.
DEMON knows they're not alone now, so I throw up the veil of invisibility again, but if one of these sods can detect magic, they'll find me right quick. I've got to work quick, but this one trick works every time - I teleport the hockey bag up to the shelves - no muss, no fuss, and no sound to tip them off where it went. I get ready to move it again to get it closer when I hear it, the sound of the staff crashing to the ground. The bag is where it should be, but the contents appeared to resist my ability to teleport it. Bugger, this just got harder. You get an entangle, and you get... wait a second. There's more magic coming from behind them. I see two new individuals coming in quickly, one looks like a girl, normal, but for the black scales with gold flecks sticking out from her clothing and gold eyes. DEMON brought muscle. The other? I recognize the other. It's Maximus Erg, one of the Morbane's I ran into while in Cairo a few years back. I wonder if he's using the same mind control tricks he used before? Six on one doesn't feel great for me, but maybe five on two would be better. My dear Adamantine would have mopped the floor with them already.
I tuck back into the shadows and drop the invisibility once more and start to focus on stemming the flow of magic from the Morbane. I probably have a few seconds before they spot me, but this will let me know if tonight's going to go well for me or not. I keep pouring it on, and soon I can feel the magic hit it's breaking point, severing Maximus from it. I can't hold this up indefinitely and fight at the same time, that will tap me out quick, but the girl looks to be snapping out of it - confused, but not looking menacingly around for me - hopefully she's smart enough to run. I wish I would have cast the protection spell earlier, but no time like the present. The crimson flames come alive around me as I leap down from the shelf in front of the barrier I put up to save the punks. I use a touch of levitation to ensure I land sure footedly and before the initiates can react I've hit them with the Arc Flash from the suit. So glad Gizmo was able to work this up for me all those years ago. It won't keep them out of the fight for long, but hopefully long enough for me to grab the staff and split. Maximus is working fervently to regain control, giving me time to grab the staff. The girl though, she looks at me and looks confused. She's not running, she's not out of danger, and I can't hold back his magic and fight for too much longer. I yell to her "We've got to get out of here, come with me." She goes wide eyed and looks at Maximus and shouts "no. no. noooo! I won't be your slave any more" and she charges Maximus sending him flying into the warehouse wall.
The tide definitely turns with that, and I'm sprinting to get to the girl so we can get out of here, but carefully. That charge looked to have the same force behind it I saw Adamantine use in the alley altercation - I do not want to be on the receiving end of that. I approach her slowly as she is getting ready to charge Maximus again, and calmly tell her "Let's get out of here. He can't control you right now, I've severed his magic, but it won't last long." That's when I hear it - gunfire. Back from the direction the punks ran, there's six of them all unloading on the place, and I'm hit a few times. It hurts like hell, and I'm on the floor looking up - I'm still breathing thanks to the power the protection spell. Six of them, Maximus, and the initiates are probably just about the be able to see and hear again. "We've got to get out of here." I gasp up at her.
The perspective of Alva Fitz
I think I had near given up at that point, yeah? I mean, you can do what you need to, go on so long, and keep at it for a few months. Pushing against it, feeling it buckle and wane. Like, it gets and grips at you if I'm honest. But it's at the point where you give up that it wins.
I'm not talking something like, feeling better. Feeling worse. Hell, it's not even a feeling, but you can damn well feel it. Like you are on a treadmill, but you can't get off. So you keep moving forward... and you can't really stop.
You just... watch.
That gets to you after a bit, yeah? Not the horror, not the monsters. Not the screaming or the delight or even the Evil was what got me there. In the end, that... well, that makes sense. It's DEMON after all. Everybody knows they are evil ass's. Just being stuck in it... well, it makes that more obvious. But just... watching. It gets to you. Makes you want to go away. Hide inside what of you is still you. Want for it to blow over.
Can't remember quite what it was for now. The trade off, that is. I was told, or rather, was around people who were told then. But I wasn't paying attention. Tried not to. If my body and my will weren't gonna be my own, damn well can at least deprive them my focus. But, the focus of it was... something. Someone was meeting with someone else, buying something. I was there for a discount, yada yada yada. Strongarming tactics. Nothing I'd not... seen.
We were talking. Or, they were talking. I was just there. Much as I was anywhere right then. And, felt it, yeah? It wasn't so much something as it wasn't nothing. Dunno, hard to explain.
But, I remember scratching my nose. It itched something fierce, but that wasn't anything new. Scales on out the back had been doing that since... well, the start. Just couldn't. But now, I could. I could be. I was in what little way that was. So, yeah. It was scratching my nose that made me realize I was... me.
Had just given up that would happen.
Then the world sort of caught fire. Suddenly there was a shout, a scream, wands pulled and a guy in a suit I'd never seen before hop down from the sky. A flash of light and I just...
Didn't. Was that the guy who helped me? Big and fancy on beside me sure seemed to be freaking out about him enough to figure so. But... I just didn't a moment. Been so long that I simply couldn't, that once I could.... Near forgot what I was going to do.
I think I remembered as I watched big in the britches himself go sailing halfway across the room. Oh right, wanted to get back at him for everything. With interest. Heh, I think I'll savor that look on his face...
Wasn't long though. The guy in the suit said we needed to go, and much as I wanted to drive my point home in that drat bastard's face... Well...
Listen, Magic is scary and powerful. But nothing makes you jump to action like the crack of a gun.
Suit guy looked to be on the ground from the shots, still saying we needed to split. And honestly? Would be hard to do worse than where the others had taken me, so, agreed on the spot. Or, well, nodded. Moving was something, talking, something else.
I ran on towards him and just... scooped him up. Least running away those gunshots hit the back. Can panic and worry about the scales later, for now, just getting away was enough. That they were hard enough to take those bullets and let me keep moving was good by me.
So, Looped an arm on around the guy, and decided to make my own sort of exit. Doors are easy, sure, but wasn't about to take the time to find one when I had a nice and convenient wall in front of me to use. Some sheet metal and framing damage later, we were outside.
Bullets still wizzed past my ears, and that shitheel was shouting again in those stupid words that made my skin crawl. Honestly, think I was still too numb to feel afraid right then. Small blessings yeah? But, I just shouted back on to them, no I ain't gonna repeat it in good company, and felt that same little twist in my back as before. First time trying it myself, well, as myself, but it had been handy before. Drew in the light. Simple as that.
Night's dark. Moonless nights are darker. This wasn't perfect, but it helped block their vision enough for ust to get to the road. I think the guy had been saying something, and at some point he'd gotten back to his feet, and I wasn't carrying him. Honestly, was a bit hectic. He rose up, said he knew where to go, so I nodded along and followed him on away.
Well, after knocking over a light pole. Driving over one would be a pain for them to follow us, so.... sorry. Municipal damages.
But, guy ran on away a while, led me on to a sewer which I popped open, and we ran. Honestly, what felt like hours, but probably wasn't more than maybe twenty minutes. In, out of sewers, down alleyways, on up the sides. Was a mess, and all right around if I'm honest. Couldn't retrace those steps if I wanted to.
After this, our heroes end up on the doorstep of Selene the Magician in Strangers in the Night