11448/Bump in the Night

Bump in the Night
Date of Scene:	03 June 2022
Location:	New Lots
Synopsis:	Vanessa is accosted on her way home. Fortunately, the thugs bit off more than they could chew with the feisty woman... Especially when the Question shows up unexpectedly.
Cast of Characters:	Vanessa Carlysle, Vic Sage

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Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Picture it: A late summer night in Brooklyn with the air so hot and humid you could chew through it. But not the gentrified part of Brooklyn that people drink kombucha and eat vegan. Oh no... New Lots is something else, like a time capsule of pre-gentrification with all the crime and vice that implies.

Walking along the street is a young woman, tall and svelte with dark hair, dark eyes, and the sort of clothing that screams 'Working Girl', with a short leather skirt, mesh crop top over a black bra, and heels.

Hey, it's a living.

Unfortunately, it's one all too easily exploited by other people. Vanessa, our plucky working girl, doesn't notice the men stalking her from a short distance. She's concentrating on getting home and paying her rent. Perhaps she feels safe because she's in her home neighborhood? Little does she know 55 percent of assaults occur near the victim's home...

Vic Sage has posed:
New York City is no Gotham in regards to crime, but it sure isn't Metropolis, either. You pack this many folks into a confined space and charge this high for rent and people are bound to get desperate. Desperate people do desperate things.

With the new Egyptian exhibit (rumored to contain Nefertiti's chamber pot) coming to the Natural History Museum, the Daily Planet contracted out the story to freelance journalist Vic Sage. They even comped his travel and gave him a per diem that he was supposed to spend on a motel room. He did not, what with crime never sleeping.

Vanessa may not spot the gaggle of goons trailing her, but The Question sure does. He's leaning against an alleyway across the street with his hands tucked into the pockets of his trench coat, featureless face watching their behavior closely. These are desperate men.

He stands up straight and begins a slow walk across the busy street, focus still locked on the men following Vanessa.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The good news is that Vanessa does, eventually, realize she's being followed. The bad news? She isn't even halfway to the Van Dyke building her apartment is in... And the men have picked up speed, preparing to ambush what they think is an easy mark.

It begins with two of them catcalling her from behind, while another two slips across the street to come at her from the side. The third also crosses the street, but his movement indicates he's got other plans.

Clearly they've done this before, because it's all timed with the entrance of an alleyway, and as Vanessa turns at the catcalling despite knowing better the guys across the street rush her into the alley while the guys that were catcalling moving to join them. The lone guy saunters casually to the mouth of the alley, taking a lookout post.

Inside the alley, Vanessa realizes her mistake and fumbles for a gun in her purse. "S..Stop, I'm armed." She tells them, voice catching a little from her chronic safety anxiety kicking into gear.

The apparent spokesperson for the thugs chuckles nastily. "Give us your money and we'll be gentle." He orders her, cracking his knuckles. "Play feisty, and we gunna take more than the money, understand?"

Vic Sage has posed:
Inside of Vic's pockets, his leather gloves creak as his hands tighten into fists.

He comes to a stop in front of the lookout and turns his blank countenance towards him. There may be no mouth in sight, but it's plain to see that The Question is frowning. Those leather gloves creak again, his fist somehow tightening even more before the tension is released entirely. He doesn't take the time to monologue anymore. No, instead, his hand lashes out of his pocket and, with an open palm, he strikes hard at the lookout's throat. A crack can be heard. His other hand follows up with a hook towards the man's floating rib before the whole of Vic's weight supports a shoulder check into his sternum.

Stepping over the half groaning half choking man, Vic pulls his gloves tight and looks at the remaining men.

"Whether you let her go or not...gentle is off the table."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Down the lookout goes with a faint sound that might be a squeak.

Everyone turns towards the Question at his appearance. Of the four men in the alley, three of them begin to move towards the entrance while the spokesman keeps Vanessa blocked in. "You fucked, man! Leave before we get nasty." He calls out towards Vic. He then speaks to his men: "Whoever brings me his shitty mask gets sloppy seconds." And he turns back to Vanessa

Who promptly pulls out a taser (guess she left the gun at home) from her purse. And rushes him, bringing the taser up into his crotch from the side to avoid the bulk of denim but hitting the zipper for extra 'oomph' and conductivity. "I'll show you feisty." She spits, and kicks him in the stomach when he falls down with a whimper.

There's a moment of silence as everyone takes in the sudden move from what they thought was a defenseless hooker, before two of the men rush at Vic and one turns back towards Vanessa.

Vic Sage has posed:
A collapsible baton is produced seemingly from Question's sleeve and snapped down to its full length as he's rushed by the two goons. One gets a very by-the-numbers thwak across the jaw in a bid to keep him occupied long enough for Vic to focus on his friend.

Question shoots out a straight kick into the next man's stomach, doubling him over in time for Vic to catch him in a overhead headlock before swinging him into the wall. He lets out a yelp as he hits it and two more are Vic's dress shoes careen into his stomach a couple of times. A baton swing cracks him in the temple for good measure. Spinning and throwing the baton at his first target, it clatters off of the wall next to him. Turns out Vic's no Clint Barton.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Pity, that. Because the first thug has recovered enough to pick up the baton that was thrown at him, giving it a few tests to gauge it's balance, and prepares to rush Vic relying on his superior size to make up for being a touch woozy still from the right hook. "Gunna gut you, man!" He snarls, spitting blood and a tooth to the side.

Meanwhile, Vanessa is backing up as the last thug comes at her. It seems at first to be in fear, but her true plan is revealed when he is forced to overextend himself and step over the spokesman that's currently whimpering and holding his crotch from the tasing. In Vanessa sweeps with her taser, aiming for the man's neck. Unfortunately, high heels and melee don't work that well together. She stumbles, missing the mark, and the standing thug takes the opportunity to thwack her across the temple with a clumsy blow that sends her to the ground and her taser off into the clutter of the alley.

Vic Sage has posed:
Spinning, Vic catches the swing from the baton across his back. It hurts. A lot. Pain courses through Vic's whole body and he falls onto one knee, teeth gritting beneath that mask. The thug doesn't have much time to gloat though, because a bullet is ripping through the back of Question's coat and hitting his assailant center mass. He might live.

Releasing his grip on the Colt 1911 tucked in his shoulder holster, he presses his hand instead against the now-burned skin under his dress shirt, feet carrying him towards the remaining goon and his quarry.

"If you don't get your friend to a hospital within twenty minutes, he'll bleed out in this alleyway," Vic lies, still wincing beneath his mask as he holds his side.

"Let her go."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
"Ain't my friend!" The remaining thug barks, standing over an fallen Vanessa. "He stupid enough to be shot, he stupid enough to die. Besides, they report gunshots to police, ain't gunna get arrested on his behalf."

And he draws a gun of his own from a concealed holster at the small of his back, since Vic seems to feel like escalating things. He lifts it... aims.. And then squeals, gunshot hitting the brick of the building to the left as Vanessa digs the broken bottle she's holding by the neck deeper into his leg.

He gives her a kick, connecting with her head and knocking her unconscious. But also turning his attention from the Question and giving the other man an opening to exploit.

Vic Sage has posed:
Stupid move, Vic. You want to believe there's still good in the world, but people like this make it hard. The gunman's weapon is leveled at Vic's head but he doesn't close his eyes or flinch in the face of it. He's died before. Several times. At least, he feels like he has. What's one more time? Maybe this one will stick. In any case, fear stopped serving Vic Sage a long time ago.

The shot rings out, goes well wide of the mark, and The Question leaps forward. He wraps his arm over the thug's, pushing him to the ground by the throat with his free hand. What follows is pure, unadulterated rage. Punch after punch is driven into the man's face, filling the alleyway with a muffled squelch each time and stopping only when his hand spasms enough that it drops the gun. When Question hears the metallic clatter, he drops the gunman's unconscious and battered body the rest of the way to the ground and steps over him, checking over his shoulder for any reinforcements before he's stooping down to lift Vanessa up.

He breathes a sigh and looks at the woman he's carrying for a moment. "Think you're clocked out for the night. Now where the hell do you live?"

That is The Question.