15096/Rogues Gone Wild: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Rogues Gone Wild: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Date of Scene:	19 June 2023
Location:	Midtown - New Troy
Synopsis:	Mirror Master, the Trickster, Girder and the Pied Piper join the growing list of Rogues who have attempted to rob the high-tech firms along Metropolis' Avenue of Tomorrow in recent weeks. But this time a powerful telepathic presence is detected as well. Could this be what is truly behind the whole, strange affair? And the Rogue's sudden indifference to human life as well?
Cast of Characters:	Barry Allen, Jon Kent, Belinda Gutierrez, M'gann M'orzz, Richard Swift

---

Barry Allen has posed:
While Summer vacation might not have truly set in, the City of Metropolis is already starting to give off that vibe as the long, hot, sunny days hang over the city. The fading sun reflected off the steel and glass monuments to progress make everything seem that much brighter and more intense and nowhere is that more apparent then the city's own heart of technology; The Avenue of Tomorrow.

Crowds flow freely along the bustling street as shoppers seeking high-tech bargains and gawkers taking in the sights and sounds of all the shops and stalls mingle in equal measure. While it might be creeping towards twilight that only seems to have drawn out the crowds and the flashing video billboards and brightly garish neon signs fill the avenue with their distraction, leaving it lit up much like day.

There is no shortage of things to see and do, no shortage of shops to check out, to see what little gadgets might be the next big craze. And while the streets might bustle with activity, they are not the only source if action on the Avenue tonight. Behind the sometimes secretive, closed doors of S.T.A.R. Labs, action of a very different sort is going down and about to spill out amongst the crowds beyond the high tech firm as yet another group of Rogues strike the beating tech heart of Metropolis?

Jon Kent has posed:
Fresh off his high of being accepted as a recruit in the Justice League and the possibility of following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Superboy is doing the only thing he can do to siphon off that sort of energy: he is flying around, a blue and red streak pulsing across the skies of Metropolis.

Villains beware! It may not be Superman himself, but his son is on the job tonight and rippling with uncharacteristic confidence.

Superboy comes to a stop atop the roof of a building overlooking the Avenue. He watches with pride as honest citizens go about their evening activities unharmed.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Bolstered by the Flash's praise and words of confidence from the previous outings, Belinda Gutierrez (the lycanthropic wolfwoman Silverdane) strove her best to try and track down the Rogues and their locations-- better proactive and hunting than waiting for yet another attack! Because while once was happenstance, twice was coincidence, a third time-- enemy action, as Mr. Stadler would say, and Mrs. Crowe would surely confirm.

Evening creeping towards night-- the dark comes early into the Avenue, stealing up between the spacesd between buildings, the sunlight shutting down to give way to the neon glows and advertisements. And the always, always there scents of too many people, bizzare things, and -- that guy, again, trying to sell his 'holographic raincoats'.

Belinda sighs wryly, sipping at her milkshake as she watches the crowds from the safety of her outdoor table. A mopment of peace from the throng of people! And vanilla-- always so good. Sip-slurp-sip!

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
Apparently food was on the list of 'things to do' in Metropolis for a certain Martian incognito. M'gann M'orzz, in full Megan regalia, has been walking along the avenue and window shopping. But...even Martians eat. Or at least Megan does. And, upon seeing a Batburger franchise on the street, it had to be a stop. After all, the one in Gotham, that M'gann knows, is good. Even if they are always out of Ivy Salads. Perhaps this one will be different.

Alas, no. It seems that Ivy Salads are a rare delicacy in any Batburger. But...after some Batarang-shaped chicken nuggets and a small chocolate shake (because of course it was chocolate), M'gann was ready to continue on with her window shopping. She walks along the sidewalk, savoring the last bit of her shake as green eyes look on through the picture window glass of the technological marvel store she happens upon. Oh...holo projectors look fun! Not that she would have need of them, but they could be very cool to play with.

Barry Allen has posed:
Like so many of the other tech firms and laboratories that call the Avenue of Tomorrow home, S.T.A.R. labs presents a very glossy exterior to the street - and world - beyond, all glass and steel and very much in keeping with the general motif that seems to predominate in Metropolis. Once past that exterior an the seemingly welcoming lobby beyond, few institutions are quite as good as the mysterious S.T.A.R. Labs at keeping their secrets. But that is not the case on this particular occasion it would seem.

It is the muffled sound of gunshots that might first give warning that something is wrong - though it is doubtful more then a select few out on the busy street outside will notice . Oh, there is no doubt that silent alarms have been triggered as well, alerting the Metropolis Police Department to the trouble. And given the high profile attempted robberies over the past couple of weeks it is certainly not out of the question that others might be a little wary.

Still, it's pretty hard to prepare for the sudden explosion that comes from that glass dome that fronts the high profile lab, a shower of glass raining down on the onlookers as a virtual host of costumed criminals comes spilling out from the lobby, the shouts of alarm spilling out with them in their wake as the curtain is pulled back on the lab.

The huge, hulking figure with wild dark hair and seemingly wrapped in metal plates might be the most attention getting to some. It probably helps that it looks like he has a whole mainframe computer perched on one of his shoulders just as casual as can be. He scowls at those nearby, sending them scattering. That would be Girder then.

In his wake others quickly follow though, including one particularly garishly costumed man who flies past the hulking figure, cackling merrily, his hands full of a variety of strange looking devices, chucking one at the nearest group of bystanders. "Here! Have a hotfoot!" he cries, giggling to himself as the mini-bomb explodes at their feet in a burst of fire, flames licking at pant legs as cries of pain begin to echo across the street. The Trickster then.

It is not just explosions that fill the night air though. There is a more soothing sound as well, trilling musical tones as an unlikely looking young man in green and white steps out of the destruction of the S.T.A.R. Labs lobby, lip curled faintly derisively even as he holds a set of pipes to his lips, continuing to play as he leads a small procession of blank-faced security guards that seem to be carrying a small treasure trove of proprietary tech. That then would be the Pied Piper.

Meanwhile, downtown in the Metropolis Police Department's crime lab, one Barry Allen bids his colleagues a polite good night, seemingly going home for the evening. But he is hardly out the door before his miniaturized costume is exploding from his ring, on him in an instant as a red and yellow blur streaks away, racing towards the Avenue of Tomorrow.

Jon Kent has posed:
If it were Superman instead of merely Superboy, he would have already burst into action milliseconds ago. But the lesser Kryptonian is taken by surprise at the sudden burst of activity. Join the Justice League, indeed, Mr. Kent! that voice in his head chided him. You're not hero material!

"Oh yeah!" he actually says out loud to that inner voice that is attempting to deflate him, and in an instant he is simply not standing where he was. While he is no Flash, he moves faster than a mortal eyes can follow. Each falling shard of glass threatening to hurt, maim, or kill innocent people below looks, to him, like it is merely free-floating in the air. He reaches out and plucks it from space, and then the next, and the next, and the next.

By the time Superboy finishes his task, he will have a cape-full of broken glass to set harmlessly on the sidewalk below!

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs catches her attention like nothing else; Belinda glowers darkly at the sound before she powers her way through the dregs of her shake, haphazardly tossing the cup towards a garbage bin as she dashes for a alleyway corner. 'Random Bystander Standard Fleeing Procedure'-- get out of sight, draw off coat, shuck off shoes, shimmy from loose jeans. Remember half-way through to check for any Degenerate Leering Jerks around.

Too much time in Gotham. Corrosive to a good, solid outlook on humanity's better nature.

Seconds pass, and by the time the glasswork is collected in shards and sparkles, shrapnel and shanks-- a wild howl announces the newcomer to the scene, the crunching of broken bottles underfoot as she emerges into the neon and streetlights.

Silverdane!

Richard Swift has posed:
The shadows seem to move as a presence takes shape. A man in a sharp dressed suit, top hat, and cane emerges from the shadows. Taking a moment to get his bearings, The Shade has arrived.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
"Really, Megan. You really need to stop coming here." Who is M'gann talking to? Herself, of course. The last time she was in Metropolis, on this same street, she was almost frozen and burnt at the same time. And she didn't even get to purchase her manga she picked out from the comic shop! And now, there's three? With a big brute, a jester of some sort, and a bard? It is almost a Dungeons and Dragons cliche. And all three are rogues. The only thing missing is some law-abiding paladin or noble do-gooder to step in to show these ne'er-do-wells what for.

But...not as Megan.

With all of the chaos of the moment, Megan does what comes naturally for most people. She runs to the nearest safe place. But, she doesn't stay there long. As with her last trip to Metropolis, she finds a cozy corner to change. Which means...she actually takes a corner. M'gann walks through the corner, phasing through as she shifts from human to Martian. Green skin, red hair, blue mini-skirt with short cape and the white top with the red X.

Miss Martian has arrived on the scene. And her first order of business? A quick assessment of the situation, along with a small mental impression that those normal citizens may want to vacate. Not that there is much need for prompting for that.

Barry Allen has posed:
Almost immediately the crowds sensibly begin to scatter, though the sheer number of people crowding the broad sidewalks lining the street makes it something of a tricky proposition. If this sort of thing keeps up the Avenue of Tomorrow is definitely going to get a bad reputation, something particularly unfortunate given that it is one of Metropolis' preferred tourist destinations.

For the most part the surly Girder seems entirely content to ignore the crowd though anyone that is too slow to move out of his path is all but bodily hurled away, one poor young man flying through the air with a scream as he arcs towards a nearby light post. Grunting, the armored figure reaches the side of the road and rather casually kicks a parked car there, sending it careening out into the street to slam into the side of another, traffic coming to an abrupt stop. "Get outta my way," he snarls out, tromping out onto the street, starting to walk down the middle of it.

Here's hoping no one else gets in his way.

"You have no sense of humor! No sense of fun!: the garishly dressed Trickster complains to his hulking companion as he soars over head, swooping towards the fleeing crowd with a crazed grin and tugging a long cylinder from his belt as he does so, starting to shaking it as he passes by. White flakes rain down on those below and almost immediately those same people trying to flee find themselves all but crippled as they furiously itch and scratch at themselves where the agitating flakes land. "Ha! Another patented Trickster prank!"

The Pied Piper remains too busy playing his hypnotic song to interject with his own comments, but the contempt he clearly holds his companions in is obvious as he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Still, he plays on as that little congo line of security guards follows diligently in his wake with their ill-gotten haul of goods.

At least that virtual hailstorm of falling glass is swept up before it can do any harm, gathered up by Superboy. But it proves to be a hazard as a different sort as no sooner is it resting in his cape then a strange gleam seems to light in each of those shards. An instant later a barrage of hundreds of laser beams strikes out at Jon Kent as for a moment a figure in green and yellow appears reflected in each of those glass shards.

The Mirror Master. It would seem that the trio is in fact a quartet.

Jon Kent has posed:
All proud of himself, Superboy with his cape full of glass shards is preparing to alight on the ground to pile them harmlessly to the side when the lasers lash out. They don't really seem to be able to harm him but he is, of course, deeply concerned about the civilians. So he drops the glass on the ground and starts to spin round and round at super speed to catch the painful beams with his body. From an outsider's perspective, a blue-and-red whirlwind is spinning around a laser light show.

The sun is setting and Superboy is expending huge amounts of energy keeping the lasers from harming the fleeing crowd.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The flash and sizzle of lasers hissing from within the Super Whirlwind is barest distraction; Silverdane offers another as she coils up, muscles tightening before she springs into action!

The Great Metal Goliath (Girder) will have to wait; hoping against hope he is as slow as his plodding stride suggests, she turns instead to the one target suddenly, accutely vulnerable to surprise attack: the Trickster.

Leaping forward, up, the Wolfwoman lunges from the alleyway, emerging into broad sight before she takes a running leap. Up, over, arching-- she growls in delight as she grabs at the Flying Felon, grip savage as she growls with white-toothed glee.

"Going down?" she asks, grinning with wicked relish.

Richard Swift has posed:
"Gunshots. How quaint." The Shade puts his cane under his left arm, and takes a moment to pull both of his gloves back on his hand, nice and tight. Stands in the nearby alley, and watches as the action moves around him. What came to his mind however was...what were these villains stealing, and was it worth taking from them?

"The Flash. Superboy. The Martian. Silverdane. That complicates things." Shrugging, the Shade looks at the others present, especially the Rogues, and with a slight "Spockian" eyebrow, moves through shadow closer to the goods the thieves were asconding with.

STAR labs tech is always valuable...and he didn't care for these "Rogues" anyway.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
Okay...assessment taken. Four obvious bad people. Well...considering the laser light show, M'gann is assuming 4. Could just very well be the Jes, err...Trickster's doing. But he looks busy with the whole itching powder. So, probably four. And wait....isn't that the same werewolf that came and helped the last time Miss Martian was here? It is! And a blur of red and blue? Is that...Superboy? Well, then, she's not the only one here!

So, on to the second order of business. Communications. But, without the comms! Which means a little bit of telepathic chicanery. In a manner of moments, the Kryptonian and the lycanthrope head a pleasant voice in their heads. <<Hmm, excuse me! But, seeing as how we are all here, I thought it might be a good idea if we work together!>>

That...might be a bit disorientating for some to suddenly hear another voice in their thoughts. But, M'gann makes the best of it. <<I hope you don't mind at all. It is really rather easier for us if we keep communications open. Anyways, I am going to try to interrupt that bard's control over the security guards. If you need any help, just ask!>>

And...then off Miss Martian goes, to find mind control with mind control. But...how? It seems that it might be the whole musical frequency that is causing a state of mass hypnosis. So...maybe take away the music?

Seems about right. Let's try that!

Barry Allen has posed:
Both street and sidewalk are snarled though as more then a few of the bystanders pile into nearby storefronts seeking shelter some of the sheer chaos outside eases, at least a little. Still, there are far too many potential victims around for comfort and the Rogue's sudden seeming indifference to human life remains a troublesome development - at least for those who have had a long history of dealing with them. Those laser blasts continue to flair outward from the shards of glass, seemingly fired in a dozen different directions at once, threatening to tear apart the Avenue of Tomorrow even worse then it already has been. But each time Superboy is there to stop the next red beam before it can find either building or helpless bystander, containing the damage. And there, in those little reflextive shards the scowl on the face of the Mirror Master becomes more and more obvious until he abruptly vanishes entirely - along with those beams of destructive light - leaving Jon once again just holding a cape full of sharp, glass shards.

Starting to swoop back up to a higher altitude and still giggling to himself, James Jesse - the Trickster - suddenly finds a big and very strong hand latching onto one of his flying boots, keeping him from soaring away to cause even more mischief. He gapes in seeming disbelief for just a moment as Silverdane starts to tug him back down towards the ground. "It's a puppy!" he suddenly exclaims, perhaps a little disconcertingly unphased by the freakin' werewolf hauling him in. "Have a treat good boy!" he says, dropping a handful of small spheres that suddenly begin to explode with bright bursts of light and sound all around Belinda.

The light show above gets a number of people's attention and that, combined with the Trickster's grappling match with Silverdane makes it clear that the proverbial heroes are on the scene. Even as he continues to play, the Pied Piper spots Miss Martian nearby. A brief look of pain passes over his features but the tune he plays shifts and even as his mind-controlled security guards shamble along behind him, they suddenly reach down with free hands, unholstering and drawing their sidearms before directing a hail of fire towards the Martian girl.

Glancing back over his shoulder as he continues to stomp down the street with mainframe in hand, Girder snorts and shakes his head. "Scrubs," he growls and continues on his way, seemingly unconcerned about the troubles of his peers.

There is certainly no shortage of potential targets for the Shade to consider though it seems to be quite the mish-mash of technology claimed by the would-be thieves. And if the Rogues are involved it almost has to be valuable right? But even as he assesses the most likely target a voice suddenly sounds in his head, the low, threatening growl of the 'voice' apparent even telepathically. <<You don't want to get on my bad side. Leave them alone. They, and the items they've stolen, are exactly where they should be>> it cautions. In a tear you limb from limb sort of way.

Appearing at the far end of the Avneue, the Flash takes only a moment to assess the situation before racing forward, that red and yellow streak racing in amongst the traffic that has been brought to a standstill before leaping upward, grabbing hold of that light standard just in time to catch the hurled man before he crashes into it. Sliding down to set the terrified fellow down, Barry turns his gaze towards the green and white clad Piper. "Hartley? What are you doing?"

Jon Kent has posed:
For his part, Superboy is only vaguely familiar with these villains. Having tangled with them just once before, he doesn't know too much more than their respective Wikipedia pages have to say about them. Because of that, he is at a disadvantage. But he is familiar with Miss Martian's telepathy, and he grabs onto it.

<<Miss Martian, it's a relief to see you. I'm going to take care of that itching powder so these folks can escape. Let me know what I can do next.>>

A sharp observer might notice that there is juuuuust the tiniest bit less pep in Superboy's step. Away from the energizing rays of the sun and expending so much of his energy, he stumbles the smallest, almost imperceptible bit as he positions himself to face the people who are incapacitated by the itching powder. Drawing in a breath, he exhales cool (but not too cold) wind over them in an attempt to blow off at least enough of the substance so they can flee the area.

It's quite remarkable how long he can continue exhaling uninterrupted as he bathes the victims in cool, soothing wind.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
When the old legends of "Weaknesses of Werewolves" were written down, all the classics easily made the list: silver, aconite, or just setting them on fire. None of them could really test (or likely imagine!) such concepts as frost beams, the vaccuum of space, demonic Hellbites....

Sonic weapons.

The spheres burst all around Silverdane's head; the snarling growls suddenly end in a quick, suspiciously canine "Yip!" as she reflexively releases the Trickster's flying boot. The fall is a short one, thankfully; less so, the flying impact is lessened by neon. Specifically, a Dodge Neon-- caving in the roof as she slams down with a heavy grunt.

Belinda - Silverdane - groans even as she quivers giddily, that tickle at the back of her brain coming with the warm chirp of friendly word-thoughts that aren't hers.

<<Happy-help-yes!>> comes the Wolfwoman's thoughts; half a heartbeeat to recover, she twists off the wrecked car, slaming back to the ground before taking quick search of the sky, the ground, the---THERE.

Grinning in toothy fashion from ear to ear, she reaches over, wrenching the hubcap from the stricken Dodge's wheel before rising back to full height. Stretching briefly, twisting a bit, she smiles cheerfully as she rears back, stepping forward; the hubcap snaps out as she throws her arms forward, setting the chrome and plastic arcing out like a mad discus.

"Ultimate Frisbee!" she sings out. "Super-style!"

Richard Swift has posed:
*Sniff*. Richard Swift frowns. Shakes his head. Moves two steps. The Shade touches his temple, and for a moment, he thought he felt...a telepathic "pry"? It appears so. After all, he was no hero. Simply...neutral. "I appreciate the warning. Thank you."

The Shade's black eyes pass over at the Martian, and after a brief look, allows the shadows to engulf him into the darkness, in case she pries further. Or was it her?

"Red. So not my colour." The Shade watches as Superboy deals with the beams and Mirror Master. "Reflecting on your next stay, MM?" The Shade says with a smirk.

Sidestepping into shadow, the Shade re-appears, as far away from the Trickster and Silverdane as possible. Oh, and the Glider. Hrm.

The Shade re-assesses the targets. A few trinkets. Some interesting tech. Maybe it was not for him. Threat Vs Risk Vs Reward. The math was tumbling in his head as fast as the villains were taking hits. "Ah Flash. Always in the thick of it."

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
<<Oh, fantastic! We will be able to...>>

The thought from the Martian female breaks off as a combination of events causes M'gann to cry out in shock. One, the sudden shift of the guards, pulling their guns to send a spray of flying lead towards the alien. It takes concentration for M'gann to shift her density to become bulletproof, either being too dense to penetrate or intangible enough to allow the bullets to pass through. It is the intangibility part that M'gann goes for, allowing most of the bullets to pass through harmlessly.

Most...but not all.

And the reason for not all? It seems that the shadowy figure in their midst is not the only one that sensed that telepathic presence. Only, for M'gann, it was more like a shouting rather than any understandable thought. It is enough for her to lose her focus, allowing a bullet to catch the girl in the right arm, spinning her about. A cry of pain escapes from her as a hand flies up in protection. But...it doesn't shield her.

Instead, in a singular motion, all of the guns in the guards' hands are ripped out at once. A singular act of disarming, done more instinctively than any planned action.

Barry Allen has posed:
The streets increasingly start to clear of potential victims, which certainly should make things easier on those trying to curtail the activities of the out of control Rogues. Fortunately for all Superboy further helps out that particular cause, turning his super-breath towards the end of undoing some of the Trickster's mischief, the worst of those itching powder flakes blown away in a rush, freeing his targets to once again scramble to their feet and seek shelter away from the ongoing battle out on the streets of Metropolis.

James Jesse begins to cackles gleefully once more as his exploding flashbangs have their desired effect, forcing that big bad werewolf to let go of him as he starts to swoop away. "Does the doggo not like his treat? Such a shame," he shouts, sounding anything but contrite as he instead starts to sweep over the crowd, looking for another batch of people to torment. And finding the pickings slim indeed. "That's the problem with people these days! No sense of adventure! No sense of /fun/!" he pouts.

Which is probably why he never notices the hubcap that arcs through the air with perfect precision, striking him right in his midriff. The air goes out of his lungs with a whoosh and his flight is redirected into the nearby building as he careens down towards the ground, landing hard in a pile against the wall, groaning and clutching his mid-section. "That? wasn't fun? at all?" he mutters.

Hartley Rathaway, the Pied Piper, glances towards the Flash at his question and even looks like he would like to answer. But no reply is forthcoming as he continues to play those pipes, to direct those guards. That hailstorm of bullets comes to an abrupt end though when the Martian above rips the weapons from their grasps and the tune of the Piper becomes a little more urgent as the mind-controlled security guards suddenly scatter, beginning to run towards different side streets and alleys even as Hartley slowly backs away. But the music coming from the instrument held to his lips takes on a more sinister note and an answering wave of sonic force suddenly lashes out at Miss Martian, a wall of sound battering at her in mid-air.

The Flash sees the reaction of the telepath above, a look of concern filtering over his expression. <<Everything okay?>> he thinks towards her before springing back into action. The red and yellow blur streaks about the street, starting to gather up the fleeing security guards, herding them back towards the center of the Avenue like some super fast sheepdog. Only once they are downed - their stolen tech left in a pile - does Barry race off in pursuit of the fleeing Girder who has very nearly made his escape.

While the Shade might have avoided getting involved thus far, it would seem that unseen voice in his head is not completely trusting of his intentions. And that growling voice burrows into the other man's thoughts. <<Don't let it seem like I'm all stick and no carrot.>> it chimes. <<Your restraint will be appreciated. Too often we're left scrambling over one another for scraps while costumed imbeciles group up to thwart our ambitions and lock us away. Do the smart thing and you can get in on the ground floor of something new. It's past time that we had a League of our own...>>

Jon Kent has posed:
<<Miss Martian, you good?>> Superboy inquires mentally as he flies in the direction of the downed Trickster.

Now, super villain or not, when one has an irritated Krytonian flying toward you at high speed shit gets really real really quickly.

"I can't believe you fell for the class werewolf-lobbed hubcap trick!" Superboy says to Trickster just before he gently taps him on the head with the pad of a single fingertip. If his calculations are correct, it *should* be just enough to drop this fool into La La Land for a little while.

Superboy glances around the area looking for his next opportunity. A small bit of perspiration can be seen around his hairline. He's unaccustomed to shedding this much energy without any way to recharge it.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The hubcap struck true! Silverdane barks out a cheerful delight, a double fistpump her completely professional response before she lopes forward, swift as she races to the Trickster's stunned position. All those hours spent at Frisbee finally paying off in the best of ways! Grinning with a positively cheerful expression as Superboy gives his Sleepytime Tap, she moves up to Jesse, staring down with momentary sympathy as she runs her hand over the sash at her waist.

<<"CacklejackFlyingBrightcolorman is down,">> she thinks over the psychic 'commlink', <<Three-four-five-thatone-->> She kneels down beside the Trickster, quick to remove a set of binding cords from a hidden pouch. Five seconds later, she gently positions the colourful villain on his side for ease of breathing-- though hogtied, ankles and wrists uncomfortably bound together behind him in a rather undignified way.

Stretching up, rising, she glances around, taking stock. What else, who else, where--?

<<WhereFlash-- Where is Flash?>>

Richard Swift has posed:
"Indeed. A League of our own." With a look at the heroes and the villains present, the Shade relents. Rare but not unique in its effectiveness on his ego. "I leave the scene to you...good luck. I am sure we will chat soon." To the unspoken voice in his head.

Looking over his shoulder at the carnage, chaos, and super hero antics, the Shade places his cane in his left hand, taps his top hat brim with the cane in a salute, and says, "Good luck heroes. There is more to this than it appears. If you need my help, just call." Both sides against the middle. A sly semi-smile, is the last thing that is seen as the Shade is enveloped in shadow and is gone.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
M'gann pulls her arm away, wincing as she forces herself to concentrate long enough to phase, with the bullet dropping to the ground in response. The telepath-commlink kicks back in, but it seems more cautious...more sheltered. And M'gann's thoughts are fragmented, as if she is breathless.

<<Another mind... Strong. Loud. Can't understand...but powerful. We....we need to be careful.>>

'We' in this case means M'gann. If there is another mind here, then she cannot and will not put her fellow heroes, in their impromptu team-up, in harm's way. She turns to regard the Piper, just as the sonic wall washes over her. And, again, she seems to instinctively react. First, her ears seem to just melt away, taking away her hearing, but also taking away any impact on sonics. After all, if a sonic-based villain is reliant on soundwaves, then the deaf are the more resilient. At least, so thinks M'gann.

And the second instinctual reaction? A density shift...this time more dense. The solidifying of her form causes M'gann to become extremely hard to move. Perfect to withstand the sonic onslaught.

It is only after the automatic reaction of protecting from the sonic cacophony before M'gann moves on the offensive. A quick glance is given to Hartley, as the green Martian shakes her head slowly. <<You really didn't want to do that.>> With that, she lifts up her hand, then closes her fingers into a fist. The effect? The flute pulls away from Hartley's lips...and slowly begins to collapse upon itself. Right in front of the Piper.

Barry Allen has posed:
With the Shade's departure from the scene, that remarkably powerful telepathic presence seems to go dormant once more, subsumed into the background again though Miss Martian at least may have her suspicions that everything continues to play out in front of 'them'.

At the very least however the Trickster is decidedly down. Between Silverdane's hubcap frisbee and Superboy's finger tap, Jesse James is distinctly off to dream town, breathing deep and even but distinctly unconscious and unresisting as the werewolf comes over to truss him up like the proverbial hog, a little drool rolling out of one corner of his mouth.

Just as swiftly as the Trickster is trussed up, the Pied Piper is similarly disarmed, the musical weapon flying from his grasp before it is crushed right in front of his eyes. If he is particularly dismaryed though he gives no sign of it as he simply turns tail and starts to run away, dashing towards one of the nearby alleyways as he seemingly seeks escape.

This time the Flash is a little too preoccupied to go play herd dog again, racing down the street towards Girder and then continuing to zip around him in a swiftly moving circle of blurring and flashes of lightning. The metal armored beheamoth growls and swings wildly with his free hand, still balancing the large computer on his shoulder as he tries to get one good hint of the speedster. "Stand still would you!" he growls angry, another ham0fisted blow lashing out? and missing.

When the Flash steps in he doesn't miss however. He doesn't try to punch the much more physically imposing man however. Instead he just steps in close and touches a finger to that metal armor that wraps around him, all that friction, all that static electricity channeled right through those metal plates like a super conductor as Girder's eyes widen and he shakes before dropping to the ground, that purloined computer practically landing on him.

"One more down," Barry murmurs to himself with a mix of satisfaction and concern. And behind him, emerging from the light that reflects off a nearby car window and green and yellow costumed form of the Mirror Master slides out to stand, that laser pistol drawn and pointed right at the Flash's back...

Jon Kent has posed:
Despite being a small bit winded, Superboy is still rippling with Kryptonian power. He watches with no small amount of geeked-out excitement as THE FRICKIN FLASH single-handedly takes down that computer-carrying colossus. As a newly minted recruit of the Justice League, there ain't much cooler to see than that.

But now a new arrival is aiming a gun at the Flash. Superboy wrinkles his nose eyebrows in distaste. Would the path of least resistance here be for him to take down Mirror Master directly? Probably. But he's young and idealistic and still tends toward less-violent solutions. So in the mere blink of an eye he is suddenly standing heroically between Mirror Master and the preoccupied Flash, arms akimbo, face alight with righteous confidence. "It's not nice to shoot people in the back, you know. Why don't try me?"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
"Or me," comes the decidedly growly voice of Silverdane, padding over gravel as she approaches from behind Mirror Master, to one side. She takes advantage of a split-second's surprise; a tossed rock (chunk) sails like a hard ball-- perhaps aimed for the Rogue, perhaps not, but the result is an absolutely shattered window, the rearview mirror itself broken off and hanging askew.

Bright eyes widen beneath her domino mask; the werewolf crosses her arms gruffly, frowning to herself.

"No escape for you," she rumbles warningly, tail fanning a swift swirl.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
Miss Martian has a more novel approach in solving the situation.

With the Pied Piper trying to beat it on foot, M'gann simply shakes her head. "Really? Running?" M'gann herself doesn't have to run.

Why run when you can fly?

The Martian takes to the air, closing the distance in an impressive fashion. Certainly not Jon or Barry quick, but quick enough to catch a fleeing man on foot easily enough. Definitely fast enough to land right in front of Hartley, with her hand outstretched, to allow him to run right into the super dense female form and watch him bounce backwards. Because he got her shot...and she is not exactly thrilled by it.

"You should go back to your friend. Looks like he needs help." As M'gann speaks to Hartley, she picks him up with a hand and partly throws/partly telekinetically shoves Hartley back towards Mirror Master, currently being stood down by one slightly tired Kryptonian and one rather large werewolf. If her aim is true, then the two Rogues should make a very forceful reunion. The type of reunion that sweeeps them off of their feet.

Barry Allen has posed:
Is the Flash faster then a beam of light? All things considered it is probably better that they don't have to find out and thanks to Superboy and Silverdane it's unlikely that they will have to. Imposing himself in front of Barry and his turned back cuts off Mirror Master's line of sight on his old foe and the rock that comes soaring past to shatter the nearby glass is warning enough that he is decidedly outnumbered. Especially now that both Trickster and Girder are down and the Piper is on the run.

Of course Hartley's flight from justice doesn't last very long or go very well as he runs smack into Miss Martian as she appears before him, jostled backwards and falling on his backside. Before he can try to scramble away he finds himself plucked up by the collar. "Wait?" he starts to protest before he finds himself airborne, his shriek the only warning that Sam Scudder gets before his erstwhile ally plows straight into him, both of them falling into a quietly groaning heap on the ground.

Whirling around as the trio of other heroes comes to his rescue, the Flash doesn't remain still for long, again leaping forward in that blurring display of speed. Hartley is ignored for the moment but he does reach down and crack the Mirror Master across the jaw, rendering him unconscious instead of just stunned. "Nighty night Sam," he murmurs quietly before he straightens up and glances towards the others. "Nice job all. Looks like that's another four Rogue's headed for Stryker's Island Pen," he says with a brief smile. But the expression is wiped away as his gaze flickers back towards the quietly groaning Hartley Rathaway, giving a slow shake of his head. "This whole situation is starting to get a little concerning. This is the third attempted robbery of a tech firm on the Avenue of Tomorrow. Eight Rogues caught and arrested and none of them showing the slightest ouch of common sense," he says, a note of exasperation creeping into his words.

"Sorry, don't mind me. None of this makes a lot of sense. There are easier ways for crooks like these to make a quick score. The police should be here momentarily. Again, great job everyone," Barry says, slipping back into a little bit more of that ra-ra cheerleader mode.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Silverdane chuffs, a grin returning to her muzzle as she kneels down along the two Rogues. "Tried to find a hideout," she explains briefly, once again at swift work with zipties and applications-- though with less hogtying this time. She pauses, considering the Mirror Master before she adds a thoughtful addition of an impromptu blindfold-- a torn cloth abandoned nearby, retrieved and repurposed snugly around the Rogue's eyes.

"Tracked Heat and Cold," she continues, more gently. "Tracked as far back as two houses, but..." She frowns, brow furrowed. "....people did not know them there. Scents still fresh, new. They were not there long."

Barry Allen has posed:
The Flash also helps with restraining the down villains, removing certain pieces of technology from Mirror Master as well to try and limit his abilities and in short order all four of the downed Rogues are restrained, waiting the police to arrive. Which indeed will not take long, the sound of the approaching sirens already growing louder, splitting the new calm of the early evening in Metropolis. "Strange," the red and yellow clad speedster says with a frown. "That's not usually their style and they definitely don't have any tech that should let them go unnoticed. Something strange is going on here. I've been trying to see what I can find out too. Maybe this lot will give us all more clues," he says, some of that exasperation creeping into his tone once more. "Ah well. Things could have been a lot worse without you and the rest doing what you did. Keep up the great work," the Flash says, forcing a smile back onto his face.

Now, if he can just solve the mystery of his Rogue's behavior...

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Silverdane chuffs softly, nodding. A brief grin renewing itself on her features as she glances aside.

"Milkshake," she suggests, nodding her head gravely. "Vanilla. It may not soothe all troubles, but...." She shrugs, eyes glittering. "...is still good. Put aside worries for moment!"