1733/Every Experiment Needs a Control

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Every Experiment Needs a Control
Date of Scene: 19 May 2020
Location: Financial District
Synopsis: A bank robbery plan goes poorly when the heroes arrive and make plans of their own.
Cast of Characters: Valeria Richards, Maxwell Wave, Samuel Morgan, Atlin




Valeria Richards has posed:
Bank robberies are so cliche. After all, most real finance business gets done electronically these days. If you want the big money, you don't hit up a brick and mortar bank where someone can actually see you. You hack into systems and get the funds transferred to you through several different locations, from the safety of a coffee shop or a secure server room.

At least, that's what you do if you're smart enough to know what's smart and what's not. Some people, on the other hand, fall into that dangerous gap where they think they're smarter than they actually are. And that's how a large financial institution in the center of the financial district ended up in the middle of an honest to goodness bank robbery.

Paul Jones worked as a security guard for the armored truck for fifteen years before an unplanned smoke break caused him to lose his job. So he put together a team to hit the truck as it picked up the weekend's deposits. The planning part of the plan was a little light, though, and when a guard inside caught wind of what was happening, the crew had to give chase into the building to stop him from setting off the alarm...and failed.

The sirens have been wailing for about three minutes now while Paul and his crew bicker over what to do next. The police, though, are another five minutes out, thanks to a traffic snarl.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
One could say that Maxwell Wave is in the early stages of his super-hero journey. This is indicative of his costume which is a motley combination of motorcycle helmet and suit, utility backpack, tool belt, paintball bandolier, and a scarf for just a touch of flair. The name for this persona is Amplitude, and there's zero chance you've heard of him because this is only the second time he's donned the mantle.

Earlier in the day, Maxwell was fortunate enough to get some work -outside- of Mutant Town. It's a rare event and almost always pays better. He was now in the situation where he needed to get back, and the Amplitude persona was pretty hand for travel.

Amplitude is in the air, a half-dozen stories up where people only notice you if they look out the window. He bounds from window to window, more floating then actually flying or jumping. His helmeted head turns as he notices the sound of alarms.

Curious to see if he can lend a hand, he floats over to one of the large windows of the bank that offers natural lighting and peers down to see the gang of bickering men.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It had been, on the whole, a fairly relaxing day for the newest probationary member of the Titans. Cruise around, listen to the comms, see if there's anyone in the tri-state area that desperately needs a hero that is so obscure even the Titans sometimes still forget what his codename is. Honestly, it was just a way to air the suit, let it get some brand recognition around Metropolis, and on a whim he decided to steer for New York. If he can get tagged in a few shots on Manhattan, maybe the whole social media circus will begin properly and...

    Ooh, what was that?

    Techno steps on the gas, and his motorbike shoots ahead, weaving through traffic and overtaking the first police cruisers responding to the alarms, casually breaking a few traffic laws in the process. The bike, a midnight black armored monstrosity, can be heard several blocks away, sounding like a dragon is about to land and seriously inconvenience a medium sized hamlet.

    Not subtle is the theme we're going for here.

    With exaggerated care, the power-suited hero comes to a stop in the middle of the road, puts his bike on the kickstand and dismounts, rolling his shoulders. Time to go to work.

Atlin has posed:
Atlin herself wasn't exactly a 'known' heroine, even if some of her exploits had made it to the TV screen courtasy of a public attack on a fashion event she'd been drawn to. The Amazon woman was getting the hang of 'Man's world' more and more by the day, but there were still plenty of cultural differences she hadn't quite come to understand.

One however she had with certainty come to accept: Ice cream was amazing. Why had noone told her of such a treat?!

As she walked, her form wrapped in the more understated 'tunic' of her people that was slightly less fear-inducing to civillians than her usual armor, Atlin was mid-lick of her food when the noises of panic and the sight of the charging would-be heisters down the footpath ahead of her caught her eye. A moment of consideration, she hastily stuffs a large mouthful of the treat into her mouth and begins to run, headed for the more direct chase right behind the men.

Pausing only to touch her hand to the brow with a little groan. Noone had told her 'Brain Freeze' was a thing either!

Valeria Richards has posed:
Valeria Richards has been working on her field weapons since her last attempt at stopping crime. The resonant frequencies were her undoing last time, but after some further experience with sound-based problems, she thinks she's made it past that problem. Thinks.

One of the benefits of flying cars is that they get past traffic pretty well, so while the police are still trying to get to the scene, she descends from the sky in a sleek white two-seater without a roof, hopping out once she parks.

Meanwhile Paul and his crew have come to //some// sort of decision. Or at least a few of them. Three men have headed into the bank to try to control the people inside and take hostages, while three more are trying to force the manager to hand over the keys to the safe deposit boxes. Paul is at the wheel of the armored truck, while another three crew members are standing between the truck and the entrance to the bank, trying to control the area.

"Look, get what you can //quick//," Paul says into a walkie in one hand. "This wasn't supposed to draw a crowd!"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude gives gravity a little bit of the reins and coasts down to the ground at a quick but survivable drop. He kneels in the classic hero pose right in front of the bank. He stands and raises his hands into the air. Looking more like a courier then a super-hero, he doesn't strike the most terrifying figure, but he did drop from the sky.

Invisible to the eye, he emits a field of influence a few meters from his body intending to redirect potential inbound projectiles, namely bullets. His voice is muffled in the helmet and hard to understand. An oversight he has yet to correct, he yells to try and gain some clarity. "Excuse me! The police are on their way! You should just give up now before someone gets hurt. You are not getting away."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    An armored truck? That's going to be their getaway vehicle? Oh boy... Techno looks around him for a moment, notes the arrival of the flying car, notes the imminent arrival of what may very well be an Amazon, and the sudden drop-in of a fellow obscure hero. Great. With casual strides, he walks to what will soon be a hostage situation if he doesn't get involved, but which is at the moment still an unformed and somewhat confused mess.

    "I can tell you're all new to this." he intones, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he /has/ thought of how to project his voice outside of the fully sealed helmet of his scarab-black power armor. It comes out distorted, but amplified for the benefit of the listeners. "Put down your weapons, let these people go, and you'll just get arrested."

    A motion towards the truck as he gets closer, and the vehicle goes dead. Totally dead. As if it decided that it's not going to play along. "Please, for your own safety, do not resist."

Atlin has posed:
There were others here, other heroes dressed for the task, masked up and already offering warnings and negotiation....not exactly Atlin's strong suite. Perhaps it was better that they arrived before the woman could bullrush in and simply 'attack' to try ans solve the issue. Instead, the tanned woman with blonde locks just sort of comes to a stop behind the helmeted heroes, a frown crossing her lips as she looks over the gathering.

"If you harm those people," she speaks, projecting her own warning the far more straight-forward way of 'talking louder', "Not one of you will leave that building alive, this I swear."

Amazon negotiation at it's finest....not everyone was Diana it seemed.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"Dammit, we got capes," Paul mutters into the walkie. "Step it up."

As the truck goes dead, though, he changes his tactics. Hands in the air, he leans out the window. "Thank God you're here!" he calls back to the heroes on the scene. "I went to do the pickup and- I don't know what they're planning, but it's getting loud in there!"

Inside, the men who are in charge of crowd control let off a spurt of gunfire in the lobby of the bank, shouting for people to hit the floor. "This looks like it could get messy," Valeria says as she approaches next to Atlin, looking to the woman with a nod before she takes in the other arrivals. "Hi. I'm Brainstorm. Is there a plan yet?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
     Amplitude offers Techno a nod of approval and glances wistfully for a moment at his sweet looking power armour. Atlin, on the other hand, receives a double take. His voice remains somewhat muffled as he calls out, "Wait.. What?! No no. Nobody is killing anyone!"

He audibly gasps as he hears the gunfire from inside. He gazes toward the three men standing between the entrance and the truck. He approaches them and yells, "Get on the ground.. NOW!"

He doesn't wait for them to comply, however. Once he's within his range, the gravity between the three goons increases to three times the norm. Their guns become unwieldy, their own body weight drags them down to their knees. There wasn't much room for argument. He soon has these three in compliance. He then gazes over his shoulder. "No plan, not yet."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Get out of the truck, face down, hands behind your head. I could hear you on the radio, idiot." Techno points to Paul, the lenses on his helmet starting to glow an ominous red. And, of course, he can't ignore the gunfire. So, time for a plan, glancing at his fellow heroes.

    "If you're bullet proof, with me. If not, grab the joker from the cab and make sure he doesn't go anywhere, and then deal with the idiots outside that ... seem to have skipped arm day. I assume that's one of you, good work."

    That's about all the plan he's willing to discuss, before he starts to jog towards the bank, as if he's not actually wearing hundreds of pounds of metal. Which must be how much that suit weighs, considering how it thuds on the ground with every step. "Okay, you guys had your chance, I'm coming in."

Atlin has posed:
Well... that was close enough to a plan. Even so, Maxwell's rebuke has her raising an eyebrow with a frown. "Murderers should be punished by equal-" she begins, but Samual was moving, calling for the bullet-proof to follow. She was...bullet resistant, and quick enough to deal with the projectiles.

Good enough.

Rolling up her sleeves, the bracers at her wrists are revealed an she rolls her shoulders before raising a hand. "Lead the way."

Valeria Richards has posed:
"You take one more step and we start shooting hostages!" There's a panicked note in the voice of the man inside the bank that suggests he's absolutely worried enough to do it without thinking about the consequences. "Get back!"

Maxwell's gravity trick does the job for the men still outside, though Paul blanches a bit when Techno admits to hearing him. "I got no idea what you're talking about, man," he says, jaw setting stubbornly. After all, masked heroes are...well, famously not great at showing up to testify in court.

"Whoa, hey, hold up a minute," Valeria calls after Techno when the threats come from inside the building. "Maybe we could, uh." A glance at Atlin, then Maxwell. "I mean. You guys look like you know what you're doing and all, but maybe there's a more...controlled way?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
There's an audible sigh from within his helmet. Amplitude turns toward Brainstorm and offers her a shrug. "Nice to meet you, I'm Amplitude. I believe the plan is to go in 'without a plan' and murder all of the bad guys."

He doesn't seem particularly thrilled by this turn of events. His helmet turns to look at the backsides of Atlin and Techno. One might debate that he was considering interfering with them. He looks to the truck and through some sort of perception beyond just hearing, he confirms the engine is very much dead. "He's not going anywhere."

He gazes back to Brainstorm, "I'm in your camp. Amateur bad guys with guns. Innocent bystanders. Not a great combination, you have any ideas of how we might neutralize them without bullets flying?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    The threat is taken seriously, and Techno comes to an immediate halt. In fact, comes to a halt and makes the universal 'hold position' arm motion for the sake of anyone who might be coming up behind him. It has the advantage of being both recognisable, and an effective actual physical barrier for anyone trying to move past him. What he says next comes over the radio frequency the gang is using... proving that he's not only aware of their communications, but able to receive and transmit on their frequency at will.

    "Okay. We don't want anyone to get hurt. We're backing away..." And he does just that, hands visible, stepping backwards from the bank, back towards the truck. "But we have your getaway vehicle. The police will be here in a few minutes. I suggest you start coming up with a list of demands." And then their frequency, much like the truck, goes dead.

    He looks over his shoulder for a moment as he's backing back towards Valeria. "Techno, Titans. Pleasure to meet you, Brainstorm, Amplitude... but perhaps we should keep the detailed introductions until later. Looks like six in the bank, dispersed over medium area, multiple lines of sight, several dozen civilians under threat. Weapons currently unknown, but those sounded like rifle calibers, either 7.62 by 39 or 7.62 by 51. We should expect chop-shop conversions to full auto with hair triggers, so I'm not exactly keen on doing this the frontal assault way. What's your play, Brainstorm?"

Atlin has posed:
Alright...fine. Atlin backs away with Techno, crossing her arms under her bust and turning back to the pair. "Alright," she murmers, exhaling a breath and looking between the trio. "I am Atlin...and I am more accustomed to a more 'direct approach' as you put it, but I will follow your ways."

For now anyway.

The Amazon girl looks between Brainstorm, Amplitude and Techno in turn before turning back to the driver who'd been restrained. "If you have a plan, share. I will help as I can."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Valeria tilts her head as Techno rattles off the facts, giving a single firm nod afterwards. It's not that she's terribly familiar with battle or strategy. It's more that she appreciates the clean facts of it. "You seemed to do all right with those guys," she answers Amplitude, looking over to the men on the ground.

"Oh, hey, could you maybe- I've got zip ties, if you want to get them tied up," she adds to Atlin, jogging back to the car she arrived in and digging what looks like a well-stocked and organized supply kit out of the back seat. It only takes a few motions to get what she needs, then she's coming back to the Amazon with a handful of zip ties and a bright smile.

"Techno. So you killed the car, right?" she asks rhetorically. "Are you hooked in on the surveillance inside? And, uh. Amplitude? How precise can you be with that trick you pulled on the other guys? How close do you need to be? Like, if Techno gave you a view of the feed, think you could do the same to the guys inside?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude listens to Samuel intently. Those calibers were actually very useful to him. His mind begins going through calculations regarding mass and what he's studied to be average muzzle velocity. He translates that to what he intuits as certain amount of 'omph' to fuel his powers with if the need arises to redirect gunfire.

He nods to Atlin and offers a sigh of relief. "Thanks, appreciate you dialling it back."

His head snaps toward Brainstorm as he listens to her series of questions. When he's directly addressed, he hesitates for a moment. Another sigh, he then replies, "My range is only about three meters. If a target approaches within that range, I can affect them, and if they leave it.. the effect lingers for approximately a dozen seconds. I can also redirect bullets or slow them down to non-lethal speeds, but you'd need to get me in between them and the hostages."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It's certainly an idea, and Sam rolls it around in his mind for a while. "It's possible. I'd need to get a bit closer to the bank, but I doubt they're watching every approach. At this point I suggest waiting for the police to arrive and establish a perimeter. Unless you want to act while they're still consolidating their position inside the bank. You may want to think about a way to get them all together..."

    And it's roughly at that point that he looks towards the conveniently positioned armored truck. "Offer them a getaway vehicle, perhaps."

Atlin has posed:
There's a little frown, if only for her own lack of adaptability. The 'Daughter of War' wasn't quite as useful as the trio of tech-genius heroes. Still, the fistfull of zip-ties is take with a little nod. If her only task so far was to restrain the thug? She was going to do it well. A nod, then she was moving forward.

A vice-like grasp of her fingers on each of their limbs, the Amazon sets about the task of tying down the driver and the men outside. She'll listen in as best as she can, but the Amazonian woman's approach was pretty straight-forward, but as she returns she gestures with her hand. "They will not be moving."

Valeria Richards has posed:
"Thanks. Always trust an amazon to restrain people," Valeria grins to Atlin, though she tries to restrain the expression as she looks back to the others, the wheels in her mind spinning. "Once the police get here, they're not likely to listen to us," she points out. "They've got their own procedures. But with the escape route idea, we can use that time crunch on our side..."

She looks to the truck, then around the group one more time. "Okay. So. Techno. You tap into their comms, tell them that they've got x amount of time until the cops get here, but you're pretty sure the cops are just going to screw it up, so you're giving them a chance to get out. Atlin, you start going in the back - give them a little extra motivation. Amplitude, when they get to the truck, lock them down. Sound good?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude nods to Techno, because that's a pretty neat thing to do. He considers the implications of his powers. He gives Atlin a big thumbs up and releases the trio from his influence. There are audible gasps of relief as they suck in air. It's pretty hard to breath effectively when under sustained g-forces.

He listens to Brainstorm's plan and offers a nod in the affirmative. He steps a little closer to the truck to make sure it's well within his range. "That should be easy enough. You've got it."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Consider it done." Techno gives it a thumbs up, and turns on his heel to step back towards the bank. Hands visible, arms outstretched, he motions slowly with his right hand to his helmet, thumb and pinkie outstretched, in the 'phone' gesture that he hopes people still use. An instant later, the gang's frequency comes back to life. "Listen guys... Time for real talk."

    And he stands there, by himself, arms to his side, making sure he has their attention, but staying a respectful distance away, like a professional negotiator. "NYPD is going to be here in just over two minutes, heard their chatter just now. They're bringing in Inspector Schneyder. Not sure you've ever heard of him, but he's an asshole. Doesn't give a shit about the innocent people in there, he just wants the six of you. Now, I've done this before. Lemme tell you how this is going to play out. Soon as that dickhead gets here, he's going to order a cordon around the bank. Nobody in, nobody out. He'll send a negotiator for show, because the manual says he has to, but don't be fooled. While you're talking cash, cars, a plane, hostages, whatever... he's going to be setting up snipers on the roofs nearby. He'll wait it out an hour or two, for you to get nice and nervous, and then one of three things is gonna happen."

    Slowly, Techno lowers his arms, as if he's done with the charade. "Either you guys catch a break with the negotiator, and you actually get a car, and then Schneyder will have you shot on the way out. Pop, dead. All six. Bring hostages and ask for a bus? He'll shoot the hostages too, he ain't picky, that dick. Second option is you don't catch a break and he gets bored. Then you'll be shot the second you get too close to a window. No habeas corpus, no call to your attorney, just pop, dead. Justified shot, he'll put in his report. Third? Third option is he's having a bad day, and then he comes in through the front door with the heavies. Flashbangs, CS gas, all that good stuff you see in the movies, and then we have a shootout. In the end, you'll all be dead."

    So where is he going with this, he motions to the truck. "I don't give a shit about you guys. But I give a shit about the people in there. So here's the deal I'm offering. Keep your guns, keep the money you got, but get out of there and get in your truck and drive away before Schneyder gets here. That's the only thing I care about, okay? You got..." and he cants his head, as if listening to a different frequency "... shit, ninety seconds. Now or never fellas, or it's out of my hands."

    And then he steps back, visibly, to not be between the bank and the truck.

Atlin has posed:
A little smile offered in return, Atlin bows to the suggestion of her culture's own 'specialities'. Back to Amplitude and a nod is given to his 'thumbs up'. It was a gesture she had actually worked out by now! Those first weeks had been rather confusing for the poor woman. Still, tilting her head to the side she listens in to the plan.

Enter from the back and make them panic? She could do that. "I will happily help shake their resolve."

Then she was gone, sprinting off in inhuman speed to try and round the bank and find a back door.

Valeria Richards has posed:
\And this is where it gets dicey. The part that Valeria is //less// qualified to deal with. This is the part where she sees if it works. So like any good scientist, she takes several steps back - for a better view.

The three men with the hostages look between each other at Techno's offer, fingers twitching on the triggers. "I dunno, man, it sounds like cops to me. And capes. Half of 'em don't even like the cops, right? Better to get out now..."

In the back, when Atlin hits the back door, the men at the safety deposit boxes freeze. "Hey!" they call up toward the front. "What the hell's going on out there? Someone's coming in the back!"

The threat is enough to decide the three men in the front. They've already got most of the cash in the truck - the safe deposit boxes were just a target of opportunity. And if they can abandon the other three in the back, well. That's only three people to split the take. That decides it, and each of the three men in the front grabs a hostage and rushes out the front toward the door.

"Stay back!" they exclaim as they struggle their way out. "Anybody moves and these people don't make it home tonight!"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude hears the conversation between Techno partly in life and partly through Paul's radio. He leans against the truck and slips a paintball tube full of ball bearings out of his bandolier. He drops a half dozen into his palm like they are candy though each had the potential to be a projectile. He occupies himself, juggling the six shiny balls in one hand. They move sluggishly as if in lower gravity.

He offers a low whistle and offers his approval, "Well, someone has done this before. My knees would be jelly if I was them after that 'lay of the land' speech."

He goes on alert as the goons arrive with hostages in tow. He is so courteous as to open the door for them into the truck. He tilts his head and flicks his thumb three times. There's a very bizarre 'Clank Clank Clank', as the ball bearings wedged into the barrels of all three of their rifles permanently plugging them. "Just get into the damn truck and wait for your friends... And don't pull those triggers, for your own sake."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    As the three come out, with their hostages, Techno doesn't move. The suit stands where it stood, out of the way, nowhere near rushing or grabbing distance, and making no move to actually get within that distance. "You three made the right choice, just get gone. Nobody needs to die today." Laying it on. With a trowel. Amplitude can't see him grin underneath the helmet, but the grin is there. Done this before? Oh yes...

    And then the rifles are disabled, and Techno does approach, motioning for the civilians to get clear. "This way please, sir, ma'am. Please go wait by the flying car, the police will be here soon." And the gangsters? Well, they can see the lenses of his helmet start to glow that ominous red again, until all three connect in a solid red T in the front of the otherwise blank faceplate. "In the truck. My associate is a lot nicer than I am. Leave the guns, you'll only hurt yourselves."

    After which he turns to walk towards the bank, voice on amplification again. "Thirty seconds to get clear guys, get moving. Your friends are getting ready to leave without you."

Atlin has posed:
The back door wasn't going to be unlocked, but that hardly mattered for Atlin as she simply -shoves- the door open. No sneaking, no stealth, she's simply headed into the back of the bank while the rest of them flee. She didn't know anything more than the remaining men at the safe deposit boxes, but Techno's announcement? That filled her in enough to act.

Panic, movement, discussion...it didn't really matter. It was enough to give her direction to advance to the locked room. Criminals with no hostages to hide behind? The Amazon actually grins as she steps forwards without a word.

Valeria Richards has posed:
If the men left inside the bank realized they should get themseves some hostages, they realize it far too late. Atlin catches them flat-footed and red-handed, bags still open and safe deposit doors hanging wide. They're not likely to have time to formulate a response before the Amazon makes her move.

Back at the truck, the men with the hostages try to lift their guns and fire when they hear the strange noises from their barrells, but it's too late now - the guns are jammed. Most of the plan is going smoothly, though the hostages don't seem to appreciate it - as soon as they're released, they make a panicked run toward the sidewalk.

"What the- You son of a-" But now the sirens wail from a block or two away as the police approach.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude frowns inside his helmet. He shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure my associate just told you I am much nicer then him, but you pulled those triggers didn't you. I'll let him decide how he wants to handle you. If you hurry and get into the truck, who knows, you might come out of this in one piece!"

Amplitude shifts just enough to position himself between the fleeing hostages and the stunned swearing goons. The three remaining ball bearings in his hand spin in a circle horizontal to his palm a couple of inches into the air. For some, it's likely an amusing trick, but considering how fast those other bearings just moved. Even a nitwit should think of them as a loaded gun.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Oh they did not...

    Techno has his back turned when he can hear the distinct sound of bolts failing to lock over a jammed chamber. Really, these guys are lucky they didn't suffer a full misfire, that the ball bearing had knocked the cartridge back far enough for the out of battery safety to prevent a primer strike. Their luck runs out in that instant, as the suit stops in its motions. Slowly, inexorably, the illuminated blank faceplate turns towards the gangsters, like an air defense battery coming to bear. The T pulses red now, from the center to the edges, and Techno turns, slowly, deliberately. "Have you ever seen Iron Man punch a tank?" And he punches his own palm, with a very, very distinct sound of durable armor plate meeting durable armor plate.

    Now he approaches, not so much walking as stalking, a promise of hurt approaching in physical manifestation "Want a demonstration?"

Atlin has posed:
The men probably did not know what hit them. Simply some woman standing in the doorway dressed a little oddly...then she was rushing forwards with a joyful cry and began to rain down blows on each of them before they could bring any weapons or desperate swings of heisting tools towards her.

She wasn't trying to kill them...she'd promised as much after all! Still it wouldn't really feel fantastic to catch the inhumanly strong fist or foot to the face.

Echoing cries of impact from the vault was followed with the heavy 'thud' and sound of sliding, each man tossed out of the vault and into the main lobby.

Valeria Richards has posed:
Atlin makes quick work of the men in the vault. They came for a quick smash and grab, preferably without even much of the smashing, and were in no way prepared for //getting// smashed.

One of the men at the truck actually squeaks when Techno thumps one armor-clad fist into the other, shaking his head frantically. "We're just- We're just trying to get paid, man, we don't got no powers or nothin'!" he protests quickly.

Before that can be put to the test, the police arrive, pulling up just in time to see the men out front drop their guns and put their hands up.

...And maybe give the police a little bit of a pleading look.

Valeria, meanwhile, leans against her miniature Fantasticar, arms crossed over her chest and a pleased expression on her face. A successful experiment!

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Amplitude makes a point of walking over to Valeria's car once the police arrive. The ball-bearings are put away, his empty hands remaining on display for anyone in blue who might good nervous. With everyone safe and sound, he takes a moment to geek out over the Fantasticar, peeking underneath it and at the driving controls. He murmurs curiosities to be answered. This draws at least one raised eyebrow from one of the hostages.

His helmet turns up once he realizes he's being watched. He straightens his back and immediately assumes a more stoic body posture. He even salutes in his best Captain America impression, a nervous chuckle muffled inside his helmet. He then looks to Valeria, "Uh, good ride, Brainstorm." His head turns toward the bank. "Do you.. uh.. think they are okay in there." He points in the direction of the concerning, Amazon inspired, sounds of anguish.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "If they're not, they brought it on themselves." Techno asserts as he joins the small gathering, switching his comms casually to the police frequency, just so he can listen in. He even stops an officer trotting past. "One of ours is still in there, with three suspects who I suspect will be very happy to see you. All in self defense." The last few words are spoken with a certain gravitas, just to make sure the NYPD won't try to do something stupid like arrest an Amazon for assault. That would end so poorly...

    With that handled, he can begin to relax. Not that anyone can see it. His suit doesn't permit the expression of emotion. "Good working with you all. Always a good day when you can solve things with brains rather than force."

Atlin has posed:
-THUD-

A sudden thud was announcement to the remaining men being dropped at the feet of the other herroes and the police alike. Hauled like they weighed nothing by the Warrior woman, they're dropped unceremoniously by Atlin who simply continues walking towards the others. "The brigands will live," she shrugs calmly, paying the police little heed while she addresses the trio.

"They are not without injury, but whatever lasting consequences they have, they will be inflicted by your laws."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Valeria is happy to answer Amplitude's questions about the car, if somewhat prone to going into far too much technical detail when she does. "I mean. For certain definitions of the word okay," she answers with a rueful smile before Atlin comes out to confirm that they're at least alive. "See?" Even if that doesn't necessarily mean the same thing.

"Brains over force is my specialty," she grins to Techno. "But it definitely couldn't have worked without all of you guys. This was a little bigger than anything I had ready to deal with it."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"Yea, likewise. Thanks for letting me assist. I suspect any one of you probably could have handled the situation, but I think the teamwork really reduced the risk for loss of life, wounds, and property damage. Minus a few bullet holes inside, I would say that was nearly flawless." Amplitude's visor illuminates somewhat, a cyan glow emanating from within.

He is startled by the abrupt thud. He slowly turns toward the men apprehended by the Amazon. "Maybe a few extra wounds then originally calculated."

He offers a slow nod to Atlin then turns toward Valeria. "I'm going to go out on a limb and bet you have some sweet gear if you have a ride like this... Just glad I didn't get in anyone's way."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There's a shrug from Techno, which is in itself quite impressive. Those pauldrons must be heavy... unless he has specifically articulated the suit to be able to perform the gesture. What kind of a mind would conceive of such a thing? "Acceptable damage. When you walk into a bank with a firearm and shoot it, you should count yourself lucky that you get to leave alive. Guess that makes us the nice heroes in town." He looks between his temporary team mates, the glow on the face plate dimming until the three lenses are nothing but faint blue pinpricks.

    "So, does anyone want to make a public statement, or are we going to quietly leave before the Bugle and the Planet show up? Just asking because my bike is illegally parked, and that cop over there is getting a bit ambitious." Indeed, one officer is eyeing the bike parked in the middle of the street, is noting its lack of plates, and seems to be making a move towards his citation book. "New York... gotta love it."