9294/Lions, and Tigers, and Bears in the dark, oh my!

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears in the dark, oh my!
Date of Scene:	26 December 2021
Location:	Central Park Zoo
Synopsis:	When the lights go out, it's rarely for a good reason. This time, gang members wanting to take a break for the holiday find there is no 'break' and vigilante justice knows no holiday.
Cast of Characters:	Pepper Potts, Roland Livingston, Dmitri Pushkin, Frank Castle

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Pepper Potts has posed:
Post Christmas, and the tourists are beginning to disappear; they're heading back to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and, of course, Jersey, not to return until New Years Eve. Who can afford a week-plus in the City between big days? Not normal people, and the hotels have a tendency to gouge during the heavy days.

What does that mean? It means that the sights of the City are less crowded, less filled with those who gawk and gape at not only the exhibits, but also their brushes with media darlings, regardless of the flavor. The animals and the million-lights light show are front and center once again because New Yorkers don't care who you are.

The lines are shorter at the Central Park Zoo, for reasons given above, and it's a draw for one Pepper Potts, whose former apartment (now given to her best friend and former roommate) overlooks the greatest park in the world. With some being too busy, and others not really interested, the famous PA for Stark Industries is 'alone' but for her security crew that walks a couple of steps behind her.

Dressed in a long, wool, warm coat, Pepper is wearing a hat over strawberry blonde hair, down and gathered at the back of her neck. She's wearing walking boots for the occasion, warm set of Uggs, and a pair of casual pants; dressy, not sloppy. Hands are pushed deep into pockets as she steps past the turnstile for the entrance, and while the lights are obvious from without, there's little to prepare one for the light show that is within.

On the main thoroughfare, there are trees decorated, the topiaries are covered with lights that bring their shapes to life.. lights hang above, and bright, blinking LEDs line the ground in more patterns of snowflakes, of geometric ornaments..

Roland Livingston has posed:
With the night being rather nice and the tourists at a minimum, Roland has opted to explore the zoo. Earlier that day he'd killed and immolated a strange, canine-man type cryptid and was in the mood to see actual animals as a sort of emotional palate cleanser.

The young monster hunter isn't far behind Ms Potts in line. He's dressed rather nicely in a black peacoat, wool Kangol hat, gloves, jeans and hiking boots. There's even a red, black and white scarf around his neck. He looks quite warm and comfortable. As he makes it through the turnstile he takes a look around the zoo and it's patrons, cracking a faint smile. Ms Potts' security is noted, but not given too much more than a glance. There are other things to look at tonight.

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     On such a beautiful day is it any wonder that Dmitri is out and about exploring? Of course not. He's in a fantastic mood looking at all the lights and sounds while being followed by his own security detail. After all he's a Russian Diplomat, the head of a major Russian technology firm, and one of the former Soviet Unions great heroes. He's got to have security.

     "Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree." He sings to himself with a bright smile on his face as he leans looking from one display of lights to the next.

     He's dressed in a dull brown herringbone suit with a dark red tie. He's built like a linebacker and walks with utter confidence and more noticeably of all things childlike wonder on his expression.

     Joining him is his lovely wife a shorter woman with brilliant platinum blonde hair. She's dressed in a rather simple and unrevealing dark purple dress and it seems Dmitri's good mood is contagious by the bright smile on her face beside him.

     (Belina, Belina) He starts kicking right into rapid fire russian with a smile from one ear to the other. (Look at the glorious lights abounding in every direction Belina!) He clasps his hands together with a light jump. (The sights, the sounds, this is AMERICA! This is CHRISTMAS!)

Frank Castle has posed:
Of course, when you get used to a thing, the sudden absence of it can be jarring. Which is exactly what Frank is counting on as the break and power line both suddenly have a small EMP charge detonate on then, taking out the power for the entry to the zoo... and killing the park lights entirely.

Then, one by one, people in the crowd start to drop to the ground, like puppets with their strings cut.

A close examination of those on the ground will reveal a rapidly forming pool of blood.

Up in a tree a good distance away, the Punisher aims a bipodded M24 at the crowd, searching for his targets: a group of gangbangers from Philadelphia taking a break from their routine for a christmas vacation. Which has just been cut short.

Pepper Potts has posed:
It's a lovely sight, people enjoying the sights of the Zoo grounds. Further down, the lights blink to holiday songs, creating something of a live 'video' in brilliant blues, greens, ambers..

Pepper does notice Dmitri, the man does stick out, and a ghost of a smile is given at the 'family' look of it all. Wife, no kids, but it doesn't draw from the //feel// of the walk.

A couple more steps in, and she's blending with the crowds, her detail a touch closer as she picks her way through.

In the next heartbeat, as things are wont to do, the lights flicker, and go out. Darkness reigns, and at first, there's the silence of disbelief because it's obviously not ConEd... building lights beyond in the City are still on, but doesn't give anywhere near an illumination as it might.

From the darkness, a scream, two, and they pick up like a 'midnight bark'.. as they pass down the causeway. Suddenly, the security detail take hold of Pepper's elbows and push her to the ground, one in a protective 'lay', the other with both a weapon out, and phone to call for a pickup.

"What is.."

Roland Livingston has posed:
As the lights go out and folks nearby start dropping with blood pooling under them, Roland ducks and pulls a flashlight from his left front pocket, though he holds off on turning on the 1000 lumen beast of a torch, not wanting to draw fire. Instead he moves towards a nearby fountain he thinks will provide cover and draws a pistol, looking and listening to see if he can detect where the attack is coming from. "Crouch down and move behind something solid!" He yells loudly in his somewhat aristocratic English accent at the people around him, not wanting to see them get taken out by the mysterious attacker. "Don't lay down, crouch. Bullets can skim across the ground and hit you somewhere important if you lay down."

He snaps his head out of cover for a moment, searching for muzzle flashes, but he doesn't leave himself exposed for long before moving to another position.

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     (Belina, we //need// to bring our grandchildren to see this.) Dmitri offers turning his full attention to his wife. He grabs her hands and spins her around with a light touch of his hand eliciting a bit of jovial laughter from her as his security simply watch from near by. (Mischa, and Tascha may be too old for this but imagine the look on the grandchildren's face when they see the beauty that abounds from every corner)

     Dmitri is in the middle of speaking when the lights fade and he looks about to see the source. His expression turns confused as his security detail moves in closer to ensure that he's well protected. (What is going on Dmitri?) Belina asks in a hushed tone. (The lights are gone, an-) A gunshot rings out, Dmitri moving into position to place himself between the sounds of gunfire and his wife, it's the first thing he thinks to do even as his security begin to attempt to usher the two away.

     In the dark nearby a figure goes down hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Dmitri looks over and states. "Hokey smokes this is getting serious." Before drawing a pistol from his person as he, the two security guards and his wife make for cover. Yet instead of hiding Dmitri is using his advanced knowledge of trigonometry, and ballistics to slowly trace back the source of the gunfire, and formulate a plan.

Frank Castle has posed:
Another one drops to the ground... and with everyone scattering, his position will soon be compromised.

The sniper rifle is collapsed and the Punisher drops down and combat rolls into a prone position in some grass, working to hide himself.

Roland can't find any new muzzle flashes at this point... but Dimitri can easily get a general direction of where the sniper fire was coming from; a line of trees about three blocks to one side of the path.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The advice regarding lying on the ground is heard, at the very least, by Pepper, who is obviously quite torn between staying up and getting up to //run//. Fight or flight, and she's not a fighter.

The brief struggle elicits a, 'Ms Potts, we're going to get you up and to safety', //safety// still being a very fluid concept. Her 'shield' rises, helping the redhead to her feet before he cautions in echoing the advice heard only moments before, "Crouch, and we'll get you out of here," He's got Pepper by the elbow, and the two begin to run for what could pass as cover, leaving the other to scan for targets for the threat assessment.

Some of the ground is wet, and footprints are made with the slick, rapidly cooling puddles that are left on the ground.

"What is going on.. oh god, that's blood isn't it.." comes as rapid fire; Pepper under stress. "All I wanted was a nice night out.."

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri makes his break for it seeking to take down the person responsible for ruining his evening. He starts to crouch run only to be pulled back by the nape of the neck by his own security. He almost falls on his back as he's guided back away from the position of The Punisher. (Sir, we're getting you to safety, this is not the time to play hero.)

     Dmitri grumbles back at his security as he's practically drug along walking through the pools of blood. (Of course it's time to play hero, there's hardly a BETTER time to play hero.) As he's motioned away along with Belina. The group practically merges with Peppers security detail both groups looking to escape through the same direction. With Dmitri still contemplating a way he can break loose and go knock some sense into the shooter.

Roland Livingston has posed:
Once more popping his head out of cover to scan for threats, Roland doesn't waste much time before he begins to move as well. He sprints to one of the bodies, grabbing it by the collar and dragging it back behind the fountain to take a look at the guy. When he discovers that he is, in fact, dead he mutters under his breath, "Poor bastard."

He notices the big man with the pistol in his hand start heading in a certain direction before being pulled back by his guards. Checking that area out the young English adventurer does his utmost to try to spot the guy responsible for shooting. Unlikely to have luck at the distance a suppressed rifle would have to be fired from to be silent, he doesn't leave his cover, though he does move each time he sticks his head out.

Frank Castle has posed:
Of course, grass doesn't give much cover... but it does give the Punisher just enough time to pull out a couple grenades.

Then, he suddenly pops up off the ground, slings his sniper rifle, and starts making a dash for another group of trees, low to the ground...

Wearing all black, the Punisher is hard to see clearly... but /something/ is moving, with the shadows playing slightly around him.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Another set of security detail seems to merge with her own, and two women now are easier to control and secure than one? Maybe if they're all going the same direction.

It's not hard for the PA to, at the very least, understand this is a woman of some distinction even in the darkness, and in the midst of her own panic, is able to calm down just a little to help reassure the other woman. "It's okay. I have a car coming from Stark Industries, and we can bring you wherever you want to go."

Now, with that bit of fear swallowed, and courage coming to the fore, Pepper switches position slightly with her guard; she takes his elbow, ready to allow him to lead them away, though she is still lower in a crouch so as not to make too much of a target.

"Follow us."

Roland Livingston has posed:
Not wanting to expose himself and unwilling to risk the safety of the people who haven't, for some reason, fled yet, Roland continues moving from place to place in an attempt to spot the shooter. In the distance he makes out some movement, but there's no telling who it is at this point. He doesn't even aim his weapon for fear that it's just someone trying to avoid getting plugged.

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Belina is most definitely a woman of distinction, having had to put up with the shenanigans of Dmitri for many years. She speaks with a very thick accent but shows she understands the situation allowing her to calm down a fair bit more. "Be leading the way." She offers trying to ignore the sights and sounds and smells that are all around. She tries to calm herself further looking up towards the sky as she follows behind Pepper.

     Dmitri on the other hand is less than pleased with the situation as he tries to at the very least break free his arm to avoid being quite so thoroughly led by it. He mutters something in Russian about not being a child which for anyone who knows him would be rather rich coming from those lips.

     The two security teams seem to be making good progress away from the firefight with the Russian team doing their best to keep over watch with their pistols at the ready just in case the shooter isn't alone.

Frank Castle has posed:
Once within range of one of the bigger trees, the Punisher grabs a grapnel gun and pulls himself up into a prepared nest above, readying his sniper rifle once more as he searches for more of the gangbangers. Only a few left at this point, so the mission is almnost finished...

As the night vision scope centers on one, another head pops. This time, anyone looking his way can see the suppressed rifle in the night, even with the camo.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Right now, Pepper's not really caring about the fact she hears 'Russian'; what she knows is that her situation is very much like the other woman's, and they both really need to get out of the area. More hurried steps are taken, "Right," is breathed, and what follows is moreso under her breath, "Why does it seem like the car is miles away?"

The other man in the security detail does have his pistol out and is making the attempt to cover his charge as they leave the venue. The iron-smell of blood is starting to become more noticable; the smell of death, and this is not a place where he wants to be- where he wants his charge to be. If anything happens to her, he'll never hear the end of it. Ever.

That next target, however?

*pop!*

The spatter of blood and brain material lifts into the air, coming down in droplets on those in the area. Pepper is 'hit' with it, her detail, and once again, one of her detail pulls her onto the ground, regardless of the advice given only minutes before. They're not sure about targets, but that one was a little too close, and they're not about to take any chances.

"Stay down, Ms Potts.. and quiet," is hoarsely whispered.

Roland Livingston has posed:
When Roland sees the muzzle flash in the distance he drops down low again, then moves to one side of the fountain, trying to bring his weapon up as stealthily as he possibly can. As he moves to line up the red dot sight on the muzzle flash he's forced to pull the weapon away before he can press the trigger thanks to someone starting to move in front of his pistol, "Shit."

Not wanting to accidentally put bullets in the wrong person, Roland holds his fire, waiting until such time as there isn't anyone moving around.

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     "This is why my suit needs to be portable." Dmitri says rather suddenly after witnessing the head explode off of a nearby ganger. He is promptly tackled to the ground by his own security along with his wife. It would almost be amusing if it weren't in such a hostile scenario.

     He mumbles from under the heavy Russian security guard who's currently protecting his life with his own. "Exactly this situation."

     Belina lets out a scream as she sees the head explode of the nearby ganger her own beautiful purple dress finding itself coated in a layer of viscera that will likely never quite wash out.

     Dmitri attempts to crawl out from under his overzealous security guard.

Frank Castle has posed:
Only two more targets left... and the Punisher manages to find them in quick successsion. Even in this clusterfuck of a crowd, Frank is one of the best snipers in the world, so his rounds hit exactly where they should.

Two more heads get a new hole, and suddenly the sniper rifle is collapsed as the man drops out of his prepped sniper nest and starts to sling the rifle again, "Micro, Phase 2."

On cue, the Battle Van is remotely turned on as the Punisher makes a mad dash for it, mission complete.

Six dead bodies litter the park.

Pepper Potts has posed:
While it may seem like an eternity, the entire affair is only a few minutes long, and still continuing, sadly for those couple more silenced shots. Calls flood in to the 911 offices, and while not too near, the sound of sirens can just faintly be heard reaching into the sky. Still too far away to see the reds, whites and blues of the bar-lights, but soon enough.

Movement, however, always brings the eye, and the running man in the dim, almost dark, is barely discerned, but it is there. Then again, those visiting the zoo are also taking the opportunity to run, now very much like a school of fish- first one way, then another.. then again another as they search out an exit. Pepper is still on the ground, her security making keeping an eye, and an ear until he catches the announcement that the stretch limo has pulled up and is waiting at the entrance of zoo. Now is the time to move again.

"Ms Potts, the car's here. Let's go."