Owner	Pose
Sam Wilson	SHIELD. It's one of those government agencies that doesn't really belong to the government. It's overwatch is shady at best, at least to the general public, and they're the black helicopters and unmarked vans that always are a favorite on reddit's r/conspiracies. The message sent to Lois was simple. An analyst at SHIELD had proof of where SHIELD is receiving it's funding and felt that the Daily Planet should let the world know the truth behind it! So the call was made to Lois Lane's desk, the message left, and directions to meet at a secluded area of Bryant Park for the meeting. At the same time, at SHIELD, word arrives of missing files and tracking them leads to Bryant Park as well, where they are looking for the analyst to intercept.
Lois Lane	Mysterious organizations with mysterious funding? It's always a good story, not just for the fact that it's interesting but that the people are able to see who is really pulling the strings of the people around them. It shines a little light to let others find their own way. This isn't out of the ordinary, really. Lois getting messages to meet in secluded areas? Walk in the park. Literally. Dressed in casual work slacks and a purple blouse, she doesn't particularly stand out unless, of course, you were already familiar with her face. When she makes it close to the secluded area, she slows her pace and takes a look around, seeking out exactly who she's supposed to meet and if there's anyone else lurking nearby.
Tony Masters	Once upon a time, Taskmaster was actually a part of SHIELD. Then he took a special serum that enhanced his ability. In some way. He could already perfectly copies others skills, but now he can do it... better? At the same time as he sent the tip to Lois, he also sent a code on a private line to SHIELD that a former agent had been spotted in a park in NYC. It was an old line, not used much anymore. But still active. Using his Image Inducer, Taskmaster is is waiting in the preset spot for Lois, looking like a thin, nervous man in a slightly dishelved suit and oversized glasses. Pacing in place with a twitchy gait that he had copied from a particularly skittish man he used to know and occasionally muttering to himself. He doesn't look threatening at all. Behind the inducer, he's keeping a close eye out for any signs of SHIELD surveilance. Depending on how quickly they responded and with how much equipment, they might or might not be able to see through the hologram. Stopping in place he spots Lois and gestures her over furtively, glancing around.
Melinda May	News that an analyst might be trying to leak SHIELD intel is never a good thing. It's one of May's less common duties to 'retrieve' potentially compromised agents, and it's one she has always disliked. But, it's her duty, so she follows her assigned mission parameters. Having driven one of those ubiquitous and unmarked black SUVs to Bryant Park, she does a final check of the commlink in her ear before heading into the park proper. Her plain jeans, shirt, and SHIELD proprietary black leather-looking jacket make her blend into the civilians wandering around. Hopefully. // Entering the park. Alert me if you get eyes on the analyst. //
Lois Lane	Plenty of twitchy analysts had met with Lois in the park. This was old-hat. She makes her way over with the pace of someone who knew exactly where they're going and how fast to get there, and she comes to stop next to the man as he looks around. "You know, these things are easier if you pretend to be taking a lunch break. You come in, you sit on a bench, you eat a sandwich... you're less awkward and you look less like you're doing something shifty." She places one hand on her hip, looking at him carefully. "So what've you got?"
Sam Wilson	High above the park, the sunlight glints off an object. Is it a bird? No. Is it a plane? ... not technically. It'e the Redwing drone, the small red and silver drone cruising over the park, it's camera pointed down as it scans about, trying to facial recognition match with those in the park with the possible missing SHIELD agent. Sitting in one of the SUV's, with his EXO-7 next to him, Sam Wilson is manipulating the drone from his wrist comm, looking down into the park from the bird's eye view. "That's a good bird." he coos to the drone, as if it were an actual animal, and not a piece of hardware. "You're getting the good fuel tonight!" When Melinda speaks up over the comms, Sam reaches up and taps the earpiece he wears to respond. //Falcon here, got your eye in the sky, maker of rules...// Then he remembers who he's talking to, and the gulp may have been paatable. //Eyes on the park, Cavalry.//
Tony Masters	The 'Analyst' glances around again and licks his lips. "Hello Ms. Lane. I've got information on who's actually behind funding... you know who. If they knew I had this, they'd kill me." His voice is thin and a little high, though it drops when he whispers, "You'd be amazed who's pulling their strings." It raises again as he continues, "But I don't want to talk out in the open like this. Follow me." He starts off deeper between the trees, still glancing around. He ends up looking right at the SUV Melinda May is in. If she takes a close look at him... she'll recognize a scientist that used to work for SHIELD. Probably wouldn't be the first time one of those tried to make a profit selling secrets. There is one issue however. That scientist died over a decade ago. Where Lois isn't able to see, the analyst smiles in her direction. Then he disappears into the 'safer' shadows of the trees. Assuming Lois actually follows him, he makes his way to a more secluded spot, then stops and turns back to her. "Alright. Now. You didn't tell anybody else, right? I wouldn't want people finding out about this and busting things up. No? Good." Then... he makes a motion as though he's drawing a weapon, though his hand sort of... disappears THROUGH his clothing rather than reaching inside. A moment later he's holding a larve .45 pistol in his hand, pointing it at her head. "In that case, I'm afraid I'll need to ask you to come with me."
Melinda May	// I said eyes on the analyst, Wilson. // If he hadn't located the PARK yet... Glancing about in well-practiced but very fake nonchalance, she doesn't see anything out of the or-- wait. "Ta ma de," she says under her breath, but definitely loudly enough for her comm to pick up. Pulling her phone as she gets out of her SUV, she starts walking vaguely in the direction of the woman and a man that either should be dead, or just very strongly resembles someone that should be dead. She honestly hopes it's the latter. While she walks, she's typing something into her phone, making her pace a bit slower and more distracted-looking than is normal for her.
Lois Lane	It's not the first time Lois has heard the 'you'd be amazed' and the 'they'd kill me' lines. It's like clickbait for reporters. Just interesting enough that it's hard not to drop it. She does scowl, however, and goes for it. It's hard not to resist a potential story and there seemed to be at least some credibility to it. So she follows towards the darker areas of the forest. Amidst the fact that there's now a gun, she does note that he reached through and not into. Illusionary? Perhaps the gun was illusionary too? She decides it's best not to check. "Alright, sure, I'll come with you. Where are we going?" Like hell she didn't tell anyone, though. She's always got some kind of backup these days in case of emergency.
Sam Wilson	// I forgot we're not using our made up names, 'May'. // Sam rolls his eyes from where he's sitting and glances down at the screen on his wrist in thought. // And of course, already in the park, and wait. Have a pair of hits. Feeding the information to your phone, May. // It takes only a second, but the information shows up on the phone, matching the analyst that is supposed to be dead - but on the second image, it may bring May pauses, as the information for Lane, Lois, reporter for the Daily Planet comes up on screen. // Should I be suiting up? I get the feeling I should be suiting up. //
Tony Masters	"Away, for now. Don't worry. I have no intention of killing you." His voice is different than it was before. Deeper, and with a slight mechanial tinge. As though he were speaking through something. He glances back the way they came then motions her deeper into the trees. "Walk that way. By the way, I loved that piece you did on Intergang last year. Though just so you know, you missed a few things." His tone is conversational as he settles in behind her. Not walking at a particularly hurried pace. It seems like they're moving farther awy from the populated parts of the park. Which is usually a bad sign. They reach a particularly open area, and he stops, saying, "Alright. We're going to stop here for now. There are some people that are going to be joining us soon." He idly spins the pistol on his finger, glnacing around again. He doesn't seem too worried about her getting away from him. "Bit warm today, isn't it?"
Melinda May	Still walking only vaguely after the pair, May glances at her phone to see the information Wilson forwarded to her. A reporter? Damnit, this is just getting worse. // We're out of time for subtlety. Get in here. Your first hit isn't possible. // As much as she prefers to to tackle things head on, at the moment she's almost wishing they'd brought a sniper along, if only to get ahead of this situation quickly. She can FEEL things starting to go sideways, and she can't even really place WHY. Not yet. Following the sidewalks in the park, she skirts around where Lois at the man now holding her at gunpoint initially met, to most people appearing to be heading for another section of the park. She's hoping to flank the pair, whatever they're doing now that she doesn't have a clear line of sight to them.
Lois Lane	"A reporter is only as good as her sources. If I'm missing something, perhaps there should be some more sources that come forward, hmm?" While anyone would be uncomfortable with a gun to their head, Lois is aware of the situation. He's already not intending to use it, which means it's for show and a threat. He's speaking conversationally, which mean's /he's/ not worried about it either. Keeping the tone calm and conversational is a good technique. "Wasn't really expecting it to be warm," she adds, her eyes quickly scanning to see exactly /who/ he was expecting. "I was hoping it would rain. Just my luck, huh?"
Sam Wilson	// Man, didn't even say the magic word. // Sam's grouse is only playful for a moment as he snaps the EXO-7 Falcon suit into place and he pulls the straps tight. "Hang tight, Redwing, be there in a Mo!" he announces as he takes a couple of steps, and the red and white wings deploy as he takes one, two, and three leaps and leaps high into the air as the jets engage. // Retrieving Redwing, be there in ten seconds, May, don't take them all down without me~ // The goggles close down and he gets aloft as the drone reattaches to the EXO frame's back. And once that's done, he's turning his attention to where the drone had spotted the pair. Hey look, Lois, it's a flying man coming to the rescue! He's a little small for a Kryptonian, though.
Tony Masters	"Oh, I'm not going to go that far. Professional courtesy and all that. But, I thought I'd at least give you a hint." The man smiles at her in a way that seems almost lazy. "But, I do appreiate your work. You seem to be one of those scrappy, gutsy types of reporters. Those are always fun." He turns his head, peering through the trees. Suddenly he shifts his gun towards something in the distance and fires. It's a very good shot. Thugh, even if May wasn't May and likely to dodge it on her own, he doesn't actually aim to hit her. The worst that might hapen is him hitting a tree next to her. He's not a psycho! He's not going to fire off a shot that might hit a random parkgoer. Without a good reason. Then he calls out, "Hi there, May! Been a while! Want to come out and play?" He spins the pistol again, then reholsters it. It looks as strange doing that as drawing it. Reching up behind his back, he grasps something and pulls out... a sword. Considerably shorter range, that. "If you do this hand to hand, Ms. Lane here won't have to get hurt." He gives a wink to the reporter in question. Then something springs to life on his left arm. It's a shield. Round, and it looks as though it's made of some sort of yellow energy. Actually it's the exact size and shape of a certain famous red white and blue shield wielded by a certain red white and blue hero. He suddenly hurls it, up into a tree and bouncing it off before it comes flying out of the leaves aiming to take Sam in the side. He's probably pretty familiar with that sort of technique.
Melinda May	Still aiming to flank the pair, the crack of a gunshot at almost the same instant as the feel of a bullet passing too close by has May immediately ducking for cover, muttering yet another choice invective in Mandarin. This idiot is taking potshots in a PARK. Bad form. Giving up on the pretense of being nonchalant, she rushes in the direction of the gunshot while reaching inside her jacket for something. The weird energy shield sort of thing that gets hurled toward Wilson is problematic, but it's not something she can do anything about at the moment besides offer a warning. // Wilson, heads up! //
Lois Lane	Maybe not a Kryptonian, but Lois is never one to shy away from a helpful hand from the sky. She isn't, however, focused in that direction. She's focused on the gun and the fact that it was just fired in someone's direction. The shield is noted, and she looks around for a moment, assessing the situation. Mostly, she's wondering where it would be safest to hide. Unfortunately, given how open the area is, it's hard to really find a good spot to be. So, for now, she just stands ready, looking for a good opening.
Sam Wilson	May's warning is heard, just as that shield comes flying up at him, Sam's eyes go wide. "Oh come on!" he grouses as he throws himself to the side, and flings the wings around him like a coccoon. The shield slams into the metal and he's pushed back with a loud, "OOF!" of breath as he tumbles and finally his jets kick in and it forces him back upright. Normaly by this point, Sam would have the twin machine pistols out to spray Taskmaster down with bullets. However, the presence of Lois Lane in close proximity is preventing that. // What do we know on this guy? It's obvious he's calling you out. // Then as Lois is looking to get away, Sam hits on an idea. // May, think you can keep him occupied enough for me to exfil the hostage? // Para-rescue is exactly what the suit is built for after all, and noone uses it better than he does.
Tony Masters	Not long after hitting Sam, the energy shield disappears. Taskmaster rolls his neck, spinning his his sword. He glances over at Lois and says, "Stay there, if you would." Then he's rushing at Melinda May. The hologram around him makes him look like he's not really in any shape for a fight. But clearly that's fake. Or he gained superpowers since supposedly dying. As he closes in on May, he suddenly puts on a burst of speed. Dropping down and then launching a rising slash at the SHIELD agent, quickly following that with a few quick follow up slices. Honestly jus testing her more than anything at this point. "I wonder if you've learned anything new sine the last time I saw you. Don't hold back, now." The slightly mechanical voice, mechanical part aside, is probably familiar to her. Though with how long it's been since she last saw Tony Masters in person, it might not be right away that she places she's heard it before. Like with the gunshot, he's not particularly trying to kill her. Though in this case, it's not by missing entirely. Even if she at some point fails to avoid a strike, thre's a thin later of that yellow energy on the edge of the sword, blunting it. So it might bruise, possibly crack something. But it's not going to cut her open without something a lot stronger than normal human level. The energy isn't something somebody is likely to notice in the middle of a fight with it spinning around like that.
Melinda May	Whether or not she thinks she can is irrevelant. May HAS to keep this guy's attention so Wilson can get Lois clear. "Do it," she says loud enough for those on the ground to likely hear as she snaps out a telescoping baton in her hand and -- CRAP. Having the man charge TOWARD her makes her have to abruptly change her direction of momentum, but this IS where being short is an advantage. She manages to stop in time to block the first slash, but not the follow up slices. Gritting her teeth against what are clearly dulled blows against the armored underlayer of her jacket (it's armor, yes, but only enough to deflect an average knife, not a proper sword), she lets them hit so she can get in close enough to stab her baton toward the man's neck. If she feels it hit something, she triggers the taser function in the baton. If nothing else, that should startle him and maybe keep his attention long enough for Wilson to do his job. Taskmaster can no doubt tell, she HAS learned a few new skills, but her reaction time is ever so slightly slower than it was a decade ago.
Lois Lane	Lois is not running. Not right now. So she simply gives a polite smile at her captor's suggestion to stay there, but she's certainly ready for that escape any time now. She does try to keep a good distance between herself and anywhere bullets may fly. She is, of course, aware that there's something (someone) else flying nearby. She's got a hunch she knows what the plan here is and backs up just a couple of steps to make sure there's plenty of space around her /and/ she's not too close to the two fighters. You know, just in case something happens to happen.
Sam Wilson	// Done. // Falcon Air Rescue. When you need it fast, but not Superman fast. With Melinda drawing Taskmaster out, he focuses for the moment upon the woman instead. When she takes those two steps back, his lips pull into a thin smile. "Perfect." His wings retract and he dives towards the ground, tucking his arms against his body. Five hundred feet. Three hundred feet, he gains speed and cuts the engines. Two hundred. "Hands up!" he calls to Lois. One hundred feet, his arms untuck, his wings deploy and glide is changed from a dive to a swoop. His hands grab Lois around the waist securely and his engines engage full force, as he angles to get height and fast. "Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times!"
Tony Masters	She doesn't manage to jab him in the throat, the man deflecting the stroke with his free hand. However, the electrical jolt from her baton does have an impact. There's a sort of static effect in his appearance, then the hologram disappears. Reveaing a fully armored Taskmaster. "Tsk. That thing is annoying to fix you know." He launches another slash at her to get some distane, then backflips away from her, twisting as he does and launching his sword through the air... at Sam. He's not trying to kill him either. On the other hand, he also doesn't have a history working with him so he doesn't particularly care if he DOES kill him. He makes sure that it won't hit Lois, however. And since he has his fight going, he also doesn't care too much if Lois gets away. Landing on his feet, what looks like an energy club, or maybe something similar to the baton she's holding, appears in his hand and he's coming back at her. This time launching a flurry of quick strikes with the club, punches, and knee strikes. Blocking attacks that are no doubt returned while his are probably blocked by her. He's not any slower than he used to be. If anything, he's faster. "I think your age is starting to show, May." Apparently he doesn't care if HE dies either.
Melinda May	"Good." May wasn't this deadpan ten years ago. Something must have changed. Seeing that the taser baton did manage to zap something if not the armored man himself, she takes the moment that he backflips and throws his sword at Sam to throw two coin-sized disks to hopefully end up under or near the man's feet. Just a little something she picked up from Romanoff, just like she started using the baton after seeing another SHIELD agent wield a matched pair with devastating effect. Speaking of, now that her other hand is no longer holding those shocker disks and Sam has pulled Lois clear, she starts fighting for real. It's the kind of combat that someone engages in when they don't care about the consequences to themselves so long as their opponent goes down. In between letting Taskmaster get a few hits in so she can again get inside his reach, she pulls a small but wickedly sharp knife from inside her jacket and aims for a seam in his armor. It's a very dirty tactic, and a merciless one.
Lois Lane	Hands up? Hands up. Lois is fully ready as soon as the opportunity is presented to her to get away. "Not my first time flying," she says with a tone of amusement. "Different ride, though." Capes are usually involved. So she's certainly being cautious as to make sure she doesn't throw them off-balance, although she's not at all liking the fact that there's a /sword/. "Yeah, okay, careful of the cutlery!"
Sam Wilson	As he sweeps by Taskmaster with Lois in his arms, Sam tries to use his wing to lash out at him, just to give Melinda an assist. Maybe. Now that they're out of the range of the fight, he smirks at the earlier comment. "Well, make sure you leave me a good review on Uber." he says dryly as he heads towards the SHIELD SUVs to set Lois down gently. "Alright. Don't mind staying put right here, Ms. Lane? Big fan of your expose on Intergang, by the way. You missed some info, though. But I need to get back to help my boss." Turning around, he launches airborne again to race towards Taskmaster and May. // Be there in ten seconds, May! //
Tony Masters	Glancing down at the discs on teh ground, Taskmaster uses those inhuman reflexes of his to leap backwards and away from them to avoid any discharge. His head cocks a little to the side as he watches her come in at him. "What's wrong with you, May? I don't remmeber you being this grumpy in the field. Somebody take the last donut in the break room today?" Then he's meeting her. The batons glancing off one another with a sound not entirely unlike metal on metal. He focuses more as she becomes positively savage in her assault. Landing those occasional blows on his old colleague, taking the occasional one as well. It's mostly absorbed by the armor. Then she pulls tht knife on him. As she drives it towards a gap in his side, he catches that wrist with a hand. "Huh. You really do seem different. Anything you want to talk about?" It's hard to say if he's being serious, or just bantering. He launches a knee at her belly, faster than any of his other blows so far. If it hits, he'll then use his grip on her to push her away and hop back, releasing the energy baton. "Still. If you want to cut this short, I can oblige." He settles into more of a low crouch, fists thrust out to the side. Energy wraps around said fists an extends outwards into a trio of claws on each. Then he's coming at her again. Unleashing a furious storm of slashes with the claws, a relentless barrage that gives little time to counter. His main aim is to disarm her, though she might take some slashes in other places. Nothing life threatening. His speed gradually picking up as he moves into slightly superhuman territory. Not fully double speed, but still not anything he can maintain forever.
Melinda May	May doesn't answer Taskmaster's taunts, still trying to get a real hit in on the man, and his attacks getting FASTER does not bode well for her at all. She heard Sam say he was on his way back, but she doesn't have the time or the breath to offer any kind of a reply. Taskmaster of course knocks her baton and then that knife out of her hands, and taking a knee to the stomach has her stumbling for a moment. Then he manifests those claws and she reaches behind her back to pull... that's not a knife. THAT is a matched pair of Chinese Butterfly Swords. And they are very clearly the real deal. Of course, with the armored man's attacks coming even faster, she really doesn't stand a chance. She's not a powered person in any way, shape, or form. And it shows.
Lois Lane	"I'm hearing a lot of talk about Intergang," Lois says with a shake of her head. "Don't worry though, I'll be right here." She's not going to run off and get into some other mess... right now. Instead, she'll watch from a distance--not going to miss out being an eye-witness to some sort of event. She's not really even sure what his motive was in the first place. Personal?
Sam Wilson	Crap, May's in trouble. At least she is from Sam's perspective. From his backpack, the drone launches with a hiss of engines as Redwing takes flight. The drone swarms down to try to get behind Taskmaster, while Sam yanks out both of his machine pistols and remains up in the air, both guns aimed towards him. "We have you surrounded, so if you'd stop hitting Agent May and give up, we'll both appreciate it." There's several small clicks as the weapons arm, and he tries to put on a good show to at least try to protect May. Even if she'll probably yell at him about it later.
Tony Masters	She does get some strikes in on Taskmaster with the swords. The style he's copying isn't the best at avoiding blows against a really skilled opponent. But the cuts he ends up taking are light. He hears the words from Sam behind him, and calls out, "Well, if you want to put a few rounds in Agent May here, feel free." He doesnt seem to be buying that he'll shoot while he's right by her. He keeps up the assault for a time more, then during one brief lock of blades, will attempt to trip her. Once she tumbles down he'll jump towards, pulling one of his pistols free as the energy claws dissipate and the energy shield from earlier returns. He'll spin back towards the pursueing agents, and begin to lay down some fire their way. Enough to try and force them into cover. Then one he's out of sight of both of them... he'll disappear into the trees. He's met more than his fair share of ninjas and ninja-like people. He's pretty good at the mysterious disappearance thing. His voices comes from... somewhere. It almost sounds like it's up in the trees. But he could be throwing it. "Well. I had fun. Thanks for the update, May. I'll be talking to you again soon." Then he goes silent again.
Melinda May	There is no way that May can chase after Taskmaster once he's tripped her and knocked her off her feet. He may not have been hitting her hard enough to do serious damage but he DID hit her, repeatedly. Even small strikes add up. Because she doesn't get up again right away she's not at risk from the man firing back at them while he flees. But it does leave Sam to try and chase him down with only Redwing to help. Muttering some truly vile curses in Mandarin while trying to catch her breath, she finally has a spare moment to figure out why this person seemed so distressingly familiar. // Ops. May. Reopen inactive dossier. Masters, Anthony. // Then she'll wincingly try to reclaim her strewn-about weapons. The man has too much of a lead already.
Sam Wilson	Sam could keep up the pursuit, but when Taskmaster turns to fire on May, Falcon dives down, turning his back to the gunfire so he can spread his wings wide and absorb the bullets aimed in her and the other agents' direction. By the time it stops, he's made his way into the trees, and Sam whistles sharply. "Redwing, track!" he calls to the drone, that flies over the forest -- but with his cloak and the cover of the trees, the drone's FLIR can't find the man. Folding his wings behind him, Sam's concern shows on his features as he approaches May. "You alright, May?" he asks her in concern, "So what's the story on that guy?"