The "From The Pages Of..." Comics Universe RPG

[Carnage27]

​

2 Days Ago

“Strength through Unity. Unity through Faith,” the speaker above quietly echoes in the night as an old-looking man shuffles down the London street. The brim of his hat hides his face from the moonlight, and a long silver beard pokes out from the shadow.

He hears a pair of footsteps approach from behind, and turns to find two “Fingermen”, the police of modern day England. One places his hand on the man’s shoulder, “Sir, you know you aren’t supposed to be out at night. It’s mighty dangerous out here.”

“Oh, I think I’ll be quite alright, my man,” he answers. “I can handle myself.”

“Sir,” the second one says yanking at the man’s coat, “we insist.”

“I’m sure you do,” the man smiles before spinning and pushing the others back. Instinctively, the reach for their nightsticks, but before they are unfastened from their belt, their throats are slit by two daggers that twirl in the man’s hands like ballerinas.

Before he stalks off into the night, he produces a can of spray paint from his belt and defaces a government poster above the dead men.

A red V encased in a circle.

Yesterday

"I don't care who the hell it is!" Adam Susan, the illustrious leader of Norsefire and all of Great Britain, screams at the assembled leaders of Norsefire. "I want him found, and I want him killed! Do you understand? We've dealt with plenty of freedom fighters and terrorists over the years and this...this V will be no different."

Susan has been on ege for weeks. Day after day, he hears of the attacks against his men and facilities by the figure known only by a single letter. No one has ever been so bold in their attempts, and Susan and the rest of Norsefire were obviously shaken by him. Not to mention that they were having a hard time keeping his actions hidden from the people of Britain and the rest of the world.

He stands and paces in front of the council meeting table, "We've worked too hard to gain the security we now have to let one man bring it down."

"Well, sir," Eric Finch, the head of Britain's investigative police, dubbed "The Nose", speaks up. "He hasn't left any evidence at the scenes. We have no idea where to start."

"Well I suggest you think of something soon, Mr. Finch. I will not allow this administration to be viewed as lax and weak to the rest of the World and our people."

Today

"Strength through Unity. Unity through Str-" the ever broadcasting motto is cut off abruptly and for the first time in recent memory the nighttime in London is completely silent.

But the silence is short lived. A minute or so later music begins to blare into the London streets.

[YT]9B0oS0xCSHI[/YT]

As the citizens of the city are roused from bed and open their windows, they're treated to music most have never heard, and those that have haven't heard it in over 20 years.

And suddenly, as the music soars to its crescendo, the Old Baily explodes in a glorious blast of light and fireworks. As the building burns, a man dressed in black slinks from the top of a nearby building into the shadows below. He heads into the London underground, and reaches his lair, which he calls "The Shadow Gallery".

Taking a seat in front of a computer, he types a few commands, and is instantly connected to every media outlet in the world, and begins broadcasting a message. On screens across the globe, a man in black, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask is displayed as he starts, "Good evening, Britain and the people of the world. I thought we could mark tonight by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way to try and find me."

He pauses and shakes his head, "The truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country and world, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. War, The Purge, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. The people of the world turned their backs on those that sought to help them. They were heroes that gave their all, some even their lives, to protecting the world. In turn, you people shunned them and arrested them after many of their comrades fell in the Purge. The people of Britain turned to Adam Susan. A man who promised them security and peace in return for their silence and unquestioned loyalty. Tonight I sought to end that silence. Tonight I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country and world of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government and the evils of this world remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow my actions to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me from now on. There are those of you in this world that I have watched and followed. Those that I know will stand for justice when called upon. Watch for my sign. I will contact you and I ask you to join me in this fight, and we will give the evils of this world a fight they will never forget."

The feed cuts out, and one image is shown on every channel for the next hour.

 

[wiegeabo]

I think back to that night over a hundred years ago, helping Van Helsing and killing the beast known as Nosferatu.

"I don't have time to explain. Let's just say this isn't my first rodeo when it comes to the undead."

I don't know how far away Stottlemeyer is, but I'm guessing he isn't used to running down suspects, and Monk? Need I say more?

"What really pisses me off is that the guy you two just killed was my best lead on who's killing people in LA."

I holster my gun and give a little sigh.

"I take it you two don't have any leads as to who's killing Los Angeles' fine citizens?"

"Wait just one damn second," I say, trying to process everything. Sam gives me a look of surprise. To say that cops usually don't need anything about hunters is a serious understatement. It's only happened to me twice, and those we're people dad had already helped. It hasn't happened once since Sam joined up with me.

"You actually know about hunters?"

"Dean."

"Sam, when does this ever happen?!"

Sam just rolls his eyes and ignores me. "Ignore him."

"Thanks."

"We know vampires usually hunt in packs..."

"But no one else came running out with you. I figured either you got the rest, or he was the only one." I interrupt.

Sam gives me a quick glare. "He was the only one...right?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"Wait just one damn second," I say, trying to process everything. Sam gives me a look of surprise. To say that cops usually don't need anything about hunters is a serious understatement. It's only happened to me twice, and those we're people dad had already helped. It hasn't happened once since Sam joined up with me.

"You actually know about hunters?"

"Dean."

"Sam, when does this ever happen?!"

Sam just rolls his eyes and ignores me. "Ignore him."

"Thanks."

"We know vampires usually hunt in packs..."

"But no one else came running out with you. I figured either you got the rest, or he was the only one." I interrupt.

Sam gives me a quick glare. "He was the only one...right?"

"Yeah, he was the only one. From what we've gathered, the guy you just ventilated happened to be the leader of the group. Now, he may have lead the group, but I'm betting he's not the head vampire. It's been almost a week since a body turned up, I'm betting that they'll kill again tonight."

I look between the two young men, a small smile forms on my face.

"You remind of a pair of hunters from upstate I knew. They were brothers. Last name of Frog."

I hear steps now, probably Stottlemeyer.

"They guy coming this way is a captain from San Francisco. We think their case is related to ours. You two are undercover officers I brought on for surveillence."

"What about the fact that the guy you were chasing is dead?" One of the hunters asks.

"If he asks, we'll say he fell.....on to some bullets."

 

[Carnage27]

​

I leap over the side of a rooftop, landing easily on another below, and my three brothers follow suite. We're getting the feel of the city back into our feet, the smell of the night air back into our nostrils, and placing the fear we bring back into the heart of New York's criminals.

We've already taken down two drug dealers, and a group of Purple Dragon gang members were attempting to shake down an honest businessman for protection money. Needless to say they were all surprised to see us, stammering.

If there's one good thing about being looked for it's that it grows our legend. It seems as if we've become the vampires of New York. People are scared of us, and I can't deny that fear is an effective deterrent.

"I feel like Batman tonight, bro," Mikey says as we leap an alley to another rooftop. "Like everyone's scared of us."

"I know," I say, sliding down a drain pipe before jumping across another alley and climbing quickly up a fire escape, back to the canopy of New York. "It's been an effective night."

"Leo," Donnie calls out from behind me, stopping in the process and checking out his computer gauntlet he whipped up, "somethings going on. I'm picking up a lot of activity. Something or someone is trying to take over worldwide television broadcasts."

"Let's get to Times Square," I say before taking off in that direction. In no time, my brothers and I are perched on a rooftop, and viewing a man in a mask on the large screen in the Square. I can see everyone on the street level looking at it, and people getting out of cars to watch.

"Good evening, Britain and the people of the world. I thought we could mark tonight by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way to try and find me. The truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country and world, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. War, The Purge, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. The people of the world turned their backs on those that sought to help them. They were heroes that gave their all, some even their lives, to protecting the world. In turn, you people shunned them and arrested them after many of their comrades fell in the Purge. The people of Britain turned to Adam Susan. A man who promised them security and peace in return for their silence and unquestioned loyalty. Tonight I sought to end that silence. Tonight I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country and world of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government and the evils of this world remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow my actions to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me from now on. There are those of you in this world that I have watched and followed. Those that I know will stand for justice when called upon. Watch for my sign. I will contact you and I ask you to join me in this fight, and we will give the evils of this world a fight they will never forget."

He finishes and his words hit hard. They sound a lot like what Master Splinter has told us our entire life. As long as no one does anything about it, the corrupt, malicious, and violent will prey on the weak, and we are the ones who can stop it.

"Whoa...heavy."

"Donnie," I say turning back to my brother, "go home and find this guy. I wanna know who he is. The rest of us will stay on patrol."

Donatello nods and leaves, and Raphael turns to head back on patrol, "Let's crack some skulls, boys."

 

[wiegeabo]

"Yeah, he was the only one. From what we've gathered, the guy you just ventilated happened to be the leader of the group. Now, he may have lead the group, but I'm betting he's not the head vampire. It's been almost a week since a body turned up, I'm betting that they'll kill again tonight."

I look between the two young men, a small smile forms on my face.

"You remind of a pair of hunters from upstate I knew. They were brothers. Last name of Frog."

I hear steps now, probably Stottlemeyer.

"They guy coming this way is a captain from San Francisco. We think their case is related to ours. You two are undercover officers I brought on for surveillence."

"What about the fact that the guy you were chasing is dead?" One of the hunters asks.

"If he asks, we'll say he fell.....on to some bullets."

I rush over to the car, popping open the trunk. I lift the cover hiding our equipment and start rifling through badges. "LAPD, got it. Sammy!" I toss the id over to him and he snatches it out of the air. We both take quick looks at the names before tucking them away.

"Dean!" Sam throws his machete at me and I catch it by the handle with practiced ease, sliding it into the compartment and slamming the trunk closed just as a man in a suit only a cop would buy, with one hell of a manly mustache, joins us.

He catches his breath for a second, gun still in his hand. "You're fast," he says, instantly trying to size the situation up. The dead vampire body missing it's head makes his eyebrow go up.

"You alright? Who're these two? What the hell happened?"

Sam and I take our badges out, slowly when we notice Stottlemeyer's gun hand flinch. We let our id's flop open. "Detectives Angus and Young, LAPD."

"We're undercover."

"Angus and Young? Like the lead singer of AC/DC?"

Sam and I look at each other, then back at the cops. "We get that a lot."

 

[Byrd Man]

"You alright? Who're these two? What the hell happened?"

Sam and I take our badges out, slowly when we notice Stottlemeyer's gun hand flinch. We let our id's flop open. "Detectives Angus and Young, LAPD."

"We're undercover."

"Angus and Young? Like the lead singer of AC/DC?"

Sam and I look at each other, then back at the cops. "We get that a lot."

"That actually happens a lot here in LA. Captain McGrath in personnel loves to do that. We have Detectives Turner and Hooch along with Officers Crockett and Tubbs. When I was a rookie, he wanted to pair me up with James Cut. Loved the idea of Officers Crews and Cut working together."

"That's good and all, but what the hell happened here?"

"While I was in pursuit of the suspect, Angus and....Young assisted. We warned him several times to stop, and he attacked Detective Young. Detective Angus then drew fire on to the suspect."

I look at the two hunters.

"Isn't that right?"

 

[Carnage27]

​

"Find anything, Donnie?" I ask coming out of my room, and finding my brother still sitting in front of the computer. Last night a man in a Guy Fawkes mask hacked the worldwide communications network. I'm all for anyone who wants to go up against Norsefire, but anyone who can take down worldwide communications is a threat.

"Nothing, at least as it pertains to Guy Fawkes. He covered his tracks like no one I've ever seen. All roads lead to Norsefire servers. Meaning it's either an inside job, or this guy is the best I've ever seen," Donatello answers shaking his head. "But I did notice an odd robbery trend since we've been gone."

"What's up?"

"Japanese artifacts have been disappearing left and right on the same night they debut in New York museums. And on top of that the archeologists and historians that discovered them have also been reported missing."

"This has got The Foot written all over it," I say cracking my knuckles. "We need to find out what they're goal is."

"Well...we might want to do that quickly," he responds bringing up a new screen on the computer. "Another piece is set to debut tonight."

"Looks like we're going out on the town tonight, then."

*******

Baxter Stockman sits in his dark office in Cyberdine Systems' New York skyscraper, the only light illuminating the room emanates from the computer screen in front of him. A slight breeze blows a few papers off his desk, and he turns to find the window of his office open.

"Hm," he mutters, closing the window, "Don't remember opening this."

As he goes to sit back down, a menacing, shadowing voice asks, "Has my project been completed yet, Dr. Stockman?"

The surprise of the man in his office causes Stockman to fall off his chair, and slide back against the wall, "Sh-Shredder! What an honor. General Byson hadn't mentioned you would be stopping by-"

"M. Byson has given me free reign to come and go here as I please, Dr. Stockman. Now, has my project been completed?" Oroku Saki answers curtly from the shadows, the moonlight glistening off his helmet.

"Well, Master Shredder, half of the prjoect has been completed, but the other half...Well we've had a problem with the hive mind controls. We don't want them getting out of control," he says rubbing his forehead. "But the four combat units have been completed to you specifications. If you don't mind me asking, why did you order them without CPUs?"

Dr. Stockman presses a few keys on his keyboard, and one of the walls in his office slides open, revealing four metallic ninja warriors, their red eyes shining in the darkness.

"Because, Dr. Stockman, I have other ways of granting life to them."
​

 

[Byrd Man]

​

Jamacia

We've been here for two days now, planning our attack on Dr. No's base. B.A. and Face are gathering intel from the locals while Murdock and I find transportation.

"Hello?" I call out to the almost empty hangar.

"Anybody here?"

"I'm here, love," a British accent replies. A skinny man with dark hair stumbles from a plane.

"Is this your airfield?"

"That it be. I've got the fastest planes in the Caribbean under this roof."

He pulls out a bottle of liquid and takes a long swig off of it.

"That hit the spot. Now, what can I do for you?"

"I want to try and rent a plane and a pilot."

"Look no further, mate."

"You?"

"That's right. Former RAF pilot. Served Her Majesty with distinction and honor...err, before I was kicked out. Commanding officer didn't approve of my drinking."

"I can imagine."

"Now, what sort of flying do you require?"

"Good flying. I have a pilot, but he'll be unable to fly for our needs. I need someone to fly us out to Crab Key. Over the island, we'll parachute down. You can fly back here and remain in radio contact with us. Once we're ready, you fly back in a seaplane and pick us up."

"Crab Key? Don't rightly know what goes on out on that island. Could be risky, and that'll run ya extra."

"If there's one thing I can do, it's pay."

"And I am to assume that whatever your purpose is on Crab Key, it is of the upmost secrecy and importance that I keep my mouth shut and do not ask questions."

"You catch on."

"That'll run you extra, too."

"Put it on my tab, Mister?"

"Sparrow. RAF Group Captain Andrew Sparrow."

"Okay, Captain Sparrow. I'm willing to pay if you can put your money where your mouth is."

"That'd be your money to be put up. But no need to worry, you just hired yourself a pilot and plane, love."

He takes another swig off his bottle and finishes it off.

"Gone...why is the rum always gone?"​

 

[Carnage27]

I sit in the shadows of an alley way next to the entrance of April O'neil's apartment complex, waiting for her to make her way to her car. Donnie quickly found out that she had been invited to the museum event tonight, and as she is our only liaison to the human world that isn't an unstable vigilante, we decided this was the best way to get eyes inside the unveiling.

A pair of high heels echo against the concrete near me, and April passes by the alley, completely unaware of my presence before I call out, "April."

She jumps a little, and turns before whispering, "Leonardo? Is that you?"

"Yea, come into the alley. I need to ask a favor," I ask as she does so.

"What's up? I heard you guys were active again, but I haven't seen or heard from you in so long," she says, pulling the jacket she has on over her dress closer to her in the chilly New York night.

"Yea, well, Sterns murder and consistently being blamed for it doesn't help our public view much. But thanks for trying to help on that front," I smile. April has been trying hard to clear our name, but she's constantly shouted down. "I'm here about the gallery unveiling tonight. We think something is going to be stolen."

"You noticed the trend too, then? Who do you think it is, and what can I do to help?" she asks eagerly.

"We think it's The Foot, to be honest. Stealing Japanese pieces fit in their MO. And," I say handing her a small ear piece, "this is what you can do for us. It's a receiver and transmitter radio. We'll be on the roof of the museum, checking for outside threats, and we need you to be our eye inside."

"I can do that," she says smiling. I knew she'd be all for this. If nothing else, April wants the truth to be brought into the light, and that makes her a valuable ally.

"I'll be in touch," I say as we part ways.
​

 

[wiegeabo]

"That actually happens a lot here in LA. Captain McGrath in personnel loves to do that. We have Detectives Turner and Hooch along with Officers Crockett and Tubbs. When I was a rookie, he wanted to pair me up with James Cut. Loved the idea of Officers Crews and Cut working together."

"That's good and all, but what the hell happened here?"

"While I was in pursuit of the suspect, Angus and....Young assisted. We warned him several times to stop, and he attacked Detective Young. Detective Angus then drew fire on to the suspect."

I look at the two hunters.

"Isn't that right?"

"Yep."

"That's right."

"Happens all the time."

"That Captain McGrath...such a..." everyone's staring at me. "...kidder."

Stottlemeyer has this look that says he can't quite believe what he's hearing, and yet isn't really surprised by how strange we're acting, all at the same time.

"And the perp...just like...he said. Attacked me...had to take him down."

"By cutting his head off?"

"Well, um yeah. You see..."

"The guy must have been on pcp or something."

"Right. And, I shot him, but he just kept coming. So I sort of, cut...his...head...off?" We are so dead.

 

[Carnage27]

​

"I hope I can get a chance to look this...terrorist in the eye. I really do. That way I can tell him how much of a coward he is before snapping his neck. Because that's what anyone who hides behind a mask is, ladies and gentlemen. A coward," Lewis Prothero blabbers on into the camera. His voice brings back horrific, scarring memories to the man sitting in the Shadow Gallery, but they are the fuel of his revenge.

"You'll get that chance soon enough, Commander Prothero," he mutters to the TV screen before getting up and heading to his computer room, striking a few key strokes.

He smiles as Prothero's voice echoes from the other room, "Britain prevails!"

*******

"Gentlemen, this is not necessary!" Adam Susan pleads with the six men on screens in front of him. "My men will catch this lunatic, and we will have order once again."

"We cannot take that chance, Chancellor Susan," one of them speaks up in a gravely voice. "We've already seen what he can do to your computers, to all of our computers, and we cannot risk him exposing what we have done in England. What we are doing to the world."

"But-"

"No more but's, Chancellor. We gave you this position on the grounds that you could control these people, and keep our...extracurricular activities quiet," another deep voice from a screen explains. "So far you have done a wonderful job. The advancements made in our UK facilities have yielded great results. Results we are now getting out into the field to track down and destroy those that would stand in our way."

"But your recent failures have forced my hand," a third voice, this one carrying a heavy Russian accent, says. "Your country is under my jurisdiction. And zhe rest of zhe council agrees. Ve are sending in more...experienced help. Zhey vill assist your men in catching zhis man."

"If it is the will of the council," Susan says bowing his head.

"It is," the first voice speaks up again. "The assassins will be in England tomorrow, Chancellor. Give them every resource they ask for. We anticipate your reports."

The screens shut off simultaneously, and Susan relaxes, allowing his hands to shake out the fear of the meeting. He knew his grip was loosening and that his superiors were angry.

And making The Ring angry was not good for one's prospects.
​

 

[Byrd Man]

"And the perp...just like...he said. Attacked me...had to take him down."

"By cutting his head off?"

"Well, um yeah. You see..."

"The guy must have been on pcp or something."

"Right. And, I shot him, but he just kept coming. So I sort of, cut...his...head...off?" We are so dead.

"I believe the detectives are mistaken," I say with hard look towards the two hunters.

"They didn't cut his head off. That happened when the perp...fell."

"Fell on to what?"

"The knife he was carrying."

I bend down over the dead body and point towards the knife laying underneath the man. A very big knife he had.

"I don't know...the angle is kind of-"

"Oh, dear lord," Monk gives out a sharp gasp and puts his hands to his mouth.

"Monk, I told you to wait on the landing."

"There was dust up there...horrible, disgusting dust."

"I'm going to call this in. Maybe you and Monk should go back to the hotel?"

"No way I'm walking out on this."

"Captain...you didn't necessarily approve you arrival with LAPD."

Stottlemeyer weighs his options and then looks back at Monk.

"Let's go."

The captain and Monk walk back down the alley. I wait until their car pulls away before turning to the two hunters.

"Explain who you are and why you're hunting here in my city."

 

[Carnage27]

My brothers and I sit perched on the museum rooftop, watching as the press and the VIPs enter the front door for the unveiling event. We're all on edge and have weapons drawn. We honestly have no idea what we're up against, even if we have a feeling.

"April," I say into my communicator, "do you copy?"

"Yea, Leo, I'm here. Although it's pretty quiet in here as of now. People are just filing in," she replies. "Lots of police though. Looks like they're ready for whatever might go down."

"Copy," I sigh. The more police that are here means the more of a chance that someone down there will bungle up this operation and an innocent will get hurt. The cops in this town are awful.

"The quicker they get here the better," Raph says twirling his sais in his hands. "I've been itching for some real action."

"And remember, we're fairly out of practice," I remind my brother. "We work as a team."

"Yea, yea," he grumbles back. As impetuous and angry as Raph can get, he always knows what to do, and I know that he's a tank in battle.

Almost immediately after Raph stops talking, a flurry of movement draws our attention, and we find ourselves surrounded by Foot ninjas. Most have katanas, but a few have bows and others have small daggers dancing in their hands. We've only fought a few of these guys, never this many at once. They're well trained...but I know we're better.

"Turtles...remember, act as a team. If we fight together, we cannot be defeated," I say as the first wave of ninjas rush us.

The four of us move as if we're members of a hive mind. As two ninjas attack, Raph deflects the attacks, and I counter, slashing and spinning with by blades. Three warriors catch us off guard, and send me sprawling to the ground. I spring off my palms and drive my heels into the sternum of one of the attackers, and I feel his windpipe crush under the force.

I square up with the other two as Raph engages two others, and I can here Mikey and Don working well together. One of the opponents attack, slashing wildly with his sword. He's powerful, but sloppy. His friend attempts to flank me, and I use his ally's carelessness to my advantage. I sidestep on of the first's attacks and his blade sinks deep into the chest of his friend.

"Bad luck, friend," I swipe my blades across his chest. I look up and find most of the Foot either down or retreating towards the edges of the building, but not completely.

"Enough!" a deep voice yells. I turn to find what seems to be a giant with a purple dragon tattoo running up his arm to his chest. He begins pacing in front of the Foot soldiers, arms crossed, "Impressive. My master wondered if you truly were as skilled as rumored. He will be pleased to hear it is the truth. But let me introduce myself. I am Hun, the general of the Purple Dragon clan."

The Purple Dragon is a part of the Foot. Terrific. Meaning the city's most infamous crime organization and the world's most dangerous ninja clan are one in the same. I should have seen this earlier. Maybe I would have been able to do something about it.

"Clan? Your boys are no more than thugs!" I call out.

"True enough, they lack the polish of true Foot," he smiles. "But sometimes brute force is needed in place of ninjutsu. Speaking of which, my master sends a gift for you. A challenge like you have never seen before."

From the roof next to the museum, four forms drop down. Their garb is the same as the other Foot ninjas, but as they hit the rooftop, it cracks and rumbles, and I can hear the whir of machinery emanate from them.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we have an artifact to steal."
​

 

[wiegeabo]

"I believe the detectives are mistaken," I say with hard look towards the two hunters.

"They didn't cut his head off. That happened when the perp...fell."

"Fell on to what?"

"The knife he was carrying."

I bend down over the dead body and point towards the knife laying underneath the man. A very big knife he had.

"Exactly. That's just what I meant," I say, pointing at Crews. "He fell right over...on his knife..." I glance over at Sammy. He's got that 'I can't believe what's happening look'.

"I don't know...the angle is kind of-"

"Oh, dear lord," Monk gives out a sharp gasp and puts his hands to his mouth.

"Monk, I told you to wait on the landing."

"There was dust up there...horrible, disgusting dust."

"I'm going to call this in. Maybe you and Monk should go back to the hotel?"

"No way I'm walking out on this."

"Captain...you didn't necessarily approve you arrival with LAPD."

Stottlemeyer weighs his options and then looks back at Monk.

"Let's go."

The captain and Monk walk back down the alley. I wait until their car pulls away before turning to the two hunters.

"Explain who you are and why you're hunting here in my city."

"Forget about us, who the hell was that mental case?" Crews just continues to give us the cop stare.

"I'm Sam Winchester."

"Sammy!"

"Dean's my brother."

I step up to Sam. "How do you know we can trust this guy."

"For one thing, he hasn't shot us yet."

I consider that for a second. "Yeah, ok. That's a good start."

"I saw some stuff on the internet about killings in LA. It all pointed to vampires."

"And since vamps never hunt the big cities, we got curious. And we do sort of hunt these types of things..."

 

[Byrd Man]

"I saw some stuff on the internet about killings in LA. It all pointed to vampires."

"And since vamps never hunt the big cities, we got curious. And we do sort of hunt these types of things..."

"They've been known to hunt in big cities. Two vampires attacked London in the late 1800's, and there were attacks in Munich shortly before the Second World War broke out. In fact, Hitler's SS was rumored to have a few blood suckers in their midst."

"Dude," Sam says. "How do you know all that?"

My eyes glaze over slightly, my mind searching back into the memories of the past.

"Let's just say this isn't my first rodeo," I say in a matter of fact tone.

"Stottlemeyer and Monk will be out of our hair for a little while. We need to decide what to do with the body and where to move forward from here. I am an LAPD officer, but as of right now I'm a hunter just as you two are."

I favor both men with glances.

"I say we dump the vampire's body in the La Brea Tar Pits, and we go back into this monster's apartment and find any clues as to where his friends are. Sound like a plan to you two?"

 

[wiegeabo]

"They've been known to hunt in big cities. Two vampires attacked London in the late 1800's, and there were attacks in Munich shortly before the Second World War broke out. In fact, Hitler's SS was rumored to have a few blood suckers in their midst."

"Dude," Sam says. "How do you know all that?"

My eyes glaze over slightly, my mind searching back into the memories of the past.

"Let's just say this isn't my first rodeo," I say in a matter of fact tone.

"Stottlemeyer and Monk will be out of our hair for a little while. We need to decide what to do with the body and where to move forward from here. I am an LAPD officer, but as of right now I'm a hunter just as you two are."

I favor both men with glances.

"I say we dump the vampire's body in the La Brea Tar Pits, and we go back into this monster's apartment and find any clues as to where his friends are. Sound like a plan to you two?"

"Hm. I'm starting to like this guy. If he's into AC\DC and strong whiskey, you're riding in the backseat." Sam rolls his eyes. I pop open the trunk, then start looking around.

"There you are." I stand up, head hanging from my hand. "You guys wanna grab the body?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"Hm. I'm starting to like this guy. If he's into AC\DC and strong whiskey, you're riding in the backseat." Sam rolls his eyes. I pop open the trunk, then start looking around.

"There you are." I stand up, head hanging from my hand. "You guys wanna grab the body?"

I look at Dean and Sam. Both are wearing jeans and t-shirts. I, on the other hand, am clothed in an $800 Hugo Boss suit.

"I'll let you fellows get this one. Blood is hard to get out and even harder to explain to my dry cleaners."

I look a their car and smile.

"Sweet ride, by the way. I believe the 70's called and they want their car back."

********

The two brothers and I watch the vampire's body suck down into the tar pits.

"That's taken care of. Let's get back to the apartment and try to run a crime scene."

I turn to Sam with my hand out.

"Let me drive this time."

"What happened to the '70's want their car back'?" He asks with an arched eyebrow and an amused smile.

"I happened to have enjoyed the 70's. Lots of cool things went on. Disco, afros, cocaine, etc."
​

 

[wiegeabo]

I look at Dean and Sam. Both are wearing jeans and t-shirts. I, on the other hand, am clothed in an $800 Hugo Boss suit.

"I'll let you fellows get this one. Blood is hard to get out and even harder to explain to my dry cleaners."

I look a their car and smile.

"Sweet ride, by the way. I believe the 70's called and they want their car back."

"Hey! No one bad talks my car." I slam the trunk down and Sam and I get inside.

"It's ok, he didn't mean it. You're still the best."

"Dean...are you talking to the car?"

I start the engine. "He hurt her feelings."


​

********

The two brothers and I watch the vampire's body suck down into the tar pits.

"That's taken care of. Let's get back to the apartment and try to run a crime scene."

I turn to Sam with my hand out.

"Let me drive this time."

"What happened to the '70's want their car back'?" He asks with an arched eyebrow and an amused smile.

"I happened to have enjoyed the 70's. Lots of cool things went on. Disco, afros, cocaine, etc."
​

I look at Crews, than back at my baby. Then at his ride. "You gonna let my drive the Maserati?"

 

[Byrd Man]

I look at Crews, than back at my baby. Then at his ride. "You gonna let my drive the Maserati?"

"Maybe not. I'll stick to my car, you stick to yours. After all, 'the deadliest poison is covetousness',"

Two men give me strange looks.

"Buddha said that."

Sam and Dean trade glances.

"Who is this guy?" Sam asks his brother.

 

[wiegeabo]

"Maybe not. I'll stick to my car, you stick to yours. After all, 'the deadliest poison is covetousness',"

Two men give me strange looks.

"Buddha said that."

Sam and Dean trade glances.

"Who is this guy?" Sam asks his brother.

I shake my head. "I have no idea..."

***

Back at apartment, Crews has his gun drawn as we step past what used to be a door. Sam and I have sawed-offs and machetes. You can't go in light against a vampire.

"Oh look, this place just made the cover of Better Ghouls and Goblins." Sam groans. "Come on, it wasn't that bad."

"Yeah, it was worse."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Come on, it wasn't that bad."[/COLOR]

"Yeah, it was worse."

"Interesting," I say as I scan the room. "The guy you killed seems to be a pretty big fan of S&M."

"What gave it away?" Dean asks as he holds us a gimp mask.

"That's not all. I know where the vampires have been meeting."

I bend down over the disheveled bed and pick up a map to LA. Circled in red ink is the upper portion of northern LA.

"Hollywoodland."

 

[Carnage27]

​

One of the mechanical ninjas drives its hand into my chest. The impact nearly cracks my shell, and knocks the air straight out of me. I fly backwards and land at hard on the rooftop, sliding as I go.

Regaining my feet, I survey the fight. I see Raph get slashed across the face with his opponent's weapon, Donnie is stagger back from a flurry of attacks, and Mikey has been disarmed. My enemy comes at me with frightening spped yet again, this time I get the upper hand and slice my swords across his back.

One finds a chink in its plating, and sparks fly from the robot. It retaliates by grabbing me by the neck and slamming me into the ground.

"Leo," April's voice comes over my ear piece, "the officials down here are freaking out. Something must have happened."

"Yea," I gasp, dodging an attack, "we know. Kinda busy up here, April."

I back away from the mechanical foe and bump into the backs of my brothers, "We need to figure something out here. And quickly."

"I dunno, bro. Nothing seems to work. I feel like I'm fighting Zod," Mikey says.

"I can't get a reading on them either," Donnie pants. "It's like they don't have a CPU."

The four robots circle us and begin to close in. I feel like this is it. This is the end of us. We just got started on our mission, yet here we are. I feel defeat. I feel like a failure, and can only wonder what Master Splinter will think. We were his heirs, his legacy to the world. And we failed him. We failed all these people.

As one of our enemies raises a sword to attack, it's struck by a manhole cover that sends it crashing into one of its partners. I look up and see two shadows on the adjacent rooftops. One jumps the gap and sends a stream of flames at the other two.

I take the opportunity and pick up the manhole cover and toss it hard again, sending the last two robots spilling over the side of the rooftop.

I exhale and collapse onto the roof, "Who the hell are you guys?"

"Hurm," a gruff voice mumbles. "Thought you would remember old friends."

"Yea, it hasn't been that long," the bandaged man next to Rorschach chuckles.

"Wow, never thought I'd be happy to see you guys," Raph laughs. "How'd you know we were here?"

"Saw pattern in crimes. Decided to check it out tonight," Rorschach responds. "Saw you already messed situation up."

"Messed it up? We were here and ready for them," Raph says in defense.

"Artifact was stolen. Woman kidnapped. You weren't ready," the masked man says with venom in his voice.

"Break it up, boys," I say getting in between them. "They had someone on the inside. That's the only explanation."

"I agree with that sentiment," Darkman nods. "It would be the easiest way. But someone wanted to get rid of you four, and they knew you'd show up here. Kill two birds with the proverbial one stone."

"We need to figure out where they're taking these people. We find them, we may be able to find out why they're stealing the artifacts," I ponder, rubbing my chin. "I think that's our best course."

"Hum. At least one of you has a brain," Rorschach says.

"I may have someone who can help us there," Donnie says. "A hacker buddy."

"Sounds good," I say turning to our two allies and tossing them two communicators. "We'll contact you on these when we're ready to move."

"Sounds like plan," Rorschach says turning and walking towards the edge. "Will see you soon."

 

[wiegeabo]

"Interesting," I say as I scan the room. "The guy you killed seems to be a pretty big fan of S&M."

"What gave it away?" Dean asks as he holds us a gimp mask.

"That's not all. I know where the vampires have been meeting."

I bend down over the disheveled bed and pick up a map to LA. Circled in red ink is the upper portion of northern LA.

"Hollywoodland."

"You still call it Hollywoodland? What, are you straight out of the 30's?" I ignore Crews' odd look. "Sam, you got anything."

Sam staggers out of a side room, his hand over his mouth. He just shakes his head and gulps a couple of times. "D-Don't go in there."

"...I'll take your word for it." Sam nods. "Guess we're going for another drive. You sure you don't want to trade rides?" I ask with a smirk.

 

[wiegeabo]

I follow Sarah outside as she leads me to the Orange Orange.

"Boy, have I got some news. Apparently, some big shot over in Jamaica bought a huge system, and I get an all expenses paid trip to install it for him. It'll probably take a few days, but I think I can stretch it out to a week," I say with a wink.

"I know, Chuck," she says as we reach the back of the yogurt shop. She opens the hidden panel and types in the secret code that opens the passage down into the Castle.

"How do you know? You overheard Big Mike?"

"No, Nerd-Lord. We're the big shot who bought the system." Casey shuts down the screen he was using to watch us through the Orange Orange cameras.

"Oh, come on. Spying on your friends?"

"You're right. I wouldn't spy on my friends." He thinks for a second. "Much."

"Ouch. Just...ouch." Casey goes back to ignoring me as he packs up some gear. "So, I take it we're going on a mission." I plop into a chair and sigh.

"That's right, Bartowski. Going to save the world again."

"Is it too much to get a vacation once in a while. Or at least fill me in on what's going on before you crush my dreams?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Again. Ouch."

"There wasn't time, Chuck. We're on a tight schedule and had to set the install up today."

"So what's the mission?"

"Some British spy got himself captured. We're going to save his ass."

I lean forward, interested. "We're going to work with MI-6?"

"What do you know about MI-6?!"

"What do you mean, what do I know. I'm a spy..." Casey glares at me. "And I look spy stuff up on the internet."

"You ain't a spy yet, Bartowski."

"We won't be working with MI-6."

"Oh." I frown, a bit dejected.

"Yeah, Six couldn't afford admitting they'd lost one of their own. So they hired a band of criminals-"

"Mercenaries."

"-criminals, to give us a hand."

"Criminal mercenaries?"

"Yeah. Used to be in the army before they betrayed our country. I wouldn't mind putting a bullet into each one of their heads."

"Too bad we're on foreign soil, and our mission is to work with them," Sarah say, sarcastically.

"Yeah. To flippin' bad."

"Ok...so when do we leave?"

Sarah tosses me a suitcase. "Right now."

 

[Byrd Man]

"You still call it Hollywoodland? What, are you straight out of the 30's?" I ignore Crews' odd look. "Sam, you got anything."

Sam staggers out of a side room, his hand over his mouth. He just shakes his head and gulps a couple of times. "D-Don't go in there."

"...I'll take your word for it." Sam nods. "Guess we're going for another drive. You sure you don't want to trade rides?" I ask with a smirk.

I toss Dean the keys to my car and smile.

"What happened to all the stuff Buddha said?" Sam asks.

"The best part about rules is breaking them."

******

With the two brothers behind me in the Maserati, I take a corner in the Hollywood hills at over a 100MPH with the lights flashing and the portable police light on the Impala's dashboard.

God, I love being a cop.

"Zen 1 to Twiddledee and Twiddledum," I say into the walkie talkie.

"Based on the map we found, the ritual site is just up the road. When we come to it, get ready to fight. I got my gun and a few other tricks ready for them, hope you got the same."

I pause for a second and then put the walkie talkie back to my mouth.

"Sweet ride, by the way. The gauge says the radiator is running hot. Is that a problem?"
​