Metropolis: Midtown

        Midtown is the glamour and shopping center of Metropolis. The bank
of the West River, on which the neighborhood sits, is lined with summer
homes on private beaches. Expensive condominiums, high-rises, and luxury
apartments overlook Metropolis Park on the north side of Midtown. Many
free concerts and performances have been staged in the ampitheatre at
Metro Park, catering to the tastes of this district's populace. Some of
the world's most expensive department stores and shops line Midtown's
famed F ifth Avenue, which bisects this exclusive neighborhood. While
Metropolis may have areas that are unsavory, Midtown seems to be the
epitome of the 'shining city on the hill'...or at least, it did. Now,
parts of it look like a small warzone. 
        A Metropolis Police substation on the corner of a main
thoroughfare seems to have been engaged in a battle with a tank, and
several adjacent rooftops have signs of extensive re-construction being
done on them. Near one of the main shopping complex es, an office
building's facade has been almost entirely levelled, with massive damage
done to the sidewalk outside, and the floor inside. Work crews have set up
various warning signs around the perimeter of this particular site, and
most traffic has been diverted away from this street.

Obvious exits:

The Regency <R> Riverside Apartments <RA> Downtown <N> North Bridge <S>
Central Business District <E> Suicide Slum <W> Clinton Street <CS> Subway
<SUB>

Harold digs out a billfold. "Gimme a Cherry Soder Cola." he says to Larry.
"You want anything, Bill?" Bill shakes his head. "Nah...you need anything
else from inside?" Harold hands the paperwork back to him. "Everything
looks to be in order...I'll see what I can do about getting a good estimate."

Larry pops open the cart, and retrieves an ice cold can of Soder Cola.
"Here ya go..." He glances with a funny sort of smile at the building.
"Thats the third time they've remodled that blasted thing..." 

From somewhere behind the tarp and scaffolds, a slight pinkish glow
emanates. It grows slowly, and some of the tarp rustles. None of the
construction workers seem to notice. 

Harold hands over a crumpled bill to Larry and gives a little wave to
Bill, who starts moving towards the back (now used as the front) door of
the station. He digs out his cellular phone. "Well, it happens." he says
to Larry. "At least they're insured, eh? Thanks." He opens the soda can
and takes a swig, also not noticing the glow. 

Larry peers suspiciously at Harold. "You in the insurance business,
mister?" He seems to be almost daring Harold to say yes as he leans
against his cart. 

The glow deepens in hue, and it plays across the tarp in a strange
wavering fashion. There's a deep rumble from within the lobby, and one of
the scaffolds quivers. A man carrying a crossbar on his shoulder pauses at
the noise, and stares at the area behind the tarp.

Harold shakes his head. "I'm a lawyer." he says. "The insurance people
sent me down to make sure everything gets fixed right..." He looks a bit
alarmed at the rumble, and looks down. 

Larry mutters "Uh oh..." and starts pushing the cart down the block,
glancing hesitantly over his shoulder. 

Harold's cellular phone bleeeeeeps. He turns it on. "Dayton." he says
distractedly. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh." He keeps looking down. 

The man with the crossbar stands with a look of horror on his face, gaping
vaccuously at whatever is happening back there. Finally, he drops the
crossbar, and starts to run to the base of another scaffold, waving his
arms. "Oh, jeez! Gary, man! Get outta here, its that freak...it ain't
dead!"

Harold thinks . o O (!)

There's a sound like a intake of liquids mixed with a broken pipe
organ...the tarp burns away into nothingness, and a purple shimmering
form, huge and bestial, appears from the shadows of the incomplete lobby. 

Parasite
        Before you stands a horrific figure, humanoid, and tall and
bulkily muscular. His entire body is a neon purple hue, and seems to
vibrate a malicious energy. The features of his body are somewhat poorly
delineated, like a very simple reproduction of the basic human anatomy,
with a freakish edge. His head is beastial in its aspect, with a pair of
glowing yellowish eyes, a gaping feral maw taking up much of the lower
part of his features. He is clad in an abstracted 'costume' formed out of
some greyish silver bands. He carries himself with a deadly intent, his
form's pale glow increasing or decreasing as his berserk thirst
fluctuates. 

Harold stares at the figure. "Martin....can I call you back?" he says.
"Okay." He turns off the phone and puts it in his pocket. He starts
backing away. 

Harold thinks . o O (Who is that...think...wish I'd spent more time on the
pictures of these people rather than just their exploits...) 

Parasite extends his arms out at either side, looking skywards as he
pushes a scaffolding aside, heedless of it as it collapses behind him like
so many tinkertoys. "....hunger...hunger...." His glowing yellowish eyes
fade momentarily, and he leans a shoulder on the wall of the facade. He
takes another fatigued step forwards, and peers over the staring frighful
faces of the construction crew and passersby. 

Harold thinks . o O (Call League? No, no time. Run? Good idea, but might
stand out. Think I will just try to look inconspicuous.) 

The couple with the camera turn and run as one of the construction workers
screams out a name. The sound is unintelligable, save for the horrible
desperation in it. The name catches in the throat of the man as crackling
energy arcs over his back. 

Harold moves nearer the building next door, trying both to stay out of
sight, and, if a panic starts, to stay away from being trampled. 

Parasite stands a bit more erect as the smoking remains of the now dead
worker collapse before him. His fang laden mouth opens in a sigh, and he
starts plodding towards the sidewalk. "...more...more....MORE..." A
courier tries to evade him on his bike, but is too slow, caught in a
bright lance that strikes him across the side from almost 40 feet away. He
screams and collapses on top of a manhole, dead before he settles on the
street. Cars swerve to avoid the encroaching terror... 

Harold thinks . o O (Okay, that's it, I'm out of here. I didn't face down
Al Haig to get killed by a purple guy with the munchies.) 

Parasite glares at an oncoming truck, and rushes towards it with inhuman
speed. He leaps and crashes into the windshield, landing by the yelling
driver. Yellow and purple flashes announce the man's demise as the truck
careens out of control. 

Harold turns and starts fleeing, walking as quickly as he can and trying
not to look back (and failing.) He does punch a few buttons on his
cellular phone... 

The truck weaves and leaps the curb, heading in Harold's direction. He
hears its engine roaring, and the seething sighs of the Parasite growing
on his heels, the shadow of the semi growing bigger and bigger around him. 

Requiem arrives from Suicide Slum.
Requiem has arrived.

Requiem slips her head around the corner of an alleyway, looking after the
prey that she has sought this day. 

Harold sees the danger and reacts swiftly, though probably not swiftly
enough...turning to the side, rushing perpendicular to the path of the
truck, leaping for cover as quickly as he can.... 

The truck misses the diving lawyer's heels by a foot or two, and levels a
newstand. It continues on its path down the sidewalk, tearing through the
scattered magazines like a hellish locomotive. The Parasite leaps out of
the back end of the trailer, having punched his way back out. He lands
atop a station wagon, leaving a neat indentation. 

Requiem .oO(Now fetid wretch...I have you.)

Parasite yells to the skies "PENDLEGRAUER?! You have it! You have my
sustenance! My power!" He seems to be concentrating hard on getting the
words out. 

Requiem draws an arrow from her quiver and draws it across the serpent
bow. She leans out around the corner as the Parasite stands high on the
car, drawing her aim to his leg. 

Harold crawls for his cellular phone, wincing at the bruises he is sure to
have, not seeming to care about the silk suit that is, if not ruined,
definitely damaged severely. 

Harold thinks . o O (Pendlegrauer? He means 'Haldemann', doesn't he?) 

Requiem

        They say that the eyes of a person give gateway to their soul. If
such be the case, then the sapphire eyes before you have closed that gate
and guard it with a fierce will. Her face is finely chisled, framed by a
long mane of chestnut tresses, which are held back in a high topknot and
then spill along her back in spiraling tendrils almost to the ground. Her
body is sleek and lean, baring not the slightest hint of fat, or lack of
conditioning. As she moves, her walk is that of confidence, yet hinted
with a predatory nature. When she speaks, her voice is even, and confident
in tone, twinged with an accent of a rather unique nature.
        She stands before you now, clad in a uniform of a very unearthly
nature..dark and dismal. A skintight bodysuit clings faithfully to her
torso, v-cut at the hips and off the shoulder. The front has been
decorated to resemble a demonic skull, twisted and evil. Around her head
is a circlet of the same origin, a skull design sitting over her forehead.
On her forearms are gloves of the same dark grey and bone white. Small
skull rivets tipping each knuckle. Her long legs are clad in black leather
boots that reach her thighs. The boots are circled at the top of the thigh
seam and just above the knees with a ring of spikes. While bands of
leather lace themselves along her calves. Her long mane of hair is done up
in the usual topknot and hangs long behind her. Set at her hip is a quiver
of arrows and across her back a bow of truly demonic nature, appearking as
a twisted serpent, razor sharp on the tips, and just as deadly in use. 


An arrow flies across the street at the monster, the razoredged tip homing
in upon it's mark. *fissssssssssss*

*THUNK* The arrow cleanly bites into the purplish flesh of its target, the
tip poking out of the calf of the Parasite. He lets out a low growl, and
wraps a misshapen hand around the shaft stuck in his leg. "....Hunger..." 
He breaks the shaft off and looks at it with feral curiousity.
"Hunger...." He peers around the area. "....Food..." 

Parasite casually drains a woman in a power suit as he drops to the street
amongst the halted cars. The wound in his leg fades and he starts
quickening his pace. 

Another shaft flies it's way to the other leg as Requiem draws herself
into view, the next arrow already nocked upon the twisted bow, "Demon!"
She calls out, "Your time has come." 

Parasite's head snaps in the direction of the voice, and the shaft sinks
into his other leg. "...food." he mutters, decisively. He glances around,
and picks up a Buick, the driver and passenger leaping out as he hefts it
overhead, grunting. 

Harold grasps his phone, half crawling, half-running towards a nearby
alleyway. . o O (Damn...That was Lehmann's assistant...she was a bright
kid, too...) He looks less panicky than he feels. 

Parasite twists, throwing the Buick like a malformed discus at Artemis. It
whips through the air with inhuman velocity at its target, clipping a
powerline on its path. 

Requiem curses, "Damn you Hecate.." under her breath as she breaks out of
the path of the flying car, the wall behind her crumbling as the Buick
imbeds itself within. Her third arrow flies, this one towards his center. 

Larry the hot dog vendor yanks Harold out of the street from the alleyway,
and flattens his back against the wall. "Holy christ, man...I thought for
sure you were a goner..." 

Parasite takes the arrow in the chest, glowing eyes shutting briefly. He
lets out a low roar, and runs towards a small shopping center's plaza,
waves of vampiric energy dancing around him like electric snakes. People
in his path begin falling left and right, the screams growing to a
cacophany. He doesn't seem to be interested in wholly draining them now,
just taking 'snacks', leaving dozens of unconcious Metropolitans. 

Harold shakes his head and adjusts his glasses. "I thought I was, too. Who
the hell is that guy?" he says rhetorically. "We better move back." He
starts pushing Larry further back into the alleyway as the Parasite's
energy expands. 

Parasite lets out a shriek, pointing after Artemis. "....You are one of
them! You will will satiate me...you will sustain me until I can find that
coward..." 

Harold punches a few buttons on his cellular phone. "Damn! Dead." he says,
putting it away. 

Larry nods, running down the alleyway. "Its...the Parasite...he killed
Superman and Supergirl...God, where the hell is the Justice League...?" 

Requiem leaps atop a parked Volvo and begins to unleash a volley of arrows
at the beast, a sickening smile drawing across her thin lips as the thrall
of battle begins to intoxicate her. "I am your executioner bastard!" She
calls in a mocking tone. 

Harold shakes his head. "The cops have a secure line but I don't know that
they know to use it, they've been gone for so long..." . o O (Everyone
thinks of the League first...even now...) 

Parasite takes three arrows in the torso, and one in the neck.
Unfortunately, as his hunger is satiated, his power increases, and the
shafts rebound after leaving small knicks in his purplish skin. He charges
the Volvo, snapping a street sign off as he races towards Artemis.

Larry pauses to catch his breath by an apartment complex's back patio.
"...there's gotta be someone around to stop him...there's just gotta
be..." 

Harold thinks . o O (Parasite...of course, that's right...)

You say "If I can get to a phone, I can...er...well, hell, I just need to
get to a phone, trust me on this one, Larry." 

Harold ducks out of the way of a running man, waving wildly at a taxi that
ignores him. "Hell!" he says again. Probably the harshest language he's
ever used outside of the Capitol building. 

Larry nods. "Okay okay...uh...look...Payphone!" He points over a fence by
a Quickie Shack convienience store. 

Harold nods. "Right...er...hey, give me my change, I haven't got a
quarter." 

Parasite swings the street sign out at Artemis as the closes in on her,
the top of it flying off with the velocity of the swing. He growls "No
escape..." 

Larry fishes around in his pocket. "Here..." He offers some lint, a
paperclip, and two quarters. He glances nervously back at the metahuman
melee. 

Requiem charges towards the beast and vaults into the air, bringing her
bow down as a short spear of sorts at him, "Time to die filth!" The sign
and the bow clash, streaking sparks off of the unearthly weapon she holds. 

Parasite smiles in a disgusting sort of animal leer, and bright sparks
signal the activation of his energy drain, lancing around Artemis as it
travels up the signpost. 

Harold puts the quarter in the payphone and punches a number. "Mary, it's
Harold. Look, put me through to the secure line and get me the League
ASAP. The Parasite's tearing up midtown, one of the archers is about to
get toasted, I can never tell which is which, and Superman is nowhere to
be seen. Someone's got to be there! And call the Mayor at once.
Okay...yeah, go, move, I'm fine." 

Larry watches Harold talk, wincing.

Harold clicks his tongue as he is put on hold....something that not even
lawyers can avoid.... 

Harold thinks . o O (Combat phone calls.)

Larry points to Requiem and Parasite as they tangle. "Uh...man...might
scratch one archer..." 

Harold nods sadly...."Okay, I'm on the secure line...they're trying a
connection now. Damn, it's going to be too late..." 

Requiem grimaces as the leeching begins to draw from her, she whips back
with her ebbing strength and kicks straight up between his legs, hoping to
stun him a moment so that she may withdraw again. 

Parasite writhes with perverse pleasure as he feels Requiem's life force
sucked into his own reserve, strengthening him more...He takes the groin
kick with nary a flintch, muttering "...Weak...weaker....weakest...." as
he feels her energy waning. 

Parasite says "A strong life, at last! Worth the struggle for this
taste..." 

Larry eyes Harold. "Secure line...to the League?" He looks really dubious. 

Requiem begins to stumble, her legs giving. She draws back with a savage
yell and tries to plunge her bow within his chest, the twisted weapon
seeking his heart. 

Harold nods. "It's a dirty job." he says.

Harold shouts into the phone suddenly. "Hello? Hello?" He covers his other
ear with his hand. "I can't hear you very well, are you there?" 

From afar, Wonder Woman strains to understand. "Hello...? Mister Dayton,
is that you?" 

Harold shouts. "Yes...Diana? Something's happening Midtown...the Parasite
is tearing the place up and one of the archers is in trouble...she's
wearing black...she can't hold him off long...get down here and bring
everyone you can!" 

Wonder Woman pages: The phone lands with a clunk, as you vaguely hear the
door to the hangar hiss open, then shut.. 

Larry doubletakes at Harold as he says 'Diana'. He doesn't ask, deciding
to keep his eye on the brawl. 

Harold hangs up. "Okay...I hope it got through..."

Requiem's eyes widen as she realizes the is unable to hold the bow back as
he forces it back at her. The tip begins to sink into her sternum. She
clenches her jaw to fight off the scream f pain. 

From above, Wonder Woman descends to the street below.
Wonder Woman has arrived.

You say "It got through."

Harold looks confident again.

Parasite gives a triumphant chortle that echoes above the other sounds in
the immediate area, and raises the bow over head, ready to plunge it into
Requiem's chest. "Finished! Bring more of your friends, next time!" 



------- After a short break ------

Harold and Larry the weiner man (he owns a hot dog stand) emerge from the
relative safety of the convenience store to gawk at the fracas happening
above. Larry keeps pestering Harold for Diana's phone number, but Harold
remains adamant. 

From above, Wonder Woman gasps in disbelief. "Monster!" she screams
angrily. She jerks her head to look over her shoulder as she figures out
the trajectory of the APC. With her bracelets before her, she takes the
brunt of the massive weight of the APC, deflecting it enough so that it
plummets down towards an alleyway. She is driven back into the side of a
skyscraper from the impact with a grunt of pain. Pushing herself tiredly
from the crater she's made, she forces herself to dart towards the falling
men, Parasite far from her mind.

From above, Parasite laughs resoundingly, and raises a glowing crackling
hand before the gaping pale features of the cop in his hand. "And now...I
need to touch up some bruises." 

From above, Wonder Woman darts through the sky, snatching up the
plummeting officers in a blur of dark hair with red, blue, and gold
streaming behind. She catches the last officer by the collar of his
bulletproof vest, wincing as she hears some of his ribs snap from the
sudden stop just a few feet from the ground. She dumps the officers off
haphazardly into a pile before looking back up. 

Requiem lets her arrow fly, the last in her quiver. The shaft soaring
skyward towards the monster. 

From above, Wonder Woman descends to the street below.
Wonder Woman has arrived.

As her last arrow has been loosed, Artemis draws her small dagger, holding
her wound with the free hand. 

From above, Parasite takes the arrow to his eye, and lets out a
earthshaking scream. He drops the cop and holds his face. "Damned
bitch..." He takes the arrow out of his somewhat dimmed eyesocket. He
grits his round maw and flies to a skyscraper side. He chops through it
with a bypass of his extended arm, and pushes it towards the area where
Artemis is poised. "I will suffer no more...no more hunger..." 

From above, Parasite clutches his face, letting out a bestial growl, and
ascends out of view as the screams intensity far below. 

From above, Parasite ascends to the sky above.

Wonder Woman mutters in horror at the spectacle of the plummeting officer
and the falling debris, "Oh dear Gods..." She blurs up at the speed of
thought, grabbing the officer and throwing him towards a nearby rooftop. 
She spins around, darting under the falling building. With her arms
outstretched, she catches it enough to slow it down...but it descending
beneath it as it continues to fall... 

Harold blinks at the building. "Oh, man." he says. "No wonder premiums are
so high in this district." 

Requiem sneers through blood stained lips as the building descend above
her, slowed only by the strength of her sister. She tries to push herself
towards some sort of cover, dumpster...manhole...anything, but her wound
slows her as does the aftereffects of the attack.

Harold runs a hand through his hair and straightens his tie, somehow
managing to look dignified again despite the scratches and bruises. 

The officers scurry away from the growing shadow of the plummeting Amazon
and her partial building... 

Harold and Larry involuntarily wince as the building gets closer to the
ground, preparing for the roar of impact...but does it come? 

Requiem curses as she watches the impending impact upon her.

Wonder Woman strains to hold up the building as it remorselessly forces
her downwards from the weight and momentum of the steel and concrete. She
disappears from sight as it strikes the ground with a whirl of dust and
shrieking metal of the cars beneath it.

The building falls to the earth, covering the Amazon, and her sister alike..

Slowly, the building rises slightly. A voice beneath, obviously straining,
says "Artemis...get out.." 

A hand emerges from the rubble streaked with blood, it begins to drag
forth a person...Requiem..slowly, painfully. She reaches the mere edge of
the impact site and then collapses. 

Harold thinks . o O (Damn.)

Wonder Woman works her way out from under the building section, finally
emerging out the side that Artemis escaped. She sets the building down
wearily on the street. With a glance at her sister, she starts helping
people out of the section of building. 

Requiem rolls to her back and gasps for the air.

Wonder Woman tears open a small window, and begin assisting the paramedics
with helping the injured from within the section of building. 

Harold approaches again, then thinks better of it. . o O (They know where
to find me if they need me, I don't need to get in the way. I wonder who
she is...) 

Harold hails a taxi on a more functional street and gives Larry a wave.
"I'm sure I'll see you around." he says. "Take it easy."