Various social media | Video

[qualityfriend]

Display Name: THE RESISTANCE
Profile Photo: A picture of Fantastic with a red circle with the line through it and dripping with blood for good measure
Notes: Terrorism though it's stopped

All your favorite social media sites have a new livestream posted to them at the same time. It starts by showing a group of hostages, bound gagged and terrified, then the camera turns around to show a woman in a face-covering spandex suit. Those who follow supervillain activity or Fantastic's exploits might recognize her as Flashstep, who has mostly been involved in attempted heists, using her teleportation powers to get past security and befuddle her non-powered opponents, but Fantastic has always stopped her.

She's usually been taunting and almost flirty in the past, but when she starts talking, her voice is unusually cold. She says that fun time is over, if the people are going to accept Fantastic, then they all deserve to die. She moves, leaving the building, a nondescript office, continuing to rant, as the wind picks up and suddenly Fantastic shows up, grabbing her before she can do anything. He wrenches the camera and a detonator out of her hands and, from what can be seen from the camera's new vantage point on the ground, roughs her up and puts her in handcuffs.

Then he picks up the camera and solemnly addresses it. He says that he understands people are upset, but that violence against innocents is unacceptable. He asks, almost pleadingly, that if anyone has a problem with him, they face him themselves and leave others out of it. With that, he turns off the camera.

Comments

[qualityfriend]

First we should find out where I've been going when I black out. [She rummages in her purse for the tracker.] Do you need this?

[robintohood]

Yup. Leave it by the laptop.

[After several minutes, the coffee's ready and Jason walks over with two mugs. He offers one of them to Dana, puts his own down and turns on his laptop]

This isn't exactly the level of resources I'm used to but we should learn something at least.

[qualityfriend]

[She takes the offered mug and has a gulp. It's still somewhat too hot, but the pain will help keep her awake and focused. Probably.]

I hope so. This has gone too far for too long.

[robintohood]

[Jason looks over the physical tracker for any damage]

Yeah, I get it. The escalated bullshit with the guilds hasn't helped either.

[qualityfriend]

[There's nothing more than the wear and tear that you'd expect from it being carried loose in a purse.]

Ugh, don't remind me. It's like this place's version of Derek Powers taking over from Wayne.

[robintohood]

That guy is like another Lex Luthor?

[Jason turns on his laptop next and logs in]

[qualityfriend]

Yeah, but with no Superman to oppose him. Or anyone, until the new Batman. So he had twenty years to secure control of the city.

[robintohood]

[Bitterly]

Figures.

[Jason knows Dana comes from a future where Bruce never reconciled with any of his kids. Of course Gotham would go to shit afterwards.

He furrows his brow as starts to look over the tracking data from the last 24 hours. After a pause, he then google searches the address of a building. Real estate photos and a few listings come up]

Apparently you were in a vacant building a couple of hours ago?

[qualityfriend]

[Probably not as bitterly, because it's hard for anyone to be as bitter as Jason where Bruce is concerned. Still, she's trying her best.]

Yeah, so you get the picture.

[She frowns and furrows her brow, looking at the pictures.]

Doesn't seem familiar. But then, no reason why it should. We should probably be careful when investigating it, in case it isn't actually as vacant as it's listed.

[robintohood]

[Jason frowns more]

This possibly being a trap is why you're gonna be here while I check. There's no "we" for this.

[qualityfriend]

Not even as lookout? You sure you'll be okay on your own?

[She has... mixed feelings. She's the one involved, she ought to be there. But he's much better prepared for trouble, and she's not at 100% even for a civilian, and her teleporting can't be counted on.]

At least give me a live line while you investigate.

[robintohood]

I've worked alone plenty of times. It's fine.

[Granted, he died while trying to work alone but that's not what he's concerned about for now.

Jason walks to his bedroom. Dana can hear some things being shuffled as Jason pulls out some equipment from hidden spots he has spread throughout the room. He then comes back with an earpiece]

This'll be connected to my helmet. I keep a commentary as I go. Hopefully nothing cuts us off.

[qualityfriend]

[She takes it readily and fits it on her ear.]

Got it. And if something does cut you off, call another Bat?

[robintohood]

[There's a small pause while Jason considers that. He doesn't like the family getting involved with his affairs if he can help it but this is feeling like something bigger. Other people besides Dana could be getting manipulated]

If I don't come back online within a minute, then yeah. Call any of them and let them know what's been happening. If there's been other victims besides you, then we gotta keep each other in the loop. Also, If you somehow meet Guardian or Kid Flash, you can trust them too. They're family friends.

[qualityfriend]

One minute.

[She pauses.] I know Kid Flash, but who's Guardian?

[robintohood]

You've probably seen him around at the bar before as a civilian. He's got connections to Metropolis.

[Jason's guessing Metropolis is still strongly associated with Superman in the future]

[qualityfriend]

Oh! I've talked to him on the network. About why he didn't trust the Alliance. I didn't realize he changed his name.

[robintohood]

Yeah, he's got his reasons for that. But in any case, you can trust him too. He's close to the family.

[qualityfriend]

I will. He could probably take care of anything needing raw strength. But I hope it won't be necessary.

[robintohood]

For all our sakes, yeah.

[Jason goes to put back on his domino mask and helmet]

Is there anything else you can tell me about these blackouts?

[qualityfriend]

[Shaking her head]

Sorry, nothing I can think of that I haven't already told you.

[She takes another gulp of coffee.]

I'll try to stay awake and on the line in case you need that rescue call.

[robintohood]

[Jason does one more check on his guns and other equipment]

Right. Comms are staying open as long as possible. Hopefully this doesn't take too long.

[qualityfriend]

Yeah. Good luck, and hope you learn something without running into trouble.

[robintohood]

[Once Jason feels ready, he leaves through a window again. Eventually he's back on his motorcycle and starts heading to the seemingly vacant building. Dana can hear enough noise through her earpiece to know Jason means it when he says the comms are staying open.

Soon enough, he parks his motorcycle and uses his grapple gun and parkour skills to finish the rest of the route to the building]

So far, nothing weird. It really looks like just an empty building.

[qualityfriend]

No signs of a secret fight club or anything?

[It's a weak joke, but at least she's joking, right?]