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Highway Robbery; [Ruby Reds]
Topic Started: Jan 25 2010, 06:45 AM (425 Views)
Rodney McCain
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Invisibility, X-Ray Vision
Time of day: 11 PM
Place in the time-line; October 24, 2008



Federico Quijano, age 29, was a 4.0 student in high school, was taking correspondence and online classes to get his Bachelor's, and one day hopes to get his MBA. He also, on average, orders the deaths of 1.7 people every week. 88 or 89 people a year. Simply put, Federico Quijano was St. Louis' murder problem. He was an Emperor, and St. Louis was his empire.

He started absorbing other gangs into his own local Latin Kings when he was a sophomore in high school. 2 years ago, he absorbed a crew from East St. Louis, Crip-Affiliated. Low rent pot deals, some thievery. Nothing splashy, except about six or seven months later, one of those Crip's little brother did something fantastic. Rodney Jamal McCain, a second grader, turned invisible. Word traveled up to the Emperor pretty quickly, and pretty soon, RJ was earning for the Emperor. First, it was just pick-pocketing and simple jobs, pulling files out of a DA's cabinet. Shit like that. About 6 months ago, the Emperor put a .22 in RJ's hand, and told him to take out a Vietnamese Tiger that was giving El Emperador trouble. That's when RJ became the Ghost. The kid hadn't turned completely visible since then.

Course with all the bullshit with Jus Soli, Federico knew that sooner or later somebody was going to come knocking on his door about his little Ghost. He was just lucky that it wasn't the Feds, one of those SHIELD assholes, but one of those Jus Soli Reclamation agents or whatever the hell they were called. When Geoffrey McCain put the mutie onto El Emperador's trail, El Emperador y sus reyes had to bust a few holes into the mutie.

Of course, when it rains, it pours. DeMarcus, one of his lieutenants, un rey, had a cousin in New York, works for the Giants. When the Giants came to play the Rams, DeMarcus' cousin talked about a mutant crew that worked out of New York. El Emperador figured the crew that was standing in front of him was what DeMarcus was talking about.

"So, what brings a bunch of big bad mutantes out from the Empire State to my humble abode?" El Emperador huffed. Ghost watched silently from the second floor balcolny, completely invisble.
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Cyclops
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Punches from the Punch Dimension
"Ruby, I never ask you for anything, I'm asking for this," Inferno had said, Ambassador Alex Summers of Jus Soli crawling to his big criminal brother. There was a satisfaction in that in Ruby's heart, his perfect golden boy brother stooping to ask him for help.

He agreed to do this ultimately not for Alex.

It was for the kid. It was for the kid that was apparently being used by this monkey. It never occurred to Ruby that he used the kids in the same way, because Ruby, for all his flaws and violent tempers, for all his selfishness and drunken misery, believed he gave them a home, and a family. Ruby was an asshole, with more drink and drug in his system than sense or sentiment, but he wasn't an animal. He wasn't one of these fucking cowards who left their own people to be used by the monkeys.

Besides, what the kid did for this Emperor creep, he could do for Ruby, right?

"So, what brings a bunch of big bad mutantes out from the Empire State to my humble abode?" El Emperador huffed.

Ruby, thirty one now, looking a bit older than his age thanks to his extremely unhealthy lifestyle, though the only obvious weakness was his limp and the cane he used to support himself, stood unafraid in front of the crimelord. Missouri? Really? C'mon, he ruled New York. That was the big leagues. "I think you know exactly why we're here, El Emperador," Ruby said, maintaining that almost monotonous calm to his voice that he used with his enemies. It was rare that any outside his circle saw his temper.

It was even more rare that any of those few survived it.

Ruby looked around the not-so-"humble abode,' looking for some sign of the kid. He was a baby, from what Alex had told him, just a little kid, but there were no toys, no signs that anyone but grown ups lived here. "Let's just say I'm the truant officer and me and my assistants here," he nodded at the couple of his gang he'd brought with, "Are here to see why your little boy isn't in school."
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Wolfsbane
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Wolf Form
The Wolf Girl had made significant progress since first being rescued by Ruby, both socially and physically. She could speak, though she didn't do so all too often and rarely anything that wasn't short and to the point. She no longer had troubles understanding what people said for the most part, though if they spoke too quickly or with too thick an accent, she needed some time to catch up.

Physically, she looked more and more like an actual young woman than she ever had, and had discovered that there was a shifting aspect to her. She wasn't terribly good at it, but was getting better and could almost control how far in and out she could shift at any time. At the moment, she looked mostly human, but her shaggy, unkempt hair, piercing golden eyes and slightly elongated features. At a distance, she would look normal enough. Up close, the traces of canine features were more noticeable.

She stood silently at Ruby's side, not adding to the exchange in any way. She knew well enough to always let Ruby do the talking. She was just to stand there, stare down whoever Ruby was talking to, threaten to tear that person apart with nothing but a look.

But this time, her attention was caught by something different. There was more here than met the eye - she could smell it. A person, a small person, standing in plain view yet completely invisible. She stared at the invisible person, or rather the place he was at. His scent was as noticeable to her as would be a bright neon sign.
Posted Image

[size0]Say the dog and butterfly,
in the air they like to fly.
Dog and butterfly.
She knew she had to try,
and she float back down to the warm soft ground,
laughing - she don't know why,
but she had to try, she had to try.
Dog and Buttefly.


Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much!
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Jamie Madrox(Old)
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Impact Enduced Duplication
Welcome to St. Louis! Beta had passed through the arched city on his way from Kansas to New York. He got the feeling there was a large organized crime world in St. Louis but he knew that wasn’t the place for him. He wanted to strike it big and the multiplying mutant knew that New York City was the place for him to strike it rich. If he could make it there, then he could make it anywhere. Those years ago, he was just a kid happy to pass through, take in the sites like the Arch and head on his merry way across the Mississippi River. It turned out that this self appointed emperor thought he was the best thing around. Somehow word got to Ruby about a young mutant in the service of El Emperador but wasn’t a mutant himself. That sounded like business right up Ruby’s alley. That was an acquisition that they were going to make.

Beta stood by his boss. He was ready to multiply at any given order or at any sign that Ruby was in trouble. Beta wasn’t armed but the goons would have to mow down an army of duplicates in order to stop Ruby from getting what he wanted. Beta looked around the room. There was no sign of the kid at all that Alex had told them about. El Emperador was probably at the utmost alarm having these mutants in his headquarters. He had no idea what kind of powers they had or what they could do. Beta was keeping his eyes sharp and trained for any kind of threat.

The plan was pretty much simple. They were going to get the kid and make him part of the Ruby Red family. Beta wasn’t sure what role the kid would play. Maybe he’d be the cute adopted kid that came on in a later season to pull in viewers that had strayed away. Whatever the kid could do, he would have a place in Ruby’s gang. They all did. At that time, it was Beta’s role to stand silently and let his boss talk. He was the muscle. What he lacked in strength he made up for in numbers.


Beta couldn't help but think that for all the granduer that El Emperador tried to show off, he was small potatoes compared to what they had going on in New York. Perhaps it was just Beta's ego or hubris but he couldn't help the grin on his face. Hell, the should just wipe this wannabe out and take over his organization. It would be like a corporate buyout, if buyouts resulted in a body count.
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Rodney McCain
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Invisibility, X-Ray Vision
El Emperador was anything but stupid. This was a very precarious situation to be in. A bunch of muties in his house were in his house, knew where he lived. He wasn't going to be messing these guys around. From what ears to the ground that he had, he knew that these mutantes didn't mess around. At least their leader didn't. Words of his deeds were passed around the bars and dens of iniquity. He was nearly like that Keyser Soze cat from the movies. But on the other hand, even with their powers, they weren't going to be able to fight their way out of a hostile St. Louis and not suffer a few casualties. Heck, with as many guards that el Emperador, the freaks would most likely be put down before they got to the driveway.

"So the mutant balloon that we popped," El Emperador stroked the nascent beard on his oily face, "I knew it, I just knew that that we shouldn't have put that freak in the ground. Shit like that just rolls back on you, doesn't it?"

"You wanna talk about the Ghost up in my mansion? Well, I ain't gonna lie, because I'm a man of my word... I like the little paranormal activity in my life."

"But, I'm a businessman, you're a businessman," el Emperador said with the winning smile that he claimed was just as important as the TEC-9 that he always carried.

"My little Casper, he brings home five-kay a day, easy. Now, I doubt you and merry muchachoes want to be hitting that vig up to me, so, you want him, you gotta do something that's going to stabilize my balance sheet."

"I figure, it's worth more than five-kay a day for a bit of peace of mind, so you gotta ask yourself, 'What can I do for el Emperador?'," his hands cut through the air like knives; El Emperador was always very gesticulative. "The last group in St. Louis that isn't operating for me is a bunch of Vietnamese dudes, the Tigers. Old Vietcong bullshit, you know? Parents come over, kids can't do shit, they try to earn, whatever."

"They're expecting a shipment, horse, from Chi-Town. I wasn't gonna do shit, because the Tigers get some high-quality firepower, I don't know from where. North Korea or something. But from what my accountants can tell, and word on the street is, the Tigers, they need cash. The shipment's interrupted, maybe their finances take a turn for the worse. No more city hall snitches; nothing to make the cops turn a blind eye to their sweatshops."

"That seems fair to me: you guys make me the undisputed king, and I give you guys a proven, profitable, money-maker."

(OOC: Other Rubies can still join if they want to.)
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Cyclops
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Punches from the Punch Dimension
The Pup was looking at a spot intently, and Ruby followed her gaze. She didn't stare like that unless there was something worth staring out. The kid was called Ghost, and the kid had the power to disappear, according to the intel baby brother had given him. That meant, the kid was standing up there, on the balcony, watching. Ruby was not unaware that theatricality was needed. Oh, no, in fact, he knew how to use to his advantage. His entire persona was modeled on theatricality, from his wardrobe, to his speech, to his lifestyle. He had an idea of how his life should be to get the respect and the control that he wanted, the freedom.

He tilted his head as he listened to the little gangster and indicated with a nod to Beta that he should pay attention to what Rahney was doing. Then, as the offer (or ultimatum) was laid out, Ruby smiled, a very cold and very mirthless smile, and he said, "You're a business man, yeah, I appreciate that. I'm going to lay it straight with you because to lie would be disrespectful. This operation you got, doing whatever it is you're doing here..." Ruby knew exactly what he was doing, but it wasn't the purpose of this little head to head, "None of my business. Stay out of New York, and you and I can exchange Christmas cards. Hell, maybe we can work together if it's mutually beneficial, whatever. Like I said, None of mine. If doing this little task for you is what it takes to get the prize I want, I don't see an issue. I'm not here to cut your profits."

Lifting his cane, he jabbed at the air, pointing at the spot where he assumed, by Rahne's attentiveness, the boy stood, "That kid though. He's ours by rights, by the fact that he's one of us. He's mutant, and you keeping hold of him? Doesn't sit well with me. I'll run your errand, my compatriots and me, but not until we catch a glimpse of the boy. I want to see that we're getting him in time, if you feel me."
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Karma
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Ruby had his gang, and within it, there were very few whom he trusted the most that came with him in most of his endeavors if they weren’t doing something else specifically important that they were needed for. One of those was his left-hand woman, Xi’an Coy Manh, or simply just Shan. She was now needed for another job, but it required her to leave New York. For the first time in her life, Shan left the east coast. For as much as she has traveled, it was her first time leaving New York’s boundaries to do a job outside of the busy little state.

She stood behind the others while they confronted the mid-west crime lord. In an all-black leather suit with small pockets here and there containing some of her most deadly weapons, Shan remained to be the quiet soldier, only speaking when a response was needed or when she had a quip to say. From the moment the entered the place she did a scan of the room. She knew the kid was in their presence, she could sense his emotions. Her attention was on him the entire time, that was until she heard the mention of the Tigers from el emperador.

Though she had never stepped foot out of New York she was well aware of the Tigers. They were a Vietnamese group who had great power and influence, who at one point attempted to recruit Shan when she first came to America. It was Ruby’s gang whom she joined, however, and she didn’t have any regrets. In fact, Shan was more than excited for the prospect of a mission against them. The gang was tough, but they still carried on mannerisms that were typical of her homeland in Vietnam. They were respectful, and she figured she could probably taste some delicious home-cooked meals before divulging into their psyche and lobotomizing them all.

But, Shan remained silent, with her hands near her pockets ready to pounce when she needed to. If Ruby needed her to do the job, she was more than well qualified. Either way, she kept her attention on the boy. He as the prize here and now, and if she knew Ruby, he wouldn’t be leaving without the prize that he was yearning for.
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Rodney McCain
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Invisibility, X-Ray Vision
There wasn't a whole for El Emperador to do. He wasn't used for people to second-guessing his orders. In fact, he wasn't used for people sticking around after he gave said orders. Usually he said jump, and they went straight out and looked for the nearest bridge to use. Not like he could really complain. This Ruby fellow wasn't in his employ. There was a season and time for anything and everything. Juvenile bullshit, like getting offended by lack of respect, the time and season for that was when you were a juvenile. That's why El Emperador was were he was. He didn't kill guys because they stepped on his shoes in a night club. He was judicious in his use of force. Magnanimity could be as fearsome a weapon as wrath.

"What, you think I snap my fingers and he just appears? I don't know where the kid is. Maybe Spongebob is on, y'know? He's probably up in his room, or something."

Rodney wasn't in his room, and he really didn't like Spongebob. He didn't really like anything these days. He was having nightmares. He didn't like pulling the trigger.

"Listen, mutantes," El Emperador said, cutting the air with his hands, "Fair is fair. Little Rodney, he ain't all there, and I mean that literally. Kid keeps himself halfway transparent all the time, been that way for months. Now, I can assure you, this kid, he don't want for nothing. He's fed, he's got clothes. I even hired a chica to come and make sure he's learning how to read and write, play the piano. It's in my best interest to keep him healthy. Worth a lot of money. You get to see the Ghost when you pay me. Just like those haunted houses at Halloween. Understand?"
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Wolfsbane
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Rahne kept her attention focused on the boy, being the only one whose senses were sharp enough to know exactly where he was. Well, perhaps Karma could tell with her mind powers, but that wasn't a concern to Rahne. She knew she could "see" the boy, smell him, hear his breathing, that was all she needed. Ruby wanted the boy, so she'd keep track of him.

She was willing, as always, to do whatever Ruby wanted of her, whether that was hurting this Emperador or climbing up and grabbing the boy or just staying put so that it could all be talked over. It didn't matter to Rahne what Ruby wanted, she would do it, no questions asked, no hesitation.

She glanced over to Ruby for one moment, indicating with a quick movement of her eyes in Rodney's general direction exactly where he was. Then she looked up to the man they were negotiating with. He didn't seem to catch on that she knew where the boy was, so maybe it was best to not let that information slip loose.

The man was taunting them, she was sure of it. He had something waiting in the wings and it was bad.
Posted Image

[size0]Say the dog and butterfly,
in the air they like to fly.
Dog and butterfly.
She knew she had to try,
and she float back down to the warm soft ground,
laughing - she don't know why,
but she had to try, she had to try.
Dog and Buttefly.


Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much!
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Jamie Madrox(Old)
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Impact Enduced Duplication
Beat was busy trying to give an air of intimidation and keeping his eye out, out of the corner of his eye, for any kind of threat that might come. They were on a stranger’s turf and the Ruby’s had to more or less play by the rules. They might be mutants but el Emperador controlled a lot of real estate and it would suck for the Ruby Reds to have to fight through all of that turf just to get back home. Part of Beta made an internal joke about that making the premise for a good movie. Now, however, they learned that if they wanted the little Ghost kid, they would have to march in and bring the pain to a rival gang so el Emperador could reign supreme. Beyond that, they wouldn’t owe each other anything but Ruby knew what he was doing.

Ruby made a small gesture for Beta. He looked in the direction of The Pup and she was looking intently in the direction of the balcony. Beta wanted to be discrete in how he was trying to pinpoint what Rahne was looking at. He looked around the room slowly and then casually drifted his gaze upward toward the balcony. It was completely empty so why was Rahne staring up there? The pieces came together and Beta realized that maybe the amazing Vanishing Baby was up there, all invisible and whatnot.

Beta smirked on the inside. Fine enough. They would go kill all of The Tigers and be on their merry way with the kid. There were probably a lot of strings attached. The Tigers wouldn’t go down without a fight. The Ruby Red’s would have to march in and let the fire fly. Take no prisoners. In the end, that’s how it would be if Ruby wanted it that way.
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Cyclops
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Punches from the Punch Dimension
He was being denied and there was nothing Ruby hated more than having his desires kept from him, The angry and frightened fifteen year old had long ago frown into a still angry, but much less timid adult. He'd grown accustom to snapping his fingers and getting what he wanted. He no longer simply requested, he demanded and people bent to his wishes or they wished they had. His people saw to it, and he rewarded them for their devotion and acquiescence.

The upstart penny ante player thought to stand against Ruby? He thought he could keep this kid, this mutant kid, from his own people? Yeah, that did not suit Ruby well. Rahne and Beta were locked in on the kid, and Karma could possess this little primate with as much effort as it took to swat a mosquito. But this was a game of control and power and it could easily turn into a war if Ruby was not careful.

Turning his head towards the balcony following the Pup's instincts, Ruby called up to the little boy. "You're one of us, Ghost, I can't see you and I can't reach you, but I feel you, and when I come back, I'm coming for you. You don't have to be a ghost anymore. You'll be a gem."

Looking at his people, Ruby said, "We have a job to do, Ladies and Gents, let's do it. I want out of St. Louis and out of Missouri with my prize before the sun sets. Wouldn't want to stay in a haunted house after dark, now would we?"

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