Specter, Chapter 5: Heroing Hard with a Vengeance Report

Agent Vi, myself, collected Agent Jay and used previous cover identities as members of Titan Security. Titan, a reputable security firm that has contracts all along the east coast from Vibora Bay to New York, holds the contract for securing the Paragon Network building in Atlantic City. This is not a trivial task.

Atlantic City, much like Gotham City to the north, is infamous for producing more criminal organizations and costumed-themed criminals per day than your average comic book company. Agent Vi assumes it’s something in the water. I agree with her.

As stated in the last report, we moved in to contact the Wyldfire team. Using our cover identities as Titan Security guards, we were able to get close. Unfortunately, the Card Shark Syndicate’s crew was already in motion toward Paragon Networks.

Also unfortunate was that Wyldfire noticed the Card Shark crew moving in. Before we could make contact, Feral and Dr. Blake moved to distract and intercept Titan Security in the parking deck. Agent Vi and myself presume it was to clear an escape route for the rest of the Wyldfire team.

It was a valid, sound plan. This is also what lead Agent Jay into being ambushed by Feral, as he was on duty in the parking deck security office. Wyldfire did mange to clear the path out, but Card Shark’s people had an ace up their sleeve.

The syndicate already had one of their Deck Agents on the inside of Paragon Networks who let the rest of their team inside.

This is where everyone’s plans tilted sideways.

Inside Paragon Networks, a Card Shark Deck Agent was disguised as the receptionist. Paragon, like many companies in Atlantic City, uses an administrative assistant service. Using stolen AIM tech, they were able to disrupt Titan Security’s system for less than a second. This was just enough for the Deck Agent to let the rest of his criminal associates inside.

As fate would have it, at the same moment, Wyldfire became suspicious of the rented warehouse space to the northwest of Paragon Network’s building. Perhaps the heroes noticed something unusual on the data center monitors, such as sporadic messages written in Kyptonian or unusual temperature shifts. Items which the Paragon employees wouldn’t have been trained to deal with or fully understand.

Dr. Adel Urda-Na was the first to go investigate while Amythyst and Medkit provided ample distraction. Based on the security footage, Dr. Urda-Na managed to use her ample technical skills to crack the keypad lock on the warehouse. Once inside, she discovered the ugly truth behind Oscorp’s activity in the data center warehouse.

In that rented space, Oscorp had set up a makeshift lab. The setup seemed to be a further continuation of their work in their Metropolis location. At this time, this hasn’t been confirmed as we have not made it entirely inside that part of the building.

One of the dangerous ‘Oscorp Protector’ meta-clones, an Oscorp Enforcer, and one of the Oscorp Cryo-Enforcers guarded the location. Early information shows they are not alone. At the north end of the room, unfortunately where Dr. Urda-Na entered, were two figures in power armor. SAFEGUARD records suggest these may be Kryptonian ‘Sentinel Troopers’.

Dr. Urda-Na attempted to use a ruse to head in, but Agent Vi recorded a brief conversation in Kryptonian between Dr. Urda-Na and the troopers. It wasn’t friendly. A partial translation suggests the two troopers are members of the Society of Rao, a Kryptonian terrorist group that is as criminal and corrupt as Earth’s own Hammer Empire. Also, they are no less deadly.

Her ruse to conduct a maintenance inspection was valid, but the Sentinel troopers were unconvinced. This altered the fanatical Oscorp Protector that attacked her on sight. The situation erupted from there.

It was a fight on two fronts. First, there was the building invasion by the Card Shark syndicate crew at the front door. They used a classic “bank heist” tactic. In the warehouse, the Oscorp and Society of Rao realized they had been discovered, and so fought back. The current theory is they have called for backup to help them escape.

Wyldfire, Titan Security forces, those of us from SAFEGUARD are caught in the middle. I went with one of the Titan Security guards to escort Dr. Blake in the front of Paragon Networks. Feral and another Titan Security guard entered through the warehouse outside door.

Inside, Agent Vi reported that after Dr. Urda-Na’s discovery, Amythyst and MedKit moved to back up their teammate when they realized she was in trouble. Amythyst followed Dr. Urda-Na’s footsteps, transforming into his crystal armor form in time to break past the Sentinel Troopers and grant Dr. Urda-Na breathing room from being attacked.

Medkit was taken to the security office by Paragon Network employees. A good call on their part. Not long after he arrived, the Titan Security officer in charge moved out with what remained of his team to subdue the Card Shark crew. Once alone, Agent Vi installed a SAFEGUARD filter program to auto filter out any presence of Wyldfire or SAFEGUARD at the location. After setting that to run, she escorted MedKit into the warehouse area and engaged the Oscorp forces.

In the lobby, the Card Shark crew proved they are as formidable as ever. But they were unprepared for Dr. Blake’s unconventional style. Feigning submission to be a hostage, he tossed a device that trapped the Card Shark crew lead, One-Eyed Jack, in a ‘force bubble’.

One-Eyed Jack attempted to use his Power Cane to shatter the tube but struck himself accidentally instead. This gave Dr. Blake time to mix the ingredients from his medical bag in a coffee thermos to make a crude explosive. This he tossed under a nearby coffee table, where it detonated seconds later.

One Deck Agent, a Face Card Agent with telekinetic powers, and a Titan Security guard were tossed aside from the blast. The explosion stunned all three.

At this time, Agent Vi and myself are directly assisting the Wyldfire team. The moment the situation is under control, we will break cover and make contact. It is now or never to gain Wyldfire’s assistance with the larger problem at hand.