Chapter 15: Crimson and Red Bird II; Confrontations
Jason pulled his armor plated half cape up and clipped it place on his shoulders as Damian flopped down onto the couch in all but his half face masked flipping through the television before their nightly patrol. Damian stopped when a live news feed caught his attention and saw Talisman standing atop a building holding three hostages behind him gagged and blindfolded. He looked normal compared to the first time they saw him with his body looking like an average man's build. The contraption on his chest was positioned facing a tiger mark at that moment.
"What have we here?" Jason asked interested as he stopped getting dressed and watched.
"We're live from Vallent Hills Retreat where the mysterious Crime Lord, Talisman, has taken five hostages." The news anchor speaks. Behind the man on the ground past the police line laid two bodies covered by sheets. "The mad man has already dropped two people to their deaths and S.I.G.H.T. officers have blocked off all exits to the retreat leaving the man trapped on top of the roof to do as he pleases with his remaining three hostages."
"Captain Blair is already there?" Damian studies the screen and sees the petite Police Captain standing in the back ground with a red arm band around her wrist and looking at the camera.
"She's signaling us." Jason pulled his helmet over his head and heads to the window. "Lets go Red Bird."
Vallent Hills Retreat was blocked off on all sides and had news crew in front and on the sides of the building. Talisman sat at the edge of the building in silence as he looked down at the crowd below him. Captain Blair sat in the S.I.G.H.T. offence vehicle with Zane and Quintell going over random facts and knowledge of Talisman and the Humiliators, that are assumed to be spread out with in the building. Another person is in the back of the van searching for something unknown.
"For all we know they have every window and door guarded inside there." Zane motioned looking up at the building. "We dont have enough man power on S.I.G.H.T. alone for this and the other departments are staying out of this cause of 'Jurisdiction'." Zane spat the last word and angrily hit the side of the van. "They're wanting us to humiliate ourselves and watch all of this either blow up in our faces or get ourselves killed."
"You think he got your message Captain?" Quintell looked up at the building. "And do you think he's enough for this?"
"Thanks for the confidence boost there Detective." Came the familiar mechanical voice. Zane and Quintell looked around confused but Blair smiled and pulled her phone from her pocket and smiled down at as Crimson and Red Bird looked back at her from her screen. "I see you havent gotten around to passing out the chips to rest of the team yet."
"I've been kinda busy here if you havent noticed." Blair said defensively. Quintell and Zane looked down on the phone and then back at their Captain. "That little love note Crimson left was for a developmental chip you can place in your phone. It allows one way video calls. I got four ordered. They came in right before this fiasco. Didnt even have a chance to read the instructions. Just inserted the chip and headed out."
"Obviously other wise you would have noticed the new panic app on your phone." Crimson joked. "Press it and it signals us."
"Why did you order four?" Red Bird asked confused.
"CAPTAIN!" A female voice sounded from the van and Veronica Heyfield came stumbling from the back of the van and Crimson and Red Bird had to fight to remain calm. "Scans came back. Building isnt empty. There are about five heat signatures on all seven floors. Except the main floor there are eight. And fourth floor there are six."
Veronica looked down to the phone and saw Crimson and Red Bird looking up at her from her Captain's phone and she gawked. Blair smiled and Quintell and Zane both rolled their eyes.
"Detective Heyfield," Blair introduced, "Meet Crimson and Red Bird. S.I.G.H.T.'s number one and two most wanted."
"Howdy." Crimson said sarcastically. "Captain we're gonna have a word about this when we're done here. Just us in private."
"Cant wait!" Blair winked as the connection was terminated.
"Wait til you meet them in person." Zane joked as Veronica looked confused. "The tall one has a woman in his head telling him all our dirty little secrets."
"And the short ones an asshole." Quintell grunted as he lit a cigarette.
"Did you know she was with S.I.G.H.T.?" Red Bird hissed as they sneaked further into the first floor.
"Do I look like I know anything about that fucking woman?" Crimson hissed back. "I just thought she had a nice ass!"
"Is that all you think about?" Red Bird and Crimson fell to the floor behind the six humilitors.
"No." Crimson said as he scared the Humiliators into turning around to face them. "I also think about how much I hate hired thugs!"
Crimson ran forward before the thugs could react and knocked three of their heads together knocking them out. Red Bird followed suit throwing three bird-arangs out knocking into the other three thugs knocking them out as well. Crimson patted down one of the thugs and found a radio in his pocket and connected his and Red Bird's com links to the frequency.
"One floor down. Six to go." Crimson looked up at the ceiling. "This is gonna be a long ass night."
As Crimson and Red Bird each knocked out another bunch of Humilitor Thugs. They had made slow but efficient process advancing to the third floor. As the duo ran up the stairs to the fourth floor bullet fire was heard inside. Crimson and Red Bird each took position on either side of the door and stared at each other.
"I'm not deaf right?" Crimson asked confused. "I didnt hear radio chatter did you?"
"Did you match the frequency right?" Red Bird asked just as confused.
"Really kid?" Crimson asked hurt. "Have faith."
"You're no Drake," Red Bird said defending himself. As Red Bird was gonna continue talking a body flew through the door and down the stair well between them.
Crimson and Red Bird looked inside to see a slightly petite girl wearing a red leather suit with kevlar patches over her chest arms and thighs and a red cape that swooped to her feet in ragged fashion. Her upper face was hidden by a red ninja kevlar mask and she had long black hair with red streaks through it. She had an 'x' shaped utility belt around her waist with multiple gadgets and bird-arangs.
"What took you two so long?" Red Bird and Crimson looked to each other before stepping out onto the floor and looked over the girl.
"Cain?" Crimson asked.
"Scarlet." Cassandra Cain corrected before doing a stiff but somewhat playful fashion twirl. "I based it off of you and Red Bird. Batman helped me with the kevlar and belt."
"What the fuck?" Crimson asked as Red Bird gawked towards her.
"I am so talking to B-man about this when we're done!" Crimson said through gritted teeth as he knocked out yet another Humilator thug along with Red Bird and Scarlet. "I dont need to babysit two of you!"
"Arent you the one almost begged him to keep Red Bird around?" Scarlet asked seriously as she started walking next to Crimson and Red Bird.
"He's different." Crimson nearly spat. "We've connected and are a team now. He also didnt up and vanish cause he got dumped for someone else."
"Like YOU," Scarlet stopped when Crimson turned on her before they reached the roof top access door and stared right back at the older man, "And myself did?" Crimson calmed a little and crossed his arms. "He thought an extra pair of hands out here would do you some good. So here I am."
"Why Scarlet?" Red Bird asked crossing his arms accepting the situation as was.
"To keep with the theme out here I suppose." The red clad vigilante shrugged her shoulders. "I would rather fight in all black but he said this would have been better."
"You know deep down," Crimson turned back towards the door and drew his right pistol, "Old man cares way to much about fashion."
Crimson kicked the door down and pointed his gun straight out before him followed by Red Bird and Scarlet who mirrored each other's actions rolling to the side and pulling out bird-arangs. Crimson looked around the room and saw the three hostages still tied up gagged and blindfolded and Talisman still sitting on the edge of the roof top.
"Talisman!" Crimson yelled out. "You and I have some unfinished business."
Talisman stood up and turned around. His face was still covered in the gas mask and his body was chilshed but he was shorter then Crimson by nearly a head. The device was still placed on the tiger on his chest and Jason took in all six symbles for the first time. A snake on the very bottom. A bull on the top. A tiger near top right. A dragon near bottom right. A hog near bottom left. And a horse near top left. Each symbol seemed to be linked to a different tube that ran up to the gas mask over the man's face.
"What are you exactly?" Crimson asked as he stepped forward keeping the pistol pointing at Talisman. "What did you see Bane on TV and think, 'I can do that but better'?"
"You sure talk a lot for being a wanna be Batman." Talisman stepped from the edge of the building and paced around Crimson as Red Bird and Scarlet rushed to the hostages. "Take them. I just wanted an audience with you Mister Crimson."
"You've got it now." Crimson said back as he holstered his gun and stood at the ready.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself," Crimson's eyes narrowed as the man bowed formerly, "My name is Talisman. And I'm sure by now you've found that I am a chemist and use this contraption," Talisman patted the dial upon his chest, "To induce certain states that affect my physical and mental prowess."
"Bull is venom." Crimson said causing Talisman to nod his head once. "Snake is Scarecrow fear toxin."
"A stronger and slow acting version yes." Talisman agreed. "Best for incapacitating my prey."
"I remember." Crimson's eyes narrowed behind his mask."
"Why are we doing this?" Talisman asked Crimson taking the hero back. "We're both trying to clean up the streets of Gorge City. You're doing it with Vigilantism while I'm controlling and slowly killing it from with in like a disease and plague."
"That's all you are isnt it?" Crimson asked. "A plague."
Talisman lowered his arms and scrunched his eye brows. "Dont mock me boy."
"Dont piss me off." Crimson ran forward and rammed his open palm against Talisman sending him skidding back. "Oops." Crimson ran forward again and threw a punch which Talisman blocked but Crimson grasped the man by the throat and lifted him into the air. "To late."
Talisman chuckled as a helicopter flew over head a spot line shown down on them. Red Bird and Scarlet each looked up and saw the camera pointed from the side towards them as they untied and helped the hostages to safety. Crimson never looked but felt the heat from the spot light.
"This what you wanted? To expose we exist?" Crimson asked.
"No." Talisman reached up and moved the pendent on his chest contraption towards the horse and jammed the button in. A blue gas snaked its way up the pipe and Talisman inhaled deeply causing him to moan and shake beneath Crimson's hand.
"What the fuck?" Crimson dropped Talisman as the crime lord's body heated up under his gauntlet cover hand. Talisman laughed as his body transformed and his legs extended and his arms seemed to bulk up a bit. He was now nearly a head taller then Crimson and had physique that matched Batman's.
"I wanted an audience for when I rip you to pieces!" Talisman started striking at Crimson who hopped back out of his reach.
"Red Bird, Scarlet get the hostages out of here!" Crimson shouted as he flipped over Talisman and landed a few precise jabs against the man's side causing Talisman to groan and step back.
"Crimson what about..." Scarlet started.
"NOW!" Crimson shouted as he pulled shurikens from his utility belt and tossed them out at Talisman who dropped low dodging them and ran forward.
Crimson caught the on running man and flipped him over his shoulder and and then rammed into Talisman shoulder first into the edge of the building. Crimson ran his knees up into the bigger man's midsection and face as he pounded at the man with fist, knees, and kicks.
Veronica and Zane watched the fight from the portable tv and looked up to see the silhouettes of Crimson and the transformed Talisman. Blair and Quinton were watching in shock as Crimson rained down punishment upon the bigger man.
"Holy hell Cap!" Veronica snickered. "You said this dude is on our side right, are you sure about that?"
"As of now," Blair squinted her eyes and saw the restraint that Crimson was showing, "I have no idea."
Crimson upper cutted Talisman and held onto the man's chest to keep him from flying from the rooftop. Crimson let go of Talisman after pulling him away from the edge and watched the man slump to the ground. Talisman groaned in pain and rolled away from Crimson until he was about ten feet away from him.
"Had enough yet Talisman?" Crimson asked crossing his arms. "Give up now and the pain will end."
"Not my pain." Talisman barely got to his feet and moved the dial up to the bull and green smoke drifted up into the gas mask.
"Ah shit." Crimson uncrossed his arms and prepared for what he knew would be coming.
Talisman groaned and yelled as his body extended and stretched. His body grew and his muscles extended out so much that they strained and Crimson heard tendons popped and tear. Talisman stood up now nearly three feet taller then Crimson himself and roared while lifting his massive arms out to his side.
"This is killing you Talisman cant you see that?" Crimson shouted over the roar. "Stop this now!"
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Talisman roared as he charged towards Crimson.
Red Bird and Scarlet rushed back up the stairs after getting the hostages down the elevator to the waiting S.I.G.H.T. members and then rushed back up the stairs just in time to see Talisman's transformation.
"Dear lord!" Scarlet covered her mouth as Talisman charged.
"CRIMSON!" Red Bird ran forward but was to late as Talisman crashed into Crimson and sent both men flying off the roof. "CRIMSON!"
Crimson caught the man's shoulder at the right angle to keep the breath he had taken in his lungs as Talisman and himself fell from the rooftop. Talisman wrapped his massive arms around Crimson and started to squeeze. However Crimson flexed enough to keep room around him and was able to snake his arms down and grab ahold of his right pistol and pointed it at the base of Talisman's head and started firing.
Screams below signaled the shock of the vigilante using fire arms. Talisman's head flew back as the rubber bullets bounced off his skull and Crimson turned the two and stood up straight on Talisman's chest just as they were about to crash into the ground. Crimson pushed with his feet and held his half cape out and watched the armor plates expand enough to catch the wind and allow him to float to the ground while Talisman roared and crashed into the concrete below.
Crimson landed easily and atop of Talisman as the man shrinked down back to his normal size. Which was the same as when Crimson had found him on the rooftop. S.I.G.H.T. members surrounded him as the helicopter hovered over the scene with a spot light on Crimson.
"Freeze!" Captain Blair shouted. "Drop your weapons now!" Crimson turned his head slightly and saw that all four members of the S.I.G.H.T. Team were aiming their weapons on him. Crimson lowered his head and lifted his hands up.
"She said drop your weapons now!" Zane shouted as he stepped forward.
Crimson stepped forward away from the crater that held Talisman in with his arms still raised in the air. As he stepped forward he heard the familiar sounds of grapnel guns and raised his right hand a little higher. As if on que Scarlet and Red Bird swung down and grabbed Crimson's out stretched hands and swung into the night sky with him. The Helicopter raised to follow them with the spotlight but the three vigilantes were gone.
Blair lowered her weapon as Quintell and Zane pulled Talisman from the ground and removed his gas mask to reveal an Asian man. Heyfield read Talisman his rights as Quintell and Zane loaded him inside a waiting squad car. Blair crossed her arms and walked over to the crater and found small rubber balls littered around the ground.
She smiled as she picked one up and chuckled. "Rubber bullets."
