A Bloody Night Part 2

Characters: Divine, Linda Danvers, Sophie
Rated: PG-13 for Blood and Language
Summary: Superwoman, alerted by possible of evidence, deploys to Florida to intercept, but instead meets a badly wounded DEO trooper named Snakebite.
OOC Date: December 15, 2017
IC Date: December 15, 2017
Where: Parking lot of Bubba's Burgers in Florida

While you're out flying about in the evening, the Oracle network sends an alert to you, indicating a possible hit on the current search parameters. Specifically, a Youtube video that's gone up for a remote area in Florida. It's not incredibly helpful, as it's mostly what sounds like distant gunfire or fireworks. What stands out is a moment where a long line of ruby-red light, similar to Kara's heat vision, shoots into the sky at one point, followed by an explosion in the air.

What's odd is, there's no reports on the police scanners or such about anything like this happening in the area. Was it just not called in? What's interesting is that that particular video vanished about 7 minutes later.

As soon as the Oracle Platform reports the video, Linda logs in, and checks the available metadata, then has the system attempt to use visual cues to confirm location, even as she is already taking off towards Florida. She has no idea what she will find, but the possibility that this could be the woman, the copy, the Divine she has been looking for demands she take action immediately.

"JD Control, this is Superwoman. I'm sorry, I need to head to Florida. Can you scrape up someone else to deal with the aircraft carrier in New York Harbor? Right. I'll call back in as soon as I'm free."

SONIC BOOM!

She'll get an affirmative (it's more of an investigative thing anyway, so Batman will probably be better for the carrier) and off you go. From the air…it's not hard at all to see the area where whatever it is has happened. There's an area with several fires currently burning, including a pair of vehicles that are basically melted junk. Armed at one point, from the remains of one minigun on the top. There's activity around the area..numerous black SUVs, trucks, and armed individual in body armor moving around. Most importantly, there's several drones orbiting the area, apparently on a search pattern, as well as an Osprey-looking VTOL landed nearby, looking like it's where a lot of the armed types running around here came from.

Superwoman sweeps over the area, x-raying vehicles, examining the faces and the badges and the tech of the armed forces moving around, and the vehicles - especially the plane. And through it all, she is mentally reconstructing what must have happened here, from what little she saw, and from what is now remaining. And she's flying above the drones, avoiding their sensor sweeps. For now.

The drones do have their cameras pointed towards the ground, so as long as she stays high, they probably won't spot her. From a distance, she can see the troopers are mixed with goverment types with suits. No obvious IDs, but the chopper has a DEO insignia on it, as do the troopers' armor. They appear to be policing bodies. There's a double line currently with sheets over them…from the look of it, perhaps 24 dead, from the look of it. A pair of medics are currently stripping body armor partway off one of the lines…which appear to be DEO types, dressed in lighter body armor mixed with some heavy, so they can move the bodies to bodybags and carry them to load on one of the trucks, which appears to be refrigerated. The other line hasn't been touched as of yet. There's also a trunk that they're shoving a variety of weapons into as they police the area, along with bullet casings and the like. Quite an arsenal. Again, two boxes, one that appears to have more standardized SMGs and battle rifles, the other a wider variety of equipment. Looking through the sheets, the other line appears to have a mix-mash of more paramiltary gear mixed with expensive suits, most of which are defintely Latin American in look, with some caucasian types as well.

Superwoman stays up above the drones as she continues her examination. She matches the look of what she can make out of the bodies in the vehicles to the Latin Americans. She then checks and confirms that none of the DEO operatives died of fire, or from heat vision. No, they were all shot. And the Latin Americans were very well armed with standard weapons. The DEO brought fun stuff to the party.

Including, just maybe, a Kryptonian.

Kara is so sick with anger she can barely contain herself. Damn these fools! And damn them for turning this woman into a murderer like this, an enforcer, a goon with superpowers. She memorizes VINs and serial numbers, badge numbers and IDs, even the serial numbers on titanium replacement limbs, and files all of that away to feed into her investigation.

That done, listening into orders and discussions and directives, she starts sweeping outwards, forming a search pattern, looking for signs of Divine.

Most people would miss it, especially at night. But it looks as if one of the vehicles survived, and not only that, was driven clear. Following those tracks, it leads you to a tree…which has a fairly large amount of blood underneath it. Enough that you suspect the person who was shot should have survived, if they were human. Perhaps it was more than one? But there's only two sets of tracks. One that stepps through the puddle…military style soles. And another with a different tread that came out ouf a nearby set of trees…and seems to just have started from the middle of them. This is mostly because the first two are set together, side by side, and a bit deeper than the rest. A stride of a moderately tall person. Possibly a woman by the foot size. Or at least, comparing them to your own. Both of them seem to be smaller than average for a male.

There's some prints around the tire treads, and some blood splatter on one side, possibly impact of a body. Then the tire tracks continue on to a nearby highway. No sign of bodies here or that the troopers have gotten this far yet.

Meanwhile…at Bubba's Burgers, a fast food place up the road about fifteen miles or so, a slightly battered brand new Cadillac with some definitely nonstandard body armor and bulletproof glass is parked in a distant part of the parking lot. The back doors are open, where Sophie is in the back, wolfing down food while she's wrapped in a blanket, an unopened first aid kit resting in the boot, with Divine perched on the edge of the seat, most of her body outside the car at the moment, with an oversized black briefcase set on the ground next to her booted feet.

The two have been talking…but at the sound of the sonic boom, Divine's head snaps up, her eyes focusing back in the direction of the site, then narrows her eyes. "…fuck." she mutters, then gets to her feet, scooping up the briefcase. "That's my cue to get the hell out of here." she says, turning to look back against Sophie. "You didn't see me. I'm a ghost. Yadda yadda. Head back and report, I'll take the goods ahead."

She throws a wave over her shoulder as she wanders into the darkness at the edge of the lot, disappearing into the shadows. "Take care, magic girl. See you around, maybe."

Then there's a barely seen blur as the leaves of the tree shake, rustling as a sudden gust of air washes out from between them as Divine accelerates. Not to sonic boom levels…she's staying low and stealthy, using the foliage and darkness to cloak her departure. She figures she's probably got maybe five minutes before SHE comes looking…and she has to be well away. Meeting that person is particularly contraindicated…

Sophie is, well beat up is a word for it. That black tactical gear is shot full of holes and torn, and covered in a unreal amount of blood. Her face a mottled mess of face paint and dried blood, not that it's stopping her from wolfing down fries of course. Carbine resting against the seat behind her, pistol holstered and well whatever grudge match she got into it seems to be over at least. Which is why the sonic boom gets a raised eyebrow, and well it takes a moment for the sudden worry on Divine's part to register.

Slowly, she rolls to her boots with a wince. Offering a soft lift of the chin Divine's way, before reaching back to snag that battered Carbine and that shot up bodyarmor. Casually, like it might as well be grocieries she slings the gear into the front passenger seat, before digging around for a baby wipe to start scrubbing her face and hands at least. She has to drive back to the hutch after all, right?

Someone was here and survived. At least, there's no body buried anywhere near here. And … she was here. Divine was here, evidenced by bootprints with no origin trail. And a vehicle left here, despite all of that blood.

That's enough for Kara.

Superwoman flies ahead, using her incredible vision, hearing and sense of smell - yes, sense of smell - to track the vehicle's path. As estimated, it takes her several minutes to do so. Several minutes during which, unbeknownst to her, the target she came to Florida searching for has departed.

That just seems to be her luck so far.

But assuming the vehicle is still there, she scans it thoroughly, including microscopic vision, VIN, other serial numbers, x-rays, before finally landing, all big, blue, and bold.

Oh, ok some cape nonsense. Great, because this is why normally Sophie wears a mask. Slowly, she rolls right back out of the driver seat. Wincing as she leans against that open car door, because well she's more than a little under the weather at the moment. "Evening there, Super Woman."Sophie offers casually, one hand still scrubbing a gnarled mess of face paint and dried blood off. "I didn't know you were in the area, what brings you around this neck of the woods?"

No immediate explanation, is offered for all of -that- nonsense of course. Nevermind the multiple bone fractures, and shrapnel still lodged in he body. No no, this is Sophie so she plays it perfectly casual. "You'll have to forgive me, I don't usually meet capes when I'm not in costume. I suppose I can trust you to keep a secret then, I mean I'm assuming you didn't fly over here to blow my moniker open?"

The tall, powerfully built Kryptonian blonde - with at least some idea she's not the first such this woman has seen today - approaches, eyeing the other woman intently … and not smiling. Not frowning, but not smiling. And also not speaking immediately. She notes the extent of the injuries, the state of the vehicle, and more.

"You need medical attention, unless you feel up to pulling shrapnel out of your flesh yourself." Those are the first words Superwoman has on the issue.

"I am not in the habit of unveiling others' secret identities. But I was unaware I was dealing with anyone who had one of those. I take it you work for the DEO?" Obviously the Kryptonian heroine knows something about what is going on here. "Would you care to tell me what the others were trying to steal? And where is it?" No questions yet about Divine.
Maelstrom Earth Watcher: Luciana Gutierrez has disconnected.

"Don't ask me ma'am, I just work here."Sophie offers a sly grin at that, heart rate even and steady. "I'm afraid as a matter of policy, I'm not permitted to discuss active operations or investigations. If you'd like, I can refer you to a designated meta-human resource officer?"Because of course that's a thing that exists. Sophie offers a plaintive little shrug at that. "Unless of course you joined up, in which case I'd need to see your super secret decoder ring. Then of course I could potentially discuss our vast international conspiracy using the HAARP array to further the Reptilian alien cause?"

"Oh and, I appreciate the concern but it's not warranted. It wouldn't be much of a friday night if I didn't get a little banged up, nothing a little foul language and a pair of needle nose pliars can't fix."Is she joking, no she really isn't. This is Sophie after all, she does however lean back against the truck to shake out a pack of blood stained Gauloise. Pausing to get the blood stained cigarette lit, before offering a sigh. "There anything else I can do for you, because I've got a long drive ahead of me here."

Superwoman simply gives the tiniest shake of her head. "I am sorry. As a witness to the slaughter of over three dozen human beings, you are not leaving here until I can be assured that your departure will not further endanger other lives." Superwoman is a friendly, warm, caring figure who will help anyone with anything at the drop of hat.

But she's no chump, and no sucker. And no one is getting away from her.

"If you need authorization to discuss this matter with me, very well. I will return you to the officers investigating the scene of that slaughter, and you can get authorization from them." Because something isn't entirely right, here. If this woman is DEO, why weren't the DEO trying to find her? Why would she leave, rather than wait there to receive the DEO task force now mobilized to investigate and sanitize the scene?

And where the Hell is Divine?

"Or perhaps you would like to pull out that cellphone from the front seat and call your boss?" Kara nods towards the vehicle.

"Or what, you're gonna lay your hands on me?"Sophie snerks, leaning back against the SUV with a puff of that cigarette. "You want answers, you ask management. I'm just a trigger puller, but I'm -very- legal."And well out of her back pocket. Tada, that green laminated ID card. A Green badger, live and in the wild folks. Funny she doesn't have any bombs in her neck, or a whole tactical team hovering over her. All the same, well shit's legit yo.

"I am not going to be discussing shit with you, nor do you have any authority to compell me to do otherwise. You want to start pushing around a Fed, I'm more than happy to give you enough rope to hang yourself here."Casually, Sophie lifts a thumb skyward as she tucks that badge away. "Isn't there a kitten stuck in a tree somewhere you should be seeing to right about now?"
It may be the one time that Superwoman's face and expression truly look like Divine, as she eyes Sophie coldly. Then she steps close, smiling. "You want to intimidate me? Try again." That green card isn't made of Kryptonite, which is the only way Sophie could intimidate Kara.

"I already told you: you can call your superior, right now, and I will discuss this with them. Or I can pick you and that car up and deliver you to the task force investigating the scene of all of those murders." She doesn't back off. Kara isn't intimidated. "I am not 'pushing you around.' But I would not be doing my duty to protect lives if I simply let you go away, accepting your word, alone, that you are who and what you say you are, and that it is safe to let you go."

Most frustrating thing for Sophie? Kara is right.

"Nice try attempting to provoke me. But better than you have tried." Superwoman shrugs. "Now. Are you placing that call? Or are we going back to the scene of the murders?"

"Lady, you don't get down to come down here and threaten to kidnap me. Now look it's been fun and games, but it's been a -long- fucking day and I still got reports to write before I can get my ass home. So you wanna get this tangled up in court, be my guest. I'm perfectly legal here, and if you have a problem with that? Why not contact a law enforcement office of your choosing, alright?" Sophie flips her cigarette off to the side, before pulling herself into the SUV with a sigh. "Now, have a lovely evening and stay safe out there."Rmmmbl, and well she's throwing it into gear.

"Sorry, dear, but you don't get to just leave, much as you might like to." Kara offers. "And I wasn't threatening." As soon as Sophie climbs into the vehicle, Kara flies underneath of it, picks it up by the superstructure, and carries it back to the scene, landing in front of the DEO Osprey. Subtle, she is not.

"Excuse me, Agent? I found this vehicle, and this woman, having fled the scene of all of these murders." Superwoman comments. "She claims to be one of your agents, which would make her your responsibility. She is wounded, and needs medical attention. If one of your men wants to take notes, I can give you specific details of her wounds for the medical teams. If you can confirm her legitimacy, I am happy to leave her in your custody to handle as you see fit. Otherwise, she represents at the minimum a material witness to over two dozen counts of homicide. At the worst, she may well be an accomplice."

The truth is that Kara knows a lot more, and wants answers. But she is guessing she's not going to get them, that she will be stonewalled. But being able to confirm that Sophie is who she says she is will be enough. She has others who can help her investigate this further. She has a lot more to go on regarding Divine now than she has since this odyssey began.

Sophie, rises with a sigh. She produces that badge in one hand before doffing that gunbelt with the other, there's a knowing glance of course. In turn Sophie's cuffed, not that she resists of course. No use fighting back, not with present company of course.

"Oh thank you Miss, we'll take it from here. In the meantime, we're conducting an active investigation and I'm going to need to ask you to clear the scene?"Funny, nobody's said a word to Sophie. Nobody scanned the ID, it's just taken as gospel. Likewise well, they just march her back to a waiting SUV and ease her into the backseat without another word spoken. Like you know, nobody is really surprised by much of any of this.

Another agent approaches…apparently the agent in charge, an older man with a slightly sallow look to him, a cigarette hanging from his lips that he pauses to stub out, before walking over. "Superwoman. I wasn't aware you'd been called into this. A tragedy, to be sure…" he says, watching as Sophie is led away. "But there doesn't appear to be any…metahuman influence. This was an unfortunate case of an arms deal bust gone wrong…"

Superwoman eyes the elder agent as he delivers bald-faced lies to her face. She could call him on it; she could prove that he's lying. But that will gain her nothing, and may well require that she hurt people who are just doing their jobs, just to deal with this.

Kara is not willing to do that. Not yet. Not until she knows for sure it is necessary.

"Very well, Sir. Thank you for taking custody of her and working on confirming this. I hope you can find justice for all of those who died here." Superwoman offers. And then she nods to him and lifts off, taking flight and heading back towards Metropolis by shooting out to sea and going supersonic.

Of course after Metropolis she then slows down to subsonic, and flies at perhaps ten feet off the deck, and heads to the Justice Defenders' base, so that she can surreptitiously meet with her allies and get them involved.

This is not good.

"Dale, next time knock it off with the tight cuffs alright? Jesus, would it kill you to use flex cuffs like a normal human being?"Sophie emerges from that SUV after a spell, tossing those cuffs to the guy who cuffed her. "I've had a fucking hell of a day here, would one of you kind gentlemen who isn't Dale be so kind so as to give me a lift, It's date night and I'm already three hours late over here."

The smoking agent watches Kara fly up, then turns back to Sophie, his expression neutral "Got fucking lucky there, yeah." He waves over another younger agent. "Take Snakebite back in the command SUV. I won't need it while we're cleaning up." His gaze turns back. "I want a report on exactly how this cockup happened….I've got 13 dead agents, and you're the only one around to explain it." He watches, then mmsm. "…you got the goods. Bonus will be in your account." He inclines his head towards the SUV in question as the other agent moves over to open the door. "She knows your face now….that might make life interesting in the future." Once Sophie is in, the door slams, and the SUV is off…taking her back for a debriefing. And possibly a few choice words to Divine.

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