"Agent Cage, we have an update for you, " comments the NYPD Tactical Officer, while Cage and his comandeered SWAT team head for the bank. "Apparently the robbers landed in a small hovercraft of some kind, and charged into the bank, killing two security officers and bank employees. Some of them looted the open segments of the vault while the others kept the hostages quiet, facedown on the floor. The bank manager triggered the silent alarm, and unfortunately..." he says, wincing, "...the first officer on the scene was Sgt. Jameson. He saw the robbers about to leave the bank for their shuttlecraft as he turned the corner - and as they opened up on his unmarked sedan, he aimed the car up the steps and...into their shuttlecraft."
"Jameson ditched his car as it caught air, and returned fire from the steps, calling in a sitrep and asking for backup. The robbers have barricaded the doors, but refuse to negotiate - we think that they're waiting for backup of their own."
Powerman is quiet, and says little apart from ordering a secure perimeter set up once they arrive on the scene. From behind the barricade, Powerman squints through binoculars at the bank window, vainly attempting to spot some movement. He lowers them and passes them to the cop on his left, but doesn't take his eyes off the window. He mutters under his breath, "Sweet Christmas, Jameson! If you would have allowed them to reach their hovercar, we could have isolated them. Now we have a hostage situation. What were you thinking?"
"Well, at the time I was more concerned with stopping their escape - and they would have, since NYPD doesn't have any fighter planes" comments JJJ from his position. "But you're right, maybe letting them go would have been better than putting hostages in jeopardy. Oh well...the next time a paramilitary force with heavy weapons and a hovercraft attack, I'll have this experience to fall back on..."
Powerman calls out "Somebody call some ambulances and send them to all three locations. No sirens, this is just a precaution."
"10-4 Sir" comes the reply.
Powerman gathers the tactical team around the hood of a police cruiser, and spreads the plans of the bank on the hood. "Let's put the explosive plan on the back burner. I think we can do this with less property damage than that" says Powerman, glancing and Jameson, who looks vaguely disappointed - he LIKES explosives....
"First of all, let's all synchronize our watches, on my mark it's seventeen-hundred. " Agent Cage pauses for his watch to catch up, and for the others to be ready. "Mark. Tac Officer, I want your two best shooters here in front. I want your two men with the quickest reaction times with me."
"Yessir. Luna, McCorkle, you're with Powerman. " SWAT team members Kent Luna and Chris McCorkle nod.
"Here's the plan" explains Luke. "I'm going into the vents, with the two men well behind me as back up.We'll estimate how long it will take me to get in position, and add five minutes. At that time, " he looks a the Tactical Officer, "I want your best shooter to lob several tear gas canisters through the window. Then I want those two to cover the door. I don't care if the gas actually stuns the perps, I want it primarily for the distraction. If we get lucky and it disorients a few, so much the better."
"At that time," Cage continues, "I'll either jump down from the ventilator. My goal will be to shoot four of them with my bio-disruptor, and then call for their surrender, although I'm sure they won't. " Everyone nods, just as sure.
"Jameson, I want you and your volunteers" he says, emphasising the word 'volunteers' and the two men shadowing me to wait another minute after the tear gas goes in, and then I want you to come in wearing gas masks and vests - no cowboys! Be ready to shoot, but use some discretion. Remember that we have 9 perps. We want to make sure that there aren't any trying to pass themselves off as hostages, or vice versa. I will count 'em down, so pay attention. That's the plan. Questions, comments, suggestions or prayers, gentlemen? If not, let's do our jobs."
McCorkle and Luna follow Cage to the top of the adjascent building, where they are shown to the rooftop. They cross over, and working quickly, remove the top of the ventilator shaft. With agonizing slowness, they work their way down into the bank's ventilation system, until Powerman and his backups are in position. Trickles of sweat freely run down his face as he slowly - and hopefully quietly - prepares himself while his backup secures his and their own ropes.
Powerman watches the second hand of his watch count down the seconds. Precisely on time, he hears the loud CHUFT of tear gas cannisters, followed by the sound of breaking glass. The grillwork covering the exit of the ventilator shaft is smashed outward, and Cage descends swiftly, imparting a spin to his descent. He feels the friction of his rapid descent burn through his heavy gauntlets, but ignores it as he snaps of shot after shot in rapid succession during his descent.
He feels the friction of his rapid descent burn through his heavy gauntlets, but ignores it as he snaps of shot after shot in rapid succession during his descent.
Two of the enemy drop as blasts of bio-disruptor energy spit from Powerman's weapon, while the other blasts harmlessly infuse the walls and floor. The seven conscious bank robbers hunt for cover. "Lay down your arms and surrender" calls Agent Cage loudly into the bank, quickly replacing his mask as tear gas rapidly fills the air. Many of the hostages, and one of the robbers, falls to the ground, eyes tearing and lungs, nose and throat filling with mucus.
"Kill him, quickly!" cries the leader as he brings his own weapon to bear.
Powerman notes the sudden raising of seven automatic rifles, and lunges for the leader, hoping that if he's close enough to him the others will hold their fire. Blazing leaden death leaps from the barrels of the gang's AK-47s, but their bullets bounce off Powerman's steel-hard skin.
Agent Cage reachs the leader, and pummels him relentlessly, his frustration and rage adding fury to his attack. "Sweet Christmas, but this is gonna hurt!" he mumbles through his mask, as he lands a solid punch to the robber's idsection, followed by an uppercut to the chin. The leader of the bank robbers crumples to the floor, wheezing and gasping as his eyes, nose, and lungs succumb to the effects of the tear gas. Cage looks around and sees that all of the others are likewise stricken, issues a short "Bandits are down. I repeat, bandits are down. Get the EMTs ready for the hostages" into his comlink, and begins to cuff them and secure their weapons, finishing just before his backup and JJJ's team of volunteers arrive.
Unnoticed on the rooftop across from the bank, a small mechanical robot finishes recording the scene as Agent Cage exits the bank, a robber over each shoulder, and flies away towards Central Park.
However, across the Avengers comlink comes an urgent message....