Each one begins to prepare for the coming night -- some are beginning to go to bed, while others are just now starting their nightly routine-- whatever that might be.
Suddenly, a bright light flashes before your eyes, and you see a young man, obviously nervous, and dressed in some sort of uniform-- one that looks like he stepped off a second-rate science fiction movie set.
The man looks around him, as if searching for some unseen foe, and starts to speak before you can react. "My name is Rick Jones, and I need your help! Don't bother replying; this is just a projected electronic image! Please believe me when I say, my life and those of innocent people are in danger!
"I have been on the run from a covert government task force, ever since my first encounter with an alien intelligence! For reasons I've yet to discover, this task force has been hounding my every step, and now threatens to destroy me utterly, along with anyone and everything I've come into contact with since then!
"I've managed to double-back on them, and I've dealt a crippling blow to their temporary HQ. But before I was done, I've uncovered their newest plot-- to use a team of super-powered 'Marvels' to abduct me!
"I have found your names and information on your activities at this HQ. Apparently, you have not been contacted to join this task force because of your ideals of justice and your unwillingness to use 'extreme measures.' It is to those ideals I appeal to, since the other 'Marvels' that are sent to kill me do not share those same sensibilities.
"These other individuals are likely to be mobilized soon, and are surely going to be sold some convincing story, or even brainwashed! Please help me! I can't do this alone!
I know you may not believe me, but I HAVE gotten information on you and your activities from this agency, and by helping me out, we may find out WHY all this information has been gathered. They will be massing at the Central Park Zoo tonight and midnight! Even if you wish not to be involved, please check out to see this Task Force in action. I will try to check it out as well, and may meet you there. That is, if the team of Marvels assembled by the Task Force doesn't meet me first!"
With a steadily growing intensity of light, Rick Jones ends his message, and another blinding flash of light gives way to familiar surroundings once again.
You digest the information slowly and with a measure of skepticism. Your first instinct is to dismiss the message entirely. And yet... SOMEone SOMEwhere obviously has some sort of information on your identity and activities. Moreover, what if the young man's story is true, and his life IS forfeit as well as the lives of countless innocents, who merely had the unfortunate of crossing paths with the boy? And why would the boy be hunted in the first place?
Yes, there is some investigation that must be done, and that starts with the location the man mentioned...... the Central Park Zoo, tonight!
HELLCAT
Patsy stands silently absorbing the strange event that took place in her office mere moments ago. As the seconds pass, anger wells up within her. Her body tenses and quivers, her fist rolls up into a ball and slams down hard on her desk. A plastic container of pens leaps to the floor, landing with a resounding clatter.
"Damn!" she exclaims, rubbing her hand. She had expected that her "unusual" abilities wouldn't remain a secret forever, but to be found out so soon and in so unorthodox a manner. A manner which leaves her feeling decidedly out of control.
Patsy opened her desk drawer and pulled out her pistol, checking to make sure it was loaded. She slid her duffel bag containing her "work outfit" and runestones out from underneath her desk. One way or another, Jones represents a situation that needs to be dealt with immediately. If he is on the level, the ramifications are obvious. A covert government task force gathering information on her? Brainwashed Marvels? "...destroy me utterly, along with anyone I've come into contact with." Presumably, this might include her. They obviously know about her powers. They may know about her past, although the kid's comments about her "unwillingness to use extreme measures," suggested that either his information was incomplete or--
Or that this was a trap. Conveniently enough, it's too late to follow up on this Jones kid tonight. Patsy played back the message in her head, concentrating on everything but the content of his words. She visualized the design and material of the uniform he was wearing, thought about his mannerisms, his inflection and body language, the area surrounding him in the projection, looking with a disparaging mind's eye for anything that seemed wrong, that pointed to the message being a carefully constructed forgery. If Jones is lying, heaven help him. He would soon find out how extreme her measures could be.
THOR
Thor sits up in bed. He puts his bare feet on the cold wooden floor. He shakes his head to clear the layered cobwebs.
What to do... what to do?
He stands and hears the sound of bones cracking. He laughs to himself about the "virtues" that may have kept the evil ones from contacting him. He reaches up into his chimney and pulls down the belt and armor. It had been a long time since he'd put them on. They are heavier than he remembered. The glove is in the kitchen. It is useful for cooking. He selects a large raincoat from the closet. It wouldn't do to walk down New York Streets in chainmail. If only he had a h--. No, best not to think about that. He fills his pipe with tobacco, slips a pint of Scotch in his pocket and heads out to the park to see what was what.
Damn! Forgot to put on his boots.
MOON KNIGHT
I check the clock. 5:21 PM. At least another half an hour before sunset. The light seeping through the curtains makes me feel uneasy. Out of habit I glance at the calendar making note of the moon. It's always nice to know ones limitations. I'd hate to embarrass myself just when I think I'm finally getting the hang of things.
A nervous sigh escapes my lips. It might be wise to head to the Zoo around 11:00 to scout things out. I'll want to have a feel for the area just in case something goes down and I have to get involved...
HAWKEYE
Hawkeye looks around at the city, spying several crimes being committed as he stands here thinking. There's time for thinking later. Right now, there's a guy stealing jewelry 12 blocks over. And later ... later he'll make a point to stop over at Central Park Zoo ...
LATER, AT THE CENTRAL PARK ZOO...
It’s been a long and quiet night, but that does not lessen the tension you feel. Something momentous may be just around the corner… And yet, it’s a big zoo, and there wasn’t any indication *where* you were supposed to meet this mysterious man. You spend some time wondering what it’s all about and exploring your own motives in coming out here.
Then, nearing the gorilla exhibit, you see something moving just outside of it. That’s odd… don’t they retire the animals to interior cages for the night?
Any clear vantage point draws you closer to the exhibit-- maybe too close? No. It was nothing. A false alarm.
But wait! Someone else in the shadows! And there-- Someone just ducked behind a tree! What’s that glow across the observation area? And above-- in the tree…?
False alarm or not-- something has drawn the attention of others, and you are close enough to know they have probably seen you, too!
In the trees above-- it’s dark, but a strange figure of a human…. with wings?
Across the observation deck-- a man glowing as if bathed in pure moonlight?
To the side-- a woman keeping to the shadows, dressed in a long trenchcoat?
Ducking behind a tree-- a hunched figure of a man, in bulky clothes?
Actually on closer inspection it appears the man behind the tree wasn't hiding at all, but, in fact, seemed to be relieving himself. Suddenly he comes bursting out from behind the tree, and staggers toward the glowing man.
"Who de hell are you, moon-faerie," he screams, "and vat do you vant mit me?!"
MOON KNIGHT whirls around to face the other man...
HELLCAT huddles up into the shadows, keeping an eye on the other three figures. They've seen her, she thinks to herself. But who are they? The Marvels sent to abduct Jones, or recipients of the same generic message she received? Can't take any chances. Best to just find Rick Jones and get him out of here.
Patsy removes herself further into the shadows of the zoo's midnight. Whatever the others are up to... Patsy wants to find the man Rick Jones. She completes the spell, placing the runes in their proper configuration, and awaits the few seconds it takes for the mystic energies to resolve their alignment...
HAWKEYE remains at a distance, taking everything in. The impatience of the drunkard troubles him, but he knows if something serious is going to go down, he can't turn his back on it.
Moon Knight faces the tall, disheveled man confronting him. Moon Knight, although glowing as if bathed in pure moonlight, wears a "costume" that is black with silver accents. He wears black pants and boots, a black jacket with a silver ankh on the back, and under that a silver shirt with a black crescent moon on it. His hair is black. His ears, right eyebrow, and nose is pierced. Quickly, Moon Knight sizes up his "opponent" and decides that if he was a threat that he would have attacked by now.
"Quiet you lout!" MK whispers harshly. "We're not the only ones out here and I'd rather not entertain any more company if I don't have to." And then eyes glowing brightly he adds, "It's called subtlety. Look it up."
Thor's body rocks back and forth a bit as he slowly processes the spirit's words. Then he walks up close to the strange being and responds in the best whisper he can manage, "Den you're not here to kill Rick Jones?"
Thor stands a large, somewhat confused man. He looks old and sick--not too steady on his feet. His large raincoat has flapped open to reveal a ridiculous suit of chainmail armor that looks obviously too heavy for the man. His breath reeks of alcohol. His feet are bare.
Sensing the answer to the question before it is answered, Thor reaches into his raincoat and produces a container of hooch. He takes a swing and offers it to you. "Can you tell me vat's going on here, eh?"
"To be honest, I'm not so sure myself." Moon Knight says, relaxing his guard. "An image of this Rick Jones fellow appeared to me at my apartment earlier today. He claimed to be on the run from a covert government task force. He also mentioned a meeting of some sort here at the zoo tonight around midnight. I figured I'd show up a little early and have a look. I'm gonna stick around and see if he turns up."
"I got that exact message myself," Thor says quietly. He then polishes off the last of the scotch. He then takes the bottle by the neck and holds it like a weapon, "but I don't like this sneaking around."
Thor continues: "Perhaps it vould be a good idea for me to head deeper into de park and make some noise to flush out our adversaries?" Thor's fingers play about the neck of his empty bottle. Though he is barefooted, and the night air cold, sweat beads his forehead. He licks his dry lips. He looks expectantly at the Egyptian moon priest.
Moon Knight studies his companion briefly. He can't seem to think of a better plan and skulking around the zoo all night doesn't sound like much fun.
Moon Knight: "I'm game if you are."
Thor: "As de kids say, get vready to vrock and vroll!"
With that, Thor staggers towards the middle of the park at the best speed he can muster. He assumes the glowing man is following him discreetly. At least, as discreetly as glowing men can follow someone. Once he's gone a good distance from the original location he begins to bellow in his loudest drunken voice a Nordic sailing song (it sounds a bit like "IkyikyikykkikkkikyickyickyYahhhhhhhh!") He waves his arms and swings his bottle and walks in, a perhaps unnecessarily, exaggerated drunken manner. He kicks over trash cans and bangs on benches or play equipment or any other noise making thing he can find. He wanders the park waiting for something to happen.
Hawkeye watches the guy running across the park screaming and shakes his head in disgust. Is he trying to draw attention to him or is he really just a big drunk. Whatever the case, Hawkeye realizes that he's more likely going to have to save this guy from himself than anyone else!!