Prelude
It’s a normal day. A young man, out jogging, gets hit by a truck… but this time, the truck comes off badly. He stands in the middle of the street, shaking slightly, and an undeniable dent in the truck confirms his greatest fear: It did hit him
In the dead of night, a young woman fleeing a gang in one of the nastier parts of the city pants to herself, “I knew not to go there… I knew not to go there…” She turns a corner and meets a dead end. Seconds behind, the gang round the corner and react in surprise – she has vanished. Floating upward, she looks down, stifling a cry of amazement.
These stories have become almost common during the last year. People are developing superhuman powers in this otherwise normal, modern world of Terra.
Quick to respond, the news agencies around the world have started to publicise many of their stories, fixing on the term “Empowered” to refer to these individuals.
Initially met with scepticism, increasing numbers of eyewitnesses and even displays in the streets are leading to some of these individuals being lauded as heroes.
Naturally, people’s fears are beginning to overcome their wonder, especially as the first Empowered criminals start to emerge. The power to lay waste to an entire street, to walk through the walls of a bank vault or to control people’s minds are bad enough in theory, without people with the Abilities in question roaming the streets, willing to use them
Almost as if it was a natural, predestined reaction, some Empowered now assist law enforcement to stop the criminals which so outmatch any normal human. Most politicians and high-ranking officials oppose this, demanding the arrest of any individual who takes the law into their own hands. Law enforcement officers themselves, however, are divided on the issue: the majority of them do not want to face someone who can throw lightning bolts or fireballs and will happily support individual Empowered who are helping them. This has led to tacit agreements with heroes in some cities, while in others, local authorities actively hunt anyone who breaks the law, including masked vigilantes
A group which refer to themselves simply as “Aegis” has formed, led by the charismatic Martian Pants Man. They welcome any Empowered into their group who seek protection and a place to live, in the hope that this will reduce the number turning to crime to survive. They allow individuals to come and go as they please from their shared, and secret, underground lair, kept undetectable by one of the most powerful of their number. They are not alone – other sanctuaries aimed at Empowered are appearing around the world
Many members of Aegis choose to fight criminals in the local area, despite the risks involved, while others choose to take refuge after being rejected by their families or community, simply for having their Abilities
Of course, the precision and co-ordination of the criminals’ attacks imply a similar level of organisation. Who is recruiting and guiding these individuals, and what is their ultimate goal?
As an Empowered, you are often left with one important choice: do you support the forces of order or embrace the chaos which the criminals offer…?
Arrival
Having exposed their powers in their previous life, a group of strangers embark on a new start in a new city - Ibadan, via train.
We meet these individuals as they are on the train into Ibadan, all spread out within the same coach.
Reece Grey (aka Renegado) spots an odd occurrence up ahead in the carriage, two people seem to be harassing passengers, with another stands watch at the doors between the carriages.
Chuck Chamberlain (aka Bonedido) seeing a passenger get out of his seat and head towards the the rear of the carriage, becomes aware of the three people - they are robbing passengers, they are robbing passengers on HIS train, this cannot be left untouched, Chuck follows Reece down towards the end of the carriage.
With all this sudden movement around him, Christian Bartlett (aka Blowout), looks up from his Pilates book, and is aware of what is going on, but remains seated....for now.
Reece seeing a gun in the hands of one of the perps, does something strange, something thought provoking, something EMPOWERED, he flies down the carriage at speed crashing into the person with the Gun, sending them both sprawling into the floor, unfortunately with Gun still in his hand.
Chuck seeing this, embraces the madness and rushes into the other perp, claws growing from his hands, pinning the perp to the floor and taking the perps ear with him.
The perp Reece is fighting in the struggle fires his gun at Reece's head.......But the bullet fails to hit, just ricocheting off a few inches from Reece's head into the floor.
Christian seeing all this, and the trouble Reece is starting to get into, leans over, looks down the train, sees the gun, wriggles his fingers and suddenly the gun disintegrates from the perps hand. Reece capitalising on the perps surprise, subdues him.
Seeing this the third perp makes a break for it, running back through the other carriage.
Chuck subdues his perp and gives chase, with Reece following.
Christian, goes to make sure the perps are restrained and starts handing back peoples belongings.
Chuck and Reece after a bit of a chase realise that the perp has hidden in the toilet... they both try and fail to pick the lock with both normal and Empowered ways to no avail, so Chuck just rips the door off its hinges and pummel's the perp for making them give chase.
As the Train pulls into the Ibadan Train Station, Police are waiting for them in the form of Captain Franks......
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