[open] the Loki rescue plan

[unkindled_madness]

Who: Sephiroth unkindled_madness and anyone who wants to be Team Loki!!
What: Planning a rescue of our favorite mayor!
When: early July
Where: The Bar With No Doors, Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: N/A for now.
Notes: Feel free to handwave exactly how your character got looped in and assume there is someone available to ferry them if necessary.

[Loki's absence from Sunset Falls is beginning to wear on the town, but Sephiroth has hardly noticed, because it's wearing on him first and foremost. They've become inseparable of late, and now...

It's taken quite a bit of self-control not to charge straight into Arcadia. He needs a plan. Which is why, for once, he's reached out for help, and permitted that request to extend through word of mouth to people he doesn't even know. His gaze on those people in particular is hard. They had better not screw this up.]

((Top-levels for discussion topics in the comments!))

Comments

I. Getting In

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth settles Stormbreaker in front of him.]

I have one method of transporting us inside Arcadia. However, it's somewhat... flashy. I don't know that it's wise to announce our arrival.

Some of you have been there. I could use the intel.

[welcome_summer]

[Mayuko isn't planning on accompanying the rescue party. The overall bad vibes in Sunset Falls being generated by one missing mayor would only intensify if both mayors ended up out commission.

She and the helpful members of her security detail did snag as much of the informational bulletins as the facility had available, including a sanitized layout of the compound. Mayuko went ahead and enlarged the images from the brochure, making edits in red ink. Buildings larger than shown, walled areas that actually extend into walkways or hallways. Even if she couldn't bureaucratically bully her way into those areas, she made note.]

The heaviest guard presence was near the central staff buildings, in addition to the perimeter. A location near the residential block itself might have the lightest traffic. About how many can you take in with that?

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth doesn't expect Mayuko to join them, but he studies the annotated layout appreciatively.]

Light traffic... That would slow the response time of reinforcements, if their guards are concentrated elsewhere.

[He glances at Stormbreaker.]

It seems to have an area of effect of roughly six feet from the center. I believe it should accommodate any team we might assemble.

[welcome_summer]

There was a guard presence around Loki, so that's a tip-off to his location. If the Alliance tries to house new arrivals there instead of the hotel, there might be more pockets of sentries to handle resistance. Or fewer, if the arrivals are experienced, and can manipulate them.

[Mayuko is not the most keen on edged weapons, as Sephiroth knows, but she can admire Stormbreaker. It's well-crafted, and even she can tell it has power. She hmms to herself.]

That's hopefully enough, to bring you all back as well. Has there been any further communication from Arcadia?

[qualityfriend]

[Dana looks pretty uncomfortable, looking around and pressing at something in her ear. Jason's not the happiest that she's here in person, but as long as she keeps the tracker on and doesn't make any detours, it should be safe. Plus he's listening in and can react immediately if she gets hijacked by the Fixer's programming, that's somewhat calming. But only somewhat.]

If you can't find another teleporter, I can do that. Only a couple people at a time, but if you have maps, I can take people straight to blind spots.

We could even use your method as a distraction. I will need something to get within range of Arcadia.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth has no problem with her being at this meeting, but he isn't keen on taking teenagers on the mission itself.]

We may consider it as a fallback, if there are complications with our exit.

Are you saying that your ability to teleport has a limited range?

[qualityfriend]

I can do miles, easily. But that doesn't help with between cities.

[harageous]

( again, again, again. almost as if invisible lines have been drawn, sephiroth and herself continue to keep meeting. this time it had been at the office, this time she could say that she was truly grateful for another one of their chance meetings.

it's only natural that she ends up here, sitting across from sephiroth and this weird hammer.

she presses the edge of her hand against her face. )

I guess now is as a good of a time as any to make it clear that I'm a witch. Is there anything stopping us from flying in?

[unkindled_madness]

[He still thinks of "witch" as a word for faerie tales and not for people who do real magic but okay.]

Not that I am aware of. If the power inhibitors have a five-foot radius, then they could only interfere with our landing.

[And anybody can fall safely from a height of... guard+five feet, right?]

II. Getting Out

[unkindled_madness]

We know that Loki is under close watch, so there is no removing him without engaging in some way with his guards. I believe these men are using the same power nullification that the Fixer used to subdue his marks, and that they are either highly trained or enhanced. Whatever combat superiority we are accustomed to, they can render it void.

I've heard the nullification only extends to a five-foot radius, but I don't think it's wise to rely on any particular power to make our egress.

[beatscissors]

[There is a completely normal human in their midst who is absolutely not a rock man at all. Aka Korg doesn't know how to turn Loki's spell off so he's stuck looking like this.]

I could hit them really hard? Don't need powers to bash people with rocks.

[unkindled_madness]

[Well, at least Sephiroth is aware that he's a rock man, even if he's never seen it himself.]

Have you engaged with them? The nullification also saps the strength of those of us who are naturally stronger than humans, though I'm not certain what effect it would have on you...

[Getting hit with a rock with human strength can still do some damage, right?]

[beatscissors]

Loki said I should keep a low profile, but if it doesn't work out I can always sit on someone.

[He doesn't need his normal strength to be as heavy as a bag of rocks.]

[rehandle]

If we can get him out of Arcadia itself I can have a portal waiting outside the perimeter for anyone who can't transport themselves. I can also help to drop anyone in in the same way.

Without meaning to sound callous, I can't risk falling into their hands. But I can assist with ranged attacks if it comes down to it. And I may be able to rope in a friend for a more practical lift out, but I don't know if Loki will appreciate the who or the how.

[ It's Tony Stark, just Not That One. ]

[unkindled_madness]

But you're unable to make portals leading into Arcadia itself? [He just wants to understand the range and limitations here.]

...am I to assume the friend you're referring to is one of the Avengers?

[rehandle]

No, I wasn't clear. To my knowledge there's not anything stopping me from dropping them inside on arrival, provided we can get accurate intel on areas free of guards or any other nullifiers. But I'll need to close any portals I create inside the compound as soon as they're vacated to avoid them being used as a door by people we'd rather they weren't. And they're not a reliable exit strategy.

[ Given the power nullification properties of the guards that Sephiroth has already laid out. ]

Yes. But not from our shared universe.

[helpdesk_hero]

Fully relying on one power to get out isn't wise, yes. But there are ways that individual powers can facilitate it. I mean, I can't get my shields up enough to keep out of a five foot nullification range, but if I can get to any security system related outlet, with a guard distracted, I can temporarily shut things down I hope. Even throw a false alarm in an area we aren't using.

[Not hard to fuck with local communications if you've got a technopath involved.]

[unkindled_madness]

I believe they could nullify your shields by walking near enough.

But certainly wrecking havoc on their security systems would be to our benefit, especially if we could draw guards away from Loki.

[helpdesk_hero]

Oh of course they can. I can't put them out that far from me. I'd be doomed there. But if someone's just good in a fight to cover me, I'd be happy to wreck what I can for Loki.

III. Safehouse

[unkindled_madness]

Loki is a public figure, and they have had him broadcast his presence in Arcadia. We cannot simply bring him home. Until the present circumstances are dealt with, he requires a place of safety.

[qualityfriend]

If he doesn't mind Central City, I... have a friend who could help with finding one. And getting him into the city. Any others rescued, too.

[unkindled_madness]

...I suppose it depends on the length of his stay. His prolonged absence from Sunset Falls seems to be having some effect on the town.

[qualityfriend]

Hm... that's a catch 22. He needs to be back in Sunset Falls for the town to be okay, but if he is, it'll be immediately obvious. Well, what you'll probably want to do is have several safehouses set up here that he can move between when the goons search for him. And plenty of accomplices who will cover for him.

[rehandle]

It's not glamorous, but I can organise for somewhere to sleep here.

[ The bar, that is. In another world, Stephen himself spent a good few months sleeping on a cot in the basement safehouse of a different bar - it might almost be nostalgic. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth glances around. He's put up with worse, but he doesn't think Loki will much appreciate it. Still, it's safety.]

I suppose it's one option. It certainly ought to be secure.