[center][h1][b][color=dodgerblue]Wards and Other Heroes:[/color] Charity Event Begin[/b][/h1]
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Epsilon only muttered out a small, “thanks” in regards to Inkscape’s compliment. The Protectorate leader would have liked to continue the conversation, but he didn’t want to make the young girl any more uncomfortable than she already was. [color=yellow]”Keep up the good work.”[/color] He pat her back with a slimy tentacle, though the gesture felt warm and had weight behind it, like a real human hand. Inkscape then wandered off to have a conversation with Noble, which could hardly be called surprising. The two were well known to be dating. 

Meanwhile, Furnace was still rubbing his wrist, destressing from the carpal tunnel, next to Hermes. The new Protectorate member still felt a bit taken aback by the famous hero’s comment. “Just between you and me, I used to work the beat,” he said.

“No kidding?” Furnace replied, genuinely interested. “Then you’ve been a hero for a while. I know I could never have done that before I got my powers.”

Hermes shook his head. “Seeing you do what you do, from the perspective of a cop on the street? It really… Affected me.”

Furnace chuckled nervously. “I’m glad I could inspire, even though I’ll never get used to hearing anybody say things like that. Always feels like I don’t deserve it, you know?”

In that moment, everyone was interrupted as a lone voice cried out over the small crowd of heroes. It was Overlook, one of the Protectorate’s newer heroes, and a precognitive thinker class. “Everyone take cover! Something big is about to happen! Get away from the middle of the floor!”

The few remaining fans took heed of the thinker’s words and ran for the walls. No sooner had they cleared the way did everyone feel a mighty rumble through the floor as a tremor surged across the ground. The ground cracked in fissure, then spread all around the room from its center until the ground and floor violently burst upward, sending stone shard shrapnel in all directions. Some of the less physically capable heroes took cover by upending their tables and stands, while others could dodge or tank through the spray of earth material. Noble remained untouched as the stones bounced off a cushion of air focused around her body, while the debris heading toward Furnace vaporized nanoseconds before making contact.

The remaining civilians cowered, crying out in fear, but the deadly spray of rock and stone never touched them. Inkscape had jumped into action, taking the ink and dyes from all the tables, stands, banners, and even the carpet itself and created a curtain-like shield, catching all the debris before it could hit them. [color=yellow]”Looks like today is one of my good days,”[/color] he commented, feeling relief.

The danger was not yet over, however. A large stone hand gripped the edge of the new hole, and with a mighty heave the being connected to that arm emerged from below ground. [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qVkLCRTU4kE/maxresdefault.jpg]A mighty stone warrior,[/url] nearly twenty-five feet tall, stood before the gathered heroes of the fundraiser. Perched on the stone goliath’s shoulders, arms, and legs were a number of brutish looking thugs wielding pickaxes. At the top, situated in the head, stuck out the shoulders and head of a single individual. Though he was more known in the city of Boulder, his men had madea presence in Denver over the last several weeks. The big boss of the Rockers, Ceramix, had officially crashed the party.

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[center][h1][b][color=red]The Jacks[/color] and Other Less-Than-Legal Individuals[/b][/h1]
[@yoshua171][@BCTheEntity][@Eklispe][@floodtalon][@Old Amsterdam][@solokolos][@PlatinumSkink][@Gardevoiran][@Xandrya][@Spiffy][@AngelofOctober][/center]

The villains listened patiently as Thunderbolt explained the reason they had all been called together. Taking out Patriarch was something just about everyone could get on board with. Even if the rumors of his mind control proved to be false, he still controlled the largest criminal enterprise in the entire state, and he was well known for not playing well with others. Chatterbox called for those against the idea to speak out, while Headhunter gave input as to his own lethal intentions. The first to speak up was Farce. Or was it Sparce? Keeping those two straight always proved to be a troublesome task.

[color=pink]”The vigilante brings up a good point,”[/color] said Sabotage, so far the most vocal of the villains gathered. [color=pink]”What’s the point in bringing down Patriarch’s organization if he can turn us into his puppets? I don’t much care for the idea.”[/color]

[color=salmon]”That’s bullcrap and you know it,”[/color] interjected Retcon. [color=salmon]”You don’t want to lose your biggest cash cow. Everyone knows that the Community is your biggest client, thief.”[/color]

[color=pink]”I’m not exactly hurting for cash. If they go, yeah I’ll take a hit, but there’s only so much money I need to live comfortably. Not that I need to justify myself to you, bitch.”[/color] The cat burglar raised her middle finger at the androgynous jester, who merely shrugged in response. Retcon had no interest in further getting a rise out of her.

[b]”If we are to steer this ship back on topic,”[/b] insisted Purge from his booth. [b]”My organization and our allies would like nothing more than to see the Community [i]cleansed[/i] from our streets. They have no respect, cannot be reasoned with, and they escalate matters to an unsafe point for the remainder of us. For this charter, you have my full backing and all resources available to my mafia.”[/b]

Sabotage scoffed. [color=pink]”Right, like we’re even going to make a dent in the Community. Look, if we’re going to do this, fine, but I need some sort of assurance that you all have got my back. I’m not getting left high and dry to get tossed in the Birdcage, or worse brainwashed.”[/color]

[color=slateblue]”I believe I can offer you that very assurance!”[/color] All heads turned toward the newest voice in the room, looking to see [url=https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/matt-smith.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1]a man[/url] dressed in a rather expensive tuxedo entering the room. He was tall and fairly muscular, with white skin, and well groomed hair. He carried with him a briefcase, and spoke in an English accent. Probably Liverpool.

The various villains in the room immediately went on their guard, with the quickest to react being Purge’s right hand man, Benito, who pulled out a gun. [color=slateblue]”Now now, put that silly little thing away. Don’t worry, I’ll show myself to my seat. Invitation must’ve gotten lost in the mail, but no worries! I haven’t taken any offense!”[/color]

The mystery man took a seat at the bar, a few spots down from where the majority of the Jacks were sitting. The bartender continued cleaning glasses, pretending not to be noticing any of this, like a fly on the wall.

[b]”And who might you be, most… [i]Esteemed[/i] guest?”[/b] Purged inquired, cautious but curious.

[color=slateblue]”Oh, I’m nobody, really. Just a whisper of a shadow in the corner of your eye. Been setting things up for some time and decided it was finally time to reveal myself, to start building trust.”[/color] He set the briefcase down on top of the bar, and signalled for the bartender, who proceeded to get him a rum and coke.

[color=pink]”Cut the shit. Who [i]are[/i] you?”[/color]

The man in the tuxedo began drinking from his glass, unable to answer until he had downed the entire thing. Once he set the glass back on the bar top, he turned to face Sabotage, as well as the rest of the villains in the bar. [color=slateblue]”I’m who you go to when things aren’t quite working out in your favor. I’m the man who you make a deal with to turn your fortune around and your whole world upside down. You can call me the Broker-”[/color] He snapped open the briefcase, revealing its contents: the six vials the Jacks had successfully stolen from the Community warehouse. [color=slateblue]”And today, my good mates, I’m selling superpowers.”[/color]