webboysurf

X-Men: The New Era

---

Interactions: Jason (@Eric Horst), Heidi (@Silver Carrot), Una (@Almalthia), Cleo (@Damo021), Kat (@KatKook), Aya (@c3p-0h)
Mention: Ayel (@Dezuel)

---

Nik was in the heat of the music when an unfamiliar voice cut through the noise. He turned his head to see... [color=red[[i]shit, it started with a... J, maybe? Jamie? No...[/i][/color] He just shook his head. Who it was didn't matter. He didn't seem to be feeling too hot, and the Russian-American was only able to catch the end of what he was saying. Something about watching... them? It only took a moment for Nik to look up at the girls and give a slight nod as he watched the boy leave. Couldn't blame the kid for not fitting into this kind of scene.

But as Nik's eyes glanced back up towards the girl, a voice entered into his mind. "To the lonely souls lost in the world, to the forsaken and depressed. Do not be afraid, there is no need to cry, no more need to run away or hide. I am one of you, you not alone. We are the chosen ones, the ones whom are currently being oppressed. Where we are forced to hide from sight, where we are called freaks and monsters. We are not monsters my brothers and sisters, we are a different branch of mankind. So I urge you to leave where you are hiding, find others like yourselves out there. Tommorrow I will guide you to where we can all meet. Under a new light. A beacon to guide us to the future which is waiting for us. Seek love and passion, and go forth... with my prayer."

As soon as the voice entered his head, he immediately began pushing his way out of the dance floor and towards the nearest wall away from the speakers, just to lean against it and focus on the words. The words were... deranged is perhaps the best word for it. Incoherent ramblings akin to the monologues often delivered by villains in films. Nik was familiar with the X-Men... and of course was familiar with the more extreme faction fighting for mutant equality (or superiority). It wasn't hard for his mind to immediately wander towards the possibility that this was some kind of Brotherhood move. Regardless... his night was kind of ruined by that. He needed to talk to someone to figure out what was going on... and he knew just the booth to stop by.

Nik straightened his jacket as he strolled over towards the table of friends and acquaintances he was well-familiar with, doing his best to look like someone didn't just talk into his fucking brain. His eyes darted around the room, looking for Jason who of course was gone by now. He'd have to track him down after this. First, he had to make a stop. So Nik walks up towards the booth with the girls, his eyes full of panic as he rested an elbow on the table and leaned in to talk relatively quietly but in a very rapid voice. "Hey gals, fancy seeing you here. I just kind of heard a voice in my head talking about being a 'chosen one' and something about a beacon and shit going down tomorrow and for the love of God tell me someone else heard it here too and I'm not just losing my shit." Nik's eyes almost instinctively locked on Una, and it was clear he was not handling this well.

X-Men: The New Era

---

Nik stood with his back against the wall, looking out at the dance floor. This wasn't exactly the kind of scene he usually found himself at. In fact, he was beginning to regret coming out. He would have preferred just staying in and watching a film. But here he was: a minor all alone in a club. He tapped his foot along to the music as he scanned the tables and booths for anyone he could possibly recognize. Elijah certainly knew how to have a good time, so Nik figured he could just stick with him for the night.

His eyes nearly glossed over a few familiar faces. He tilted his head slightly as his eyes locked on a booth with a few of his friends sitting in it. Most importantly, his eyes locked on a familiar redhead. A small smile unconsciously spread across his lips as he saw her carrying a few margaritas over. He figured he could walk over and say hello... but he couldn't get his feet to move. They seemed to be having a "Girl's Night Out," and Nik was certainly not bold enough to intrude on that. So he sighed and pushed himself out onto the dance floor, bobbing his head and jumping about at the upbeat music pumping through the speakers.

Within moments, Nik lost himself in the music. He was able to dance among the strangers with relative ease, and no one seemed to notice him. He was practically a red beacon dancing among the crowd, his bold fashion choice somewhat jarring for the dance floor. But for just a few, fleeting moments... he couldn't give a shit. The song played on, and he kept dancing. It was just that simple.

Marvel: Shadows and Secrets (18+)

Crossfire

Name: Jackson Hurley
Nickname (if any): Jax
Title or Hero/Villain/Code name (if any): Crossfire (formerly Caesar and Slingshot)
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Age: 35
Birthday: 3-15
Personality: Jackson Hurley's personality shifts wildly depending on the nature of the occasion. He has always been known as one to banter in the heat of combat, but more recent events have tempered his banter drastically. That being said, when not operating as Crossfire, Jax is rather laid-back and enjoys a nice beer and a large flatscreen. He was a cinephile and TV-lover in his more formative years, and this shows in his love for pop-culture references.

Appearance (description, doll-maker, or face-claim):

Headshot

Crossfire Armor (It's a pretty large Image)

Affiliation (if any): Ex-SHIELD (Groomed for Hydra, dropped out before joining)

Powers (if any):

Super Soldier Serum: The recent implementation of a near-perfect match to Captain America's Super Soldier Serum has enhanced Jax's physical attributes tremendously. His strength has been greatly enhanced, with his upper bound seeming to be holding a helicopter in place with a grappling hook. He can jump up to twenty feet into the air, run at a comfortable pace of 30 mph, out-perform any Olympic gymnast, and run a marathon without feeling much fatigue. His healing is much more rapid than the average individual, but he still remains mortal (especially in his line of work).

Enhanced Perception/Sharpshooting: Another byproduct of the injection of the Super Soldier Serum, Jackson Hurley's senses and mental processes have been greatly enhanced. He isn't smarter than he once was, but is instead able to process stimuli more quickly.

Weapon(s) (if any):
Always on Person:
- Custom-Built Sidearm (ICER ammunition, Additional Magazine Capacity, Red Laser Sight and Flashlight Modification, Internal Recoil Compensation, Integrated Surpressor)
- Eickhorn KM 4000 Advance Combat Knife (Strapped to Ankle)

Other Owned Firearms:
- MK 17 SCAR Assault Rifle (Scoped, MK 13 40mm Grenade Launcher attached, Armor Piercing Rounds, Internal Recoil Dampener, Alternate Explosive and ICER Rounds)
- MK 14 Mod 0 EBR Modded for medium-range Sniping (Enhanced Scope, Laser Point System, Suppressor, Armor Piercing Rounds, Alternate "Tank Buster" Rounds)
- HK MP7a1 SMG with 40 round clip and integrated suppressor (Reflex Scope, Alternate ICER Rounds)
- M82a3 "Barrett" Sniper Rifle (Enhanced Optics, .50 cal "Tank Buster" Rounds)

Weaknesses:
Less weak than he used to be, but continued sustained damage can easily overcompensate his accelerated healing factor. A few bullets to the head could take him out rather easily.

Likes (optional):
- Music (Classical Music and Classic/Hard Rock)
- Lounge Sports (Billiards, Darts, etc.)

Dislikes (optional):
- Pop Music
- Criminals
- Dancing
- Not being able to get Drunk

Current Residence: No Permanent Residence Currently

Backstory:

Jackson Hurley grew up a military brat before being forced into a military school at the age of 14. He took to sharpshooting rather quickly, but was known for his unwilling nature to follow orders. He was regularly beaten and disciplined for years while at military school, until he eventually learned to play by the rules just enough to get by. He never bought into the group mentality and selfless patriotism most of his comrades lived by.

Jax went on to gain admittance into the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating with degrees in Physics and History while also having mastered Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, Jax's record is heavily redacted. All of his missions/assignments appear to have never existed, though a single codename sticks out in his military record: "Caesar." A "Caesar" is also listed in the documentation and files of SHIELD. His operations for SHIELD are similarly redacted. A "Caesar" is similarly listed in HYDRA's own database as a former candidate, and currently as a potential threat.

Recent (Heavily-Abridged) History:

In the past two years, Jackson Hurley has had quite a journey. As far as people are aware, he has been investigating a series of assassinations linked to the former-assassin known as Crossfire. After around nineteen months of searching for Crossfire, he was able to kill the assassin who had been working for Hydra and assumed his name. Another month of searching led Jackson to discover that Crossfire had been promised a taste of a Super Soldier Serum that had been developed by a covert splinter-faction of Hydra scientists. He was able to infiltrate the facility and have the serum injected into his bloodstream. What was left of the formula and the base was destroyed in the aftermath.

The new Crossfire has been working as an operative of Athena's most recent team to work on taking down Hydra. He has been relying upon his new allies to provide him a new costume and upgraded equipment that have made him a versatile and powerful addition to the group.

Special Skills (if any):
- Sharpshooter (trained in the use of all sorts of firearms)
- Military CQC Training

X-Men: The New Era

If anyone’s interested in discussing character ideas with any of us, it’s easiest to hop in our Discord here. We are usually more active there for OOC, and we usually use Discord for collabs.

X-Men: The New Era

---

Nik stepped out of the car, making his way in the direction he was pointed to for the club. He didn't exactly have a fake, and he wanted to get away from Nathan as soon as possible. So the mutant teen shoved his hands in his pockets as he made his way towards the front entrance. As fate would have it, a small group of sharp dressed men were standing in front of the bouncer showing their IDs before entering. Nik bowed his head to try and power his way in with the group to blend in... until a hand on his shoulder firmly rooted him to the ground. Nik gave a small sigh as he turned and flashed a grin to the bouncer, who barked at him. "ID."

"Well, I left my wallet at home and my friends were going to cover-"

"You're not getting in, pal." Nik gave a small nod in recognition as the bouncer gave a slight shove towards the street. The mutant gave a nod and began walking around the corner. It looked like he was going to have to change his tactics. Once around the corner, he noticed an alley around the back and gave a slight smile. He kept his hands in his pockets as he slipped into the alleyway. He approached the back door and sighed as he noticed it had a lock built into the handle. After trying it, his suspicion that it was locked was confirmed.

Luckily, a little lock wasn't exactly going to stand in the way of a mutant like Nik. It had been a long time since he had done something fun and illegal. So he placed his hand on the handle and focused. The metal began to glow with a red crackling energy that emitted a low hum that grew louder. After 3 seconds, a metal clang filled the still air outside as the door handle shattered. The door swung open slightly, and Nik slipped inside the back of the club. He quickly navigated his way through the storage area in the back to step through a small door and out into the club proper. The sharply dressed and surprisingly sleeved Nikolai gave a sly grin as the music assailed his senses and he leaned against the wall momentarily, taking in the sights and people surrounding him.

Dawne | A Japanese School Life RP

And finally tossed a post up, hopefully to help get the ball rolling again.

Dawne | A Japanese School Life RP

---

Yujiro Residence, Kurosuoba
April 3rd, 2018 | 7:00 AM

---

Yujiro's walk to school remained relatively unremarkable... and incredibly delayed as he not only chose to take the scenic route, but also found himself busting out the camera to take scenic shots of the city and its environment. His mood wasn't particularly jolly for the first day of school. One of the only things that ever brought him out of these moods was watching the world through his viewfinder and capturing the fleeting moments. If only this worked today.

He nervously adjusted the bag on his shoulder as he looked down the road and towards his school. There were already others milling about and investigating the campus. Yujiro lifted the camera, adjusted the zoom and focus, and snapped a quick picture before packing it away and slowly making his way forward. His head was pointed to the ground, with his hands shoved in his pockets. His posture was hunched, and his steps were rather large strides.

When Yujiro's eyes rose to examine the other students, he was met with a few scared expressions. Without much surprise, his sharp and intense look seemed to already be working its charm. This was going to be a difficult school year. The teenager lowered his eyes to the ground again as he made his way towards the class listings, scanning over them to track down his name. He made a mental note of what class he was part of, and then made his way to the nearest wall to lean against it and pull out his phone. He began tapping away at another mind-numbing game to pass the time. Yet his expression remained fierce as his eyes focused intently on the phone, never snapping away to admire the surroundings. He couldn't exactly stand to see how people were reacting to him. So for now, it was time to tap the time away and get things over with.

Marvel: Shadows and Secrets (18+)

S L I N G S H O T

Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Federation

---

^{20 Months Later | 6:34pm | Project Leviathan Facility}

The only sounds that filled the room were the automated alarms and the sound of a single pair of footsteps on the shattered glass lying on the ground. The facility looked as if it had been destroyed by a bomb. Which, quite frankly, it had been. Explosives weren't necessary, but they were entertaining. And effective.

Jackson Hurley walked past the corpses of the mutated test subjects that Hydra's Leviathan project had created. They were monsters... bastardized attempts to create what was only made once effectively. Well... hopefully twice. As he approached the vault, Jackson took a moment to look at his reflection. A lot had changed since he took his own path. He stood in his old under-suit, but was now crimson in color with a black trim. Over his left eye was a new eyepiece with an x on it. He wasn't Slingshot anymore. He had changed.

He made his way to the front of the vault and looked at the panel next to it. He pressed a button on the side of his eyepiece, and the overlay showed the proper code. The former SHIELD agent gave a smile as he tapped the code onto the screen. The sound of the pressure seal of the vault breaking was a beautiful sound, and it took a few moments before the door slowly slid open. Inside was a room of pure white, with a metal contraption waiting. Cowering behind it was a single researcher, peering around the corner. Jax barked out his order in Russian. "Get the chamber prepared, or you join your comrades." The researcher looked out at the carnage outside of the vault and gave a short nod as he moved to the side of the device.

Jax stripped out of his suit and down into his boxers. The researcher took a step back as Jax approached it, entering in his dimensions, measurements, and other appropriate data. Once done, he entered into the device. The researcher took a deep breath and pressed the button on the side of the console. The doors enclosed Jax inside, and the process began. It only took a few minutes before the device lowered itself and the doors slid open. Out stepped a larger and more intimidating Jackson Hurley.

"Success.... It was a success!" The researcher beamed momentarily, until Jackson's gaze turned towards him. "Yes... you did succeed. You created the weapon that is going to stop this madness."

Minutes later, Jackson made his way out into the frozen terrain outside of the facility in all of his gear. He raised a finger to his ear, activating his communications device. "Athena, this is Jackson Hurley, former designation 'Slingshot.' I'm going to need a lift, a new suit... and I'm going to need you to update my designation. From now on... call me Crossfire."

Marvel: Shadows and Secrets (18+)

---

Jax stared at the ground before him. He was used to ending up in situations like this. He remembered his times in a facility deep in Siberia. His current accommodations were more suitable now than they were back then. The more he thought about it, the more Jax began to realize he ended up in a lot of bad situations when he was a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent. And now that he was involved with them again... he began to realize how expendable people like him were.

But there was something else that began to click in his mind. His last mission... Myers' willingness to provide files... it was all a setup. If S.H.I.E.L.D. was compromised by Hydra, then no one could be trusted. Myers could have been compromised. Myers could have hoped he pulled together the team so that they could all be tracked down. At the very least, Jax's willingness to use the equipment at least compromised them at the hotel, if not from the very beginning at the bar.

Regardless, one thing was becoming clear: Jax needed to take care of business. A legendary assassin thought to be six feet under was on the loose, and working for the enemy. That sounded like a start. What happened after that... who knows? Jax worked better alone, or at the very least seemed to get less people caught in the crossfire.

---

Jackson Hurley is returning as...

Dawne | A Japanese School Life RP

@webboysurf I can ask a mod to unhide your post if you want.

@Euphonium

That would be ideal, thanks.