Jackie Lukas sat at the café table, the black haired woman drinking a overpriced coffee as she read through the architectural trade magazine. Two earlier issues sat beside her as she worked to finish the last one, her eyes flickering across the paper. The café near the Beverly Malibu was less pretentious than most of the breed, with surly servers and no overpriced elegance to their brew. It was good coffee sold quickly, enough of a rarity to draw customers. "Is this seat taken?" a voice asked warmly. Looking up Jackie met striking blue eyes as the blonde rested a hand on the wooden seat, dressed in a simple set of shorts and t-shirt. Jackie felt her mind kick over as she said questioningly, "Amy, was it?" Amy Ray smiled back as she casually sat, her full breasts bouncing a bit in the skimpy cloth covering as she said, "You remembered." "Hard to forget," Jackie smiled as she remembered the other woman losing control of a basket of clothes and falling on her. Amy winked, "Thank you." She waved a server down and ordered a double double and the boy nodded, soon returning with a large coffee with two cream and sugar. "You have a way with the staff," Jackie noted wryly, "usually I have to wait for service." Amy leaned forward as she studied Jackie for a moment before noting warmly, "They must be blind, then." Jackie blushed a bit, "I wouldn't go that far...." Noting that the other woman looked uncomfortable, Amy reached out to pat her hand. "Sorry if I was a bit forward," she said gently. Jackie smiled back, "It's been awhile since I've had anyone pay attention to me like that. It's nice, just a bit odd feeling too." Amy studied her a moment, "I'd suggest you get used to it," she offered, "you have a... unsullied quality you rarely see in LA." "You're the second person to say that," Jackie confessed. She was about to say more when a beeping noise cut them both off. "What is that?" Amy winced in distaste. "Sorry," Jackie got out her beeper, her eyes widening as she saw the emergency code scrawling across the screen. She got up, stuffing her magazines in her large shoulder bag as she said apologetically, "Something's come up, I got to go." Amy concealed a flash of irritation as she said, "It's all right, I understand. Maybe I can catch you later?" "I'd like that," Jackie said as she flashed her a smile and hurried off, soon disappearing down a alley nearby. Amy, known also as Amora the Enchantress, sat back as she finished her coffee. 'I wonder if it's those wrecking idiots?' she mused, 'If so, I hope they regret breaking cover.' Jackie hurried down the alley then ducked into a alcove as she pulled out her cellphone and speed dialed headquarters. "Connie," she asked, "what's going on?" "Warbird's headed downtown to investigate a sighting of the Wrecking Crew," Connie reported seriously, "she could use backup." "Damn," Jackie muttered, "I'm on my way." Hanging up Jackie drew her battered mace from her bag, raising it up before thumping the handle to the groung. In a flare of lightning and a roll of thunder Jackie was garbed in her Asgardian styled armor as Thunderstrike. Spinning her mace by the chained handle she threw it into the sky, letting it yank her into the air. Soaring above the city Thunderstrike soon saw a curl of smoke from one of the streets, homing in as she heard sirens and shouts of alarm. Descending she was shocked to see the Wrecking crew stacked up life firewood, the unconscious men's uniforms battered and torn. A nearby building rumbled ominously, then in a explosion of force a familiar figure in black and gold was hurled outward fling towards Thunderstrike. "Warbird!" Thunderstrike yelped as she swiftly moved to slow her down and ease her fall. Once she got a look at her friend she stiffened in shock, seeing the blood and bruises on a woman she had thought was invulnerable. "T-strike?" Warbird managed weakly. "She's strong," she hissed painfully, "real strong. Be careful..." she warned before collapsing unconscious. Striding out of the ruble a tall blonde with a cruel expression appeared, dressed in purple body armor that covered her from neck to toe. "Another one?" she asked, "I thought LA didn't have very many heroes." Thunderstrike eased Warbird to the ground then rose, her expression cold. "You're the one who did this?" she demanded. "Name's Delilah," the blonde said casually as she swept some dust off her arm with her hand, "your friend there got in the way of my job. I'd advise you not to do the same." Thunderstrike clutched her mace so hard her knuckles were white, "Not going to happen. Surrender now or...." Delilah sighed, "Your funeral." With a speed that could almost be described as inhuman Delilah attacked, rushing up to Thunderstrike faster than you could blink. The first blow sent Thunderstrike reeling backwards, but she shrugged it off enough to block the next. "Not bad," Delilah actually sounded impressed as she kicked Thunderstrike in the stomach, doubling her over for a easy blow to the head. Thunderstrike staggered but jerked to the side, dodging another strike as she cleared her head. 'She's as strong as I am,' she realized as she braced herself, 'I guess I can't hold back.' "You're doing better than your little friend," Delilah purred as she circled, "by now I had made her my bitch." 'And I don't want to hold back,' Thunderstrike added grimly. ] As Delilah swung at Thunderstrike again she used her mace, bringing up the weapon fast to parry her blow with all her strength. There was a boom as hammer hit fist, then a moment as immense forces pressed against each other, warring for dominance. Then Delilah cried out as the bones in her hand broke, the mace's power overwhelming even her strength. "Aahh!" Delilah clutched at her wrist as she staggered backward. "Damn," she gasped as her shattered hand hung limp and useless, "for something that looks like it's made of scrap iron that mace can hit." Thunderstrike almost felt ill looking at that mangled paw but she made herself meet Delilah's gaze, "Give up and we'll get you to a doctor." "Are you kidding?" Delilah actually laughed as she grinned, "It's just getting good." 'Oh hell,' Thunderstrike braced herself for another attack.... BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM! The machine gun fire rained down around Delilah, forcing her back as a filtered voice boomed, "This is War Machine. Surrender now or suffer the consequences." 'About time,' Thunderstrike thought. Delila looked up at the armored figure hovering above them, sheathed in grey metal and with several weapons systems pointed at her. "Wait your turn," Delilah growled. Another shot pinged off Delilah's armored shoulder as War Machine said, "Not happening." "Damn it," Delilah scowled as she twisted her uninjured wrist, a small compartment opening in her arm to drop spheres into her hand. "Look...," Thunderstrike started to yell a warning but Delilah was fasted than that, tossing the balls on the ground and unleashing a nova-burst of pure white light. She was blinded for a few moments and blinking away spots as large as houses after that, leaving no chance to chase after the armored lady. "Damn," War Machine flew back as Thunderstrike was carefully picking up Warbird, "she had some kind of cloaking system on her armor, I couldn't find her after the spots went away," "Never mind that," Thunderstrike said as she carefully hefted Warbird in her arms, "she needs medical attention." War Machine raised a gauntlet and offered, "Let me scan her first and find out how bad it really is." As Thunderstrike nodded the suit's sensors swept over Warbird as she murmured, "Concussion, serious bruising along back and torso, no broken bones...." "You can tell all that?" Thunderstrike sounded impressed. "Soft tisue scanner," War Machine explained. She held out her arms, "Let me take her. We have a fully equipped medical bay back at Stane Enterprises." 'My flying method won't work well for a wounded woman,' Thunderstrike conceded as she passed Warbird over. "The police should be on their way for the Wrecking Crew," War Machine said as she carefully balanced Warbird in her arms, "can you keep an eye on them till the police arrive?" Thunderstrike gritted her teeth but nodded as she answered grimly, "Okay, but I'm coming after you right away." "I wouldn't expect anything else," War Machine answered as she took off on her boot jets. 'Take good care of her,' Thunderstrike thought as War Machine vanished into the distance, then with great reluctance stomped over to where the Wrecking Crew lay. "Idiots," she muttered as she settled down to wait.
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