Now I Give You Judgment (For Tommy)

[fanboytemplar]

It happened, at times. Ann was probably the sweetest girl at the shelter -- it was amazing how much she hadn't let what she'd been through make her cynical -- but the general Alphabet City region wasn't always the safest to begin with, and she always insisted on leaving the shelter alone and going places that girls with scales wouldn't be safe. So this time, Jeremiah'd followed her. And lo, she did indeed get herself surrounded by riffraff.

But when he stepped out of the shadows, armoring up and drawing his sword, they moved faster than he expected in grabbing, her the lead one putting her between himself and Jeremiah. And the knife pried under a scale on her clavicle, making its point so well there were a few drops of blood.

His sword vanished. "Why?" Jeremiah asked.

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[fear_the_rider]

Twelve hours of peace was all he got.

After dropping Rose off at Salem Center, Tommy found a cheap hotel to stay the night in. He didn't have much money left and he hadn't been able to get any new work lately. That wasn't good for the finances. He was about to check into what illegal races were going on this week when he felt the burning sensation on his hand.

"No, not now. Please, not now..." he begged, even as he felt the transformation take hold.

He stumbled outside to his bike and the Ghost Rider was on the road in moments, headed toward the seedier part of the city. The biker roared into the alley as the Rider set his gaze upon the thugs, the woman and another man.

He pointed at the man with the knife.

"You."

[fanboytemplar]

Staring at the Rider, the thugs went wide eyed, the one with the knife lowering his hand for a moment.

Demon-things whatever. He wasn't the threat now, so Jeremiah didn't care. He focused on the important part. "Ann, get down" he instructed as he 'drew' his psycho-electric sword again. And Ann managed to listen for once and disengage herself from the the shocked thug's arms, falling still amidst them but slightly more out of the way.

[fear_the_rider]

Tonight, the Rider wasn't interested in giving quarter. He simply reached down to a pouch on the side of the demonic motorcycle and drew a lethal-looking spiked shotgun. He pumped it once, aimed and fired it at the thug with the knife.

The man was lifted from his feet and slammed into the brick wall behind him as a ball of hellish flame crashed into his chest. The fire spread quickly, immolating the thug. But Jeremiah and Ann, if they looked, would note that the man's flesh and clothes weren't burning, but he screamed as though they were.

"HELP ME! OH GOD! HEEEELLLLLLP MEEEEEE!" he yelled, rolling around in panic.

The other riffraff looked at each other in utter shock.

Ghost Rider pumped the shotgun and fired again, hitting another one. He would continue as long as the thugs were still standing.

[fanboytemplar]

Jeremiah noticed this, but focused on pulling Ann away, getting her to her feet. She was horror-stricken. "Jeremiah, we should do something!"

"...Ma foi, you really mean that," he said to the girl who was still bleeding from what the 'victim' had begun to do to her. "Go home, Ann. I will cover you." Because he wasn't turning his back on this little ... event.

Go she did, and covering her did not take much. All Jeremiah had to do was strike the one man who'd had the will -- and the malice -- to draw a gun in a way that could possibly have been a danger to the departing girl. As for the rest...
Jeremiah Bennet has never killed anyone. But he doesn't feel inclined to save these.

[fear_the_rider]

When the thugs were all writing on the ground, the Rider looked at his work and saw that it was good. Hellfire burned the soul and not the flesh. These ones would beg for death for some time before their torment ended and then they would curse remaining alive.

He looked to the last man in the alley.

"You are not guilty. You saved the woman. Depart this place and do not return. Your mortal authorities will deal with this filth." he said, indicating the riffraff with obvious contempt.

[fanboytemplar]

"They are not my mortal authorities," he says. Jeremiah can't help his contempt of the American system every now and then, even when speaking to a flaming skeelton who burns men's souls. "Why did you come. Are there false demons, too, to match the false gods of this world?"

[fear_the_rider]

"Have a care with your tongue, mortal. I am the Spirit of Vengeance and I do not take kindly to being mocked. I came because innocent blood was spilled and vengeance was called for." Ghost Rider said.

"See to the woman." Ghost Rider said, revving his bike and backing out of the alley.

[fanboytemplar]

"I am not mocking you," he says, following after. "I simply want to know whom you serve."

[fear_the_rider]

"Whom I serve is not your concern." Ghost Rider said curtly. He had no time to discuss the terms of his bondage to the Hell-Lord Mephisto. It could not be changed anymore than his bonding to the mortal.

He turned and sped off, heading away from the alley and toward the next sinner that needed to pay.