It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. ~Babe Ruth

[vesper_verde]

It was the end of a long work day with meetings, arguments with his father, reminders from Sage about how the orchestrated downfall was going, and a few appraisals keeping him late. Stephanie had a late class so he had no real need to rush home. Though a nice bottle of Chilean wine couldn't be amiss.

He rolled his shoulders as the elevator slowly descended to the parking garage. Most of his employees were out for the day. He huffed out a breath and loosened his tie. He tried to remember when he next boxing class was supposed to be. Tomorrow or the day after he assumed. It cut down on his patrolling but did have a side benefit of giving more tools to use as he patrolled. Since most of what he knew about the fighting arts prior to taking those classes were not very punch-heavy.

As the doors rumbled softly opened, he tossed his suit jacket over his shoulder and let it hang down his back off his index finger. The parking garage was mostly heated so he wasn't particularly worried about catching a chill. He hummed to himself as he started to saunter to his fixed up dark green Tesla Roadster.

He was oblivious to any counter-measures Sage had set up or to anyone else lurking in the garage. Though the buzz and soft clink of one of the overhead lights flickering on and off made him glance at it. He needed to remember to call maintenance about that.

Comments

[ngm_hellfire]

Sebastian was a man with virtually nothing left to lose. That bitch of a clone had shut away all of his remaining trump cards- leaving him devoid of his secret bank accounts or his access to the Sentinel protocols. His whore of a daughter had somehow suborned the loyalty of the Shaw Industries empire that he himself had built with his own hands. He'd received the notice not long ago. They seemed happy to pass on his property to her and her disgusting Brazilian, the man who continued to defy him.

No longer, though.

Tonight, Sebastian was going to find Marcelo and destroy him utterly. He would tear the man to shreds and throw his wreckage in the face of his pathetic, treacherous daughter. Then he'd kill her too, and the fool Alistaire, and anyone around them. Then he'd build his empire back, bit by bit, corpse by corpse.

The world was supposed to belong to him. These wretches had no business stealing what was his.

He entered into the parking garage quietly, quickly spotting Marcelo and moving towards him, oddly silent on his feet. He didn't speak until he was within about ten or fifteen feet of him.

"Boy." He called, sneeringly, well-aware now of why Marcelo hated that. He didn't care. "I'm going to enjoy this." He moved swiftly towards Marcelo, intent on rending the other man limb to limb.

[vesper_verde]

Marcelo jumped at the sound of a voice he wish he could scrub from memory. He turned on his heel and got a little wide-eyed seeing Shaw there. He had gotten too relaxed; he hadn't expected this here. It was a sinking pit in his stomach of realization. He should have realized Shaw had a chance to come for him.

He glanced toward a security camera. He hoped the record of his very messy death would put this man away. Keep Stephanie safe. Marcelo took in a breath and let it out slowly. He tossed his suit jacket away. The motion to cover the subtle move to balance on the balls of his feet.

"Old man, can you even get it up anymore without all your help?"

Meanwhile, Marcelo was utterly unaware of safety protocols Sage had put in place. Using tech from Veridian and elsewhere to keep the Brazilian businessman safe.

[ngm_hellfire]

"You think you're so damned clever, don't you? Always a little quip or joke out of your lips." Sebastian smirked coldly. "But do keep it up. Maybe something will be catchy enough to make a good epitaph." He reached out for a nearby signpost and yanked it out of the ground, along with a good chunk of concrete. It would make a suitable weapon.

He moved forward, swinging the signpost towards Marcelo's midsection, in a movement that was both surprisingly fluid and surprisingly fast. He didn't notice that the expended energy was leaving him more quickly than it should.

[vesper_verde]

"I've not lost an empire by being an asshole," he said with a grin that belied the stark fear gripping him. "I'll win whatever way this ends."

He did blink at the concreted signpost being torn out. Death by 'Employee of the Month' sign seemed a little ignoble to him. He started to carefully back away. Getting up close and personal with Shaw was the quickest way to never see Stephanie again.

He just needed to stall. Figure some way to stay alive. And-

Meu pau de óculos!

Shaw came in fast. Marcelo leapt and rolled out of the way at the sign coming in to splatter him in two. He put the heel of his palm on the ground to help him spin around to keep facing Shaw. Leaving a vulnerable back to the man was not an option.

[ngm_hellfire]

"Nothing that I won't regain. I always do. You, on the other hand, will suffer terribly in your last moments." Sebastian snarled as Marcelo moved fluidly.

"Someone's taught you to dance, I see." He assumed that the Brazilian had picked up some capoeira. It had always struck him as a somewhat ignoble martial art. He wheeled back slightly and hurled the sign at Marcelo, spinning swiftly enough to audibly whistle as it hurtled towards him. One way for Marcelo to dodge was blocked by a vehicle, so Sebastian himself, aiming to anticipate Marcelo's movements, moved swiftly towards the one direction he judged that Marcelo could go.

The sooner he could get to grips with the Brazilian, the better.

[vesper_verde]

"I had proper parents. Amazing what a good set will do for you." Spinning signpost in the chest was not the way Marcelo was going to go out. He knew enough of his exits that jumping up on a car did not seem a bad strategy. He had the core and leg strength to do it.

Laying a hand on the side, Marcelo wheeled and leapt onto the roof of the car rather than into the awaiting arms of his murderous father-in-law. He ended up on his knees with the roof making thump noises under him. A momentary reprieve.

Until Shaw tried to throw the car or something.

[ngm_hellfire]

Sebastian was honestly a little surprised by that move, but he quickly moved over to where Marcelo was and moved to lift up the car, aiming to use it as a bludgeon to crush the Brazilian into nothingness. It was at that moment that he realized that something was wrong.

It should not have taken any effort to do that. He felt strain.

Something was suppressing his powers. He wasn't absorbing any new energy.

He roared in anger and slammed the car down as hard as he could at Marcelo.

[vesper_verde]

That was... a little less spectacular than he was expecting. Marcelo rolled and dove off the vehicle. He was going to have to live with buying a new car.

Or just live if he managed to get through this. There was a dim a flickering hope he could do just that. Something about Shaw's demeanor had changed. There was still the Pound the Brazilian Into Paste, but there was anger directed not solely at Marcelo.

He couldn't contemplate what that meant however. He was trying to scramble with a few tight, low spins on his heels to get some distance and less car glass in his hair.

[ngm_hellfire]

"Very clever. But it still won't save you." Sebastian snarled as he moved as quickly as he could to get to grips with the Brazilian. He knew that he was expending energy quickly. He'd have to make an end of this soon. But he couldn't let this smug bastard away with what he'd done. He'd already embarrassed Sebastian far too much.

He picked up the discarded signpost on the way and swung it down on Marcelo as hard as he could. I can feel the weight of it now.

[vesper_verde]

"Oh. I can die happy now. You've given me a compliment. I finally have your approval," Marcelo taunted as he kept a careful eye on the man. The motion was less smooth than when he plucked that sign out of the cement. Could...

Could Sebastian Shaw be tiring?

Marcelo didn't think that was possible. Unless something... was happening beyond either of their control. The Brazilian had no idea where this miracle was coming from, but he was thankful.

With Shaw's outstretched swing, Marcelo went the opposite route of what was expected. He went in closer. Low but close enough to attempt a kick. The sign just barely clipped him, through off his balance enough that the low swinging kick powered toward Shaw's thigh rather than his knee.

[ngm_hellfire]

Sebastian was losing his power at an alarming rate. He'd spent an alarming amount of his power trying to lift the car and what was left was leaving him rapidly. He growled as Marcelo kicked him and he found that he was barely able to hold his ground. It didn't hurt any great amount- but soon enough, he'd be depowered enough that Marcelo could hurt him.

Sebastian would have to end this quickly. Leveraging what remained of his strength and invulnerability, he moved to use his weight to knock Marcelo to the ground. All he needed was to get him in his hands and deliver one or two good blows and then it wouldn't matter if he was drained. Marcelo would be dead or unconscious.

[vesper_verde]

Shaw... staggered. That meant his power was on the wane. Which meant Marcelo could at the very least put up a fight.

"I'm not running from you, Caralho de Asa," Marcelo spit out before he hit the ground. He lost most of his breath. But that was something he needed to do. He needed Shaw closer.

With the man's strength waning, this fight was more in Marcelo's corner more firmly with them close. Marcelo had to believe that. While capoeira usually was his flashy default, he was equally good if not better with a different Brazilian martial art.

Don't let me be wrong. I want to see my love again.

[ngm_hellfire]

"At least you can meet your death with some courage." Sebastian replied, eager himself to get to grips with Marcelo. He was still far stronger than Marcelo- he could close it quickly. He aimed to grab Marcelo's dreadlocks or his actual head and dash it against the concrete.

"I wonder if Stephanie will meet hers with the same." Sebastian laughed cruelly.

[pyroprincess]

Stephanie had come as quickly as she could- which was maddeningly slow, considering the state of New York traffic. She'd realized after a short while that she'd do better if she simply got out of her vehicle and started running. She could check her location on her phone while she ran to Veridian. On foot, she could make it far faster than he could in the congested traffic situation in the city.

Her father had gone to Veridian and was close to Marcelo. Everything for her stopped except the maniac impulse to get there as quickly as she could. She didn't know if she could fight off Sebastian, but she would try with everything inside her. He has to be okay. Please. I can't lose him.

He's my life, mi amor.

"Marcelo!?!?!" She cried out as she ran into the parking garage and towards where he was. "MARCELO!" She screamed out as loudly as she could, looking frantically, back and forth for her husband.

Stephanie couldn't see him. Blind panic was rising up like bile in the back of her throat. What if her father had taken him captive? Her mind couldn't even admit the other possibility.

He had to be alive. He had to be.

[vesper_verde]

After getting security to the garage, getting them to get the police there and garage footage ready, and looking all over for his phone, Marcelo stood by his crumpled car with a hand over his mouth. His dark green baby looked bad. Real bad. Stupid father-in-law.

He turned slightly at the first frantic crying of his name. The scream brought him out from behind the pillar he had been standing next to.

"Querida?"

[pyroprincess]

"... Marcelo?" Stephanie heard the voice and then saw him coming around the column. Looking blessedly, mostly, unhurt. He was standing. And he just said her name. She raced towards him as quickly as she could and wrapped her arms around him, not realizing that in her excitement, she was actually lifting her husband off his feet.

"Marcelo!" She practically squealed with joy before setting him down and easing her grip, lest she crush him accidentally. "My father ... he was here, what happened?" Before he could say anything, she kissed him hard.

He'd probably have to catch his breath before he told her.

[vesper_verde]

Marcelo grunted at the crush and lift. He couldn't exactly say much as his ribs laughed at him for not getting crushed by Shaw but by his daughter. Also, whatever weird mutant powerless voodoo had happened was over.

He sucked in a breath when he was set back on his feet. He opened his mouth to reply to her questions... only to have it otherwise occupied.

He wrapped an arm around her to keep himself from teetering over from the excitement of surviving and gusto of that kiss. He blinked a few times when it ended.

"Well, I ran around like a monkey and then I kicked his ass?"

[pyroprincess]

That made her stop for a moment. Marcelo ... kicked Sebastian's ass? That didn't sound right.

"... you kicked his ass?" She raised her eyebrow. "I mean, you're very, but his powers. How did you beat him?" Something wasn't quite adding up here. She looped her arms around his neck and looked up at him. "I want every detail, mi amor."

[vesper_verde]

"Yes," he answered with a nod. "I kicked his ass."

Then she had to ask how. Always curious, and his myth would be destroyed. No myth-taking for him. He shrugged carefully so to not dislodge her arms.

"I beat him with lots of scared and angry skills. I came down to my car to leave for the night. He stepped of I think that's Sage's parking spot... anyway, he stepped and said he was going to kill me. I said 'Naw, dawg,' and ran in excited puppy circles. He tried to kill me with my own car. He might have pulled a groin muscle because he wasn't recharging whatever energy he spent. So I crowed like a rooster and run around like a chicken with its head cut off until I could take him down. Without his powers, he's not much of a fighter..."

There might have been a little adrenaline delirium going on. Better with Stephanie than the police.

[pyroprincess]

"... something must have been affecting his powers." Stephanie replied almost immediately. "And you definitely sound like you could use a long, hot bath and a stiff drink." She kissed him again. "My big manly hero."

In her experience, Sebastian never tired, could take whatever people could dish out at him and hit them back even harder. He'd defeated far more powerful people in personal combat. He'd once even held his own in a personal battle against Magneto of all people.

Then she saw his car.

"... oh, poor baby." She frowned. She liked that car too. "Your poor, poor car."

[vesper_verde]

"Obviously. I walked into the garage and heard the siren call of bloody smear. Somehow avoided it..."

For all the occasional unintentional emasculating Stephanie did, it still felt good when she called him a hero.

"What I can really use is a wife to hold onto. My knees may give out anytime now." He looked over at his car.

"I loved that car. Even after it got shot."

[pyroprincess]

Stephanie smiled warmly and kissed him again. "You can hold onto me all you like ... though we're probably going to have to take a cab home. I had to leave my car to come here. Or the subway. The traffic is atrocious." She embraced him again, more softly this time.

"I'm so glad you're okay. te amo y te necesito, mi amor." She whispered softly into his chest, just loud enough so that he could hear her.

[vesper_verde]

"I'm going to have to find my phone for that," he said as he looked around the garage. It had been on his wrist when he had walked into the structure. But it must have come off in the scramble and then fight.

Though looking was about all he could do as he was loathe to move from the circle of his wife's arms. He smiled slight when she whispered into his chest. "Eu fecho meus olhos e você é tudo aquilo que eu vejo."

He placed a soft kiss on her temple. "The police have taken him away, taken my statement, and are probably still up in the security office getting footage. They have my contact information. We can go when you're ready to help me find my phone..."

[pyroprincess]

"I've got mine ... but let's go find yours." She moved away just slightly but took his hand and started looking around for it. She looked at him for a moment. "I don't believe that he'll actually stay in police custody. Whatever happens, but ... maybe, just maybe." She allowed herself to actually consider the thought of being free.

"Marcelo, mi amor, are we actually free?" She turned towards him fully, barely able to actually say the words.

[vesper_verde]

His phone was a company prototype. There would be much scrutinizing if he lost it. That scrutiny wouldn't be good if he continued to use Veridian Dynamic technology as Vesper.

"Maybe?"

He gave her hand a light squeeze when she took it. Then he considered her question. "I think the very last of any favors he has will be used up getting out of police custody. Then he has nothing. And he will have a 24 hour newscycle showing security footage of him trying to kill me and getting beat. I think, Stephanie, I got you into the sun and out from his shadow."