Gorilla at the Museum

[kneel_before_grodd]

It was easier for a sentient gorilla to make a stealthy entrance into a public building that you'd think. Granted it was night and he had traveled in a rather large fan to hide his massive frame while traveling, but it had still been easier than anticipated.

"Keep an eye open," Grodd ordered the humans up front. They were both mind-controlled security personnel with credentials that would send any nosy bystanders off none the wiser.

A few got out, casing the perimeter before one gave a couple knocks on the van door. Signal given that it was clear, Grodd exited. The sight of several light-armored men escorting a giant gorilla into a museum would be an odd sight just about anywhere else..but this was Central City. Grodd had been here many times before. He let out a low growl. He would have greatly preferred not to come to this city again, but this called for his personal attention. If the worst came to happen, it wouldn't matter. The wheels were already in motion. He abandoned the line of thinking when he heard the security team unlock the door. They had already disabled the alarm.

"You two, keep an eye on the front. The rest of you, come with me."

They followed as dutiful as any soldier, which was precisely what their mental programming told them to do. The local security guard was knocked unconscious and drugged into a corner. It was then that Grodd saw his objective. It looked relatively unimpressive, a relic found in some backwater third world country. It was carved to resemble some primitive deity, but if what Grodd suspected was true, it was something more entirely.

Comments

[need_for_speed]

Alarms are meant for the police. And truthfully it was probably better that they not get involved in this.

Barry used low level speed to do reconnaissance...his higher speeds would cause audible clues of his presence...and caught the nine foot hulking figure out of the glimpse of his eye.

He immediately set off his JLA signal device before doing anything else. Snart and Rory were one thing. Grodd was *dangerous*

[mars_my_destination]

"Manhunter to Flash... I am on my way."

Fortunately, his own issues in South America had resolved themselves. This VULTURE cell would not be bothering anyone for some time.

He lifted into the air and pointed himself towards North America.

[kneel_before_grodd]

The enthralled security team covered him as he removed the glass container over the relic. He reached a hand out to it, and just as he suspected (perhaps hoped was a truer word), a faint glow was visible. It was the kind of glow only someone psionically aware would have seen. What's more, it felt..familiar.

[need_for_speed]

Whatever that thing was, if Grodd wanted it, that couldn't be good. And Barry couldn't wait for backup anymore.

Barry quickly zipped to the warehouse area of the museum. grabbed a lockbox, then went at top speed to snatch the relic into the lockbox without actually TOUCHING it.

[kneel_before_grodd]

Against perhaps anyone else, Flash would have been able to pull it off. Even with Grodd's mental awareness, someone as fast as the Flash may have been able to escape detection long enough to steal the relic. However the battles between Grodd and Flash had taken place over the course of years. Grodd knew full-well it was likely he'd encounter Flash here. That knowledge, along with a familiarity built over years, Grodd knew how to detect the Flash's quick mind.

He had sensed it, just for a moment, but he picked up on it. He swung a vicious backhand at where he guessed Flash was coming from.

[mars_my_destination]

Grodd's Force of Mind was like a powerful homing beacon, especially to one as psychically attuned as J'onn.

Turning himself invisible and intangible, he slipped through the walls just in time to see Grodd lash out as the Flash.

[need_for_speed]

The Speed Force affects more than simple land speed. It comes in handy with the reflexes as well. That's the only reason Grodd's blow doesn't remove his head from his shoulders. Flash basically does a Matrix move, bending backwards at the swing, but Grodd's massive arm connects with his chest and sends him flying towards a wall. He changes his vibrational frequency to pass harmlessly through the wall, but he was going to feel that blow in his ribs for a bit.

"I'd hoped you had realized that every time you leave the jungle, it ends badly for you Grodd." Flash said. "I've already called for backup, so you might want to cut the puppet strings of your minions and bolt."

[kneel_before_grodd]

Grodd's nostrils flared once, his only sign of annoyance with his arch-enemy.

"Normally caution would be sound advice, Flash, but this is too important for me to remain hidden." Grodd grabbed the relic, he could feel the psychic tingles from it. Grodd knew Flash long enough to know when the man was bluffing. More of his costumed allies would be coming. "And what if I did decide to leave? Am I to believe you would simply let me go?"

[mars_my_destination]

The sudden surge in psychic power was enough to shock J'onn to visibility, but he recovered his composure almost immediately.

"Let it go, Grodd," he said. "I can sense that relic's power from here. You know not what forces you are tampering with."

[kneel_before_grodd]

Grodd's awareness actually grew somewhat, enough to sense the Manhunter before he even appeared.

"On the contrary, Martian, I suspect I understand it better than you. This stone is quite similar to the material of the meteor that granted my people sentience." As he held it, he suddenly "knew" he had new options. "Along with further potential for evolution."

That's when the lights above exploded, showering the area near J'onn with fire.

[need_for_speed]

Flash has J'onn out of that area before he barely gets a tan from the fire, then uses the momentum of the speed to run right at Grodd, then stop, sending J'onn flying towards Grodd. Hopefully J'onn thinks well on the fly.

[mars_my_destination]

J'onn's reflexes are not quite on par with those of the Flash, but are still fast enough to make his reactions seem extraordinary.

As soon as he is hurling toward Grodd, his form changes, becoming a mass of spiky tentacles, reaching out for the rogue gorilla.

[kneel_before_grodd]

Grodd's eyes flared as a shield of psionic energy formed around him as the Martian moved speedily toward him.

"Enough! I have what I came for. There will be time to deal with you at a more convenient hour. Now!" Grodd's order was directed to the security team, who each pulled several flashbang grenades.

[need_for_speed]

This was gonna be a new one. Flash, retrieving the box he tried to trap the totem in, sped past each of the security team and captured the grenades in the box between the ticks of a second.

Phase two was going to be something different...however, all barriers, even psionic ones, had a frequency. Barry attempted to vibrate BETWEEN the frequency in order to deposit all the grenades WITHIN Grodd's barrier, forcing him to either drop the barrier or absorb the explosions internally.

If it worked, that is.

[mars_my_destination]

J'onn smacked into the shield, rebounding off with a slight sizzle, returning to his humanoid form.

With Flash occupying Grodd, he focused his efforts on Grodd's minions, applying his own psychic power to break the super-gorilla's hold on them.

[kneel_before_grodd]

After the Martian ricocheted off the barrier, Grodd barely glimpsed the Flash's movements. That was when he heard the clang of the flashbangs onto the floor in front of him.

"Clever." Grodd knew he'd have to bring the barrier down now to get rid of the flashbangs. He flung the flashbangs with telekinetic force as he brought the psionic field down in order to clear the grenades away from him. More than likely this was a means to get close to him. Grodd reached up to the roof with a psionic grip, and pulled down hard.

[need_for_speed]

The roof may come down, but not before Flash charges Grodd dead on, as fast as he can safely travel in the atmosphere. He may not have super strength, but he makes up for it in velocity.

[mars_my_destination]

Fortunately, J'onn can act to save the roof, expanding out his arms and hands to hold it against Grodd's psychic attack.

[kneel_before_grodd]

Grodd can't react in time to Flash's attack, sending him flying back. He slammed into the wall, the blow jarring his hold on the security officers. They began to collapse, passing out from the sudden loss of the constant presence in their minds. Grodd snarled, but then glanced at the relic, something practically demanding he look. Images flew through his mind of worlds not his..and he understood. While his powers were reinforced, they did not increase as much as he hoped, but now he understood, and the possibilities were now much clearer to him. He tossed the stone aside, the psionic energies from it gone, bonded as part of his power.

"I did not find what I wanted, but this night was far from a loss." He smiled at the Flash and Manhunter as he moved back to his feet. Part of him wanted to extol in the revelations the rock had granted him, but since speeches had often been his downfall in the past, and it was a lesson he had learned well. He sent a psionic signal to one of his followers at the edge of the city. Grodd's body began to shimmer as a teleportation device took hold of him. "We will see each other soon."

[need_for_speed]

Flash knew better than to outrace a teleporter blindly...he could get there, but where he would end up isn't as known.

And technically, he did prevent Grodd from taking the idol, however pyrrhic that victory may be. "J'onn, please check Grodd's victims. I'll look for anything Grodd may have left and prepare for Central City Police to arrive."

[mars_my_destination]

"Of course, Flash," J'onn said, gently touching the minds of Grodd's victims. If the super-gorilla had left any trace of his influence behind, he would be able to ferret it out.

Grodd's powers had been formidable enough before hand. If he had enhanced them...