The rain poured down on the still and silent figure. It was an imposing sight, the dark clouds and streaks of lightning highlighting the figure's features and enhancing its image.

"We've opted for a more physical approach," shouted Thomas Lansing over noise of heavy rain pelting his umbrella and the pavement at the docks of Pacific Harbor, "considering the target is nearly invulnerable based off or your report. So you'll get to see the close combat abilities of the Siege Engine."

Mayor Cliff Jerrod and Commissioner Jordan both nodded under their umbrellas, Jordan stepping towards the Siege Engine and looking up at its reflective head.

At over two meters tall, the Siege Engine dwarfed most other humanoid objects. Its bulk furthered the difference, armor plating and elongated arms creating a unique look.

"How do you turn it on?" asked Jerrod, not taking his eyes off of the machine.

"It already is," replied Lansing. "It's currently searching for the target."

The machine's "mind" processed the information fed into it. Male, 1.8-1.9 meters tall, 68-80 kgs, rubber mask resembling American President George W. Bush. It scanned locations where the target had been sighted, creating a rough outline of a possible patrol area given eye witness accounts as to directions he entered and left scenes as well as what kind of criminal he tended to combat.

And then it got a spike.

Jerrod stepped back as the Siege Engine suddenly crouched down and then leapt into the air.

"I do believe it's found something," said Lansing with a smile. "Shall we go inside and watch the show, gentlemen?"

Anthology Two Presents

Lansing
"Actions"
Presentation Part Two
By Jason S. Kenney

Thomas Lansing continued to smile as he wiped the rain off his suit coat and set his umbrella by the door.

"Have a seat, gentlemen," said Lansing as he gestured for Jerrod and Jordan to sit. They did, joining Richard Siefret and Lewis Sommers staring at the screen.

The screen showed a moving view of Pacific City with three blue crosshairs, numbers ticking down beneath them. The bottom right hand corner of the screen showed a map of Pacific City, a green dot traveling almost dead west towards three blue dots.

Data scrolled across the top of the screen, names, dates, locations all passing by, showing the information the Siege Engine's mind processed.

"The Siege Engine has found three possible positive IDs," said Siefret as he punched at a keyboard. Lansing sat down next to Siefret and leaned back.

"The Engine, having little to no data to go on, pulled up a grid of Bush43's known locations," Siefret continued. "It scanned the area and identified three persons that fit the physical description of the target."

One dot and crosshair turned from blue to gold.

"What just happened?" asked Commissioner Jordan, shifting in his seat.

"The Engine positively identified one of the possible targets and determined it was not Bush43," said Siefret, looking up to the screen and at the data that scrolled across the top.

"How does it know for certain?" asked Jerrod.

"As it scans the area and the person it runs a cross check on a drivers license and picture identification database," said Lansing. "The one it removed was found to be of a smaller height and greater weight than what we are looking for, as well as being Asian."

"But what if that's the correct person?" asked Jordan.

"The engine will continue to track this person's movements," said Lansing. "If the other two identifications do not work out, then the engine will track down the first person and visually confirm whether or not he is a viable target."

"One hundred meters to nearest target," said Siefret. "Label Alpha. Both remaining targets are still unidentified."

"And now you'll get to see the visual process at work," said Lansing as he leaned forward in his chair.

The view continued to move, the Engine leaping up and onto a roof and running across it, suddenly stopping at the edge and looking down, scanning the area.

A man ran down the street, oblivious to the machine above it. He slipped slightly in the rain as he turned a corner, quickly correcting himself and continuing down an alley. He climbed onto the fire escape and up to the rooftop, breathing heavily as he looked around.

He did not see the machine that observed him from only 100 meters away. Nor did the man seem to find what he was looking for as he started back down the fire escape.

"We're looking at similar build," said Siefret as the man ran further down the street. "And he's definately wearing a rubber mask, but it's not a George W. Bush mask."

"Maybe he changed his mask?" said Jerrod.

"Perhaps," said Siefret. "He's also not displaying the known abilities of Bush43. Instead of leaping across roofs he running along the ground and using stairs."

"Another kid playing dress up?" asked Jordan.

"Probably," said Lansing. "But it's definately not Bush43."

The view started to move again, towards the final remaining unidentified target.

"Is it possible it hasn't found Bush43 at all?" asked Jerrod.

"Very possible," said Lansing, looking to the Mayor. "We're running on minimal data to find a low tier hero. There's really not much that can be done about something like that."

"True," said Jerrod, looking back to the screen.

"One hundred meters," said Siefret.

The machine stopped on a rooftop and stared out. A man leapt into the air from one roof to another, sliding as he landed, and then jumping to his feet, arms raised into the air.

The crosshair around the man suddenly turned red, the name Bush43 popping up above it.

"I think we have our man," said Lansing.

The man walked towards the edge of the roof that faced where the Engine stood. He stopped at the edge and looked at the street below, his head moving from side to side as he seemed to be looking for something.

Then he looked up and straight at where the Siege Engine stood, staring for a moment.

"Does he see it?" asked Jordan.

"I doubt it," said Siefret.

But for a few tense moments, the man's gaze did not turn.

"It could be the rain," said Jerrod. "It doesn't fall right through the machine, does it?"

The man quickly turned away and looked to the other side of the roof he was on.

"What is it?" asked Jordan.

"Is that other dot in the same block?" asked Jerrod, pointing to the grid at the bottom of the screen.

"What the hell?" asked Siefret, leaning forward to look at the grid.

"Nothing the Engine can't handle," said Lansing, trying to calm everyone down.

The Engine jumped into the air and to the roof across the way just in time to see the other man charge at Bush43. It watched as Bush43 stepped out of the way and grabbed the back of the man's coat to keep him from falling off the edge.

"So when will the Engine engage him?" asked Jordan.

"It's currently processing his abilities based off of his fighting this other guy," said Siefret. He squinted and leaned forward. "Is that other guy wearing an Al Gore mask?"

They watched the man charge again at Bush43 and be tripped to the ground. The Engine started to approach as Bush43 fell to the ground as well and then tossed the other man to the side.

Lansing smiled as he looked at the data scrolling across the top of the screen.

"Gentlemen," he said, "we're about to see some action."

The second man came running back into view but the Siege Engine swung out an arm, connecting with the man and sending him back across the roof. The man hit and rolled to the edge, still.

"Wait," said Jordan. "I thought the Engine was cloaked?"

"It is," said Lansing. "The Engine's view keeps it visible for our sake so we can see what's going on."

"Can we get audio?" asked Jerrod. Siefret keyed it up as the view turned towards Bush43.

"I can see you," they heard from Bush43.

The Engine lashed out, punching Bush43 in the stomach and then grabbing one of his arms, pushing him back on the ground as it's second claw grabbed his other arm and tried to pin him.

Suddenly the view pitched and the Engine flipped.

Siefret punched a few more keys and the map in the corner changed into a side view of two figures, one standing, the other rolling to its feet.

"The Engine also provides an external side view," said Lansing as the machine reached from behind Bush43 and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around and punching him in the face and then the gut again. Bush43 came up with a double fisted punch that sent the machine stumbling and then falling onto its back.

"Yeah, what now?" shouted Bush43.

"Why again is it confronting him physically?" asked Jerrod as the Engine climbed to its feet.

"It's processed all available information on Bush43 and determined that physical combat is the best way to handle the target," said Siefret as the men watched Bush43 run and slide into the Engine's legs and knock it to the ground.

"Why is it letting itself get beaten like this?" asked Sommers.

"It's testing him," said Lansing. "When the Engine has as little data as it did on Bush43, it allows itself to be attacked in non-critical areas to determine the target's fighting strengths and weaknesses. It's a measure to ensure that the Engine does not use too much force on a target. We're going for non-lethal apprehension here."

The Engine lashed out again as Bush43 turned around, it's fist connecting with his face and sending the man back and stumbling near the edge of the roof. The Engine ran towards him and punted him in the gut, sending him up and over the edge.

The Engine leapt after him.

"I take it it's done evaluating him?" asked Jerrod.

"More or less," said Lansing.

The Engine looked down as its feet hit Bush43's back and stayed there, pushing the man down faster and harder into the ground.

"So much for non-lethal," said Sommers.

"No, he's still alive," said Lansing. "His crosshair is still active. They cross out when a target dies."

"Yeah, that's right!" shouted a voice from the screen.

The Engine quickly stepped forward, pivoted, reached up and fired a dart from the back of its forearm. The screen showed the dart sink into the leg of the second man who was now standing at the edge of the roof. The dart lit up as the Engine's view turned to face Bush43 climbing out of the hole he had made in the ground. It reached out a hand and a flash emitted from its palm, Bush43 falling to the ground, stunned.

"As you can see," said Lansing, "it can handle multiple targets without skipping a beat."

The Engine turned its view back to the second man, retracting the dart. The man leapt off the roof and fell, clutching onto the Engine's back and releasing an electrical charge.

A small box popped up in the bottom left corner of the screen, an outline of the Siege Engine lighting up in certain areas as the electricity traveled through it.

"What's happening now?" asked Jordan.

"It's just relaying some information," said Lansing, waiving him back. "There is no danger, the Engine is designed to withstand these kind of charges."

The Engine reached behind it's back and grabbed the man, pulling him off and swinging him into a wall.

"Oof," said Siefret. The crosshairs on the man flickered to crossed and then uncrossed.

"Non-Lethal?" asked Jerrod to no response.

A clawed hand grabbed and removed the mask off the man as the other claw held him upside down. It quickly searched the database for a match of the man's face.

"Simon Cooper," said Siefret as the data scrolled across the screen, "aka Staticy, was put on house arrest a week ago after serving about six weeks in jail for vandalizing a diner."

"What does he have to do with Bush43?" asked Jerrod.

The Engine swung out only to have its arm pushed away and a punch connect with its head. It dropped the unconscious Simon Cooper as it stumbled back, Bush43 back into view.

"Wanna take another picture?" asked Bush43 as he swung at the Engine again. He went for a third swing only to be stopped as the Engine kicked him in the gut, pushing him back and falling over Cooper's body.

"Bush Forty-Three," said the metallic voice of the Siege Engine, "you are under arrest."

"Now it says that?" asked Jordan.

"Is that what this is about?" said Bush43. The Engine reached out and fired a dart from its forearm, the dart uselessly bouncing off of Bush43's shoulder and falling to the ground. "Nyah!" said Bush43 as he jumped to his feet. "What was that supposed to do?"

The Engine cloaked and rushed towards Bush43, punching him in the jaw and then the gut, following up with yet another kick in the gut that sent him back to the ground. The Engine reached down and grabbed the front of Bush43's shirt, picking him up and punching him yet again. Then it wrapped a claw around his head and pulled up, removing his mask. It began to process his face.

"Anyone recognize him?" asked Sommers, leaning forward.

Bush43 wrapped his legs around the Engine's arm and pulled back, his shirt tearing.

"Later, tin can," he said as he fell to the ground. He started running down the alley, tossing garbage cans behind him to block the path.

The Siege Engine leapt into the air and landed at the end of the alley, facing Bush43 who simply ducked and ran right into the Engine, the two of them tumbling into the street.

There was a screech and suddenly the view jolted and shook as the sound of metal scraping across metal.

"Jesus Christ," said Jerrod.

"What the hell was that?" said Sommers as he basically leapt out of his chair.

Siefret frantically typed. The box in the lower right corner changed to show an outline of the Siege Engine in green, slight yellow along it's right side.

"Minor damage to the right side," said Siefret.

The view on the screen turned to show the crumpled front end of a car against the Engine. The Engine started to push itself up, getting to its feet and grabbing the car, hoisting it over its head.

"Wait," said Jordan, jumping to his feet, "what about the people in the car?"

"Wait," said Bush43 from the screen, "there are people in there!"

Siefret continued to type as Lansing leaned back in his chair and squinted at the screen.

"Jeffery Carter," said the Engine, "you are under arrest."

"Put the car down!" shouted Bush43, ignoring the Engine's words. "Those people need help!"

"The Engine's picking up two heat signatures inside of the vehicle," said Siefret, "but no heartbeats. They're already dead, Commissioner."

As if to emphasize the point, the Engine threw the car towards Bush43, catching him in the chest, pushing him back up over the curb and against a wall, pinning him there.

The Engine jumped into the air again and landed on the hood of the car, bending close to Bush43's face.

"Jeffery Carter," said the Engine, "you are under arrest."

"You killed them, you son of a bitch," said Bush43 as the Engine reached out with an open hand.

"You have the right to remain silent," said the Engine, a flash emitting from its hand.

Officer Fred Thomas shook his head as the wrecker pulled the car back. Is this what they had come to? He didn't become a cop to play clean up. Part of him hoped the kid would come to and try and resist. Then they'd have a little action.

But another part of him hoped the guy would stay down.

As soon as there was room, two men slowly closed in on the unconscious man.

One crouched next to the body, pulling out a syringe and quickly jabbing it into the man's neck.

"I thought he was supposed to be invulnerable?" asked Thomas's partner, Officer Jonathan Peters, as he shook rainwater off his slicker.

"Guess he isn't when he's out cold," said Thomas with a shrug. "Makes no difference to me, as long as he stays down."

'Liar,' Thomas told himself. 'Get up, kid, get up and give me something to do.'

The two men who approached backed away a few steps as three men in white coats practically swarmed the man.

"Suits," said Peters, nodding towards an approaching group of men who huddled under umbrellas.

"Christ." Thomas hid his disgust as the group approached him. "Good evening, Commissioner, Mayor Jerrod."

"Hello, Officer Thomas," said Commissioner Jordan. "I take it everything is going smoothly?"

"As smoothly as one could hope," said Thomas as he looked back to the man who was not secured in a straight jacket and shackled to a dolly. "It's unfortunate about the couple in the car."

"Yes," said Mayor Jordan, looking over the wrecked vehicle as rescue crews tried to cut the passengers out. "There used to be a time when people could expect to be safe around these 'heroes'."

"That contraption sure didn't help," said Peters, getting the attention of the group and a glare from one man in particular. "Well... um... I mean..."

"That 'contraption', officer," said the man glaring at him, "had nothing to do with this couple's tragic death. It was that so called hero that brought the fight here." The man gestured at the dolly being pushed into the back of a van.

"Nonetheless, Mister Lansing," said Jerrod, turning to the glaring man, "there are some risks to expanding the use of this Siege Engine."

"Life is full of risks, Mayor Jerrod," replied Lansing. "The Engine performed perfectly given the information provided. It apprehended Bush43 with a minimal loss of life and property damage."

"True," said Jerrod, "but I can't help but think this is a little bit of overkill."

"The Engine assesses a target's ability and uses necessary measures to apprehend them," said Lansing. "This was not overkill, it was just enough."

"I'd have to agree," said the fourth man with a nod. "I mean, look at the area around you. The Engine apprehended two super powered beings, one in the system, one not, with little property damage and a tragic yet unavoidable loss of life. It also stopped those two people from fighting, and who knows what kind of damage they could have caused."

"True, Sommers," said Jerrod, "but I'm still not sure of the need."

"By the time you NEED it," said Lansing, "it may be too late to do anything about it, Mayor Jerrod."

The four men looked to the van as it pulled away from the scene, the flashing red lights making the rain sparkle as it fell from the sky.