(2) - Dawn of the Metahumans

Game Master mdt

Known Metas | Tutorial | Former Masonic Temple | Teletran III

Jungle Encounter 001


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37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

Mud realizes what would make this drama more entertaining. He stands up and takes his empty plate into the kitchen. After the sound of a cabinet closing, you hear the microwave start. Another minute later, you hear popcorn starting to pop.


Magnetic Projector
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/5 | PD/rPD 5(20)/0(15) | ED/rED 6(21)/0(15) | MD 0 | End 100 | Stun 50 | SPD 4 | Per 13-
Headputer

Pulse steps into the kitchen for the first time since they'd moved in. There's a flash of pink and a much louder pop.

She then stomps towards the stairs.

RIP microwave :) 2015-2016.


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

"Hey Aegis, Pulse killed the microwave." Mud says returning from the kitchen.


Male Energy Projector (fire)

Blaze really really REALLY didn't want to get into this argument. As far as he was concerned, he was still the new guy. The probie. The noob. He hadn't really earned the right, in his mind, to give his advice.

Still…he mustered up a little courage…

"Well…if anyone wants my opinion, I think we might want to try going on a little faith here," he said. "Violet seems to trust the guy, and I doubt she has any reason to mislead us."


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

Aegis stands by while Violet throws her hissy fit, she rubs her shoulder clearly tired of this game of 'favorite uncle' so she'd watch with a bored look as Violet made up more lies to play the victim then left.

"I'll buy you a new one. The problem isn't trusting Violet like she wants to pretend, hell I've trusted her with running half this company which she suddenly forgot about with that childish 'trust me for once' act. We have no idea who this guy is or if anything is says is trustworthy I trust Violet thinks he's legit I also know metas much stronger than us could easily be screwing with her trying to separate her and the way he acted is espionage 101, making her feel like superior to the group then making her feel cut off like she can't trust us so he's the only voice she listens to. Instead of blindly following him we need to do our own research and be careful."


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Magnetic Projector
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/5 | PD/rPD 5(20)/0(15) | ED/rED 6(21)/0(15) | MD 0 | End 100 | Stun 50 | SPD 4 | Per 13-
Headputer

Pulse didn't kill the microwave... she nuked it. Badumtsh.


Mutant Speedster
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 10/10/5 | PD/rPD 6(14)/0(8) | ED/rED 6(14)/0(8) | MD 0 | End 56 | Stun 38 | SPD 6 | PER 12-(15- vision)

Rocket shakes his head. "I hear you, I guess. Living in a world where folks are hunting us--and some of them might be shapeshifters--that's f@%&ed up shit. I sure don't know how to deal with that. With Whip gone, I guess the only one of us with any experience with that is Vi. I...I just wanted to get to knock out bad guys, and this is messier than that in all kinds of ways.

"So could he be a shapeshifting villian, convincing our incredibly brilliant, observant, and telepathic friend that he's one the person she knows best? I guess, but it seems damn hard to do. Harder than a shapeshifter replacing me--a guy you've only known a couple months--after I went grocery shopping. Do we never let anyone from our sight? I think we'd all go crazy"

Zach pauses to wolf down a big handful of tortilla chips and guac, followed by some Redbull. "I know you're afraid he's not leveling with us...but he just came in and warned us that there're Deep Secret feds sniffing around for us. It seems to me like not only does he want to keep Violet (and therefor the rest of us) safe...he's just done us a real solid.

"And if he was going to lie to us, wouldn't he come up with a better story than 'there's an 80% chance I thwarted that hack'? It seems like he's trying to give us as much info as he's got. At least to help Vi."

Rocket shakes his head, "If we don't want to fly, or go with him, that's cool. Laying low for a few weeks sounds smart to me. We've got a bus and can afford our own gas. Maybe we go on a road trip? And--" he glances at Violet "--Vi baby, I believe you. Hold up."

Rocket heads up the stairs after her.


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-
The Rocket wrote:
"So could he be a shapeshifting villian, convincing our incredibly brilliant, observant, and telepathic friend that he's one the person she knows best? I guess, but it seems damn hard to do.[/b]

"I've no doubt in my mind Ace couldn't break her or any of us with a glance. In case you haven't noticed none of us have amazing control of our powers, we're stronger than average humans but that doesn't mean much when we are dealing with average humans"


Mutant Speedster
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 10/10/5 | PD/rPD 6(14)/0(8) | ED/rED 6(14)/0(8) | MD 0 | End 56 | Stun 38 | SPD 6 | PER 12-(15- vision)

"Sure, Ace maybe, but then--wait, now you think Vi's Uncle is really a shapeshifter and an Omega Class telepath? Why? Because he warned us that the feds are after us after the battle at the parking garage? Or because he was straight with us about what happened with that video, and why, and that he thinks he probably protected our data but he's not sure?

"Or because he gave you crap right back when you gave him some?"

Catching up to Violet, Rocket finds all the stories of being hunted by powerful governmental agencies plus the stories of shapeshifters and evil telepaths to be totally creeping him out. He hugs her as much for his own reassurance as to help her. "Vi--you know something about how to deal with all of this cloak and dagger, the paranoia. I don't think any of the rest of us do.

"I...I believe your judgement about Uncle Bill. You're way smarter than anyone else I've met, and you've known this guy better than you've ever known anyone. I think I get why everyone's getting so freaked though. How do you take it? How do you take being hunted by shapeshifters and feds and God knows who else?"

Realizing he'd meant to support her but he'd just ended up asking for her support, he says, "Nevermind honey. Coach me--all of us--though our own fears later. For now I'm sorry this is all falling apart for you. I--I don't really know what to do about it, but I'm sorry."


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

"Oh Jesus Christ. Aegis said at Rockets outlandish claims."I said it could be someone that could trick Violet that doesn't mean they have to be 'omega' level, just go deal with her." She waved off Rocket as she took a seat continuing to rub her shoulder.


Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

'Well, I got nothing against airplanes," Janice shrugs. "Any problems, I jut punch my way out the window."


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

Mud saunters back to the couch and drops into it. "Don't we usually contact headquarters when we meet someone new? Instead of making Violet feel untrusted, maybe we could suspend the paranoia and yelling for a few days while we get Bill checked out."


Male
Latest Message:
Just to let you all know, I was travelling heavily 10/27 to 10/29, I'll be catching up on 10/30
Human GM

Violet:

Once his stuff is boxed up again, although honestly it wasn't really unpacked other than clothes. The heavy trunk had remained locked the entire time. "Alright girl, you do what you think you need to. I'm leaving in 6 hours, if you change your mind. MidAmerica's airport. You have my burner phone. If you decide not to go somewhere, at least try to lay low here and not do anything to draw attention to yourself. If those idiots you're hooked up with insist on drawing attention, don't let them pull you down with them. Get out, and get out fast. I'll be tossing the burner in 48 hours. After that, you know how to get in touch with me, but it'll take longer." He gives Violet a hug, and then begins lugging his belongings out to the curb to wait for a cab.


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Rocket:

Violet pauses in the hall and looks at Rocket with a pained look on her face.

"I don't, Zack. I don't 'take it.' I'm scared. All the time. But I can't live my life afraid of everything. I just can't."

She taps her forehead and sighs. "I'm crazy enough as it is, baby. I don't need to be constantly looking over my shoulder. So I just... get on with it. I go shopping. I bury myself in fashion and stuffed animals and I sleep in your shirts because they smell like you."

She looks over his shoulder, back at the dining room, then holds her hands up in that 'I just can't' fashion.

"But my best friend just told me over and over she didn't trust my uncle. The only family I have left. My brother's gone. My mother and father are dead... Best friends aren't supposed to be like that."

Violet's voice cracks and she hugs Rocket tightly enough she might actually crack a rib, if she held on long enough.

::You're trying so hard. I'm so happy you're here. You're helping me so much and you don't even know it. I am so happy that you are in my life.::

She lets him go, wiping her eyes and giving him a weak smile.

"I'll be back. Gotta go help pack. You know."

Bill:

Violet helps him pack, staying mostly silent, nodding when he speaks and listening intently. When he's ready to leave, she pauses and stands in the doorway.

"I won't stop you, but I don't want you to go. I want you to stay, and I am being completely selfish right now. Because you're family. Because I love you. Because I need you in my life."

She moves out of the way of the door.

"But I won't stop you. And I won't split this team up. I can't. I'll try to convince them to get the hell out of Dodge, but if they won't leave, I'll keep us low profile for a while. I promise."

She listens to him tell her to get out if the group starts to drag her down, and nods. "I'm going to do my best not to let that happen, but... if it does... I'll call you from SFO and you can come get me. Deal?"

Violet helps him with his luggage, asking him one last time if he's sure he won't stay, at least one more night.

When he refuses (And I'm assuming he does), she waits with him, making small talk and catching up on non-spy life events over coffee, until it's time for him to go.


Male
Latest Message:
Just to let you all know, I was travelling heavily 10/27 to 10/29, I'll be catching up on 10/30
Human GM

Violet:

"I'd stay girl, but I don't have resources here. I could have stayed with you until I could rebuild them, but that's not possible now. If I can't stay here, I'll go kick up a fuss in another town. The people hunting you will assume I'm near you, and if I'm seen, they'll concentrate in that area. That'll keep them off your tail for awhile I hope, assuming the NSA doesn't twig to you because some idiot goes bouncing down main street blowing up toasters or something." He gives her a hug. "Lot of things I intended to tell you, but don't have time now, and a lot of them require some time to digest before more things get told. Just remember, your friends are humans, and humans are idiots. They make mistakes, and quite often they don't think about how their stupidity can really screw over someone else's life. Doesn't make them bad, but it does make them idiots. Like I said, idiots are humans and humans are idiots. Just remember, don't let the idiots drag you down with them." He laughs, and blows out a ring of smoke. "If the idiots change their mind, you have 6 hours. After that, it'll be too late to get back."

More small talk about books that have come out recently, published research into genetics, things like that, and then the Lyft car arrives and Bill drives off.


Male Energy Projector (fire)

"Sounds like a plan," Blaze said. "I'd suggest we pack some sort of 'bug-out bag', just in case it turns out we don't have a few days, though."

Ohboyohboyohboy, he thought. Time to hit Youtube…


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

"Being careful isn't paranoid it's smart. Violet made her choice when she lied for him if she's going to ignore facts all the more reason to be careful of him. Ask they about what? We don't have a name."

doesn't mud have the paranoid disad?


Magnetic Projector
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/5 | PD/rPD 5(20)/0(15) | ED/rED 6(21)/0(15) | MD 0 | End 100 | Stun 50 | SPD 4 | Per 13-
Headputer

Over the next hour, Pulse posts a few vaguebook posts, which only barely get touched on by her incredibly small friends list. One about being scared, sad, and lonely, the other about immature little boys making jokes about crying girls - neither of which even coming close to revealing the issue (in true melodramatic fashion).

Violet:
After about an hour, Violet receives a text:

'It isn't about trusting you, I do. It's about being afraid... all the time. I've nearly died, twice. I've all but given up my old life... which was a lot easier at first, but I really miss my family. Now I'm not so sure I can keep that.

I trust you when you say you don't read your friends' minds, so I have no way to know he is who he says he is. I have no way to know whether or not he's lying about any of this. He said his goal was to protect you and he didn't care about us, except by extension. That scares me.

If he really did forward the virus that compromised my entire life and endangered everyone I care about, he can't undo that. If he were positive he'd kept the bad guys from knowing what was sent, it might be different, but he isn't. He's reasonably sure the government doesn't know who my family is. Reasonably sure isn't good enough. He's talking about disappearing us... what are they going to do to my family to get to me?

I'm scared right now. And I'm angry. Maybe if he'd apologized for turning my life upside down, or warned you about the virus, or could guarantee everything is okay... it would be different. But he didn't and he can't.

As the earlier argument, Pulse just sort of ends, without any sort of finality or conclusion - not a rational argument, more a plea.

Pulse eventually emerges and cleans up the milk-based mess that she'd made.


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

"Aegis, if you believe that Bill is a rotten apple, then this house is compromised. As soon as he leaves, we should expect a tactical assault, right?

"If Bill is Violet's friend and hasn't jeopardized us, then you've hurt Violet and pushed away a potential ally.

"You really can't have that it both ways.

"Either way, we should all be leaving now to go anywhere but here. The only question is whether or not we go with Bill in his plane."


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

Aegis sighs once again as it seems everyone wants to make up things instead of listening. "We already know that people knew were we are with the virus, I just said we need to be careful instead of blindly follow some stranger and if making Violet upset keeps the rest of us alive then it's worth the sacrifice, we need to do our own research instead of relying on blind trust of a man we know nothing about, getting on a plane would be asinine. Half of us would be defenseless."


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Pulse:

Hotaru Hoshiko wrote:

'It isn't about trusting you, I do. It's about being afraid... all the time. I've nearly died, twice. I've all but given up my old life... which was a lot easier at first, but I really miss my family. Now I'm not so sure I can keep that.

I trust you when you say you don't read your friends' minds, so I have no way to know he is who he says he is. I have no way to know whether or not he's lying about any of this. He said his goal was to protect you and he didn't care about us, except by extension. That scares me.

If he really did forward the virus that compromised my entire life and endangered everyone I care about, he can't undo that. If he were positive he'd kept the bad guys from knowing what was sent, it might be different, but he isn't. He's reasonably sure the government doesn't know who my family is. Reasonably sure isn't good enough. He's talking about disappearing us... what are they going to do to my family to get to me?

I'm scared right now. And I'm angry. Maybe if he'd apologized for turning my life upside down, or warned you about the virus, or could guarantee everything is okay... it would be different. But he didn't and he can't.

As the earlier argument, Pulse just sort of ends, without any sort of finality or conclusion - not a rational argument, more a plea.

Violet very carefully writes - on paper, in ink, with a very expensive pen on fancy stationary, the following reply and slips it under Pulse's door later that night.

I'm sorry. I'm apologizing now because I upset you. I'm not apologizing for trusting my uncle, and I'm not apologizing for supporting his actions. But I am sorry for upsetting you.

You upset me terribly tonight, when nothing I said got through to you. I really feel like you don't trust me, especially after I told you that I vouched for Bill and that I was confident it was really him. But if I'm being honest, I'm also upset with Saffron as well, because her constant pushing and pushing no matter what I said, no matter what Bill said, just... It was unfair and unkind, and it all piled up and boiled over. And I took a lot of it out on you and I am sorry.

I am sad you didn't believe me when I told you that Bill had taken care of things. I am sad that nothing I said was good enough for you - and that's why I feel you don't trust me. I made sure that Bill was really my uncle. Why wouldn't you just automatically assume that I would do that? I'm not a child, 'Taru. I'm not some naive little girl who trusts blindly. I checked. I made sure. I don't understand why you wouldn't just assume that I would do that. I don't understand why you'd just immediately believe that I'd put us all in danger. That hurts. You're my best friend and you didn't give me the benefit of the doubt. I don't know how to take that.

When I said that I wouldn't read his mind, I meant it - I would never and have never read anyone's mind without their permission since I got free from... those people. Maybe I should have been explicitly clear about the "their permission" part? I don't know. I'm sorry I didn't, now. I really am.

I'm sorry you're scared about your family, but you have a family to be worried about. My parents, such as they were, are dead. I felt their deaths, both of them, and some nights, I feel them again and it's terrible. I watched my brother get kidnapped and I wasn't able to do anything about it. Literally everyone I've ever loved except Bill is dead, and I'm afraid to tell Zack I love him because if I do, then he's going to die, too.

Bill told you why he forwarded the file along, and he told you what he did to reroute the data and send the snoopers bad information. I don't understand why that isn't good enough for you. I trust him - and yes, he is only concerned with my well being, but why shouldn't he be? He doesn't know you, and you sure didn't seem like you wanted to know him.

You want him to be positive about something - but even if he was, would you trust him? I tried and I tried to get you to listen to him, to really hear what he was saying, but I really feel like you were only hearing what you wanted to hear - which was only the bad and none of the good.

Bill did what he did to save other people's lives, Hotaru. And we're supposed to save lives, aren't we? Isn't that our job? I don't understand the tech, I don't think I ever will, but Bill promised me that he fed bad data back to the people looking for me. And I believe him.

I honestly don't know why my belief in him wasn't good enough.

I don't know what they'll do to your family to get to you, but I could give you a list of possible things they might try, if you want. The people I used to work for were on the side of the righteous, most of the time. Thankfully I never had to do any of the bad stuff. But I've seen and done things that I really don't want to talk about. Maybe I should. I don't know.

No one can guarantee that everything is going to be okay. Not me, not you, not anyone. We can only try to do the best we can, every day, and try in some small way to make other people's lives better.

I'm scared, too, 'Taru. I'm scared all the time. I'm worried that someone will figure out some pattern in the pharmacies I use in order to get my prescriptions, and kidnap me off the street on my way home. I'm afraid that any one of us will get taken out by a sniper on a random trip to the Starbuck's down the street. I wake up, some nights, afraid that I'll roll over and Zack will be dead and there will be an extraction squad in my bedroom.

I take my pills, though, and I do my exercises, and I swallow it down and put on my good face, because living in fear is no way to live. The fear exists, and I acknowledge it, and I don't let it control me.

I don't want us to live in fear. Any of us. All that gets us is locked in our rooms and afraid to go out and live.

Bill can't apologize for trying to keep me safe, or for saving other people's lives. And honestly, I don't think he should. It's not as though we apologize to the people we inconvenience when we save lives.

I wish these things were easy. I wish they were just black and white, good and bad, four-color superheroics like in your comics. Then no one would ever really get badly hurt, and we could bring our dead loved ones back.

I'd give anything to have my daddy back, Hotaru. Anything.

I'm sorry I made you scared about yours. I really am.

After seeing her uncle off, Violet returns to the living area of the building, cleans up all the dinner dishes (even those she's not responsible for), and retires to her room, alone.

Rocket:

Violet sends Zack a short, brief message:

::I need to write something, but when I'm done, I'm going to need some serious crying time and I you need to be ready for that. I really think we need to get the entire group out of here. We're taking too many risks. And I need to put on mouse ears and a poofy dress and eat cotton candy. Can we please go to Disneyland? As a team if we can? Please?::


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

"Wait, what? People know we're here?" Mud stands up finally agitated.

"Violet. VIOLET!" Mud yells and thinks.

Violet:
::Violet, do people know where we are? I thought Bill said that he protected your location.:: there is outright panic in his thoughts.


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-
"Mud" Adam Storn wrote:
::Violet, do people know where we are? I thought Bill said that he protected your location.:: there is outright panic in his thoughts.

Violet, To Mud::

The "tone" of Violet's mental voice is pained and a little frustrated.

::What? No. No one knows exactly where we are. Bill did protect my location. But our activities have attracted the DHS and NSA - the missing guard, remember? And if this is about the malware... here...::

Violet replays the moments where Bill explained how he had diverted the malware's location-finding data and fed bad information to the people looking for her. Mental Illusions FTW

She starts in the conference room, during her discussion with Bill:

Project Violet And Bill wrote:

Once in the room, with the door closed and the window cracked to let out the smoke, Violet visibly decompresses, sitting in a chair and letting her prim and proper facade slip away. She slumps and pulls her knees up to her chest. Her face shows weeks of worry and stress, and her voice cracks as she speaks.

"I've been keeping up with my therapy and my pills," she says. "But my computer got hacked, and I'm afraid I might have been the cause for all of this around us to be found out. These people... most of them, anyway... they're my friends, now. And if I'm the cause of them being put in harm's way... I'll..."

She doesn't finish her sentence, letting it trail off as she fights back tears and anxiety.

When she mentions being hacked, he winces and looks pained. "Yeah, sorry about that girl. I couldn't warn you, someone set a trap for me, and if I'd warned you, they'd have known I was working with you. And I hadn't gotten Carter, Elizabeth or Monty out yet. I did the best I could, I called in some favors in Czechoslovakia, people who still owed me favors. Burned through my money.. broke now.. but I think I managed to short stop any data the worms sent back." He waffles a hand. "Maybe... 80% chance it worked. These were old old contacts, nobody knew about them as far as I know. Hell, half of them were dead of old age." He blows out a ring of smoke. "But I got them out and hidden. I had to pull the trigger early..." He flips up the eye patch, showing his eye really is gone, it's not a disguise. "Had to get rid of the cesium tracker myself, instead of letting a doctor do it. Someone was poking around the trail on the worms they set for me, I'd set some triggers. Figured it must be the people who are after me, so ripped it out, put it in a box on a slow boat to Australia, and got the rest out."

Violet sits, quietly absorbing everything Uncle Bill has just told her, and finally mops her eyes with the cuff of her sweater sleeve.

"I need you to back up. Way up," she says. "What... Who... What are you talking about? There was a tracker in your eye?! What's going on here?"

She looks genuinely bewildered, but clearly trusts him to tell her what's going on.

The old man drags on his cigar, and blows some more smoke. "You didn't think after you escaped that they were going to take much chances on the rest of us did you? We all got trackers after that. They were sure someone on the inside helped you get out, they just weren't sure. Everyone passed lie detectors saying they didn't. The only reason they didn't bring in a čarodějnice to rifle our minds was they didn't want her to know what we knew." He purses his lips. "You got any vodka darlin? I haven't had a good stiff vodka in nearly 40 years." He sighs. "Lots of things I never told you girl, lots of things I couldn't, and now lots of things it's not safe to tell you. I'm not who you think I am. I wasn't born in the mid-west, that was a cover. A good cover, but a cover. I don't know if you're ready for most of it." He rubs his chin and thinks. "The Company that worked on you and your brother was... sort of government, and sort of not. Government agencies okay'd tinkering with your genes. Damn primitive tinkering too... they had a lot of.. failures.. before you and your brother. But no Congress Kretén ever voted to allocate funds to the research, it was all off books. CIA, DIA, DOD... pooled resources and some private contractors. And they really really want you and your brother back. They've hired some... mercenaries... that have powers to track you down. They don't know where to start. Which is why I had to quit being me.. or at least the me you knew. Nobody knew I wasn't me, so that seems to have fooled them.. at least for now."

""I have no idea where Uly is. The film was faked by the people I used to work for, as a trap to get me to contact you. Had to let them think it worked and short circuit it another way to buy time. The Company is all the name they have, the private corporation that's been doing the research. The government offices are the DIA, CIA, and DOD. The only reason you're not on a general APB is that they'd have to give information to the FBI and DOJ about why they want you, and that isn't something they're willing to do yet."

She spins forward to the conversation at the dinner table:

Uncle Bill wrote:
"There were some people, friends of Violets, who were in a position where if I didn't forward the link to the video, they'd have eventually vanished into Gitmo, or some other hellhole. Forwarding the link kept me on the 'good boy' list long enough to get them out and into new lives before I had to rabbit. Before I forwarded the link, I spent the last of my hidden slush funds to bribe some very bad people into doing some very bad things that kept the 'bug' from getting data back to the people who sent it." He waffles one hand. "Probably... maybe 80% chance it worked. Since I don't know if it worked or not, I came here in case it didn't."

She then spins forward to another moment of explanation:

Uncle Bill wrote:
He takes a shot of vodka from the bottle on the table, relishing the taste. "I got useful skills, when Violet needs them. First thing I can do is warn you that you've got two government groups sniffing around. The first is a DOD/CIA group looking for Violet. They've probably narrowed her down a bit, despite my efforts. So they probably at least know she's in the midwest. The other group is the DHS/NSA. They're actually in town and looking hard, so you need to keep very low profiles. Something about a parking garage and a missing guard."

And then, finally, the final piece of information, before everything in her head becomes full of frustration and fuzzy, half-formed thoughts about trust issues and paranoia.

Uncle Bill wrote:
"I think you're missing my point, young lady. My point was, you have at least three Metas from the DHS/NSA in your city, or within an easy 15 minute chopper ride, poking around looking for Metas. If you go around investigating or using your powers, you're going to tip your hand to them. I was suggesting you might want to all lay low for a couple of weeks... somewhere far away, like California or New York or Mexico City, until they are no longer in town." Uncle Bill says, once it's clear the dots are not being connected.

::So if "somewhere in the midwest" is "knowing where we are," then yeah I suppose maybe they do. But the important thing is that our activities have twigged the authorities. That has nothing to do with Bill, that has nothing to do with the people who faked the video, and it has everything to do with us catching the bad guys in the past. This is why he was telling us to bug out for a while and lay low.::

She sighs, which in mental-telepathy terms is not entirely unlike a sensation of someone stroking your brain gently. ::This is why I was suggesting Disneyland. No one would suspect a group of heavily powered metahumans would ever go somewhere so public and open just to ride around on flying elephants and wear silly mouse ears.::

Another momentary pause. ::Are we okay?::


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

Mud turns back to Aegis, "right. As I said, unless you believe that Bill is a rotten apple, no one knows exactly where we are. But according to Bill, they know our zip code, and that's still too close for me. So, we need to leave, now. Let me rephrase, I'm leaving now. I would like to escape with you all, but we need to leave now. I'm going to pack.". He starts to leave the room.

Violet:
::Violet, you and I are completely good. I'll go with you if you want to join Bill. I think we'd be better off with everyone. But if they're not leaving now, we should join Bill. ::


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Mud:
::Actually I think it would be best if we all went as one group... and Bill's jet isn't the best for the entire team. As much as I hate the idea of packing us all on a bus for so long... it might be the best idea. But we still have a couple of hours before he takes off. So maybe if you can convince the others? If not, let's gas up the bus, okay? And... Thank you.::


Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

"Aegis..." Janice ponders, "Do you happen to own any factories or shell corps in the Northwest, or Delaware, or maybe Mexico or China?"


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

"Not anymore." Aegis says with distaste. "This building is all I have."


Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

"Hmm. Want to buy a vacation home in the Bahamas? Or Miami, or maybe Florida somewhere?"


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

After 15 minutes, Mud returns from his room with a backpack and sets it down on the table. "Is everyone ready? Let's go. Where ever we go doesn't matter, but we need to leave."

"Why aren't you ready? At best, the bad guys know our zip code. Worst case, they know our address. Let's move." He looks around at the girls. He didn't think it would take Rocket long to get ready, even if he wasn't super fast.


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

"If we're going to run off without getting any information then renting would be better than buying, less paper work and easier to relocate." Aegis gives up letting the others do what they want, she'd just have to clean up after they were done.


Mutant Speedster
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 10/10/5 | PD/rPD 6(14)/0(8) | ED/rED 6(14)/0(8) | MD 0 | End 56 | Stun 38 | SPD 6 | PER 12-(15- vision)

Rocket says, "I'm gonna make some sandwiches first, for the road, but I won't be the last packed, guaranteed!

"Do we have anywhere we can go where we can do some good? I mean, the airbase might have clues...but that's probably just the kind of thing Bill warned would attract attention from those looking for us.

"Maybe the home base has tips for us though? Let's call'm and see.

"And if not, maybe somewhere warm? I sure wouldn't mind getting away from this winter."

Assuming Pulse is our standard caller since she gets to make up numbers to call from. Rocket has a cell phone but probably not burners. If it's established that we can call'm from any phone, Rocket's happy to make the call himself.


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Violet looks up from her desk (where she's writing her reply to Pulse) and questions Rocket mentally.

::Wait, what? Are we actually going to get out of town? I'm so confused. By air or by land? Air is faster and probably safer, overall.::


Mutant Speedster
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 10/10/5 | PD/rPD 6(14)/0(8) | ED/rED 6(14)/0(8) | MD 0 | End 56 | Stun 38 | SPD 6 | PER 12-(15- vision)

Rocket nods. ::I think everyone's come around to getting out somewhere now, and laying low. Other than Aegis, who's just like, "what-EVER" but she's coming too.

::Pulse and Aegis are majorly against flying though. You mind a road trip? Get your bags packed and jump in the bus. It'll be just like Little Miss Sunshine::


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

"We can go anywhere. The more random the better. It's not like Pulse can't call from anywhere. Or HQ can't travel from anywhere. I'll go prep the bus." Mud offers heading downstairs.


Magnetic Projector
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/5 | PD/rPD 5(20)/0(15) | ED/rED 6(21)/0(15) | MD 0 | End 100 | Stun 50 | SPD 4 | Per 13-
Headputer

Pulse is still 100% out of the loop and vaguebooking at this point, I think. :) You'll have to actually talk to her for her to call. Or respond. Or know anything at all!

Violet:
'You don't have anything to be sorry for. The bad guys used one of your weaknesses - or strengths - to try to get to you. I'm just worried they'd done it again, maybe. I didn't know you'd checked him in whatever way you can. Do you just check everyone?

Aegis... try to think of Aegis as Bill in this situation. Except she's worried about everyone. She may not be the 'leader', but she does all of the things a good leader should do. She's just looking to protect us as best she can. And, we really don't have any way to verify who your uncle is, except your word... we don't really have a reason to question it, either. Wikipedia suggests I was just lashing out or projecting or something.

I do have a family. And you do. The people in this building are our family, just as much as anyone else. Maybe not by blood... but that's never really been a criteria for me. You don't have to remind me that your parents died. I know. That's just one of many reasons I'm so worried about what they might have gotten on my parents.

Love isn't something you can really keep to yourself. And not loving doesn't keep you safe. It keeps you vulnerable, as you make yourself vulnerable. I can't promise you nothing bad will happen to anyone here. That's... mostly the source of this talk.

Bill told me he sent me a program that would devour every piece of information it could to send to the bad guys, because it would help people you cared about. He didn't say how he'd changed the program. He just said that he was pretty sure everything was okay. At some point he also said he didn't care about any of us, only you. I don't like or trust him. He hurt us very badly with only a reasonable certainty that it'd all be okay. He did what he thought was best, but gambled with our lives and the people we care about's lives. I understand you want me to trust him. But his actions have spoken louder than your words. He saved you and took care of you. And took care of your friends. And maybe he'll take care of your friends again, and is trying to as we speak. But... he risked my family, Vi. I get that he was helping people. Saving people. That doesn't make it okay to pull my family into this. It doesn't make it okay to prove to me that I have to give them up because things like this are bound to happen.

I don't know what I want from him... but what he gave me wasn't enough. I'm not sure he'll ever be able to do enough to make up for what happened. I want to like him, but I can't.

I'm sorry that you lost your family. I wish you hadn't, and I wish I could do something to help. But the only thing I can do is try to prevent other people from going through it... and try to keep our current family safe.


Mutant Speedster
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 10/10/5 | PD/rPD 6(14)/0(8) | ED/rED 6(14)/0(8) | MD 0 | End 56 | Stun 38 | SPD 6 | PER 12-(15- vision)

Rocket takes 4 seconds to pack his bags and tidy his room. Then he jogs back down again and sees that Pulse didn't seem to reply to his general statements.

"Hey Pulse, can I interrupt?"

Assuming she agrees, Rocket continues, "We're packing to leave. You're coming right?

"Also, I think before we decide where to go, it'd be good to ask home base if they have anything they could use our help on, that won't be likely to attract the feds who're sniffing around our trail. Would you call 'em?"


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-
The Rocket wrote:

Rocket nods. ::I think everyone's come around to getting out somewhere now, and laying low. Other than Aegis, who's just like, "what-EVER" but she's coming too.

::Pulse and Aegis are majorly against flying though. You mind a road trip? Get your bags packed and jump in the bus. It'll be just like Little Miss Sunshine::

If Violet could mentally snort in amusement, she would.

::Little Miss Sunshine? If you wanted to see me strip, you just had to ask. But yeah, I have a bug-out bag. Lemme get my toothbrush and makeup.::

While she's putting stuff together, Violet cracks open one of the half-dozen prepaid phones she keeps in her desk drawer, pulling it from its plastic packaging and sending a quick text to a remote messaging service, that will route the text to a second service, that will then route it to Bill's Burner, that says simply: On The Road Again.

She then puts the phone in a shipping packet, addressed to a phone donation service, and puts it in the outgoing mail.

Shortly after Violet gets her bag (and the bag that goes with it) together, she plops them next to Rocket's and makes a line for Pulse's room. She knocks on the door, and (when it is answered) does and says nothing except for hug Pulse tightly for several long, quiet seconds, until she finally lets Pulse go, whispering "We're gonna eat so much ice cream."

Violet's vote, if one is taken, is Disneyland.


Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

Disneyland? But we're trying to go somewhere we *won't* be seen...


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

More like go somewhere that, if we are seen, it will throw a wrench into the 'They're somewhere in the Midwest' theory.


Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

Still dangerous. Janice would suggest that she sneak off somewhere and be seen as one of the party members a few hundred feet away, just in case.


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

From the garage, Mud thinks to Violet

Violet:
::Is everyone ready to go yet? I bet Rocket is. The bus is ready. Have Pulse and Aegis changed their mind about Bill, so we can head to the airport. Otherwise, we can just pick a highway and direction. Pulse can call HQ on the way.::


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Mindlink, to Mud: ::Not sure. I'm good. Zack's good. I don't know about anyone else, honestly. I'll open you up to the rest of the team, so you can ask directly.::

Violet then links Mud to the team so that he can motivate them directly.

I'm out for the rest of the day taking some friends to the Monterey Aquarium, I'll be back later on!

And Snapdragon: That's why Bill wanted to know if you'd be willing to conspicuously pose as Violet in another part of the country. ;)


37/37 Stun | 46/46 End | 8/23 Body | Unfired Brick

Through the Violet switchboard, Mud asks, ::Is everyone ready to go yet? I bet Rocket is. The bus is ready. Pulse and Aegis, have you changed your mind about Bill, so we can head to the airport? Otherwise, we can just pick a highway and direction. Pulse can call HQ on the way. Let's go. Let's go.::


Male Energy Projector (fire)

::Uh…okay…::

Luckily, Blaze could depend on his OCD for being ready for such thiings. He had a backpack loaded with a couple changes of clothes, even more socks and underwear, two bottles of water, a bunch of Slim Jims, some other stuff and junk food…

And somehow, he still had room for his laptop.

It's always good to be prepared.


Female Density Control Brick
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 05/05/05 | PD/rPD 5(28)/0(15) | ED/rED 5(28)/0(15) | MD 00 | End 50 | Stun 50 | SPD 03 | PER 13-

::I'm not getting on any thing that makes half of us worthless.:: Aegis had let them drag her off without doing any research of their own but even she had a line, as far as packing she didn't bother with much as she could buy most supplies on the go and the company was more than able at running itself by now.


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

That reminds me - Violet will set Out Of Office notices for both herself and Ms. Sinclair, stating that Ms. Sinclair is taking a short working vacation and will be out of touch for a few days while she decompresses from the First Quarter crunch and in preparation for a strong and growth-focused Second Quarter.


Magnetic Projector
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/5 | PD/rPD 5(20)/0(15) | ED/rED 6(21)/0(15) | MD 0 | End 100 | Stun 50 | SPD 4 | Per 13-
Headputer

Pulse looks at Rocket bleary-eyed, then looks to Violet at the impromptu hug. "Um... okay..." she pauses for a moment, frowning.

@Mud: 'I'm not flying anywhere unless absolutely everyone is on board. I'd break the plane unless locked in a cage, Aegis would open the floor, Blaze would burninate the whole thing, Rocket couldn't get up to speed... it just leaves most of us kind of defenseless if anything does happen.'

MDT:
To our homies!

"We've been warned by one of Violet's contacts - her uncle - that a Speedster, a Brick and a Ferrokinetic are all in town. Quicksilver and Avalanche, don't remember the other. With the CIA... and they're ostensibly looking for us. There's also a shapeshifter who has a 20% chance of having everything they could possibly need to impersonate one of us... so be careful of that.

We're leaving town, are there any places that could use our help that don't require flying to reach?


Male
Latest Message:
Just to let you all know, I was travelling heavily 10/27 to 10/29, I'll be catching up on 10/30
Human GM

Pulse:

First response (By RepliKate) : "Ok hon, no fires at the moment, that I'm aware of. We've got the word out on Shadowcat's brother, but that asshat is seriously slippery, like greased owl shit on half-melted ice. I'll let the boss know about the whole CIA thing. Didn't know Albanfasji had an Uncle. Man, her name sounds weird in Arabic, doesn't it? I drew the short straw to have to learn it." She sighs...

Second response, 10 minutes later (By Sanction) : "If Bill is in town, and says there's CIA around, get the hell out of there ASAP. Keep your head down, and don't make waves. I don't care if aliens appear and start eating kids in the middle of the street, you keep your noses out of it. Remember, Bill's a spook, and you can't trust spooks. Not saying he's lying, he's almost certainly right. Just saying spooks have lying in the blood. He's probably the least untrusty spook I've met though, and given Violet's with you, he's probably on the up and up."


Male
Latest Message:
Just to let you all know, I was travelling heavily 10/27 to 10/29, I'll be catching up on 10/30
Human GM

Everyone gets on the bus, and it pulls out headed in the direction of...

Random, 1=N, 2=E, 3=W, 4=S: 1d4 ⇒ 1

...north, towards Chicago on I-55...


Female Mentalist
Stats:
OCV/DCV/ECV 6/6/8 | Levels +0 | PD/rPD 4(24)/0(20) | ED/rED 5(25)/0(20) | MD 15 | End 50 | Stun 35 | SPD 4 | PER 13-

Violet maps the best routes from Chicago to Disneyland and asks everyone else for their votes on where to go.

"But if we dress Snappy and myself up as twins, we can get Birthday Buttons and everyone will wish us well and we can get free beignets at Cafe Orleans. Just saying. Free beignets."

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