Joe:
The newly named mascot(?) of the group accepts his new home in Joe's closet. The small facility drones begin gathering materials and by early next morning, McNuggets now has his own chicken coop inside Joe's closet. (This would be Joe's room at the base not his apartment in the city)
Wild Fire:
: You are most gracious, Wild Fire. We operate to serve you as optimally as possible.
The two med-bots return to their charging closet.
Timeline:
Your prize possession, Flux, is sitting in the garage, pristine as ever. You cover it in it's protective tarp before continuing to work on your pet teleporter project. Perhaps fiddling with the temperamental device will get your mind off of Fate's fate.
***
i'm going back to town
Joe, you have Timeline port you to an alleyway near your residence. As you exit the dark side street you notice the town drunk behind a nearby dumpster. He stares past you with dull eyes already heavily inebriated. You are able to make your way back to the Rothberg's residence and sneak downstairs without waking them. Judah must be sleeping in the bedroom tonight. You spend the rest of the evening meditating and refilling your cache of clay.
Timeline, you remember to return Archy to the hospital where a rather unimpressed nurse takes custody of the professor. Archy thanks you and your team profusely and promises to repay you in the future in some way. Hours later, your work on the teleporter is progressing poorly. You just can't seem to remember what the 5th wave-resonance frequency of the parallel inducer circuits was supposed to be. Out of frustration you begin to add yet another coat of polish to Flux hoping to buff your troubles away.
Wild Fire checks in on Petra and Xavier before turning into her own room. Petra is very grateful at the hospitality and somewhat astonished that she gets her own room, with Xavier's just down the hall. Xavier hasn't woken up yet but E.O.N. reassures both of you that he is just catching up on some MUCH needed sleep. Your own room is rather spartan in appearance and the mattress is thin but you're pretty sure you could sleep on a rock right now. You are asleep before your head hits the pillow.
***THE NEXT DAY***
You wake up with a start. You realize you've scorched that map into the headboard of your bed again. You quickly pat out the last burning embers before calming yourself with your morning routine. It's nearly 8 AM and E.O.N. lets you know that breakfast is soon to be served. you get dressed and head out to the dining area.
Petra waves to you all over a plateful of scrambled eggs and bacon. Xavier is awake and ravenously cleaning his plate. Judging by the empty dishes nearby he's already eaten two helpings of everything. his Bio-Brace shows healthy vitals and bleeps almost cheerfully.
Speed Rank 12 +1 (Athletics)
Distance Rank 21
Time Rank = Distance - Speed = 21-13 = 8 = 30 minutes.
E.O.N.'s voice interrupts your conversations. I have successfully located Mr. Fate's comms device! It's badly damaged but still has a weak signal. Your breath a collective sigh of relief but he has more to add.
This is...strange, sir. His signal...it took longer than I had expected to pinpoint it but not because of the signal strength. It's been moving towards us for the past twenty minutes. It left Visskonian airspace which is why I was able to track it. But it's headed straight for us...at . I am sensing an ultra-dense substance no larger than a humanoid. If that mass hits us at that velocity...sir I doubt if the base's security system will be able to repel it. We have about...12 seconds til impact.
Mach 23?
Timeline says before porting off right above the projectile.
I hope this works!
Timeline ports into the airspace about 4 miles from the base and attempts to predict where the Mach 23 object will be. The very thought of you being able to hit something traveling in excess of 23 times the speed of sound is ridiculous but you're a superhero...and your friends are in danger.
He lines up his shot, see the merest silver glimmer come into his field of vision, shoots...and prays.
You hear, Timeline! Thank good-
-ness you are...ok? Maximum Silver skids a little as he brings his momentum gracefully to a stop in front of the base. He looks around, spots the camera E.O.N. has trained on him and crosses his arms. Nice clubhouse. Aren't you going to invite me in?
Just a hint of a smile pulls at the corner of his lip as he stands outside waiting for you guys to react.
E.O.N. switches the camera input to the television screens in the dining area so you can see Silver.
Timeline ports down in front of Silver.
Hey big guy thought you were Fate we've lost contact with him and we are fearing the worst. What brings you here if I may ask.
Timeline talks to Silver as he motions inside and walks him into the dinning hall where the group is sitting.
Sorry for the rude welcoming didn't know what to think with something hurling at us at mach 23! Quite impressive by the way if I do say so myself.
Thank you. I work out. Silver follows you inside your base.
Silver holds up a badly melted comms device. It appears to be Fate's. I was made aware of an...incident that happened late last night in Visskonia. Involving a floating citadel that was didn't appear on any satellite imagery until it quite literally fell out of the sky and blew itself apart all over a mountain range. But not before very nearly taking out the single largest city in Visskonia.
Silver stops and takes all of you in with a serious expression on his face. Were any of you involved with this...incident?
Petra and Xavier stop stuffing their faces momentarily to look into Silver's eyes and they *gulp* simultaneously.
Unfortunately I cant say no but it was us who kept it from crashing into the city. It was Sihn, he is a mad man and im sure we thwarted a major scheme involving that floating fortress. Also I think our team worked well under pressure and preformed admirably and if you are upset with anyone make it me.
Timeline is doing his best to hold his own against Silver in this conversation,even though he knows this could go badly but he believes one should stick up for their actions and stand behind them. Timeline hands him a folder with a detailed report that he wrote while tinkering on his gadgets.
Here is a detailed report on what we know about Sihn and what went down over the last three days.
Silver looks down at the report, pauses momentarily as if seeing past it's pages at high speed. He quirks an eyebrow. You tangled with demons, ghouls AND The Alchemist? Impressive. That floating citadel of his could have caused some real devastation if left alone. Good Work. A bit sloppy, but you got the job done.
Silver looks grim as he relays the next bit of news. I'm sorry you have to hear it this way but...I don't believe your comrade survived. All we found was a field covered in synthetic fibers and some ash...and of course your communicator. The amount of radiation that the device absorbed was of abnormally lethal levels. Likely caused when the engines of the citadel exploded during re-entry. He must have been standing right next to it when it blew.
Silver gives you a minute to let the news sink in. He has more to say but is keenly aware of how the loss of a comrade is a grave matter.
Somewhere in Visskonia...
A richly dressed figure strides through a field of wheat towards a nearby impact crater. The walls of his city, Brundaru can be seen a few miles off. With one velvet gloved hand he gingerly picks up the object at the center of the crater. Darkness pours from the palpably beating artifact as it's whispers begin to assault his ears. A familiar amulet of green soapstone hangs from his neck.
Yes, Old One. In time. All in good time. Your sibling awaits you back at my castle. He gently caresses the object in a reassuring manner as he steps over the corpses of half a dozen looters. Each unfortunate individual's face is contorted into a visage of horror as black ichor pools from their eyes and ears.
His crimson-clad escort greets him when he returns to the limo.
Crimson: I told you it would be here.
Lord Sinh: I had my doubts, but it would seem my trust in your particular...talents was well placed. I should like to continue our business relationship...if that's amenable? The tone in his voice indicates that this is NOT a request.
Crimson: Your pathetic grasps at true power do not concern me, Sinh. I want only one thing, to see my brother dead. My aiding you today was only a means to that end. Now that he is gone I am free to pursue my own agendas.
Lord Sinh: I can still hardly believe that causing an engine to explode when it should't have constitutes as a "power". The alchemist's parting gift surely could have caused the cascade effect...? Sinh ever so subtly begins to drum his fingers in an eerily a-rythmic pattern...
Crimson: When one has true power, the weak cannot even conceive of it's existence. That is all the explanation you will get, Sinh. Pray that our paths do not cross again.
The crimson-clad figure smiles as Sinh finishes his silent incantation which should have encased them in an eldritch prison. Somehow at the last second, faulty wiring in the limo's air conditioning malfunctioned interrupting his tapping with a painful electric shock. When he looked back up, Crimson was gone. A smile spread across his face. Well played, my friend, well played.
Lord Sinh taps on the glass separator. Driver, to the castle. I have much to ponder.
Timeline's head goes down at the mention of the loss of Fate
I feared the worst but I was hoping I was wrong....He was a good man...
Timeline stops talking mid sentence. For once Timeline had nothing to say. Timeline just looks at the group back to Silver Back at the group.
Timeline snaps out of it after a moment.
Right well it looks as if you have something more to say Sir?
In this world, I'm afraid there is no rest for the righteous. We have captured what remains of the Alchemist but he refuses to tell us anything about Sinh's plans.
Silver stops at your confused stares. You've never fought the Alchemist before have you? Right, well he's turned up a couple times before and we aren't really sure what he's done to himself but he is largely immune to death. Bullets, bombs, even ten story free-falls and he's back in action within weeks. We recovered what remains of him (mostly just his head) and sent him down to the Meta-Human lockdown in Maximum City Penitentiary. We didn't find any trace of this ninja you mentioned in your report nor any of the other golems.
Your report matches Sinh's M.O. to a "t". The Sinh that dropped you into Hell was likely the real deal but any contact with him after that fact would have just been his magically disguised lieutenant. It disturbs me that he was able to ambush you four so completely in the middle of the city. I really hate magicians.
I shouldn't have to tell you that the Visskonian government is raising hell over this incident. They have threatened to sue the Guardians for collateral damage. Don't worry, we have a few legal resources we can lean on to make sure this doesn't cost us too much. But with all of the hate they are stirring up I want you guys to stay LOW KEY for awhile. A couple weeks should do it. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go handle some delicate negotiations in Yemen for the UN.
...Oh and welcome to the Guardians. I wish it was under better circumstances. I regret that Risen Fate's induction must be posthumously. Perhaps this can serve as a memorial to your friend. Let us know the time and date of any services you wish to hold for him and I and the Guardians will be there. Silver tosses four official Guardian ID tags to you guys before he heads outside and launches himself into the air. Each one doubles as an access card for the Guardians HQ and as a distress beacon tied to all of the Guardian satellite networks and to each other. Each badge can be flipped open to show a small holo of yourself in costume with your name and base vitals.
Joe, your cell phone begins ringing. From the ringtone you know it's Saul. Probably wondering where you are. You did just drop off the grid for three days.
Timeline switches back to Emit Nile after being stuck with the Teleporter. He decides to go see Madelyn seeing she was worried about Archy and sent us to check on him which started this whole mess. He decides to take Flux for a spin and Ports him and flux within a short drive distance to her house. He revs the engine as he pulls up to the house. He gets out and walks to the door and knocks.
You arrive at Madelyn's upscale apartment complex and knock on her door. You hear a muffled reply that you can't quite make out and have to wait several seconds before the door is opened a crack. Madelyn has a towel wrapped around her head signifying she just got out of the shower.
Oh! It's you! Uh...Nile wasn't it? Come in, come in.
She closes the door, releases the chain lock and ushers you in. Her apartment is a cozy two bedroom affair with a myriad of historical paintings hanging in every corner. She seems to be a fan of Admirals and Generals of by-gone eras.
I was just getting ready for work. The museum hasn't reopened yet of course but I'm scheduled to meet with the contractor for the new wing and... She stops as she sees the expression of loss on your face.
Did something happen? Is it Archy?! I haven't heard from the hospital in a few days but I thought that meant he'd been released...
No No Archy is fine hes a tough old man that one in fact I hear it was that same bunch of hero's that saved the museum especially that timeline fellow. No I did lost a good friend the other day but that's not why im here. I thought Id come and let you know Archy was fine and to see how you were doing, its been awhile after all.
Emit takes notice of the towel.
Well it seems like your busy so I will take my leave. Hopefully we will see each other soon and on terms not involving attacks on museums or Archy for that matter. Goodbye Madelyn.
Emit smiles and says goodbye.
After leaving Madelyn's apartment Emit decides to pick up a few things for the memorial service for Fate and heads back to the base.
After returning to the base he whips up a hologram projector to place in the gravestone of Risen fate that projects a 3d hologram of Risen Fate in full Costume.
This should do nicely as a memory of our good friend Fate...Why did have to be the kid it should of been this old man ive lived enough for one man....But then I must remember my cause I must save the future...My Future.
Madelyn breathes a sigh of relief at the news that Archibald was safe and sound.
She touches your shoulder as you head to leave. Dr. Nile...Emit, I was thinking about what you said back at the museum. I would hope...I mean I'd really like it if maybe we could get that cup of coffee sometime? You've been just wonderful given what happened at the museum...and well it's really rare to find someone so well versed in history...
That would be great Madelyn. I would really enjoy that.
I go home, clean up, get groceries, and process all that went on. Petra and Xavier. Getting blown up. The crash. The dream... Baker's death.
Why didn't I stay by him more!? Protected him...
I make Bizz at home with anything he might need and lock myself up for another restless night sleep of angry self-blaming and mulling over the loss of friend and the loss of any fantasized future I might have wanted with him.
The first thing i do is end the call with Saul before pick up.
then before leaving the secret base, i make a copy of timeline's report. then i remove my fellow teammates' names from the report and copy this again. i take the final copy that cannot have the redacted names be un-redacted and put it in my clay suit case. The first copy i made i then burn completely.
the original report is returned and i take the bus back to the city and give Colonel Saul a call back. I tell him that i have news of my actions, and it is best to meet in person.
we meet in the usual bakery, where i give him the report, and ask that it is then given to the U.S. Government.
I then call up the university and quickly make an excuse that i suddenly was taken on an urgent trip to a foreign country to recover some religious artifacts, and if i didn't go then, our University would not have a chance to have these ancient artifacts but some other university would get first crack at them.
i think of the items recovered from the layer of hell, they must have some historical or religious history to them if they were found there.
i apologies profusely for not calling, but explain that cell phone reception just didn't work there, and i couldn't find a phone anywhere.
both not lies
WILD FIRE
Bizz commandeers the high cabinet above the refrigerator as his new pad. Not exactly the Ritz but I can work with this.
Bizz amuses himself while you sleep by playing virtual poker online. You awake to find he's managed to lose 200 dollars to someone with the moniker HanDjinn. Don't worry I used some idiot neighbors account. They really should have password protected their wifi.
As you get ready to head out, your phone rings. The caller ID says it's your agency, They might have a job for you.
JOE
Saul meets you at the bakery as per normal. You sit in the back as a precaution against eavesdropping even though you are the only two in the store other than the baker.
Like old times, eh? You running off on missions to save the world while I clean up your mess. We each work with the talents we are given I suppose.
Saul glances through the dossier. The Guardians don't believe in a training period do they? So it was your team that made all of that hullabaloo overseas last night. It says here you lost a member in that last fight. That's got to be rough.
Saul assures you that the info will be field with the U.S. military base. No need to make up excuses about the phone reception, Joe. This isn't my first rodeo. Black ops, super secret Guardian missions, they're all the same. Secret bases, secret communications, all so they can hide their true strength and weaknesses from those that would abuse them. I say keep them hidden. Less problematic that way. Fewer bodies too.
Saul stands up and puts on his overcoat. Well it's getting late, old friend, and I really should get back to my family. But before I go I did want to pass along a message from a mutual friend. Saul drops a tightly rolled miniature scroll into your hands.
The scroll is written in ancient Hebrew and in Mossad code.
Translation: The break-in at the granola bar factory recently is just the tip of the iceberg. The man accused was released from custody this morning after all charges were dropped. There was no trial and the case records were sealed. Our only clue is the lawyer assigned to the accused. The lawyer is a known member of the Knights of Revelation with background in smuggling relics out of Israel. Four such cases have been reported recently. Further investigation is required.
to timeline
Hey, when you are done with your straitening out of why you were gone from work, i think i have a lead. Remember that koala man that attacked that granola factory, well his lawyer got him off Scott free, and is a member of the Knights of Revelation. Remember the giant Minotaur that attacked the museum? he works for them smuggling artifacts. apparently there have been some cases of smuggling related to him in recent times. can you track him with your computer skills, or pull up some camera footage to track his whereabouts.
To Bizz: Just don't get caught alright? Also, don't make a mess of the apartment, nor bother my neighbors. No stealing. If you do anywhere, be inconspicuous, go it? We don't need anymore attention than we've already garnered. If you get bored you can probably go to the club house and hang out, but stay out of the way and don't break anything. See you after work.
I walk out and lock the door after my short "good morning" to Bizz. Taking on a cheerier voice, I answer the phone.
Hello, Elowen Landis.
WILD FIRE
Bizz nods absent-mindedly already queing up another session of poker.
The A-Spire representative, Ms. Lyons, greets you. Ms. Landis? Thank goodness I got a hold of you. I was just about to pass this assignment to the O'Reilly brothers. And you know how I hate to pass you up for any assignment. We got a call from Granite-Works, a gravel company in town. They said they need someone with your skill set to come take a look at the gravel pit they are currently working. It's a big operation from what I've heard and whatever is going on has stopped their gravel production dead. They seem to think there is a...*you hear her shuffle through some paper on her desk*...a seismic irregularity in the area. Their representative, a one Mr. Darryl Adams, will meet you on site. But the meeting is for noon today so you'd better get hopping.
Assuming you take the job, Ms. Lyons gives you directions to the gravel pit. If you left immediately you should arrive at noon. Ms. Lyons mentions that Granite-Works did not include how much the job would pay over the phone but given the situation she wants you to "take them for all they've got".
TIMELINE
Emit, as you begin to make preparations for the memorial service you realize that the preparations will take a little while to bring things together. Caterers, memorial location, etc... You judge that you should be able to hold the memorial for Risen Fate at the end of the two weeks that Silver mentioned you should lay low.
At one point, you 'port into your apartment to check on your messages. (Your landline is necessary as you aren't always in the correct timestream to receive missed calls) You have three new ones, one is from Madelyn asking if you had checked up on Archy, the other two are gruff inquiries about your whereabouts from MCCC principal. Principal Deuffenheim does not sound pleased.
A heated argument in the living room catches your attention. Listening at the door reveals the sound of several people arguing about...you. You recognize your roommate's voice as he keeps explaining that he hasn't seen you all weekend. The other voices sound more frustrated than angryand strangely familiar...
...what are we going to do? We can't just report this to HQ! We're not even full members yet. Trent...I mean Tarantula, you said your roommate was a full fledged Guardian and that he'd help us on the down low.
The voice clicks in your head. It's the same set of guys you saw Kid Kinetic training the other day. You didn't recognize them right away because you haven't heard Kinetic speak up yet.
Also you have a text from Joe, he seems to need your expertise in tracking down a criminal...
Emit switches into his costume and ports into the living room where the hero's in training are located,porting behind them.
Mhhhm... Can I help you? What brings you all to our little abode? Also hows the training going? Hopefully better than what I saw very messy if I do say so myself.
Timeline asks the young heroes these questions while texting Joe back.
@Joe
Hey got your text I will get E.O.N. on Tracking him down just send me all the details and I will have him see what he can find and if I get time ill bounce around and ask some questions myself. But at the moment I might have my own thing going on with my roommate. Also the college isn't to happy I was gone so I have to deal with that as well But I will do what I can goodbye my friend.
When Joe sends the info to me I will send it to E.O.N.
@E.O.N.
Im sending you some information on a criminal Joe would like tracked down see what you can do and Let him know directly also let me know so i can stay in the loop. Thanks Tinman I will be away for a bit as I got a few loose ends to tie up.
Timeline when he gets a minute makes a call to the principal.
@ principal Deuffenheim
Hello Pricipal Deuffenhiem this is Proffesor Nile Sorry I missed work again I would love to explain why I was absent but its somthing I would feel more comfortable talking about it in person so if we can make an appointment to discuss it that would be great once again I apologize for any inconvenience I caused you and just call me back with that time to meet up. Goodbye sir.
You are a life saver! I'll take it and be right there!
I drive out to the gravel pit with all my gear.
JOE
Sir, the individual you have identified is an ex-con by the name of Ralph McConner. He left the Mossad at a young age and ran away to America just as the World Wave began. He's thought to be behind a number of thefts since then but was able to avoid prison until he was caught on a trespassing charge. He was released last year on good behavior after claiming to have found religion.
He's a thin man that likes Cuban cigars (which are practically extinct now that Cuba was Ground Zero for the nano-plague) and vintage cars. A con-man through and through, Ralph prefers to let hired muscle handle the dirty work while he escapes out the back door.
McConner has a small downtown office where he bases his legal agency. He is known to frequent car shows to show off his modified 1989 McBealey roadster. I have compiled a list of possible missing persons connected in one way with either the granola bar factory or with the Knights of Revelation.
Joe, a few possibilities to track down Ralph are:
-Attempt to follow a "hunch": Insight Check <DIFFICULT>
-Analyze the pattern of disappearances: Investigation Check <MEDIUM>
(E.O.N.'s pattern recognition software allows you to use this skill untrained for this purpose)
-Discern the likeliest place an Ex-Mossad would hide out: Expertise(Military) <MEDIUM>
-Investigate Car Shows, Cigar Shoppes, or McConner's office.: Perception Check <EASY> <chance at alerting the villain>
Wild Fire
You take your car to the coordinates that A-Spire gave you. The first thing you see as you drive up is the massive excavator. Easily 3 times the size of a normal excavator, this one has the Granite-Works logo (a hammer smashing a mountain) emblazoned along one side. The excavator is silent and unmanned. In fact the entire area is eerily quiet. A small trailer resides well to the side of the already sizable pit. The pit is a good 150 feet deep and twice as wide. Judging by the tracks there are usually a number of smaller vehicles also at this site for hauling but none of those are present at the moment. Just you, the excavator and the trailer.
Your trained geological senses notice that the soil in this area is very arid for this region. Hardly any moisture at all with practically no vegetation. Mixed into the soil are flecks of some sort of You will need either a larger sample or to examine these flecks in a lab to determine their exact composition. You do know that whatever it is is not a normal mineral for this area (as you have all of those memorized).
Timeline
The supers-in-training jump at the sound of your voice coming from behind them. Tuner spins on you pointing his brass knuckles like weapons. He regains his cool just as quickly as he lost it and lowers them again. About time you showed up. Trent here says you're part of the GoE full time and we've got a problem with them.
Tuner gets up in your face as you finish texting Joe. HEY! Listen when I'm talking to you, portal boy! We are supposed to go on patrols weekly and now they just drop us whenever it's convenient for them?!
Tuner's brass knuckles begin to vibrate with barely contained resonant energy and you can hear a barely audible high frequency ringing begin to shake the windows. I have half a mind to blow you and your elitist power-trip organization into so many pieces. Now you've got four seconds to explain why The Kid hasn't given us so much as a text in the past three days!
The rest of the group have backed away from Tuner not wanting to be within the blast radius. Looking from face to face you can tell that they are all concerned about their chances at being a GoE member going down the drain. Not a lot of self confidence in this group.
Also you and Trent went in on the TV together and it would suck to have to replace it so soon after the last one.
Timeline snaps his fingers with Tuner in his face still and teleports him to the couch and some chips from the the counter onto the coffee table.
Please have a seat and we can talk about this. Any friend of Trent is a Friend of mine now help yourself to some snacks. Now I have only been a full fledged member of the GoE for a short time and I have no control on how they send you on patrols. On that note I must say it seems strange that you haven't been contacted by Kid Kinetic. It seems that something may have happened with him or to him. Now let me know everything you know on the last time you heard from Kinetic, the last time you had a patrol, anything strange that may have happened or if Kinetic was acting strange. Don't Worry I will help you figure this out.
Timeline calls over his comm to E.O.N.
Tinman need you to see if you can locate one Kid Kinetic let me know when you find anything. This takes priority Alpha one of our own maybe missing also keep this between you and I, Timeline out.
Timeline
Tuner looks stunned as he finds a cold beer in one hand and a bowl of chips on the table in front of him. Undeterred he makes to throw the bottle...and then he thinks twice and takes a swig instead. He slams the now half-empty Brewskers down on your coffee table. That IS good beer. But don't think I can't see the favoritism they are showing you. Barely a minute after your exam and all the head honchos want to sit you down to their fancy dinner and their "official invitation" to the GoE. And another thing-
Sprint interjects What Tuner meant to say is that We were supposed to go on patrol last night but Kinetic didn't show. We can't hail him on the ID badges either. Sprint shows you the sidekick badge he has. (No holo of themselves it's basically a dummed down communicator)
He kind of does his own thing when we aren't on patrol. Mist you pick up anything on him recently?
Mist Witch seems hesitant to speak. People's thoughts are their private domain. Kinetic does have a penchant for muttering however. At the time of the Sphinxonium he was in the process of tracking down a cell of the Factor X group. He thought he had found out who has been supplying them with weapons. Does Birchham mean anything? That's all I know.
To be honest we tested high on the exam im sure its not favoritism and im sure you would all make great additions to the GoE, but you don't need to be apart of something like that to be great hero's. Its all about how you use your powers to help people and helping people is what matters not some fancy titles or 3d hologram badges. I guess what im saying is the GoE doesn't make you a hero your actions do. Now back to the matter at hand finding Kinetic, now Mist Witch I know you say that a persons mind is a private domain but could you locate him as a last resort I need to know all my options?
TIMELINE
Mist Witch lowers her head. M-m-my powers haven't fully manifested yet. I can only sense thoughts within a short range. I'm sure I could recognize Kinetic's thoughts if he was within range though.
E.O.N. chimes in. Sir, I have cross-referenced and checked over 126 Factor X and Birchham search results and there are 3 possibilities you might be interested in. Birchham Springs is a closed gate community in the manor district that was suspiciously undisturbed despite a factor X rally held on that street in the past two weeks. Lester Birchham is a weapons collector of some reknown and known to harbor anti-mutant sentiments. Birch's Ham is an abandoned restraunt inside the Frostfire gang's turf, known members of Factor X.
Sprint starts to slowly shrink (and his voice becomes more high-pitched) as he excitedly asks, We can come right? IreallywanttohelpKineticoutIhopeheisok... He is now roughly the size of a chipmunk and constantly flitting about the room.
At some point you notice there is a message waiting on the HQ voicemail.
Message Ends.
I try to seek out Ralph McConner by looking into his ex-mossad training. he should place himself in certain locations with both easy access and out of the way locations. i will look through EON to find a suitable location
okay there is a location at a docks on the River, not too far from the military base i will check that out next.
JOE
You travel to the docks in the belief that McConner would have hidden himself away in the nearby warehouse district. It takes you an hour and a half to travel there by bus. The ride is relatively uneventful and the seats are uncomfortable. You count at least four misbehaving children with too-busy parents. Near the financial district you notice a S.H.R.U. vehicle parked behind an armored car. Seems the banks have finally received their requests for more support from the police.
When you arrive at the docks you realize you've made a small error. The warehouse district is currently packed with fishermen as there is a annual fishing contest going on. While the docks was just the type of out of the way locale an Ex-Mossad would use as a base he would have moved on before the contest to avoid discovery. Perhaps an investigation of a nearby Cigar Shoppe, Top Notch, might reveal a clue?
Timeline puts his hand on Mist witch's shoulder with a warm smile on his face.
Don't worry about it your powers will be there soon enough its like a muscle the more you flex it the stronger it will become.You just let me know if you do pick anything up.
Timeline looks to the rest of the group
If I told you not to come you would go anyways wouldn't you? Yes you can come but let me take the lead on this one and hey if you do well I'll put a good word in for you all to the big guy himself!
Timeline has the group grab hands and ports them off to the Birch ham springs location first.
TIMELINE
You and the group teleport to Birchham Springs. You land just inside the closed gates. On each side are perfectly manicured lawns, hedge mazes and pristine Victorian houses. Not even a blade of grass is out of place. Everyone is wearing immaculate clothing vaguely reminiscant of the 1950's. The dozen or so residents in view all stop to stare at your group in unison. The women and children immediately head inside while the men begin to make their way towards you. Each and every one of them is wearing a strange blue flower on their person. There are a dozen men headed towards you.
Tuner: Didn't the 50's die out a long time ago? He raises his knuckles in a very aggressive posture.
Sprint: Y-y-y-you did get the right time right, Timeline?
Mist Witch: ARRRGGGHHH! Their minds?! Something...something is...wrong...... Mist Witch collapses after attempting to scan their minds.
Tarantula: Mist, you ok? Tarantula assumes a defensive position over his teammate.
wow that is a large crowd gathered outside of here. some seem to have gone inside of the cigar shop. i'll go in and see if i recognize anyone.
Mist witch you ok! No I don't make mistakes but I have a funny feeling these people may be under mind control. Team I have an idea those flowers seem out of place! Sprint see if you can get them off with your speed you and I have the best chance to get them off them. Tuner keep them distracted but don't hurt them. Tarantula keep Mist Witch safe. Now Move team!
vs. DC 20
vs. DC 15
vs. DC 15
TIMELINE
Your first shot is thrown off by the sonic disruption caused by Tuner's power and the second shot you are forced to divert as Sprint attempts to grab at the same flower you were aiming for.
Tuner ignores your warning and lets loose a full powered blast of sonic force against the three nearest men. Each tries to shield themselves with their arms but Tuner's attack shreds their suits and cuts through their skin. Interestingly, beneath the normal looking skin is just a mass of blue tinged plant material. The plant material begins to quickly regenerate healing most of the damage instantly. You notice that they weren't trying to shield their face but rather the flowers which remain unharmed.
Tuner: Crap they've got regen! You got a plan for that Captain Porthole?
Sprint shrinks himself down and zips forward attempting to disarm the three closest men of their flowers. He manages to disarm two of them but missed the third. The two men with missing flowers turn immediately towards Sprint and begin to run at him. Rarrrrhhh! Return the Bud! Return the Bud!
Mist Witch still appears very groggy as she vainly attempts to create a shielding fog bank. Tarantula attempts to disarm three of the six men in suits that have now surrounded him and Mist Witch. He manages to get one of them and immediately drops the flower. The creature immediately falls prone and attempts to retrieve the "Bud". Tarantula/Mist Witch are surrounded.
Tarantula" Sprint drop the flowers! They won't chase you if you do!
Tuner can you destroy the flowers they seem to be protecting them.Sprint keep disarming so Tuner can destroy them! Tarantula throw those flowers off so Tuner can destroy them.
JOE
As you enter the Cigar Shoppe you realize this has been for naught. The old sea dog running the till informs you that they don't sell any Cuban cigars here.
Sea Dog Milton: Why I do remember someone asking about them though. Queer fella. Had a real dangerous air to 'im to. Slick dresser. Well I told him to go on up to over in the industrial district. Didn't even show 'im my collection of rare cigars. Didn't want none of his ilk hangin' 'round. Say would you be interested in a cigar hand-rolled by the famous author Hemingway? Only 50 quid.
TIMELINE
You port the Buds off two of the suited men into the sewer system below and they immediately fall catatonic. Sprint manages to nab two more flowers and throws them in a heap at Tuner's feet.
Tuner yells at the oncoming suited men while blasting the quickly growing pile of Buds, Eat sonic blast, freaks! Four more suits fall to the ground, their faces suddenly filled with numerous gashes as their Buds are torn apart.
Two suits close and grapple with Tuner but he shakes them off...barely.
Tarantula uses his multiple limbs to fend off the three suits still battering on him. The one suit he disarmed last round is about to pick up it's Bud when Mist Witch manages to telekinetically rip it in half. The creature screams in pain as it's body mimics the damage done to the Bud. Two separate pieces of this creature now lie on the street. It is obvious now that these things were never human. Some sort of drones for a larger entity perhaps?
Mist Witch: Only sprouts...Mother Vine...in my...head... She is wracked by more psychic backlash.
no thank you, i always preferred Frost. thank you for your help in my inquiry.
i take the bus up to nearest stop to Maplewood Cigars. i get off and look around.
while on the bus i decide to call Lorenzo on Baker's behalf
@Lorenzo
Hello, my name is Rabbi Frankenburg, at maximum City University's theology department. i'd like to apologies, but Baker was with me on an archaeological artifact recovery. he helped me and others recover some artifacts from a treasure room that hasn't been touched by human hands in centuries. while some of the artifacts have gone to the University, some have gone to the guardians as they exhibited special qualities. it was quite a find to be honest. sorry for taking the consultant, but we needed an expert on technology, as the imaging technology and scanning resources from the dig site were quite temperamental and required a lot of maintenance.
I see several men around the shop. a few are acting somewhat, suspiciously, making sure to hide their faces from the security camera above the cashier behind the plastic wall.
Hey Mr. Frankenburg. Er, Rabbi... Mr. Rabbi? Glad to hear Baker's been doing ok! He didn't ever mention a liking of archeology, though I suppose with all his love of Montana James and the Temple of the Despair, and all those other movies starring Dodge Harris I can see him running off on some sort of adventure like that, haha.
Either way, the dude's been away from work and didn't let anyone know about it! That's not like him. I've been having to pull double-shifts to cover for his butt so he doesn't get in trouble! Set up a nice proxy account in his name so he can "work from home" so to speak.
You can tell that Lorenzo has taken great pains to keep Baker from getting into too much trouble.
Could you have him call me ASAP? We've been getting a bit swamped lately, and could really use him back as soon as possible. I can only cover double-shifts for him for so long before someone figures it out, man. I know I owed him, but this is getting a little out of hand!
Anyway, thanks for keeping me posted, and get Baker on the horn for me soon!
Lorenzo sounds a bit worried that Baker has been gone so long without calling it in, and really sounds like he wants to talk to Baker as soon as possible.