"It would be useful to know about these caves, and any information about his planned route," Charles points out.
"The more we can narrow things down, the less 'search the whole mountain' we'll have to do."
"Any idea how closely surveiled the area is? If it's owned by this Virtue Kwong than it may be watched."
"Of course, this is assuming Andrews wasn't already infected before somehow. It seems unlikely but we should keep in mind that we don't have all the information."
Nissa asks, “Any chance the snakeheads are vulnerable to fire? Because that would be convenient.”
Despite her apparent trepidation, Nissa wants to explore those caves.
"Of course, this is assuming Andrews wasn't already infected before somehow. It seems unlikely but we should keep in mind that we don't have all the information."
”These creatures seem to be clever and aware of how to avoid suspicion. Disappearing for a week isn’t a way to do that. If he was infected, he would have stayed under the radar, I think. I agree we need to find out where he went on his way back to the camp.”
"Claws work," Charles growls in response to Nissa's question.
"Do we want to avoid the camp? If we're trying for stealthy reconnaissance we might want to just park the bus off the road somewhere and go overland to the mountain for the last mile or so."
Nissa is excited about flying! Oh, but there are a lot of people. Charles is strong but…
“If you mean we’ll fly, how many of us can you carry? You don’t need to carry me. Heh.”
The AI responds to Charles' inquiry about the caves. It maps out a route that Andrew might have taken from the cabin to the caves. The AI also shares some info about the caves and a nearby waterfall behind which are rock carvings. (The local indigenous communities claim the rock carvings are not theirs; experts on the area agree. Some speculate the carvings are fakes produced in the 1800s.) A small series of nearby caves was likely carved by the same waterfall before it shifted. There are three caverns connected by tunnels.
"I don't know that all of us need to go up to the caves," says April, nodding toward L.C. and George. "But, I know that we shouldn't leave them in the bus by the side of the road either; this is pretty lawless country."
"Then - is it safe to leave the bus? As for George, he's going to have mobility accessing caves that most of us lack."
In her fairy form, and with subatomic size as her power, and with a glowing body AND no need of food or air or shelter from harsh temperatures… Nissa isn’t worried about caves.
But she is worried about her girlfriend.
Ironically, the woman whose future self tried to murder L.C.—and did murder World-Zero-Greer—is the one Nissa trusts most to keep L.C. and Alt-Greer alive!
“Where do we leave the bus, April?”
"Well, I think we should drive it right up to the camp," she waves at L.C. and Alt-Greer and says, "We don't even have to go into the camp for processing. No one will find a bus like this suspicious but it's still close enough to the camp that bandits are unlikely."
"We can hike up to the caves from there," says April.
"We can probably only carry one if we want to still be able to fly," Charles admits. "We have more strength in our legs than our wings."
"Leaving the bus near the camp sounds like it makes sense. So who's coming? All of us who can fly? Plus one more on our back? Or are we waiting for climbers?"
Nissa says to April, “If there isn’t a good way to get all of us up there, maybe you can keep the bus secure. I trust you, April!”
Nissa, in fairy form, gives L.C. a kiss before fluttering back a bit.
“I’ll be back. 80s movie reference. I don’t have the body type though. Theo doe—never mind. I will be back,” she assures L.C.
April agrees to keep the bus secure.
Zellgato says he is going to walk around the camp, "I might try to scan some of the locals in a discreet kinda way. Make sure none are reptilian infested. I know RAIN already said the camp was clear, but better to be safe than transformed into a snakething."
George spreads his wings and looks at them like he'd almost forgotten about them and says to Henri, "ok mon ami, à bientôt."
The RAIN files show the locations of the caves, the nearby by waterfall with the mysterious carvings, the luxury cabin, as well as the hiking and climbing trails up to them. These trails are largely unused as the west side of mountain is now private property.
Henri can run up the hiking trails and make pretty good time. Those who are running would probably arrive first.
Do you do anything else before you race up to the caves?
I'll need a Perception check from everyone as you describe your departure for the caves.
Nissa, flying in her fairy form…
…is not particularly observant.
April agrees to keep the bus secure.
Zellgato says he is going to walk around the camp, "I might try to scan some of the locals in a discreet kinda way. Make sure none are reptilian infested. I know RAIN already said the camp was clear, but better to be safe than transformed into a snakething."
George spreads his wings and looks at them like he'd almost forgotten about them and says to Henri, "ok mon ami, à bientôt."
Nodding, "Oui, soyez en sécurité."
Henri studies the trails detailed on the maps, especially for any landmarks he can use as he travels to make sure he doesn't take a wrong turn, notes who is moving with him, and heads out.
Charles permits Theo to ride on their back. "Isn't this messing with the stories, having the demigod and monster working together?" they comment with a toothy grin.
Flying with extra weight on their back is... different, but they are stronger than even their bulky form would suggest (another way they've made the physicists in Boston Theoretical's employ tear out their hair in frustration), so they manage. Their three heads scan the surroundings warily, searching for danger.
But even with three heads, balancing flying, keeping Theo on their back, and keeping watch is tricky.
"Should keep fairly low," they suggest. "We don't know what kind of surveillance there might be, nor do we know if the Rakshasa have lookouts. Best to assume they do.
A hoverdrone about 18" in diameter pops out of the ground 20' in front of Henri. It hovers at head level and begins to blare a message, "You are trespassing on private property ..."
Theo notices the drone first and gets to act in the Surprise Round.
Charles are on edge and unsurprised that there are drones.
The drone is not powerful enough to hold his weight but it is powerful enough to pull him to the left a bit before rapidly descending, beneath the height Charles was at.
You've got the drone Theo. Now what?
The drone points its tazer rifle at Theo ready to zap him on its turn.
Nissa draws her gun and, presses the muzzle against the drone, and assures Theo, “This is not a phenomenally stupid thing to do.”
She isn’t actually sure about that, but she sure sounds sure.
Nissa pulls the trigger!
"Are you insane?" Charles grumbles as Theo jumps.
They swoop down so they at least have a *chance* to catch the mad godling.
** spoiler omitted **
Charles gets to where Theo would have been but the drone is going down fast and flying unpredictably.
The drone fires a bolt of electricity at Theo from close range.
Nissa holds her fire… at least until Charles gets a hold of Theo.
“Okay… do I blow this thing to bits, or is there a guy watching through a camera that can call off the robo-dogs?”
Teamwork makes the dream work.
Charles swooops down close and Theo, despite being zapped by electricity, manages to grab Charles' leg and swing himself back up.
Nissa, for her part, gets the drop on the security drone and threatens whoever is piloting it.
The drone responds, "This is an automated security system. You have trespassed on private property, ignored warnings, and vandalized a drone. Please leave the property immediately."
“And YOU’RE interfering with an official investigation. By the power vested in me according to article classified, section classified, I order you to stand down!”
She drags her foot across the ground in front of her, creating a fire wall that’s taller than she is.
The fire is harmless to her.
"Give us some warning next time," Charles complains to Theo. "We're not exactly aerodynamic, you realize."
** spoiler omitted **
Nissa's ploy worked, to an extent.
“Ohhhh, we just came from there. But fine.
“We’ll meet you down there in 15 minutes. We just gotta find our scout that already got ahead of you.”
She urges Charles and Theo to press ahead, and for the moment, is not causing an explosion.
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Henri does everything he can to be nonchalantly waiting for the others when they arrive as if he'd been there for hours.
The drone hovers in place for a bit and then proceeds slowly back down to the base of the mountain. Nissa has bluffed the primitive AI that from 'Sentient Security Systems' that was running these drones.
The trio continue on towards the mysterious place Andrew was headed to before he disappeared and re-emerged as 'Brother Andrew, Messenger of Gaia'. Charles' sword begins to vibrate before he even lands.
The expectation was that Henri, not being able to fly and having to take a zig-zagging route up the mountain, would get to the location with the caves and waterfall last. When you land, you find Henri there.
There's a small clearing. A faded old sign intended for hikers points to the cave entrance with another arrow indicating the waterfall. A newer, shinier sign reminds you this is private property.
Nissa, in fairy form, flutters excitedly to Henri, impressed with his speed.
“Finally!” she says. “We were here twenty minutes ago, but circled back to make sure you were okay!”
She lets Henri react before saying, “I’m kidding. You truly are a speedster!—I’m really impressed you beat us!” She then tells how Theo grappled a drone, Charles caught him, and she bluffed the AI.
Charles rolls their eyes at Nissa's joking.
"We should probably get in there fast before more of a response catches us," they suggest.
"It's quite possible the owner of the property is also subverted," they add.
Somewhat awkwardly, given their current hexapodal form, Charles draw the Sword with their right forepaw. "It's definitely reacting to something here," they note.