Brisk sends a random address and meets them there.
Brisk is the first to arrive at Bug Hunter's house in a blur speed. Next, the Doctor leaps to the area before shifting out of his natural camouflage. Sahara is the last to arrive as she rises silently from the ground. Bug Hunter invites you all inside.
The house is cluttered with equipment and supplies, some with very vague or ominous labels. However, Baxter assures you all that it's harmless, as long as you don't touch it. He also says not to disturb the renters in the back room, and definitely don't put your fingers in any cages. At Sahara's request, he clears off a spot on a table, mostly by just shuffling things to another table., and she spreads out a collection of freshly printed papers. They contain write-ups of an offshoot of a company called the Northeastern Institute of Health and Medicine, NIMH.
"After the attempted abduction, I had a computer friend look into some kind of reasoning behind it. The best they could find was a NIMH holding called Juan Leon LLC. At first glance, it didn't seem to be anything special, just you're average pharmaceutical company researching ways to increase life expectancy. However, they also found out that there are no registered patents. No applications to approve testing. Most of the funding comes from an outside company called Black Court which is basically a blank slate. We found nothing on it. Anyway, we've found some unverified reports about Juan Leon using metahumans for some undocumented research. All of the subjects had some kind of mutation that affected their biology or aging. You know, powers like mine."
"Did you find a location?" Siphon asks. "I assume you want us to go check it out? See if there are more metahumans they're experimenting on?"
"The building is at the top of the coast, near the New Hampshire border. I have to imagine that I was targeted for capture instead of killed for a reason. Even if the experimentation is a hoax, pharmaceuticals don't just not apply for patents or testing trials and still get funding. Something fishy is going on. I want help in finding out what. And do some rescuing if we can."
Bug Hunter marvels at the idea of experimenting on people. He did some crazy things in his garage, but nothing like that. "Man, I wonder if they've been experimenting with bugs too. Like, that would explain the crazy half of my job, you know?" Idle thoughts aside, he spins his key ring around his finger and shrugs. "So go bust out some supers? Sounds like a thing. I just gassed up the van so ready when you are."
"How big is this place? Do you have any idea of what type of security it might have? If it is intended to hold people with powers they may have ways to neutralize us." Brisk says.
"There are three floors above ground, but some of the reports mention a basement complex as well. I can't find much in the way of security, but I expect it's tight."
Doctor Night seems dubious about simply arriving in Bug Hunter's van.
"So what exactly is the plan here? I doubt that all of us will be able to successfully sneak in."
"It would be better if we had a reason for being there. That would allow us to get past the outer layers of security and give us some time to research the problem."
"I'm usually pretty good at sneaking into places," Valerie offers.
"Woah. You guys are smart." Bug Hunter admires aloud. "I guess this hero stuff is more complicated than hunting bugs." He scratches behind his ear and idly palms some trinkets on his desk, wondering if perhaps he really is out of his league. Then again, who else is going to save all those people? It's not like it used to be, when there were still heroes. It was easier to just watch them on TV always saving the day. But now it's them, and the day could go either way.
Sahara thinks for a minute. "Hmmm. This place doesn't talk to the FDA, but there still seems to be some kind of research going on. Doctor Night, is your name legitimate? I mean, do you have any medical experience? I'm thinking that we could insert you as an employee to get the rest of us inside."
"I can scout out the easy parts. But an inside man would be useful." Brisk said. "But I also can't disappear for days. Or even a day for that matter."
Doctor Night nods at Sahara's suggestion.
"It is good that we are thinking of creative ways to get into the building but I cannot risk my secret identity."
"I do like your idea of going in undercover but maybe a maintenance or cleaning crew would be better. They would garner less attention and have the run of the place."
"It would take some work to get the assignment but perhaps less than a medical doctor or researcher who would be vetted more thoroughly."
The good doctor then thinks for a moment.
"Of course if they had or thought they had an aggressive insect situation than Bug Hunter might be called."
"I hear that he is the only name in town for these types of problems."
"It would be reasonable for him to have a few assistants to help out on a bigger job."
Bug Hunter continues to marvel at the impressively thoughtful planning of the group, and at the mention of a bug infestation he can't help but smile. "Heck, if you want bugs, I can give you bugs. I can cook up an infestation they'll never forget." He says with a chuckle as he scoops up a pair of safety goggles from a nearby table and perches them just above his eyeline in preparation. "This should be fun."
If no one else objects to the plan so far, I just need Bug Hunter to let me know what kind of bugs he's going to genetically engineer for this mission.
Doctor Night nods.
"I thought that you might enjoy this idea."
"So, do you know on how long this might take?"
Brisk looks a little concerned when he sees the bugs. "Those are huge...I was thinking we were just going to dump a bunch of cockroaches or loud crickets. Are these going to kill people?"
"I mean yeah, about a week maybe? Unless I just kinda live down here for a couple of days. Then I might be able to manually speed up the hyper-growth. But you know, present company might find that a little invasive right?" Baxter responds with a nod towards Siphon.
To Brisk's remark he shakes his head. "Oh no man, they're only gonna be like, maybe half the size of a guy. But yeah they're totally going to kill some people." He says proudly before realizing that's not the response he's supposed to give. "Uh, I mean, if we don't show up to stop them!" He gives a cheesy thumbs-up as reassurance.
Sahara is a bit dubious about actually using killer bugs, but with no better alternative, she agrees. After about a week of working double time, Baxter calls the heroes together to present his new creation. When they arrive at his house, they see a group of 4 eggs each the size of a basketball. They are surprisingly warm to the touch, with a slight pulse inside like a heartbeat.
Sahara is visibly grossed out. "What are these going to become?" she asks. "And how long until they hatch?"
"And people called me a villain," Siphon smirks as she looks at the alien-looking pods. "I only drain a person's life force."
"Pretty cool, huh?" Baxter says as he admires them through thick goggles accompanied by a well-worn lab jacket and a pair of rubber gloves. "In my defense I didn't invent the genetic refactor agent. I just discovered it." He traces an X over his heart with one gloved finger as he sports an ambient smirk.
"They're gonna be these like, gnarly beetles with probably some big fangs or something. I think." He scratches his head curiously. "They should hatch soon. We'll need to get them down to the sewer or up to the roof or something. Roof is safer... unless they can fly. But sewer is easier, and they might have a chance to eat some stuff and get bigger. But we better figure it out fast." He warns with an innocent shrug.
Doctor Night shakes his head. Clearly the saying about being careful about what you wish for was in clear display, right here, right now.
"Maybe you overdid it a bit."
"Are these insects actually dangerous to people or will they only look dangerous?"
"Oh they're totally dangerous, yeah. But I mean, lots of bugs are dangerous. And these are gonna be like the size of a big dog, and big dogs are dangerous too. So yeah, dangerous. But they're still bugs. They'll probably avoid light, look for unattended food, burrow through the walls, and if provoked, attack." Baxter responds, making little clawing motions in the air as though to clarify what "attack" means.
"They should be sterile, and won't live too long on their own. But I bet they make a heck of a scene. And that's what we want, right?" In spite of the apparent criticism, Bug Hunter still seems quite pleased with the results. Even though he seems a bit unsure what those results will ultimately be. "It'll be fine, dudes. I wouldn't make something I couldn't handle." This one is accompanied by finger guns and mild sound effects.
"Let's get them loaded up on your van," Sahara says. "It shouldn't take long for you to get a call once the staff find these monstrosities."
"So how long until these hatch? I could probably get them onto the roof without being noticed...assuming they do not have sensors on the roof. But I don't want them to hatch halfway to the building." Brisk says.
Doctor Night nods agreeing with Brisk.
"Alright. We should get the show on the road."
"Having these insects hatch in the building would be ... unfortunate."
Baxter nods along agreeably. "Alright, let's do the thing. I'll try to drive careful." He reassures with a final uncertain glance at the eggs. "Here goes everything."
Siphon helps where she can. When it's time to go, she gets dressed in her black skintight outfit, then throws a baggy set of overalls on to look like an exterminator's assistant.
The drive up to the facility a few tense hours, but you get there without issue. The pharmaceutical complex is surrounded by a wall topped with barbed wire. There is only a single gatehouse for vehicles to enter and exit.
Baxter stops short enough that the team can scope out the situation without getting picked up by likely surveillance. However, when he kills the engine he heaves a sigh and starts tapping the steering wheel thoughtfully. "Well... I think our best shot is to have someone go right up to the gatehouse. Ask to speak to someone, tell them we tracked an infestation this way, give them one of my-" He stops and fishes around in the glove box, which is awkward as he's still buckled in. "Brand new business cards!" He shows off the stationery proudly.
After giving everyone a moment to admire the card he himself clearly designed, manifesting a complete lack of graphic talent, he continues with the idea. "And while they're distracted, I can huck these eggs right over the fence. Unless someone can like, turn invisible and get past the wall somehow."
"If you know anyone who can turn invisible, I could borrow their powers. Well, take. Temporarily. But I could."
"As I mentioned before. I move really fast. I can run right over the wall. If no one is actively staring at a monitor, I am in and out before they know." Brisk says.
"You can run through barb wire?" Baxter admires aloud. "Man, that's next level."
"I can't go through, but it should be pretty easy to go over." Brisk says.
Doctor Night nods at Brisk.
"Alright. I suspect that their cameras might be able to pick up my camouflaged form anyways if they are at all sophisticated but a burst of speed might go unnoticed to all but the most painstaking forensic review."
@Brisk - You might want to spend a Hero Point to pick up Concealment (Invisibility) as a power stunt off of your Feel the Speed power set. You can ask the GM if that is possible.
When Brisk runs over the wall, he is easily able to dodge the barbed wire and enter the vicinity. His superspeed senses pick up the facility grounds in slow motion. There are people practically standing still, though instinctively he knows that they are simply walking at their own pace. They are all dressed in business attire. One person is walking out of the lobby doors, leaving the entrance hanging open.
Brisk speeds up along the wall and runs up along the edge of the roof.
Brisk dashes to the flat roof and deposits the eggs amidst the ventilation pipes. He makes it back to the group to let them know it went off without a hitch.
Siphon hangs back with Baxter while the delivery is made. "Well? What next?"
Doctor Night thinks for a moment.
"We should probably get out of here for now. We will have to think of some discrete way of letting them know they have a problem before it actually becomes a problem."
Baxter throws the van in reverse and creeps backwards towards a turn-around. "I'd say the window for that is like, not even an hour. But don't worry, I have a special phone number just for these kinds of emergencies." He says with a reassuring grin. "It's forwarded to my other number."
The hour passes without a call. Baxter figures that the little beasts are more skittish that he anticipated, but hunger will draw them out soon. Another hour passes, then a second. Baxter thinks that maybe the bugs found a food source in a low population area.
"I wish someone could tap into any communications they had. Maybe they found the eggs before they hatched." Brisk says as he paces quickly back and forth.
Baxter slowly flips his phone open and closed in between making popping sounds with his mouth and looking in the (metaphorical?) rear-view mirror. Finally he speaks. "Well mi amigos, I think it is safe to say this did not go as planned. So... do we go looking for bugs, or come up with a new plan for our hero friends?" He asks, feeling perhaps a little guilty for potentially compounding their problems rather than solving them. "I'd say we plan B this pig and wait for the phone to ring on the bugs." He suggests with a loud snap of closing his phone before tucking it in his pocket.
"That seems like a good way to go. Its also possible, that since they apparently hold people with powers they had the means to take care of crazy super bugs. Maybe a hoard of termites would have been better." Brisk says as he continues to blur back and forth while pacing.
"I could try the old fashioned way. Just sneak in," Siphon offers. She was getting bored and hungry. And the battery in her phone was almost dead after playing on it for the last three hours. She was ready to do something.
Doctor Night is now more concerned with the runaway bugs then their original mission.
"I think we should try to go looking for these insects of yours. It is too dangerous to let them go and hope that nothing is going to go wrong."
"Sounds good." Siphon slips out of the van, stretching. Then she starts looking for a good point of entry where she wouldn't likely be seen.