EPIC M&M: Issue 6 (IC)

[Calinon]

Prologue

Prophet's Lair
"You left Mason behind?" Prophet says questioningly.

"Hey, he said he could handle it. Guess it runs in the family," Ghost replies, putting his feet up on the table. "You know, you real-urk!"

Quicker than the eye could see, Prophet was beside him, hand clamped over around his neck, lifting him bodily out of his chair to dangle several inches off the ground.

"You left my general behind!?" Prophet shouts as he drains the power from Ghost. Flames roar in the hearth and his eyes become twin pillars of fire before he finally tosses Ghost across the room like a rag doll. Ghost rolls onto his back and sits up, rubbing his neck where even now angry black bruises are appearing. "And the virus?" Prophet demands.

"Delivered," Ghost rasps. "I had a few followers. Loco and that demon kid and EPIC's cat-girl. Though I doubt she's a problem anymore," he says, paling when he notices the glare coming from Prophet. "I didn't kill anyone who could be part of Omega!" he exclaims quickly. The statement seems to placate Prophet.

"Very well. Now we shall wait and see if the good General can start the purge of the human pests for us. I want you and Mason ready to move in and seize the altered virus as soon as it is ready."

"But," Ghost starts. "Mason is sure to be put on public trial."

"Then we'll just have to arrange for a public escape," Prophet says with a feral grin.

SAP Corporate Headquarters
"Are you out of your mind!?" Allison Vaile shouts, one of the very few times she had ever lost her temper. "I went to a lot of effort to get that virus destroyed before it fell into the wrong hands."

"Effort greatly appreciated. Now, everyone but a select few believe it gone. But we have an opportunity to continue our research. We have a sample of Anaconda we can recover. A vaccine capable of destroying Anaconda is within our grasp. It's applications against more benign virus' could revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry," said Rao Telda, head of the board of directors and the true controlling force behind South American Pharmaceuticals.

"You can't simply recover Anaconda from someone. You have to extract its molecules, molecules bonded to blood! It has a 90% probability of killing the patient!"

"To me, those are acceptable odds," Rao replies. "The profit we could achieve far outweigh the risks."

"This is not some peasant we are talking about," Ms. Vaile says angrily. "This is an EPIC member."

"One member, who they already know was infected. It won't be a stretch to explain his death away as an unfortunate incident."

"The hell it won't!" Ms. Vaile snarls, advancing on her seated opponent. "I swear if any harm comes to Sanjay, I'll take this entire conversation straight to the press," she declares, confident that her super-natural charisma would win this argument.

Lesser men might have shrunk at facing the wrath of the charismatic Allison Vaile. Rao Telda was not a lesser man. He rose to his full six foot, eight inch height, and loomed over her.

"No, you will not," he says simply, glaring down at her. "You are the pretty face of the company, a superior researcher and an excellent debater, but you do not make policy. Anaconda is too important for SAP to pass up. The virus will be harvested from the host and our research will continue. And you will not mention this to anyone or you will face harsh reprisal," he said, leaving the open ended threat hanging in the air.

"But I," Ms. Vaile starts.

"The board has made its decision. Good day, Ms. Vaile," Rao Telda says, retaking his seat. Ms. Vaile storms out of the room, drawing a sigh of relief from the other board members. "Now, for the next order of business, we have the hostile takeover of Pratchett Pharmaceuticals coming up and I want to make sure everything is prepared."

 

[Calinon]

In A Cave System Outside Mai Pai, China

Standing in the doorway of Mia Toan's playroom, Raisa, X12, Jackal, Li and Xi stand stunned at the scene before them.

Mia Toan stands, clad in her powerful protective armor, her helmet removed. She clutches a curving dagger, soaked in blood, in her right hand. Dark blood covers her face, chest and hands, startling red in the bright light of the cavern. At her feet lies Kevin York, an ornate katana through his stomach, pinning him to the floor, a dagger thrust through his chest and his throat slit open. His eyes remain open and unblinking, and blood pools around him though very little seems to be flowing from him any longer.

"You're too late," Mia Toan says with satisfaction. "Our love is fulfilled. He's mine forever. And you can't have him!" she shrieks suddenly at you, snatching Kevin's sword from the ground beside him, appearing ready to kill you all!

Initiatives and Condition Summary
Mia Toan 28, Amazon 21 (4HP, 3L, 1S, fatigued), Jackal 14 (4HP), X12 14 (4HP, 2L), Li 8 (2HP), Xi 7 (2HP)

In An Underground Tunnel, Brazil
Vince staggers in the billowing dust, nearly banging into the wall several times as he bears the unconscious weight of a dying Monica towards the SAP research facility and help. But something is dreadfully wrong with the feline member of EPIC. Her head lolls back and her tail hangs limply. Two metal batons are imbedded in her chest and stomach, phased there by the Anarchy assassin, Ghost. The movement of running has caused the skin around the batons to rupture, and with great horror, Vince realizes she is not breathing.

He bursts from the dust cloud finally, and quickly sets her down, hitting his communicator but getting nothing but static. Frantically, he tries to get her breathing again, a tricky venture using mouth to feline face.

Medicine check (DC22): 6 (HP to re-roll gets a 15) -- stabilized

After a long minute of trying, she coughs weakly, eyes fluttering open for a moment before she again loses consciousness. She is breathing however, very weakly.

Condition Summary
Vincent (3L, 1S), Monica (7L, 2S, disabled, KO)

In the SAP Research Facility Infirmary ... two hours after combat
Rebound lays napping on a bed, tired from his efforts. It's becoming obvious that using his growth powers is very hard on him. Mantis is sedated for pain, laying with her injured arm and leg both in slings. Vince and Monica haven't returned, and haven't checked in. Cosmo isn't around because...

Michelle, Johan
...Michelle released Cosmo to help transport Mason to South America's main containment facility. He's been checking in every fifteen minutes over the radio. Currently, Michelle and Johan are talking, within earshot of everyone, with the base medical doctor.

"We need to transfer Anna to a better equipped medical facility. She needs surgery that we are ill-equipped to do here," he explains. "They'd recover better in a better equipped hospital as well," the doctor says, nodding at Straightjacket and Tara. And I'm sure Ms. Vaile will want to speak with you all, once the rest of your team arrives.

Straightjacket
Your dad has been talking your ear off. The only difference today? Everyone is noticing. He is still glowing with a bright green aura.

"You did great down there boy, other than that whole broken ribs, hole in leg part. But your girl will love the battle scars. You'll get some action out of those, don't you doubt!" he laughs, pinching the nurse on the rear as she goes by, earning himself a slap on the hand and a glare.

Loki
While everyone else is busy talking to doctors or looking strangely at who obviously, due to family resemblance and the fact that he keeps calling him 'boy' and 'son', is his father, you've looked around and come to one very certain conclusion. Neutron isn't around. Come to think of it, you haven't heard from Vince or Monica in quite some time.

In your P12 heightened state, you remember that there is a security terminal a floor up.

Condition Summary
Cosmo (OK), Loki (OK), Mantis (4L, disabled), Alan Cashman (1L), Straightjacket (4L, disabled x2), Metal Mistress (1L), Johan (OK), Anna (3L, disabled, KO), Rebound 5 ( fatigued)

In a Secret SAP Lab, Same Facility
Neutron
You are getting more and more ill, and feeling more and more weak by the moment. Your veins are getting darker and it is getting harder to breathe. You don't know how long you've been here. An hour? Two? More? The doctors, if that's what they are, don't talk to you much. They don't even enter your chamber, using robotic arms to inject you or change your IV bag. The guards don't move. The longer you are here, the more you doubt that they are trying to help you.

The realization has filled you with a desperation, though you fight through it to buy some time and wait for your moment.

After a long time, only a pair of scientists remain. The one monitoring you still sits, pushing buttons. You've come to know him lovingly as Dr. Pain, though he hasn't actually told you his name. The other doctor you cheerfully refer to as "BB", desperately hoping she'll ask you why so you can tell her it's because she has such big... eyes. So far, she hasn't taken the bait, though it is becoming rapidly obvious that she doesn't like Dr. Pain in the least.

You hear a faint crackling beneath your table, nearly inaudible. After about the sixth time, straining your hearing you hear Cosmo. "We're about fifteen minutes out from the facility. Mason is still doing his sleeping beauty impression. Contact you again in fifteen."

Just then, all but one of the guards leave the room for some reason. Only the one watching you intently remains.

Condition Summary
Neutron (2L, fatigued, Anaconda infected)

 

[buzzard]

"Dad, dontcha think the nurses are gonna notice you pinchin when you're glowing?!? Anyway, why are you glowing? And why can everybody else see you now?"

buzzard

 

[Deva]

Raisa keeps her eyes on the sword wielding psycho, trying not to look at Kevin for fear she'd loose her lunch. "X, get him out of here."

She rushes at Mia (going around Kevin) and attempts to punch her in the face where she has no protective armor.

 

[Mimic]

"We need to transfer Anna to a better equipped medical facility. She needs surgery that we are ill-equipped to do here," he explains.

Do whatever you think is best, just keep me informed on where they will be sent. How is Sanjay doing anyways? She asks the doctor

<ooc: is she realises how long Vince and Monica have been>

Have you heard anything from Vince or Monica? They have been gone way too long. She asks Johan. I'm going to go look for them, is there any thing I can use as a light source around here? She says turning back towards the doctor.

 

[Calinon]

In A Cave System Outside Mai Pai, China

Mia Toan shifts nearly imperceptably as Raisa rushes in, staying infront of Kevin's body. As Raisa swings, Mia's arm shoots out, striking Raisa in the face. The slap stings and though it causes no real damage, Raisa stumbles as she swings, as her senses go haywire!

Attack roll (Mia): 20 hits
Will save (Raisa) [DC20]: 19 fails

Raisa's eyes suddenly burn as the light in the room becomes too intense for her to see properly. Her vision becomes a field of white even as her hearing buzzes as every sound becomes magnified a thouseand fold. Her skin starts to tingle painfully.

Raisa is blind, deaf and pain sensitive, reducing her damage save by 10. You will receive a Will save each round at +1 cumulatively past the first.

Raisa swings even as the effect takes place, but hits nothing but air. She stumbles over what must be Kevin, slipping in the pool of blood and banging her knee painfully before regaining her footing. She has no idea where she is.

Attack roll (Raisa): 12 misses

Jackal growls and pounces at Mia. His leap covers the distance easily, but she moves skillfully at the end, and it takes all his agility to avoid landing on Kevin. A quick kick in the hindquarters sends him sliding past Kevin in the blood. The way she is standing will make it nearly impossible to get Kevin without her gaining an advantageous attack.

Mia Toan 28, Amazon 21 (4HP, 3L, 1S, fatigued, blind, deaf, -10 damage saves), Jackal 14 (4HP), X12 14 (4HP, 2L), Li 8 (2HP), Xi 7 (2HP)

In the SAP Research Facility Infirmary
Straightjacket
"It's more fun than sitting around in the ladies locker room at your school, boy," he grins. "I'm guessing that Anithos fellow's wand did something to me. When it sucked me in, it hurt like a sunofagun. Then when it let me go, I got a full feeling, like when you drink too much water. Don't really know much about the glowy bit. Just that it's gonna be a bitch to sneak into the locker rooms now," he says. "White with teddy bears," he whispers to John, nodding at Michelle, then laughing.

"I'm gonna get a soda," he says, wandering off after the nurse. The soda machines are definitely the other way. As he wanders off, you realize he didn't answer your other question.

Michelle
You hear the glowy man, Straightjacket's father, say something that sounds like "teddybear" and then laugh and catch him nodding at you.

The doctor doesn't seem to recognize the name. "Who?" he asks, looking through his electronic pad for Sanjay's name. "I don't have anyone by that name with your group here."

Upon your question of the light, he says, "You can check with security; I'm sure they have a spot light or something. Everything around here is well lit though, I assure you," he says, stepping to a console nearby.

 

[Dalamar]

"I have not heard anything," Johan says with a look of worry on his face. "It could be that the large amount of rock is interfering with the radio signal, preventing us from receiving their status report."

OoC: I think that's what can happen. If not, replace it with something more approriate.

 

[Agamon]

"Okay, this sucked when it started," Sanjay thinks, none-too-pleased. "I think I'm about ready to upgrade that analysis to..." Noticing most of the guards leave, he tries to not get excited, continuing to stare ahead blankly as he has for the past few minutes. "Alright, time to get the hell out of here. If I'm going to die, it's not going to be as some wacko scientist's lab experiment."

A quick glance at the two scientists, he will transmute the straps holding him down to air before attempting to do the same to the armor of the lone guard.

So that's 2 Transumtation +8 1/2 actions, one to free Neutron, the other to try and neutralize the threat. Special HP request: If I get less than a 14 rolled on the ranged attack, HP to reroll.

 

[Mordane76]

Motioning to Li and Xi, X12 slowly begins advancing on Mia Toan, murder in his eyes.

OOC: Innuendo gone... not sure what this falls under anymore. I want to delay to Xi's initiative, hoping Li will do the same, so that the three of us can attack her in sync. That way I can Aid Another, using my Rapid Strike so that I can attempt to help both of them (one attack as Aid Another for each of Li and Xi). If my "signals" get mixed, then I'll simply attack her myself once.

 

[Mimic]

Michelle
You hear the glowy man, Straightjacket's father, say something that sounds like "teddybear" and then laugh and catch him nodding at you.

The doctor doesn't seem to recognize the name. "Who?" he asks, looking through his electronic pad for Sanjay's name. "I don't have anyone by that name with your group here."[/font]

Michelle scowls and glances at the glowing man but other things are more important, she turns back towards the doctor.

What do you mean you don't know where Sanjay is...try Neutron. He was infected by the Anaconda virus.

Can you send one of your duplicates to the security room and see if you can find a flashlight or something. She asks Johan