Curtains #1 - A Crossing of Paths

[Radiant]

Jorgi

The Hightower Convention Center, Downtown, Coast City
April 16
21:24


"Can I get you anything else to drink?" a familiar voice says to Jorgi.

He rolls his head to the side and sees the goth girl standing a few feet away. He can tell that she's disturbed by the visible evidence of Pestilence's attack, but she seems determined not to let it become an issue.

"Our management decided that a few employees should stick around to see to the needs of the guests," she says. "Guess the cops expect us to be stuck here for a while. So, those of us who were in the kitchens when that rag-wearing guy came through were 'volunteered'. Guess they figured we were already potentially exposed. Oh well."

She favors him with a resigned smile.

He somehow feels like he ought to be happy to see her again but by now Jorgi is surprised he can still keep his eyes open at all.

"Hey there. Sucks your stuck here.
...
You don't happen to serve fast killing poisons ...do you?
I'd take some of that. Can decide if I take it myself or feed it to that bastard later..

He slumps deeper into his chair and closes his eyes to get a little rest but then Professor Fate arrives and heals him.
He nearly jumps up and grabs the mans hand to shake it with a vigor.

"Thanksman,
forsomeonewithahelmentlikethatyou'retotallyallright.

Seeing that others will need Fate's help too he turns back to Jake and the girl. What he gets to see is the spider guy and Jake leading him away.
Not about to complain he just takes his luck as it comes.

"I'dtakeadrinknow,butonlyifIthere'sachanceIgetyour
namewithit.

 

[Keia]

"Thanksman, forsomeonewithahelmentlikethatyou'retotallyallright.[/color]

“My pleasure,” Professor Fate replied after a moment pause to digest what the young man had said. “That was a good thing you did back there, you should be very proud. About the helmet, yeah, I think I need to talk to a professional costume designer or something. Take care.”

Professor Fate left the young man alone, it seemed appropriate. Still maintaining his power, he worked his way through the crowd, helping all those that he could.

"Indeed you did," says Werner Schwartzeit, the industrialist Faturius had met earlier in the evening. "More than one good friend of mine are among those you just healed, and I'd like to express my personal gratitude."

He pulls a business card out of his pocket and offers it to Professor Fate. "I don't know what the superhero business climate is like. Seems like it might become an important new niche in society before long, though. Give me a call sometime if you might be interested in a sponsorship. I have plenty of contacts in business and government...could probably grease some skids on the legal end of things in our era of sue-happy lawyers."

Professor Fate accepted the card, and said, “It’s something I’ll have to think about - thank you for the kind words.” Professor Fate was exhausted, and he didn’t want to make any commitments until he could think more clearly. ‘We did well tonight . . . much better than I could of by myself . . . I should get some names and contact information before . . . I’ve got to get back into the limo.’

After the conversation ended, Professor Fate activated his intangibility and fell through the floor. He worked his way back to the limo, floating back from the underside back into the back seat.

 

[Mimic]

He grins broadly.

"Hey, what kind of reporter would I be if I couldn't talk my way past a few measly cops? I'd still be writing obituaries for the Hill-Billy Gazette.

"So, how 'bout that exclusive? I promise I'll cast you in a good light."

You do realise that we are all in quarantine... he pauses as he watches the man in the mask heal various people. Guess that's over with.

Not much to tell you really, he says with a shrug. Those idiots thought it would be a good idea to try and fleece these rich mucky mucks of some money. I don't know about the others but the reason I wanted to stop them was because the government would have made my life hell if they got away with it.

Also if your going to be talking about me in your article I'd rather you not use my real name. I don't need psychos calling me at all times of the day. If you must call me, he pauses for a moment thinking. Call me... Granite.

 

[Velmont]

"Help yourself," he says. "Say, if you don't mind my saying, that was a pretty brave thing all of you did tonight. Pretty creepty weird ability you've got, but I'm glad to see you're on to 'good' side."

"Don't tell me. I would prefer not to have them. Scare me to the bones."

He takes the computer and open his public address. He looks at the message that are waiting for him. If he has no news of his family, Yannick or Jennifer, he will write these mails:

From: Unlawful@hotmail.com
To: Jenny001@aol.com
Subject: Sorry!
Body:
Hi Jenny.

I'm sorry not to have given news. What happen last week, I don't know what happen. I didn't understand and it scared me. I flew because I was scared to know what you would think of me, what Yannick would think of me, what everyone will think of me, worst, what my father would say.

I lived in the street during the whole week. I met an homeless, Gus. A good guy. He is a bit like me, he has some powers too. A lot less creepy. He speaks to the animals. Seems much better than my own powers. Anyway, he open my eyes on me. I doesn't feel good with my new talents, but I know I won't have much choice than to live with them.

But tonight, somethings happen. Things I would have prefer that would never happen. First, I fought some goons. They wanted to kill Gus, because the thought he had stolen something from them. Gus is maybe poor, but he is not a robber. I save his life, but he was badly hurt. I hope he will be ok.

But that wasn't the worst. Gus tell us. Yeah, us, another guy help me to save Gus, some kind of rockman. Bullets can't harm him. Pretty impresive. Well, Gus tell us that the world needs someone like us, to use our powers to help people. He wanted us to help the hostage at the tower, so we get up there to help. I fought other mutants. A lot more dangerous than the goons. Anyway, I am not sure if what I have done was the best choice, but I don't think it was a bad one.

But presently I am lost. I miss Gus, which who I can talk abou all this without fearing the opinion of other. But I miss you more. I would like to see you again. If you don't want, I will understand. I am not sure I would like to live with someone with creepy powers like mine if I was normal. But I would like to speak with you.

Give me news. I'll be looking at my mailbox.

Lawrence

From: Unlawful@hotmail.com
To: Yann1ck@hotmail.com
Subject: Hi Body
Body:
Hi Yannick,

How are the things at school. If you want to have some news of me, just looks at the news. How are the things are going at school. I suppose the rumaors are going well on me. Do all the student already know of my new condition?

Anyway, I must tell I feel most lonely here. I have met an homeless who have greatly helped me with my powers. He is much friendly, and have some powers too. Nothing really impressive, he speaks with the rats and the cats. You should see those animals, once Gus have spoken with them, they are most friendly. I think they are his only friends, but they seems more friendly than most people, who just ignore him, or use him. Yeah, I hink a shapeshifter mutant have use his appearance to stol something to some goons. I see more mutants doing bad thing than good thing with there powers, so I won't be surprise to see the people being hard on me because of what other people do. Human nature...

Anyway, give me some news. And some about Jenny too. I wrote a message to her, but I fear she won't accept what I am, a creapy swarm of spider.

Lawrence

From: Unlawful@hotmail.com
To: ThornA@yahoo.com
Subject: Hi Body
Body:
Hi Bro,

I just want to give sign. I want to say that everythiong ok on my side. I am in good hand, and I am doing my best to accept who I am, but it is not easy. How father is going. Is he taking it hard? I suppose so. And mother goes well? Well, give me news, and if you want to learn a bit more on what I do, looks at the news.

Lawrence

 

[Rybaer]

"I'dtakeadrinknow,butonlyifIthere'sachanceIgetyour
namewithit.

"Marie Chase," she says. "And my fee for fetching you a drink is your name."

"JorgiVadislav," he replies.

"Russian? Seems to fit with what accent I can make out through your fast-talking." She seems to be teasing him.

"I'll be right back with a drink," she says. "Then you'll have to excuse me for a few minutes while I fetch pitchers of water and other stuff for the people stuck here. I am still at work, after all."

 

[Rybaer]

Professor Fate accepted the card, and said, “It’s something I’ll have to think about - thank you for the kind words.” Professor Fate was exhausted, and he didn’t want to make any commitments until he could think more clearly.

"No, no," Schwartzeit says, "thank you. And consider this offer extended to all of those who worked with you this evening."

Professor Fate waits until the head of Aztechnology walks away, then falls through the floor and several other levels until he reaches the parking garage. A minute later, he's in the back of his limo - exactly where he asked his driver to leave it. He returns to tangible form and slumps into the cushy seat.

 

[Rybaer]

You do realise that we are all in quarantine... he pauses as he watches the man in the mask heal various people. Guess that's over with.

Not much to tell you really, he says with a shrug. Those idiots thought it would be a good idea to try and fleece these rich mucky mucks of some money. I don't know about the others but the reason I wanted to stop them was because the government would have made my life hell if they got away with it.

Also if your going to be talking about me in your article I'd rather you not use my real name. I don't need psychos calling me at all times of the day. If you must call me, he pauses for a moment thinking. Call me... Granite.

"Granite, eh," he says and scribbles some notes in his little pad of paper. "That should look good in the paper. Simple, evocative, and wholly appropriate."

Arty will continue to probe Granite with questions, but maintains a very friendly attitude throughout. In spite of Granite's initial reactions, the guy seems pretty genuine and is most interested in getting his facts straight. Each question is efficient and posed to get to the root of the matter. He is mostly interested in details on the metahuman abilities exhibited on both sides as well as how the battle went down.

"Well, I should probably start interviewing some other folks," he says. "I want to thank you for your time. The story should run in tomorrow's Chronicle...front page, I expect, unless the mayor's wife chips a nail or something before then." He says this last with a wry grin. "Check it out...just so I can earn your trust. Might help to have an inside track with you for the next time you bust some bad mutants."

Arty offers a handshake before looking for his next target.

 

[Rybaer]

Lawrence logs into his mail and is a little surprised to see two new mail messages. In the week since he left, he had periodically checked his mail from a public computer at the library, but this was the first time anyone had written.

The first is timestamped from this morning:

From: ThornA@yahoo.com
To: Unlawful@hotmail.com
Subject: hey
Body:

Hey, you ok? Guess I should've written sooner, but you know things were a little strange when you left.

Look, I know father is probably scaring you off, but could you at least let me know you're alright? Would make a lot of people relax some...especially mom.

The second mail message is timestamped from about two minutes ago:

From: Yann1ck@hotmail.com
To: Unlawful@hotmail.com
Subject: geez!
Body:

What the heck have you been up to!?! I was doing my homework in front of the tv, then I look up and see you in the middle of a brawl with some freaky mutants in some big hall. That was about the last place I expected you to surface again.

All I can say...right on! That was some amazing stuff you and those other guys did. Taking on some bad mutants. I guess after what you did that one night, though, I should've known you were capable of it.

I'm gonna go watch the rest of the news...see if they get any more good shots of ya. You should call me sometime, though. I hope you're doing okay.

-Yan

Lawrence fires off the emails of his own and then thanks Jack for the use of his computer.

"Hey man, don't mention it," Jack says.

Lawrence notes that the reporter and Granite have just finished talking, and the reporter seems to have spotted Lawrence and is making a bee-line across the room to him.

 

[Keia]

Dr. Steven Faturius (Professsor Fate) HPs: 0/4

Steven was exhausted, of that there was no question. He changed clothes and replaced the items in his briefcase, then looked himself over in a mirror that he kept in the briefcase for just such a purpose.

After making certain everything was as he was dressed before, Steven closed his eyes for a few moments. As he started falling asleep, he snapped up and pressed the button to drop the privacy screen.

"Leon, let's drive up and see what's going on," Steven said. "If it's alright. I'll head out and get Ms. Summers."

 

[Mimic]

Tomorrow eh? I'll look into it. Thomas says as he shakes the man's hand, taking care not to squeeze it too hard.

Once the reporter leaves he will give any statements needed and then leave and head back towards the bar.