Elite: Year One - Issue #1

[Mordane76]

"Ja weil das Heiraten solche Wunder für Mutter tat," she snips drunkenly into the receiver. "Keine Angelegenheit. Was ich an Männer denke, wirkt nicht Ihre Entscheidung aus. Wann ist das gesegnete Ereignis?" she asks.

Translation:
1. Yes, because getting married did wonders for Mother.
2. No matter. What I think about men doesn't impact your decision. When is the blessed event?

 

[Synchronicity]

Christopher Jones

Kelly sighs, “You know I would have thought you have been happier to see me, I mean I try and surprise you and you just-” her phone starts ringing. She check who called, and then places it back in her jacket hanging next to the bed.

“It is fine Chris, and I doubt I could picture you as some kind of super powered freak. You are too cute for that, when you are not being an idiot; tell you what… How about you go to work, and I will meet you for lunch…” she bites her lip.

"Kelly, you know I'm always happy to see you." says Christopher sincerely. "It's just..." he trails off and sighs. "It's just things are a little...difficult right now. Work's kind of snowing me in, especially after the flu. I've been a little..stressed. I'm really sorry, and..and I'll make it up to you, alright?"

As Kelly says 'super powered freak', Chris flinches for a moment, as if she'd struck him. However, he quickly forces the smile back onto his face. 'Don't let her see you react! She's too smart not to wonder if you do..' Chris speaks warmly as he finishes dressing and moves over to kiss Kelly goodbye. "Lunch'd be great. The usual place? Or were you thinking of something a little..different?"

 

[Tokiwong]

"Kelly, you know I'm always happy to see you." says Christopher sincerely. "It's just..." he trails off and sighs. "It's just things are a little...difficult right now. Work's kind of snowing me in, especially after the flu. I've been a little..stressed. I'm really sorry, and..and I'll make it up to you, alright?"

"Sure," she says dubiously.

As Kelly says 'super powered freak', Chris flinches for a moment, as if she'd struck him. However, he quickly forces the smile back onto his face. 'Don't let her see you react! She's too smart not to wonder if you do..' Chris speaks warmly as he finishes dressing and moves over to kiss Kelly goodbye. "Lunch'd be great. The usual place? Or were you thinking of something a little..different?"

“I was thinking about the old place, and it sounds great. I really could go for a great sandwich for lunch so I can agree to that. By the way, you look tougher, you been working out,” she runs her hand along Chris’ shoulder.

Frida Freling

“You could at least pretend to be happy for me sister, or is that too much for a bitter spinster like you,” she sighs in German, “the blessed event by the way will be in October, I would like for you to be the Maid of Honor, you know because you are my sister after all.”

Jason McCallister

Charles nods, “I know,” he shakes his head, “such a dubious honor…” he trails off to allow you time to read the letter.

At the top of the letter is the letterhead of the President of the United States of America…

Dear Mr. McCallister,

I would like to take this moment to say thank you for your patriotism and service in our nation’s army defending freedom, and combating terrorism around the world. I would like to invite you to put your unique talents to use for an international effort in response to the new phenomena affecting individuals around the world.

I would like to call upon your selfless service once more to combat the new threats that may be facing our nation, and the world community. To that end, Joint Task Force Adam (JTFA) has been created to protect freedom, and hopefully steer a new course in this strange new era we are embarking on.

It is the sincere hope of the Department of the Defense, that you will assist the JTFA in their role in protecting this new world. I thank you for your time, patriot.

-George W. Bush
President of the United States of America

Samantha Clayton

Jennifer grins, “Yeah, you are not kidding Sam.”

“My dad one of them freaks? Might actually give me a reason to kick his ass, not like he could become a bigger ass then he is already,” Todd shrugs thinking, “I don’t know the party sounds lame, but if you two are going, then I guess I might go.”

Jennifer says with a raise of her brow, “You are going, just accept it.”

“Maybe…” Todd replies.

Jennifer’s mom calls out to her and she rolls her eyes. She hops out of the car and walks inside, “Be right back, my step-mom probably wants to wear one of my outfits… god… I can’t believe my dad married that 20 year old skank…”

Todd watches her go and then turns to Sam, “So why the sudden love for the freaks, you know one or something?” he leans dangerously close.

 

[Mordane76]

"Für dich, Liebling, tue ich es, und ich setze an mein glückliches Gesicht für jeder. Aber kennzeichnen Sie meine Wörter -- Männer sind Scheiße, und die einzige Person, die Sie an bauen sollten, ist sich," she says, sipping her drink. "Wie gehst du anders?"



Translation:
1. For you, honey, I'll do it, and I'll put on my happy face for everyone. But mark my words -- men are , and the only person you should be relying on is yourself.

2. How are you otherwise?

 

[Synchronicity]

Christopher Jones

“I was thinking about the old place, and it sounds great. I really could go for a great sandwich for lunch so I can agree to that. By the way, you look tougher, you been working out,” she runs her hand along Chris’ shoulder.

"Uh.." is Chris's first, evidently well-considered reply to Kelly's question. He frowns for a moment and glances down at himself, his brain suddenly asking awkward questions.
'Tougher? The genetic alterations couldn't have had an effect on my musculature as well, could they? Surely I'd have noticed!'

With an effort, Christopher scrambles to answer properly before the pause gets any longer. "Not really any more than normal. You know I've got those martial arts classes twice a week and all." He suddenly grins and says in a joking tone, "Maybe being away from me this week caused you to forget the full extent of my rugged charms?" Chris leans in again, kissing Kelly more deeply before he gently pulls away, picking up his briefcase. "Look, I'm sorry, but I've really got to go. I'll see you for lunch, OK? Love you!"

And with that, Christopher heads out of his house. Outside the front door he pauses for a moment and tentatively feels the muscles of his left arm with his unencumbered right hand. Then, shaking his head with a rueful snort, he heads for his car. 'Memo to self; check for any unusual physical changes possibly precipitated by recent mutation. I've got to be more careful about this; what if I'd acquired scales or parts of me had gone blue or something and I hadn't noticed before Kelly came over? I have to make sure I seem normal, and that means to everyone. Even - heck, especially - to Kelly.'

 

[Calinon]

Charles nods, “I know,” he shakes his head, “such a dubious honor…” he trails off to allow you time to read the letter.

Jason reads the letter twice over before refolding it, putting it back in its envelope and folding it in half, shoving it into his back pocket. He doesn't say anything, just goes over to a flatbed trailer loaded with stacked and bundled steel I-beams that need to be moved down to the foundation pour. Grabbing hold of the industrial chains secured tightly about the beams, he feels the familiar tingle as his skin starts to take on the scuffed steel appearance of the chains under his clothing.

"Better stand back," he says to the Major, checking the chains to make sure they are fully secure. "I'm strong, but even I drop things once in a while. They usually have a loader do all this, but I'm better than any loader around I guess."

With that, he gives a tug and slides the massive pile of beams off the truck like they are on rollers. He puts out a hand and rolls them onto his shoulders and top of his back, balancing them with his hands. Carefully, he stomps towards the sunken foundation and down the ramp, his feet sinking slightly into the packed earth before he finally deposits the beams with a crash in the center of the columns that form the foundation of the building being constructed.

"I mean, they didn't even reactivate me for Iraq after 911, and that would tell you something about my soldiering even if you hadn't been there to see me train. And now they're sending out a form letter. Cripes, that letter reads like my bloody discharge notice."

He grabs one of the change, rolling the pile of beams in place until he gets to the hook and disconnecting it. "So, just for craps and giggles," Jason says, as he unhooks more chains, "since I know one alternative results in me getting my engineering degree paid for by my long-time boss Mr. Maynard, and then getting a high paying job in the construction industry with his company, and then getting a house and putting my kid brother through university; which alternative are you talking about that is worse than accepting. You gonna shoot me or something," he smirks as he reaches for the last chain.

 

[Tokiwong]

He grabs one of the change, rolling the pile of beams in place until he gets to the hook and disconnecting it. "So, just for craps and giggles," Jason says, as he unhooks more chains, "since I know one alternative results in me getting my engineering degree paid for by my long-time boss Mr. Maynard, and then getting a high paying job in the construction industry with his company, and then getting a house and putting my kid brother through university; which alternative are you talking about that is worse than accepting. You gonna shoot me or something," he smirks as he reaches for the last chain.

“Well the alternative would be involuntary activation… with far less benefits. If you were to refuse that I have specific orders to order a strike team right on top of your head. I figure a few rockets, a tactical air strike, and a brigade should be able to bring you down. In all seriousness, you could pursue your degree, and pursue whatever you like once your commitment is done, Jason.”

Charles pulls out his phone, “For the first year of service as the first post human, you would receive a sum of about twenty million dollars, payable by the JTFA, you would be exempt from taxes, and any dependents would receive benefits as well. This is a joint effort, and they are throwing money into this operation like there is no tomorrow. But only if you “volunteer,” Charles finishes.

Frida Freling

“I am quite fine actually, father could be better, he is suffering from a fit of the flu, but nothing serious. My work has never been better, and my beloved fiancée keeps me quite busy and entertained, he is an American, a soldier, or at least he was. Now he works as an engineer. David is everything father isn’t which is why I love him,” she laughs into the phone.

“How about you, how are doing?” Fran replies.

Christopher Jones

Kelly accepts the excuse and lets Chris on his way. He does notice though that his body is a little more toned then it was, and that he seems to be hungry more often, like he just can’t eat enough to keep him full.

He gets to work to find that he was obviously missed, the boss is on the warpath. He looks at Chris and sighs, “Over an hour late Chris, you can’t do this to me, over an hour late. Do I need to say anything else?” he says with a pointed look.

 

[Calinon]

Charles pulls out his phone, “For the first year of service as the first post human, you would receive a sum of about twenty million dollars, payable by the JTFA, you would be exempt from taxes, and any dependents would receive benefits as well. This is a joint effort, and they are throwing money into this operation like there is no tomorrow. But only if you “volunteer,” Charles finishes.

"Twenty... million?" Jason says, nearly dropping a beam on his foot. "Ho... lee... crap. They should add that to the frickin' brocheur." He lets his skin return to normal and heads back up the ramp with the Major, rubbing his neck as his mind races.

"So basically, I have no real choice in the matter, but get paid a boatload of money. That's some wierd definition of volunteer going on there." With a sigh, he sits down on a cement barrier and drops his head into his hands. "I have a kid brother that lives with me. What the heck happens to him? He can't go back home and he can't live on his own. And it's not like I'm the miracle kid or something. A truck hits me and I pop like a jelly donut, let alone what'll happen if I get shot or something."

 

[Tokiwong]

"Twenty... million?" Jason says, nearly dropping a beam on his foot. "Ho... lee... crap. They should add that to the frickin' brocheur." He lets his skin return to normal and heads back up the ramp with the Major, rubbing his neck as his mind races.

Charles smiles, “We like to think of it as a bonus. Now you will not be allowed to disclose the exact amount of money the JTFA will be paying you, but you can say it is commensurate to your abilities.”

"So basically, I have no real choice in the matter, but get paid a boatload of money. That's some wierd definition of volunteer going on there." With a sigh, he sits down on a cement barrier and drops his head into his hands. "I have a kid brother that lives with me. What the heck happens to him? He can't go back home and he can't live on his own. And it's not like I'm the miracle kid or something. A truck hits me and I pop like a jelly donut, let alone what'll happen if I get shot or something."

“What do you want for your brother, you name it, and we can try and make it happen,” Charles replies as he hits a number in his phone. He pauses for a moment, “Super Soldier is in, call off Strike Team Alpha and Bravo, tell Prodigy she can relax now.”

He puts the phone away, “As I was saying, about your brother?”

 

[Samnell]

William smiles, “What is it like? To be able to do the things that you can do? I have often sat and thought about the subject myself, the how’s and whys of this new phenomenon; trying to puzzle out the grand design, or perhaps his plan?”

So this is what he wants to talk about. "It is very strange. I think it would be like finding out you speak a language you have never heard of; one you are very good at. I suppose I don't talk to the electricity, but it is like that. I wish it to do a thing and it does that thing." Jan holds up a hand and spreads two fingers in a V shape. A bright arc of electricity crawls up the space between them and reaching the tips of Jan's fingers, reverses its course. It goes up and down his fingers three times before vanishing.

"I suppose it should be hard, but electricity seems easy to please. I only must be careful not to let the current pass out of me or it could harm someone.

“Maybe there is no grand design?” Sidney speaks.

“I would like to believe there is a reason or a purpose to these powers. The debates have been fierce amidst my peers,” William finishes.

"I am afraid I quite agree with Sidney on the issue. We Czechs are not the most faithful of people and I confess a fondness for Richard Dawkins' writings when it comes to matters of religion," Jan says delicately. "I am only a man. I have no greater insight into these things than any other person. The only purpose my powers had that I am aware of was saving my skin," Jan smiles slightly. "But I like to think that purpose noble enough for my satisfaction!"