EPIC M&M: Issue 7 (IC)

[Velmont]

"I think if Split has contacted Vince, he should be the one to talk to Split. Johan will surely need to be there too, or we might have difficulty to have Jennifer to cooperate. Do you think they both can handle that?

And to contact him, maybe Vince knows how. Did Split left some way to contact him in case you change your mind?"

 

[Dalamar]

"Split is a mercenary. That means his contact information must be available somewhere. If Cosmo would be so kind as to release my powers, I could do a quick search and try to locate said data."

 

[Calinon]

Morgentaller District
Lynn Jenkins
The woman steps up to the gate and opens it, stepping in and towards you. She stops a brief pace away from you and looks at you expressionlessly.

"You are an unregistered mutant. Mental powers of some type," she states flatly, staring at you. "I have business here. Move aside," she says in a voice eerily devoid of emotion.

X12
Jasman looks somewhat relieved for a moment, then again troubled when you make your request. As you speak, his assistant quickly rises, walking towards the exit.

"Well, I certainly do not remember seeing you in this house," Jasman says. "My fee schedule is steep for any work, and if you are seeking any grand mental manipulations and probing, you will have to prove to me your ability to pay. There are also waiver forms to sign, some reading on the procedures I use for you to peruse, and if memory is involved, I think a medical brain scan to ensure you do not have any physical ailments that may be hampering your memory."

Something doesn't seem right about what he said.

EPIC Headquarters, The War Room

"Nice idea, Dara."

"I am full of good ideas!" she says, then belches. "And apples!"

"Hey, Mon. What's with the change of wardrobe?" he asks in a lowered voice, pointing at her clothes. "Not that I mind," he adds with a shrug and a hint of a smile. "So, d'you see X? What did he have to..."

"It was too cold for the skirt," she says unconvincingly. Hey, it's even unconvincing to you. "He wants to see some psychic about his memory and...."

"Uh, where's X12? Wait, don't tell me...he's busy washing his hair."

"He seemed plenty clean when I left him," Monica says.

"I saw him leaving out the gates when we were bringing Captain Cyborg here," Vince says.

"Oh for [censored] sake," Cosmo says. "You are useless, you know that?"

"That twit," Monica growls. "He probably went to that psychic of his on his own and after I begged him not to. That jerk!" Monica says, obviously angry and downgrading her opinion of the healer.

"X is a big boy. He can take care of himself," Rebound says.

"Yeah, what with Prophet and half of Anarchy gunnin' for him. He'll be fine," Carl says.

"I think if Split has contacted Vince, he should be the one to talk to Split. Johan will surely need to be there too, or we might have difficulty to have Jennifer to cooperate. Do you think they both can handle that?

And to contact him, maybe Vince knows how. Did Split left some way to contact him in case you change your mind?"

"He must have hacked ARIS to contact me," Vince says to Jay. "Common theme these days," he adds.

"Split is a mercenary. That means his contact information must be available somewhere. If Cosmo would be so kind as to release my powers, I could do a quick search and try to locate said data."
"Don't do it! If I know him, and he's me, so I do, the first thing he'd do is zip off and steal that girl away so we can't use her."

Cosmo looks blandly at not-so-smart Johan for a long drawn out moment before looking at Michelle and asking, "Can I eat him?" Smart Johan feels his powers return.

"I'm gonna go find X12. Let me know what's up."

Michael looks bored as he starts to head out.

"Not alone you aren't," Monica says. "C'mon, Sanjay," she says, grabbing Neutron by the arm and starting to drag him behind her in pursuit of Fenris.

"Hey, did anyone notice X12 isn't here?" Dara asks.

"Right on, splittin' up the team," Carl says, not moving. "Last time people did that, they got sent to China."

"Hey, was that a joke?" Loki quips. "I'm pretty sure that was a joke."

Monica continues dragging Neutron after Fenris.

Johan
Split is not hard to find. He has nearly as many advertisements as MERC does in various 'Guns and Ammo' style magazines and e-zines. His contact is via e-mail and ISP (for video communications), both of which trace to a small house in New York owned by Emma Ratcliffe, an 82 year old grandmother with a large and extended family. Examining things a little more closely, you realize it leads there on purpose, the e-mail and ISP being piggybacked from elsewhere.

You trace to a second address, a posh mansion in the suburbs of Miami owned by an investment broker and his family. That trail turns out to be a false front too, and you trace again to another address, then another, and another, and shortly come to realize that wherever Split actually is will be completely untraceable by this means.

But at least you have a way to contact him.

 

[Mordane76]

"I'm with EPIC, so payment should not be an issue, and I'm clean... I'm healthier than you'll ever be, mister," X12 says. "Another of me was here... and he gave me your card, so to speak. Your secretary knew to look for the number on my neck - so don't tell me about forms and brain scans. The card said 'Free,'" he says, pulling out the card, "so either start talking about what you know and what you can do, or I start searching for the meaning of 'Free' in a more direct fashion. I've been jerked around by far too many people in the recent past, mister, so forgive me if I'm a little short on protocol and patience."

 

[Agamon]

"Yeah, what with Prophet and half of Anarchy gunnin' for him. He'll be fine," Carl says.

Sanjay shakes his head. "Dude, Anarchy is in Brazil. Sheesh, am I the only one around here that pays atten..wah!" he exclaims as he's yanked away by Monica.

Stumbling along behind Monica, Sanjay looks somewhat perplexed. "Uh, so what's going on, then? X is getting brainwashed by an evil psychic? Damn, I was hoping to kick a little Split hiney, but if X is in trouble, I'm in!"

 

[Gideon]

Fenris, 5/5, healthy

Mike's ears easily pick up the chatter between the two as they come out of the war room.

"I don't need help looking around the base Monica. I won't leave and maybe a telephone or radio would work better than wandering around the city. None of us can drive either."

Michael looks over at Monica and her 'escort' with a look of exasperation as they come out of the room.

Crap, can't a guy just get a smoke.

 

[Dalamar]

"I have Split's contact information, both for email and video negotiation, though it seems he has taken severy precautions against tracing him through said means. Not sure if I could get to his place if I actually ran though the lines for a while, but I am betting he has placed other security measures that I might not be prepared to deal with.
So, do we want to contact him now, or do we deal with the case of the missing healer first?"
While Johan's words seem meant as humorous, his serious tone of voice makes one doubt it.

 

[Velmont]

"If we need to fetch X12, I can drive. I suppose that EPIC have one vehicle I can borrow for that.

But for Split, I am not surprise that you have difficulty to track him, or someone would have done so long ago. I suppose we should wait a moment and try to contact X12. Is there a way to contact him easily? I can try by radio, in case he left in uniform."

He takes his helmet and make sure it is on long range setting. He puts it on his head.

"X12, it is Jay. Can you recieve me?"

 

[Mimic]

Michelle HP 5/5 Status: fine

"Although Anarchy probably isn't searching for X right at this moment it is true that Prophet certainly has an interest in him. Going out by himself was pretty dumb so we should at least find out where he is" Michelle adds in as the topic of discussion turns to X12.

"ARIS, is there any way you can tell us where X12 is right at this time?"

 

[Deva]

"You are an unregistered mutant. Mental powers of some type," she states flatly, staring at you. "I have business here. Move aside," she says in a voice eerily devoid of emotion.

Lynn doesn't move. "I was unaware that mutants were required to register in this state. I'm sure that would have been taken care of once I arrived at school." She glances over her shoulder to the house, wondering what was happening inside and how much longer X12 would be. "However," She turns her attention back to the woman, "until my companion has finished his affairs inside, I assure you I shall not be moving. You can appreciate his desire for anonymity in such delicate manners."