Mental Bloc - IC

[Committed Hero]

Lex' convulsions continue but he does not appear any worse for wear. Reed reaches the Hamilton Hotel in a few minutes and pulls into a loading zone out front. Two men and a woman are there. One man, balding and gaunt, smokes a cigarette; the other is holding a metal case that looks like a first aid kit. The woman has here arms folded, hands on the knobs of her elbows, and looks at you warily. If you look at the man with the cigarette, he nods once as he exhales smoke.

 

[Shayuri]

Ash eyes the trio warily as she gets out of the car and clears out of the way of the backseat.

"Hey. He's in the back there. You guys are with Oblomov?"

 

[Committed Hero]

His accent is even stronger in person. "I am Oblomov. And you are 'Ash,' but I do not know this name. Why are you involved with this?"

 

[Shayuri]

Ash points at him and nods.

"That is a really good question. The guru hacked my phone and asked me to help these guys, so I did. Now I'm tagging along kind of hoping maybe there'll be something in it for me, what with me sticking my neck out for a pair of strangers."

 

[Committed Hero]

"Then you are, special, as they say. A 'talent' as are these others."

His two companions have dug into the first aid kit and are monitoring Lex, who can do nothing but shudder as the drug courses through his system. After satisfying himself that Lex is in no danger, the male asks, "Can you help me get him upstairs?"

 

[Phoenix8008]

Knowing that he isn't gonna get more than a single word out between his chattering teeth, Lex pointedly makes eye contact with Ash, Reed, Oblamov, and the other two who are helping him before saying "Tha-tha-than-tha...THANKS."

 

[Shayuri]

"Tell me something I don't know," Ash replies.

She glances at Lex, a little startled by his thanks. Again, she seems a little embarrassed, but pleased as well.

"You're welcome," she tells him. "Take care of yourself."

Ash looks back at Oblomov then. "So what's next?"

 

[Committed Hero]

Together your odd party brings Lex up to a room. He is placed on the bed while everyone gathers around him. In about ten minutes he appears over the effects of the drug.

To Ash's question, Oblomov replies, "Well, it's up to you. Today you saw the sort of people we are up against on regular basis. To them, we are trained circus animals or lab rats.

"If you say so, however, we can look out for each other. That's why the guru is interested in these two. And you."

 

[A Crazy Fool]

"I'm definitely for that," says Reed enthusiastically, "They want us all, and we are better off watching each other's backs. I think maybe we should be leaving soon. It is possible someone caught my liscence plate number."


Reed also sends a missive to Oblomov: Howard left a message. Said something about a BLIP. Can I speak openly?

 

[Committed Hero]

Yes - but it behooves us to speak publicly also.

He continues aloud.

"One of the persons you met today was what we call a BLIP: a human born with latent immunity to psionics. For some reason, he lacks any susceptibility to psychic powers - nor could he learn a discipline if he wanted. You could not even find one with psionics, although if you tried, the void where you might find his soul would certainly alert you that something was amiss.

Some say this is a genetic anomaly. This is possible, but I feel it is more innate than that. I feel such people lack an empathic connection to the rest of the human race. This is important, because it means they are also clinically detectable as sociopaths.

I am impressed with you because you divined the way to affect a BLIP nonetheless. He cannot prevent powers from affecting the environment around him. Fire, from whatever source, will still harm one. If you remove the floor from underneath one, he will still fall."

Oblomov smiles.

"And yes, feats like that are possible."