The Crimster
First Post
Issue #1 - Part 2
Issue #1 - Part 2 -"Out of the frying pan..."
///Begin Report 04.21.2001 21.00.00 GMT
Hacker here. Computer-generated, living large and in-charge. You may ask yourself, "Self, why is Hacker writing an e-journal? He's obviously not doing it for Nate." Well you're right. I'm doing it for me. You see, I have a history of losing my memory. And that is simply *not* going to happen again. This e-journal is saved in several different spots on this system, and some off-system. But don't worry, dear reader - I'm using 1 giga-bit encryption. Only someone of my awesome powers could break it. Anywho - here's what happened to the team next:
*****START::
The team sat in the meeting room, listening as their employer, Nathan Jones, explained their first mission.
"As you know, I've been searching for almost 2 years for my daughter, with no leads as to the identity of 'Umbra'. That may have changed as of yesterday, with something somewhat cryptic. Listen to this." Nathan clicked a button on his remote, and a man's voice is heard speaking to someone on the phone. His voice is husky, with a hint of the south. The other side of the conversation is not heard - only silence.
"Hey, baby. What's goin' on, it's Johnnie."
<unknown response>
"Yah, yah... They don't let us make personal calls, but since I have an internet connection, I called you that way. Stupid Umbra crap."
<unknown response>
"I'll make it up to you, don't worry. I have Friday off... let's meet at Sharkey's around 9pm, ok?"
<unknown response>
"Good, good. Oh, by the way, I had to shave my head."
<unknown response>
"Heh. It looks good. Don't worry. You'll see. Hey, gotta go. See you on Friday."
Nathan sat down at the head of the meeting table and steepled his fingers. He looked to be restraining his excitement. "This is a big break, ladies and gentlemen. Possibly. I think the only reason we got this break is that this... 'Johnnie'... did this through the internet. And we-"
"Excuse me, sir." Said Poltergeist, in a small voice. "Why don't we hear the other side of the conversation? Seems a little odd...."
Nathan nods. "Indeed, but rather than me explain it, why don't I introduce you to the sixth member of your team. Hacker?"
Suddenly the lights dim, and a small compartment opens up in the center of the table. A click sounds, and an image of light seems to be standing on the table. He is beautiful, pure perfection, and everyone is in awe. (What, did you forget that *I* was telling the story...? Ok, back to the narrative.)
The image is that of a young man - if he was composed of pure light and digitized. He has spiked hair and a broad smile.
"Hi, guys. I'm Hacker." He waves at the group.
Nathan stands up, smiling himself. "If you think Hacker is an AI - you've seen too many movies about Power Force's base. Hacker is no AI... Nor is he a ghost. That we know of."
An uncomfortable silence fills the room, and everyone looks about, eyes slightly downcast. Someone coughs politely. The events of last night weigh on their mind.
"Errr, Hello there, Hacker." says Steel Scorpion, his voice deep and metallic.
Hacker turns to him. "Nice to finally meet you all. For the first time. Ever." The team gives tight smiles.
Nathan, oblivious, turns to the group. "It's somewhat of a long story, but I'll summarize: Hacker was 'in' my computer systems when they were turned on. His memories were apparently wiped clean, and my discreet inquiries to the company that provided the computers were met with blank stares. But I didn't mind... Hacker and I have become good friends, and I'm hope that all of you will feel the same one day.
"You know..." Steel Scorpion rubbed the lower part of his faceplate, as if thinking deeply. "I could probably design you a body."
Hacker looks off for a moment, and then back at Poltergeist. "Well, Janey, it's like this. I have all sorts of robot programs, spiders and worms out in cyberspace looking for any iterations of 'Umbra'. I'm also accessing various COMINT and ELINT progs of the NSA, and -"
Nathan coughed. "Errr, Hacker..."
"Right, right. Anyways, to answer your question, Janey - it's like this. Sending and receiving calls is a two way street in cyberspace. I only found this particular file." Hacker shrugs.
Nathan stands and looks at the team. "I think it's clear what we must do. Go to this hangout this Friday night, find 'Johnnie' and find out what we can about Umbra. Obviously you will be going in as... civilians."
The team talked tactics for the next half an hour. The plan went from kidnapping Johnnie and interrogating him to asking him politely. The middle of the road won out - the plan was to blend in with the crowd (with Poltergeist and Steel Scorpion on point) and get Johnnie and his girl drunk. If that works, either getting him to talk or picking his pocket should be easy. It was even suggested that the team visit Sharkey's tonight - get the lay of the land, as it were. Nathan asked Mrs. Finch for her assistance in gathering some 'trashy' clothes. Sharkey's is not in the best side of town. Mrs. Finch even offered to apply make-up on Poltergeist, to which she agreed with a hidden shudder. Mrs. Finch seems to adore sky blue eye make-up.
The team changed to civilian gear and borrowed Nathan's jeep. Not a very prestigious team vehicle, but still functional. Steel Scorpion would have to do without his suit, rendering him powerless if it goes bad. Edge offered to teach 'Scorpion some self-defense, for times just like this - to which he gratefully accepted. During the ride, the team realized that they couldn't call AA-03 by that name. So after a few moments, the group promptly named him Alexander Abrams. They also decided he should go by a proper name other than 'Double A' - and so 'Arsenal' was born ("Yes. That sounds appropriate", replied Arsenal in his monotone voice).
The recon went well. Sharkey's was indeed a nasty bar. Filled with smoke and the smell of spilled liquor, the team had little problem blending in. Jack (Steel Scorpion, of course) and Jane played some pool and made sure to make themselves known to the bartender. Arsenal and Edge sat in opposite corners, keeping an eye out for anything of interest. BioLogic attracted the interest of a local barfly, who within a matter of minutes was trying to 'score' off of him (after he told her he was a doctor, her eyes lit up with the possibility of legal prescriptions). Dr. Darwin, uncomfortable and totally caught off guard, agreed he would help her out. The barfly seemed ecstatic, and told Dr. Darwin that her boyfriend would be around shortly, who would be interested in buying his 'designer drugs'.
*** GM NOTE: This was a rather funny scene, actually. I don't remember the actual reason why Dr. Darwin offered to sell her drugs, but it worked out ok in the end - and even funnier.
Dr. Darwin excused himself and left the bar, only to return 10 minutes later. Within a matter of minutes of him entering the bar, the barfly ("Jenny") brought over her boyfriend to meet the good doctor (Meanwhile, the rest of the team watched these unfolding events with much curiosity). He introduced himself as "Kiko", a hulking brute that looked like a poorly dressed Fabio.
"Let's go out back where we can talk business." said Kiko, showcasing his amazingly yellowed teeth.
Dr. Darwin, seemingly swept up into these events (and looking like nothing less than a confused old man), followed Kiko to the back of the bar. "So what's up. Let me see what you got." Dr. Darwin produced a baggy filled with pills and handed them to the drug-dealer. "My own formula. I assure it is of high quality."
*** GM NOTE: BioLogic visited the local pharmacy and purchased some Dexatrim and put them in a baggy. Now that I think of it, his motives were a mash of A) trying to make a contact in the bar to possibly help with Johnnie and B) hoping to wean the poor girl off of whatever horrible drugs she was taking. I'm hoping the player will post here to illuminate me. =)
Kiko examined the drugs and started to get upset. "These look like Dexatrim!". It was at this point that Edge decided to find out what his team-mate was up to. Kiko didn't like Edge jumping into his business, and began to get surly. "Stay out of my business, punk."
"It is my business." The lack of reasoning behind what business it was of Edge's only infuriated Kiko - who didn't like how this was going down. He pulled a gun and threatened Edge, who seemed nonplussed. Confused, Kiko decided this business was too weird for him - and decided to leave (but not before threatening Dr. Darwin for wasting his time). Dr. Darwin looked to Edge a little shame-faced, and did not explain. They returned to the bar, and soon the entire group left Sharkey's, their recon complete.
The team spent Friday in training, until around 7pm. Then they changed clothes and prepared to meet Johnnie. With no problem or fanfare they arrived at the bar and took their places. Arsenal was now with Steel Scorpion and Poltergeist, and began to drink beer to blend in ("A curious blend of tastes. I must drink more."). Dr. Darwin sat in a corner, trying to avoid anyone's gaze. Within moments, a large man walked in, with a military style buzz cut. Any question of his identity was removed when a woman jumped up and yelped, "Johnnie!!" They embraced and sat at the bar.
Poltergeist made the first move. She accidentally bumped into him (feeling a gun stuck in the waistband of his jeans) and immediately apologized. She offered to buy him a beer - to which he accepted with a grunt. One beer turned into a half-dozen, and soon Johnnie was playing pool with Jane and Jack. Arsenal stayed at the bar, occasionally making louder and louder remarks about the various types of beer he was drinking.
After an almost an even dozen beers, Johnnie began to loosen up, and even let slip where he worked - but nothing on Umbra ("Sort of a security comp'ny for a meat-packin' place in Compton.") He also offered to try and get Jack a job there. Jane took the more direct route, and after a failed use of her powers (sending Johnnie sprawling!) she managed to pick his pocket. Johnnie took his girl and left, as did the team.
Once back in the jeep, the team found a keycard - with no identifying marks. Bringing it back to Nathan's house, the team made their report to Nathan and Hacker. Hacker examined the card, and stated he would be able to produce five likenesses of it by the next day. Hacker also found out that the only meat packing business in Compton is 'Tucker's Meats' - a good start for the investigation.
The next day, the team assembled in full gear. BioLogic brought along his own white lab coat - knowing that it may be a suitable disguise for a meat-packing plant. Nathan reminded them that what they are investigating may not have anything to do with his daughter's disappearance - so he asked them to use prudence and discretion. The team agreed, of course. >>> insert LaughingHysterically.wav here <<<
Once at the site, the team scoped out the place and realized it was pretty much like what it appeared to me - a meat-packing plant. Trucks from various super markets came and went, dropping off or picking up. The team quickly made up a plan. Dr. Darwin would stop off at the local Ralph's grocery store and complete his disguise. He would infiltrate from the back. Edge would sneak into the front, where the administration offices are (which were closed on the weekend). His skill with security systems would work well here. The rest of the team would serve as back-up, ready to jump out of the jeep and assist if necessary.
Dr. Darwin stopped off at the meat department, and decided that his lab coat was too white. So grabbing some steaks and squeezing the blood out of them, Dr. Darwin decided to apply it liberally to the front of his coat. The store butcher stopped midstride, staring at the good Doctor. "Errr... Can I help you...??" BioLogic looks up, and then sees the butcher's white hard hat. "Yes. May I buy your hat?"
**** GM NOTE: If you can imagine the scene, then you must know how funny this was. All of us were busting a gut, and I'm beginning to think that Dr. Lucian Darwin is not exactly sane...
The butcher barely had time to shake his head when Dr. Darwin used his suit's stretching capability to grab the hat off of the man's head and drop a $5 dollar bill in front of him. Then he took off running. No one stopped him, and the butcher was too stunned to cry out.
Once back at the plant, the team took their places. Edge easily bypassed the front security, and began to poke around, finding nothing. BioLogic, bloody coat and hard hat, blended in quite well. All was quiet up at the front, and Edge waved the rest of the team in. Further searching revealed a locker room, empty except for a dozen white coats in various levels of cleanliness. The team each donned one, except for Steel Scorpion (it would be difficult to hide the tail under it, obviously). Arsenal, using his infrared vision, spotted what must be a recessed door in the back of the locker room. Almost leaving Dr. Darwin behind, they descended.
**** GM NOTE: Almost as in, "Yah, let's just leave him up here." Though the Doctor was having fun watching the meat get processed, they decided to bring him along with them.
Behind the recessed door, they found an elevator. Using the key cards, it activated and began to descend. The team agreed that this was... unusual for a meat-packing plant. They most likely have found their mysterious organization. Within moments, they arrived. Empty steel corridors greeted them, and their boots made loud echoes. Investigating further, they found a glass door leading to what appeared to be an office, complete with a desk and chairs. They saw a figure behind the desk, seemingly bent over and struggling with something. The team opened the door and entered. The man looked up, surprised. With a squawk, he was suddenly lifted in the air by Poltergeist's telekinesis. Edge stepped forward and glared at the man. "What is this place?" But the man was of no help - he refused to answer their questions. Just as the team was about to get 'rougher' - they spotted someone walking by. It was a man dressed in some type of black uniform with blue highlights and an unusual insignia on his chest (later, it was thought to be the Greek symbol for 'Epsilon'). He wore a helmet with a protruding mike, and held a large rifle. He stared back at them, surprised. And began to lower his gun.
With the speed of thought, Edge darted to the glass door. With a graceful side-kick, he drove his foot through the door and into the man's stomach, sending him against the back wall. His uniform was padded however - possibly with a thin layer of kevlar. Poltergeist dropped the man she was holding, and wrapped him up with invisible telekinetic arms that held him fast. BioLogic shot one of his tendrils above Edge's head, but it failed to hit the uniformed man, only dent the opposite wall. Arsenal drew his Smart Gun, fired, and missed. Steel Scorpion moved near the door, unable to get a shot off due to Edge. Edge moved a step closer and tried to drive a high-speed fist into the man's solar plexus, but surprisingly, the man ducked and Edge hit only air. Rather than fire on obviously superior foes, the man did the only sensible thing - call for backup. Right after that, Arsenal's bullet impacted on his chest - and exploded into a quickly-hardening sheath that seemed to immobilize the man. He fell to the ground with a grunt. That's when the team heard a soft feminine voice over a loudspeaker.
“Intrusion alert, Intrusion alert. Cell integrity may have been compromised. Initiate Security Sweep level 2. Activate Resources."
This repeated over and over. The team looked at each other, fearing what was about to happen.
*** GM NOTE: I thought they'd penetrate a bit further before this happened, but as you can probably see, the first combat did NOT go well for the team. I almost thought a single 75 pt agent would take all of them out. They had *bad* dice luck this adventure. But it suited what they were - a group of relatively inexperienced meta's.
The team spilled out into the corridor to see small red lights flashing. A full scale alarm had sounded. Just at that moment, another man, dressed similarly, came around the corner, gun at the ready. Before he could do anything, the lightning-quick Edge moved next to him and delivered a snap kick to the man's face, sending him sprawling. The other members of the team moved over to him to, anxious to disable him quickly. Poltergeist telekinetically lifted his helmet from his head, insuring he would not be calling for help. But it was too late. The Resources had arrived.
Walking towards the group from a nearby corridor appeared a thin man with a completely bald head and hawkish nose. He wore a similar uniform to the guards, but was obviously thinner. He frowned at the gawking team and sniffed. He began to raise a small handset to his mouth. The team immediately launched into him with fists and telekinetic blows. To their shock, all seemingly pass right through him! The man doesn't even flinch, but does raise the radio to his mouth. "Correction, they're in Section 32. Ego, Livid, Pulse and Feral, please respond." Then he just stood there, arms folded, looking at the group in a nervous sort of way.
The team ignored the seemingly untouchable man, and finished off the guard before he can crawl away. Suddenly, the sound of heavy feet echo down the corridor. The team looks up and sees a large woman walking their way with determination on her face. She is perhaps 7 to 8 feet tall, and thick - with muscles that would make a professional wrestler envious. Her skin is a pitch black, as is her eyes and hair. Small pinpricks of light can be seen - the effect is that of staring at a night sky. "You've made a BIG mistake coming here..." Edge glares at the woman, bounces on the balls of his feet for a moment, and settles into a fighting stance. She will obviously not be a push-over like the guard. Steel Scorpion raises his tail and sends a bolt of energy straight at the meta-human. She does nothing to avoid it, but her only response is a grunt. Arsenal raises his gun and fires, his attack doing little more. The woman continues to walk forward, confidence on her face, cracking her knuckles. At that moment, Poltergeist, floating above the group, cloak flapping around her, makes her move. The woman suddenly stops and looks down, her smile faltering. "Wha-?? I can't move. I can't MOVE!" She continues to struggle, to no effect. Steel Scorpion and Arsenal continue to fire on her, while Edge stands back with a smirk on his face.
Suddenly, Arsenal adjusts his aim to fire at... the back of Steel Scorpion's head. His finger begins to close on the trigger, and his arm begins to shake. Steel Scorpion is oblivious to it, so intent is he on firing at the large woman. A voice comes from behind the group. "Ahhh, this must be the intruders. Away with you Ghost, you can do nothing more here." Coming towards the group is another man, looking very similar to the first. Bald, and with a very prominent nose. Most likely a brother (if not a twin). The man known as Ghost sinks into the floor, saying, "Yes, Ego." Ego turns to Arsenal, and seems perturbed that he is able to resist him. Suddenly, Edge is there, and does a roundhouse kick that spins Ego in mid-air, landing on his posterior with a broken nose. "You... dare?!?" Arsenal's gun fires, and strikes Ego in the shoulder, causing him to yelp and pain and sending him sliding back a few feet. He glares at the group, and then suddenly.... vanishes. But his voice can be heard. "Feral, Pulse, where are you!!"
As if in answer, a figure bounds into the corridor. The team immediately thinks of some type of man-wolf, but the purring growl coming from it seems more cat-like. Edge and BioLogic move over to attack.
Meanwhile, the large woman has begun to get frustrated - and begins to pound the floor, shouting almost incoherently. Her fists are buckling the floor, walls, and ceiling - dirt begins to spill into the corridor. Her skin has begun to turn white - the small pin pricks of light growing and eclipsing the black. The air begins to waver about her, much like an asphalt road in the middle of summer. This must be Livid.
Edge jumps at Feral, aiming a fist at her head. But she is just as fast, and ducks under his blow, and ripping up at him with her claws. Edge is caught off guard and thrown back. He looks down at his stomach to see his costume ripped open, and blood begins to seep out of what must be a large wound. BioLogic moves forward, forgetting that his suit allows him to attack from afar. Feral takes advantage of this, and attacks once more with her claws. BioLogic staggers to one knee as the cat-like creature shreds the front of his symbiotic suit.
Despite repeated blasts of energy from both Steel Scorpion and Arsenal, Livid refused to give up, her fists denting the walls as she continued to scream in rage and demand to be set free. Realizing that his tail cannon and the cyborg’s gun were not enough, Steel Scorpion leapt over Arsenal, using his claws to scurry along the ceiling and drop in front of Livid. Livid screamed in rage, still hampered by Poltergeist’s telekinetic interference and swung but her fist found only air. Steel Scorpion responded in kind, raking his claws against the massive woman’s torso. Livid cried out again, but this time in pain rather than rage, and slumped to the ground unconscious.
With Steel Scorpion engaging Livid, Poltergeist dropped her telekinetic field from the woman and spun to help with Feral. BioLogic and Edge continued to engage the cat creature, but she proved too agile and fast for them. Time and again, their blows failed to land while Feral struck at them with her claws. Before Poltergeist could do anything about Feral, Ego reappeared only meters away. She quickly turned on the mentalist and struck at him with a bolt of pure telekinetic force. He staggered to his knees, nose bloodied, stunned by the assault. Poltergeist moved in to finish him off, but Ego vanished again, using his telepathic powers to render the heroes’ brains unable to perceive him.
They have no time to celebrate, as Feral is literally tearing up the rest of the team. Poltergeist misses with a telekinetic ram. BioLogic wearily gets to his feet, but misses, his fist crunching into a nearby wall, denting it. Feral begins to purr and lick her fingers, tasting the blood she has spilled. She says nothing, but continues to both growl and purr at the team. Now the team is on the defensive, for Feral is too quick for them and her attacks are deadly. Just as it looks like BioLogic is going to knock her for a loop, a bolt of sizzling energy hits him, sending him flying into the wall, unconscious.
"Now don't play with your food, dear Feral. Kill them!" A man flies out of one of the nearby corridor. This must be Pulse. He wears a similar outfit to the others, but he is covered in a sheath of crackling white energy. He comes to a halt over the body of BioLogic and smirks. "You're too old for this game, gramps. Give it up while you can." He then turns to the rest of the group, occupied by Feral. A smile lights up his eyes.
But Feral makes a tactical mistake, and leaves herself open. Arsenal takes advantage, and fires his entangle bullet. It hits, and a yowling Feral hits the ground, unable to free herself.
Pulse, a bit taken aback, nonetheless feels confident in his own power. He readies a bolt of energy that will sear the corridor, and leave nothing but bits of bone and tattered costumes. It never happens. BioLogic, not truly out, rears his mighty fist back and struck at Pulse. A loud crunch can be heard, and Pulse is thrown to the roof of the corridor, where another loud snapping sound is heard. He falls to the ground unmoving, a thin stream of blood leaking from his mouth. BioLogic rises unsteadily. "I thought..." He is interrupted as the feminine voice speaks once more.
"Confirmed Intrusion alert. Cell integrity has been compromised. Lockdown sequence initiated. Begin shutdown.”
Edge turned to the team. "That doesn't sound good."
As one, the team runs into the small office where this all started. The bespectacled man was still there, telekinetically held by Poltergeist.
"What does that mean??" asked Poltergeist.
The man merely smiles and says, "It means that very shortly these corridors will be filled with a rather noxious nerve gas. Those who work here are injected regularly with the antidote. I can't say the same for you!" He then began to laugh, as if enjoying a good joke with friends.
Almost without words, the team looked at each other began to move out. But once at the elevator, waving their cards only caused a clicking sound. That's when they began to smell something akin to burning chestnuts. Whitish gas was seeping into the corridors from hidden vents. The group began to pull at the elevator doors, almost in a panic. BioLogic slid his tentacles in between the two doors and flexed. The doors crumpled easily, and the team spilled into the elevator shaft. It reached up into darkness, only occasionally split by slivers of light. Steel Scorpion began to climb the sides, his claws digging into the metal easily. "Come on!" Poltergeist, with only a moment's hesitation, suddenly rose into the air - as did Arsenal, Edge, and BioLogic.
As they began to literally fly upwards, below they can hear what sounds like harsh screams... As if someone was clawing at their throat.
That's when they see the quickly falling elevator.
Though it is hundreds and hundreds of feet above them, it is falling fast. Apparently, in lock-down mode the elevator is dropped - crushing anyone trying to escape by climbing up the sides.
Bolts of energy from Steel Scorpion and bullets from BioLogic tear up the underside of the elevator as it descends. Edge can do nothing, and all of Poltergeists concentration is taken up with keeping the rest of the group aloft.
The underside of the elevator takes some damage, but it keeps coming. Just before it hits, at the last possible second - BioLogic stretches his suit as far as it can possibly go - and hits the elevator with enough force to dent a tank. Predictably, the elevator shatters all around them. Poltergeist's telekinetic shield deflects most of the debris that hurtles towards her, and Steel Scorpion's claws manage to keep him clinging - but everyone else begins to free fall to the bottom of the shaft - now filled with a layer of white gas.
Thinking quickly, BioLogic spreads his arms out and grows a few tentacles, attaching himself to the walls, however ungracefully.
But before Edge and Arsenal can hit, Poltergeist regains her senses and begins to plummet herself - at full speed. She telekinetically yanks them up, just before they hit bottom. Everyone takes a deep breath, and continues the flight upwards to freedom.
They arrive back in the locker room, again deserted. An alarm is sounding in the distance, but the group is almost too tired to hear. They stagger out into the plant, and notice that the fire sprinklers have turned on. Water is everywhere, drenching the machines, the meat, and them. That's when they realize it's not water... it's gasoline.
This is what they mean by shutdown.
The team bolts out of the plant, just as a loud click can be heard from behind them. A loud *WHUMP* can be heard, and the heroes feel a warm hand almost push them along, and then they feel the heat as the plant literally explodes. No one can be seen - the workers have all apparently run off. Sirens can be heard in the distance. Rather than try and explain the story to the police and the fire department, the team piles into the jeep and takes off.
Once back at Nathan's, they stumble into his office and give a report. Nathan listens to all of it with a small smile.
"This is it, then. It's all been worth it. All this time... and we've hit on something, I know it. It's like the tip of the iceberg. But I'm worried about what we may find underneath. I don't think it will be pretty."
Nathan then stands and shakes the hands of his new team.
"Good job. All of you. Of course, I'll need all of this in report form. I'll have Mrs. Finch send the paperwork to your rooms. I need details, ladies and gentlemen. Leave nothing out." The team began to walk out, tired and dreading the coming deluge of paperwork more than any foe they've yet faced.
"Oh, and by way," says Nathan, with a big grin. "Do me a favor. Go take a shower. All of you smell like a Mobil station."
******END::
And that's it. Pretty cool stuff that happened to them, I think. Ok, I wasn't the hero in this one. They were. And I think Mr. Jones has quite the team in his hands. Yes, indeed.
///End Report 04.21.2001 21.00.04 GMT
Issue #1 - Part 2 -"Out of the frying pan..."
///Begin Report 04.21.2001 21.00.00 GMT
Hacker here. Computer-generated, living large and in-charge. You may ask yourself, "Self, why is Hacker writing an e-journal? He's obviously not doing it for Nate." Well you're right. I'm doing it for me. You see, I have a history of losing my memory. And that is simply *not* going to happen again. This e-journal is saved in several different spots on this system, and some off-system. But don't worry, dear reader - I'm using 1 giga-bit encryption. Only someone of my awesome powers could break it. Anywho - here's what happened to the team next:
*****START::
The team sat in the meeting room, listening as their employer, Nathan Jones, explained their first mission.
"As you know, I've been searching for almost 2 years for my daughter, with no leads as to the identity of 'Umbra'. That may have changed as of yesterday, with something somewhat cryptic. Listen to this." Nathan clicked a button on his remote, and a man's voice is heard speaking to someone on the phone. His voice is husky, with a hint of the south. The other side of the conversation is not heard - only silence.
"Hey, baby. What's goin' on, it's Johnnie."
<unknown response>
"Yah, yah... They don't let us make personal calls, but since I have an internet connection, I called you that way. Stupid Umbra crap."
<unknown response>
"I'll make it up to you, don't worry. I have Friday off... let's meet at Sharkey's around 9pm, ok?"
<unknown response>
"Good, good. Oh, by the way, I had to shave my head."
<unknown response>
"Heh. It looks good. Don't worry. You'll see. Hey, gotta go. See you on Friday."
Nathan sat down at the head of the meeting table and steepled his fingers. He looked to be restraining his excitement. "This is a big break, ladies and gentlemen. Possibly. I think the only reason we got this break is that this... 'Johnnie'... did this through the internet. And we-"
"Excuse me, sir." Said Poltergeist, in a small voice. "Why don't we hear the other side of the conversation? Seems a little odd...."
Nathan nods. "Indeed, but rather than me explain it, why don't I introduce you to the sixth member of your team. Hacker?"
Suddenly the lights dim, and a small compartment opens up in the center of the table. A click sounds, and an image of light seems to be standing on the table. He is beautiful, pure perfection, and everyone is in awe. (What, did you forget that *I* was telling the story...? Ok, back to the narrative.)
The image is that of a young man - if he was composed of pure light and digitized. He has spiked hair and a broad smile.
"Hi, guys. I'm Hacker." He waves at the group.
Nathan stands up, smiling himself. "If you think Hacker is an AI - you've seen too many movies about Power Force's base. Hacker is no AI... Nor is he a ghost. That we know of."
An uncomfortable silence fills the room, and everyone looks about, eyes slightly downcast. Someone coughs politely. The events of last night weigh on their mind.
"Errr, Hello there, Hacker." says Steel Scorpion, his voice deep and metallic.
Hacker turns to him. "Nice to finally meet you all. For the first time. Ever." The team gives tight smiles.
Nathan, oblivious, turns to the group. "It's somewhat of a long story, but I'll summarize: Hacker was 'in' my computer systems when they were turned on. His memories were apparently wiped clean, and my discreet inquiries to the company that provided the computers were met with blank stares. But I didn't mind... Hacker and I have become good friends, and I'm hope that all of you will feel the same one day.
"You know..." Steel Scorpion rubbed the lower part of his faceplate, as if thinking deeply. "I could probably design you a body."
Hacker looks off for a moment, and then back at Poltergeist. "Well, Janey, it's like this. I have all sorts of robot programs, spiders and worms out in cyberspace looking for any iterations of 'Umbra'. I'm also accessing various COMINT and ELINT progs of the NSA, and -"
Nathan coughed. "Errr, Hacker..."
"Right, right. Anyways, to answer your question, Janey - it's like this. Sending and receiving calls is a two way street in cyberspace. I only found this particular file." Hacker shrugs.
Nathan stands and looks at the team. "I think it's clear what we must do. Go to this hangout this Friday night, find 'Johnnie' and find out what we can about Umbra. Obviously you will be going in as... civilians."
The team talked tactics for the next half an hour. The plan went from kidnapping Johnnie and interrogating him to asking him politely. The middle of the road won out - the plan was to blend in with the crowd (with Poltergeist and Steel Scorpion on point) and get Johnnie and his girl drunk. If that works, either getting him to talk or picking his pocket should be easy. It was even suggested that the team visit Sharkey's tonight - get the lay of the land, as it were. Nathan asked Mrs. Finch for her assistance in gathering some 'trashy' clothes. Sharkey's is not in the best side of town. Mrs. Finch even offered to apply make-up on Poltergeist, to which she agreed with a hidden shudder. Mrs. Finch seems to adore sky blue eye make-up.
The team changed to civilian gear and borrowed Nathan's jeep. Not a very prestigious team vehicle, but still functional. Steel Scorpion would have to do without his suit, rendering him powerless if it goes bad. Edge offered to teach 'Scorpion some self-defense, for times just like this - to which he gratefully accepted. During the ride, the team realized that they couldn't call AA-03 by that name. So after a few moments, the group promptly named him Alexander Abrams. They also decided he should go by a proper name other than 'Double A' - and so 'Arsenal' was born ("Yes. That sounds appropriate", replied Arsenal in his monotone voice).
The recon went well. Sharkey's was indeed a nasty bar. Filled with smoke and the smell of spilled liquor, the team had little problem blending in. Jack (Steel Scorpion, of course) and Jane played some pool and made sure to make themselves known to the bartender. Arsenal and Edge sat in opposite corners, keeping an eye out for anything of interest. BioLogic attracted the interest of a local barfly, who within a matter of minutes was trying to 'score' off of him (after he told her he was a doctor, her eyes lit up with the possibility of legal prescriptions). Dr. Darwin, uncomfortable and totally caught off guard, agreed he would help her out. The barfly seemed ecstatic, and told Dr. Darwin that her boyfriend would be around shortly, who would be interested in buying his 'designer drugs'.
*** GM NOTE: This was a rather funny scene, actually. I don't remember the actual reason why Dr. Darwin offered to sell her drugs, but it worked out ok in the end - and even funnier.
Dr. Darwin excused himself and left the bar, only to return 10 minutes later. Within a matter of minutes of him entering the bar, the barfly ("Jenny") brought over her boyfriend to meet the good doctor (Meanwhile, the rest of the team watched these unfolding events with much curiosity). He introduced himself as "Kiko", a hulking brute that looked like a poorly dressed Fabio.
"Let's go out back where we can talk business." said Kiko, showcasing his amazingly yellowed teeth.
Dr. Darwin, seemingly swept up into these events (and looking like nothing less than a confused old man), followed Kiko to the back of the bar. "So what's up. Let me see what you got." Dr. Darwin produced a baggy filled with pills and handed them to the drug-dealer. "My own formula. I assure it is of high quality."
*** GM NOTE: BioLogic visited the local pharmacy and purchased some Dexatrim and put them in a baggy. Now that I think of it, his motives were a mash of A) trying to make a contact in the bar to possibly help with Johnnie and B) hoping to wean the poor girl off of whatever horrible drugs she was taking. I'm hoping the player will post here to illuminate me. =)
Kiko examined the drugs and started to get upset. "These look like Dexatrim!". It was at this point that Edge decided to find out what his team-mate was up to. Kiko didn't like Edge jumping into his business, and began to get surly. "Stay out of my business, punk."
"It is my business." The lack of reasoning behind what business it was of Edge's only infuriated Kiko - who didn't like how this was going down. He pulled a gun and threatened Edge, who seemed nonplussed. Confused, Kiko decided this business was too weird for him - and decided to leave (but not before threatening Dr. Darwin for wasting his time). Dr. Darwin looked to Edge a little shame-faced, and did not explain. They returned to the bar, and soon the entire group left Sharkey's, their recon complete.
The team spent Friday in training, until around 7pm. Then they changed clothes and prepared to meet Johnnie. With no problem or fanfare they arrived at the bar and took their places. Arsenal was now with Steel Scorpion and Poltergeist, and began to drink beer to blend in ("A curious blend of tastes. I must drink more."). Dr. Darwin sat in a corner, trying to avoid anyone's gaze. Within moments, a large man walked in, with a military style buzz cut. Any question of his identity was removed when a woman jumped up and yelped, "Johnnie!!" They embraced and sat at the bar.
Poltergeist made the first move. She accidentally bumped into him (feeling a gun stuck in the waistband of his jeans) and immediately apologized. She offered to buy him a beer - to which he accepted with a grunt. One beer turned into a half-dozen, and soon Johnnie was playing pool with Jane and Jack. Arsenal stayed at the bar, occasionally making louder and louder remarks about the various types of beer he was drinking.
After an almost an even dozen beers, Johnnie began to loosen up, and even let slip where he worked - but nothing on Umbra ("Sort of a security comp'ny for a meat-packin' place in Compton.") He also offered to try and get Jack a job there. Jane took the more direct route, and after a failed use of her powers (sending Johnnie sprawling!) she managed to pick his pocket. Johnnie took his girl and left, as did the team.
Once back in the jeep, the team found a keycard - with no identifying marks. Bringing it back to Nathan's house, the team made their report to Nathan and Hacker. Hacker examined the card, and stated he would be able to produce five likenesses of it by the next day. Hacker also found out that the only meat packing business in Compton is 'Tucker's Meats' - a good start for the investigation.
The next day, the team assembled in full gear. BioLogic brought along his own white lab coat - knowing that it may be a suitable disguise for a meat-packing plant. Nathan reminded them that what they are investigating may not have anything to do with his daughter's disappearance - so he asked them to use prudence and discretion. The team agreed, of course. >>> insert LaughingHysterically.wav here <<<
Once at the site, the team scoped out the place and realized it was pretty much like what it appeared to me - a meat-packing plant. Trucks from various super markets came and went, dropping off or picking up. The team quickly made up a plan. Dr. Darwin would stop off at the local Ralph's grocery store and complete his disguise. He would infiltrate from the back. Edge would sneak into the front, where the administration offices are (which were closed on the weekend). His skill with security systems would work well here. The rest of the team would serve as back-up, ready to jump out of the jeep and assist if necessary.
Dr. Darwin stopped off at the meat department, and decided that his lab coat was too white. So grabbing some steaks and squeezing the blood out of them, Dr. Darwin decided to apply it liberally to the front of his coat. The store butcher stopped midstride, staring at the good Doctor. "Errr... Can I help you...??" BioLogic looks up, and then sees the butcher's white hard hat. "Yes. May I buy your hat?"
**** GM NOTE: If you can imagine the scene, then you must know how funny this was. All of us were busting a gut, and I'm beginning to think that Dr. Lucian Darwin is not exactly sane...
The butcher barely had time to shake his head when Dr. Darwin used his suit's stretching capability to grab the hat off of the man's head and drop a $5 dollar bill in front of him. Then he took off running. No one stopped him, and the butcher was too stunned to cry out.
Once back at the plant, the team took their places. Edge easily bypassed the front security, and began to poke around, finding nothing. BioLogic, bloody coat and hard hat, blended in quite well. All was quiet up at the front, and Edge waved the rest of the team in. Further searching revealed a locker room, empty except for a dozen white coats in various levels of cleanliness. The team each donned one, except for Steel Scorpion (it would be difficult to hide the tail under it, obviously). Arsenal, using his infrared vision, spotted what must be a recessed door in the back of the locker room. Almost leaving Dr. Darwin behind, they descended.
**** GM NOTE: Almost as in, "Yah, let's just leave him up here." Though the Doctor was having fun watching the meat get processed, they decided to bring him along with them.
Behind the recessed door, they found an elevator. Using the key cards, it activated and began to descend. The team agreed that this was... unusual for a meat-packing plant. They most likely have found their mysterious organization. Within moments, they arrived. Empty steel corridors greeted them, and their boots made loud echoes. Investigating further, they found a glass door leading to what appeared to be an office, complete with a desk and chairs. They saw a figure behind the desk, seemingly bent over and struggling with something. The team opened the door and entered. The man looked up, surprised. With a squawk, he was suddenly lifted in the air by Poltergeist's telekinesis. Edge stepped forward and glared at the man. "What is this place?" But the man was of no help - he refused to answer their questions. Just as the team was about to get 'rougher' - they spotted someone walking by. It was a man dressed in some type of black uniform with blue highlights and an unusual insignia on his chest (later, it was thought to be the Greek symbol for 'Epsilon'). He wore a helmet with a protruding mike, and held a large rifle. He stared back at them, surprised. And began to lower his gun.
With the speed of thought, Edge darted to the glass door. With a graceful side-kick, he drove his foot through the door and into the man's stomach, sending him against the back wall. His uniform was padded however - possibly with a thin layer of kevlar. Poltergeist dropped the man she was holding, and wrapped him up with invisible telekinetic arms that held him fast. BioLogic shot one of his tendrils above Edge's head, but it failed to hit the uniformed man, only dent the opposite wall. Arsenal drew his Smart Gun, fired, and missed. Steel Scorpion moved near the door, unable to get a shot off due to Edge. Edge moved a step closer and tried to drive a high-speed fist into the man's solar plexus, but surprisingly, the man ducked and Edge hit only air. Rather than fire on obviously superior foes, the man did the only sensible thing - call for backup. Right after that, Arsenal's bullet impacted on his chest - and exploded into a quickly-hardening sheath that seemed to immobilize the man. He fell to the ground with a grunt. That's when the team heard a soft feminine voice over a loudspeaker.
“Intrusion alert, Intrusion alert. Cell integrity may have been compromised. Initiate Security Sweep level 2. Activate Resources."
This repeated over and over. The team looked at each other, fearing what was about to happen.
*** GM NOTE: I thought they'd penetrate a bit further before this happened, but as you can probably see, the first combat did NOT go well for the team. I almost thought a single 75 pt agent would take all of them out. They had *bad* dice luck this adventure. But it suited what they were - a group of relatively inexperienced meta's.
The team spilled out into the corridor to see small red lights flashing. A full scale alarm had sounded. Just at that moment, another man, dressed similarly, came around the corner, gun at the ready. Before he could do anything, the lightning-quick Edge moved next to him and delivered a snap kick to the man's face, sending him sprawling. The other members of the team moved over to him to, anxious to disable him quickly. Poltergeist telekinetically lifted his helmet from his head, insuring he would not be calling for help. But it was too late. The Resources had arrived.
Walking towards the group from a nearby corridor appeared a thin man with a completely bald head and hawkish nose. He wore a similar uniform to the guards, but was obviously thinner. He frowned at the gawking team and sniffed. He began to raise a small handset to his mouth. The team immediately launched into him with fists and telekinetic blows. To their shock, all seemingly pass right through him! The man doesn't even flinch, but does raise the radio to his mouth. "Correction, they're in Section 32. Ego, Livid, Pulse and Feral, please respond." Then he just stood there, arms folded, looking at the group in a nervous sort of way.
The team ignored the seemingly untouchable man, and finished off the guard before he can crawl away. Suddenly, the sound of heavy feet echo down the corridor. The team looks up and sees a large woman walking their way with determination on her face. She is perhaps 7 to 8 feet tall, and thick - with muscles that would make a professional wrestler envious. Her skin is a pitch black, as is her eyes and hair. Small pinpricks of light can be seen - the effect is that of staring at a night sky. "You've made a BIG mistake coming here..." Edge glares at the woman, bounces on the balls of his feet for a moment, and settles into a fighting stance. She will obviously not be a push-over like the guard. Steel Scorpion raises his tail and sends a bolt of energy straight at the meta-human. She does nothing to avoid it, but her only response is a grunt. Arsenal raises his gun and fires, his attack doing little more. The woman continues to walk forward, confidence on her face, cracking her knuckles. At that moment, Poltergeist, floating above the group, cloak flapping around her, makes her move. The woman suddenly stops and looks down, her smile faltering. "Wha-?? I can't move. I can't MOVE!" She continues to struggle, to no effect. Steel Scorpion and Arsenal continue to fire on her, while Edge stands back with a smirk on his face.
Suddenly, Arsenal adjusts his aim to fire at... the back of Steel Scorpion's head. His finger begins to close on the trigger, and his arm begins to shake. Steel Scorpion is oblivious to it, so intent is he on firing at the large woman. A voice comes from behind the group. "Ahhh, this must be the intruders. Away with you Ghost, you can do nothing more here." Coming towards the group is another man, looking very similar to the first. Bald, and with a very prominent nose. Most likely a brother (if not a twin). The man known as Ghost sinks into the floor, saying, "Yes, Ego." Ego turns to Arsenal, and seems perturbed that he is able to resist him. Suddenly, Edge is there, and does a roundhouse kick that spins Ego in mid-air, landing on his posterior with a broken nose. "You... dare?!?" Arsenal's gun fires, and strikes Ego in the shoulder, causing him to yelp and pain and sending him sliding back a few feet. He glares at the group, and then suddenly.... vanishes. But his voice can be heard. "Feral, Pulse, where are you!!"
As if in answer, a figure bounds into the corridor. The team immediately thinks of some type of man-wolf, but the purring growl coming from it seems more cat-like. Edge and BioLogic move over to attack.
Meanwhile, the large woman has begun to get frustrated - and begins to pound the floor, shouting almost incoherently. Her fists are buckling the floor, walls, and ceiling - dirt begins to spill into the corridor. Her skin has begun to turn white - the small pin pricks of light growing and eclipsing the black. The air begins to waver about her, much like an asphalt road in the middle of summer. This must be Livid.
Edge jumps at Feral, aiming a fist at her head. But she is just as fast, and ducks under his blow, and ripping up at him with her claws. Edge is caught off guard and thrown back. He looks down at his stomach to see his costume ripped open, and blood begins to seep out of what must be a large wound. BioLogic moves forward, forgetting that his suit allows him to attack from afar. Feral takes advantage of this, and attacks once more with her claws. BioLogic staggers to one knee as the cat-like creature shreds the front of his symbiotic suit.
Despite repeated blasts of energy from both Steel Scorpion and Arsenal, Livid refused to give up, her fists denting the walls as she continued to scream in rage and demand to be set free. Realizing that his tail cannon and the cyborg’s gun were not enough, Steel Scorpion leapt over Arsenal, using his claws to scurry along the ceiling and drop in front of Livid. Livid screamed in rage, still hampered by Poltergeist’s telekinetic interference and swung but her fist found only air. Steel Scorpion responded in kind, raking his claws against the massive woman’s torso. Livid cried out again, but this time in pain rather than rage, and slumped to the ground unconscious.
With Steel Scorpion engaging Livid, Poltergeist dropped her telekinetic field from the woman and spun to help with Feral. BioLogic and Edge continued to engage the cat creature, but she proved too agile and fast for them. Time and again, their blows failed to land while Feral struck at them with her claws. Before Poltergeist could do anything about Feral, Ego reappeared only meters away. She quickly turned on the mentalist and struck at him with a bolt of pure telekinetic force. He staggered to his knees, nose bloodied, stunned by the assault. Poltergeist moved in to finish him off, but Ego vanished again, using his telepathic powers to render the heroes’ brains unable to perceive him.
They have no time to celebrate, as Feral is literally tearing up the rest of the team. Poltergeist misses with a telekinetic ram. BioLogic wearily gets to his feet, but misses, his fist crunching into a nearby wall, denting it. Feral begins to purr and lick her fingers, tasting the blood she has spilled. She says nothing, but continues to both growl and purr at the team. Now the team is on the defensive, for Feral is too quick for them and her attacks are deadly. Just as it looks like BioLogic is going to knock her for a loop, a bolt of sizzling energy hits him, sending him flying into the wall, unconscious.
"Now don't play with your food, dear Feral. Kill them!" A man flies out of one of the nearby corridor. This must be Pulse. He wears a similar outfit to the others, but he is covered in a sheath of crackling white energy. He comes to a halt over the body of BioLogic and smirks. "You're too old for this game, gramps. Give it up while you can." He then turns to the rest of the group, occupied by Feral. A smile lights up his eyes.
But Feral makes a tactical mistake, and leaves herself open. Arsenal takes advantage, and fires his entangle bullet. It hits, and a yowling Feral hits the ground, unable to free herself.
Pulse, a bit taken aback, nonetheless feels confident in his own power. He readies a bolt of energy that will sear the corridor, and leave nothing but bits of bone and tattered costumes. It never happens. BioLogic, not truly out, rears his mighty fist back and struck at Pulse. A loud crunch can be heard, and Pulse is thrown to the roof of the corridor, where another loud snapping sound is heard. He falls to the ground unmoving, a thin stream of blood leaking from his mouth. BioLogic rises unsteadily. "I thought..." He is interrupted as the feminine voice speaks once more.
"Confirmed Intrusion alert. Cell integrity has been compromised. Lockdown sequence initiated. Begin shutdown.”
Edge turned to the team. "That doesn't sound good."
As one, the team runs into the small office where this all started. The bespectacled man was still there, telekinetically held by Poltergeist.
"What does that mean??" asked Poltergeist.
The man merely smiles and says, "It means that very shortly these corridors will be filled with a rather noxious nerve gas. Those who work here are injected regularly with the antidote. I can't say the same for you!" He then began to laugh, as if enjoying a good joke with friends.
Almost without words, the team looked at each other began to move out. But once at the elevator, waving their cards only caused a clicking sound. That's when they began to smell something akin to burning chestnuts. Whitish gas was seeping into the corridors from hidden vents. The group began to pull at the elevator doors, almost in a panic. BioLogic slid his tentacles in between the two doors and flexed. The doors crumpled easily, and the team spilled into the elevator shaft. It reached up into darkness, only occasionally split by slivers of light. Steel Scorpion began to climb the sides, his claws digging into the metal easily. "Come on!" Poltergeist, with only a moment's hesitation, suddenly rose into the air - as did Arsenal, Edge, and BioLogic.
As they began to literally fly upwards, below they can hear what sounds like harsh screams... As if someone was clawing at their throat.
That's when they see the quickly falling elevator.
Though it is hundreds and hundreds of feet above them, it is falling fast. Apparently, in lock-down mode the elevator is dropped - crushing anyone trying to escape by climbing up the sides.
Bolts of energy from Steel Scorpion and bullets from BioLogic tear up the underside of the elevator as it descends. Edge can do nothing, and all of Poltergeists concentration is taken up with keeping the rest of the group aloft.
The underside of the elevator takes some damage, but it keeps coming. Just before it hits, at the last possible second - BioLogic stretches his suit as far as it can possibly go - and hits the elevator with enough force to dent a tank. Predictably, the elevator shatters all around them. Poltergeist's telekinetic shield deflects most of the debris that hurtles towards her, and Steel Scorpion's claws manage to keep him clinging - but everyone else begins to free fall to the bottom of the shaft - now filled with a layer of white gas.
Thinking quickly, BioLogic spreads his arms out and grows a few tentacles, attaching himself to the walls, however ungracefully.
But before Edge and Arsenal can hit, Poltergeist regains her senses and begins to plummet herself - at full speed. She telekinetically yanks them up, just before they hit bottom. Everyone takes a deep breath, and continues the flight upwards to freedom.
They arrive back in the locker room, again deserted. An alarm is sounding in the distance, but the group is almost too tired to hear. They stagger out into the plant, and notice that the fire sprinklers have turned on. Water is everywhere, drenching the machines, the meat, and them. That's when they realize it's not water... it's gasoline.
This is what they mean by shutdown.
The team bolts out of the plant, just as a loud click can be heard from behind them. A loud *WHUMP* can be heard, and the heroes feel a warm hand almost push them along, and then they feel the heat as the plant literally explodes. No one can be seen - the workers have all apparently run off. Sirens can be heard in the distance. Rather than try and explain the story to the police and the fire department, the team piles into the jeep and takes off.
Once back at Nathan's, they stumble into his office and give a report. Nathan listens to all of it with a small smile.
"This is it, then. It's all been worth it. All this time... and we've hit on something, I know it. It's like the tip of the iceberg. But I'm worried about what we may find underneath. I don't think it will be pretty."
Nathan then stands and shakes the hands of his new team.
"Good job. All of you. Of course, I'll need all of this in report form. I'll have Mrs. Finch send the paperwork to your rooms. I need details, ladies and gentlemen. Leave nothing out." The team began to walk out, tired and dreading the coming deluge of paperwork more than any foe they've yet faced.
"Oh, and by way," says Nathan, with a big grin. "Do me a favor. Go take a shower. All of you smell like a Mobil station."
******END::
And that's it. Pretty cool stuff that happened to them, I think. Ok, I wasn't the hero in this one. They were. And I think Mr. Jones has quite the team in his hands. Yes, indeed.
///End Report 04.21.2001 21.00.04 GMT
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