ABERRANT: WEIRDER STUFF SEASON TWO - EPISODE ONE - "WELCOME TO THE NEW AGE"

[Charlie Cole]

NORFOLK VA
DRIVING TO RESTAURANT

Proteus had given Sage a brief look when the principal suddenly changed course, but it wasn't as if Abel had interfered with his mind. Right? ...He'd better not have. "Well, for what it's worth, we aren't spying on your texts, the US government did that and told us." The fact that Sage and Savant could probably build machines that could do all global spying would be tactfully ignored.

"We can make another effort with this kid, but if they're still responding by trying to blow people up..." Well, you couldn't have them walking around, lashing out at people, scared or not when you could create explosions at will.

[Abel Cross]

Abel listened, cataloguing the powers she'd said the key they were pursuing might have based on her descriptions.    "We can go anywhere you want for food Mari, provided we get it to go.  After we're done with everything if you want to go out to eat, then yeah we can all go do that together, my treat."   He said, as Charlie drove looking for somewhere to please the other Key.  

He turned his attention to Jeane once again.   "How long have you been a Key, Jeane?"  

 

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Tease interrupted Sage's question.  Not that it mattered, he wasn't as important as her anyway.

"Strange, I thought I preferred 'Tease'," she looked up like she was deep in contemplation.  "Funny how you can recall that information from those things my brother stole from you guys with perfect clarity, but that super brain of yours can't seem to remember that I prefer being called by my code name.  But, hey, since we're calling people things they don't prefer, how about I just refer to you as Meatslapper from now on?  Yeah?  Sounds good to me too! Remember, you did this to yourself."

Proteus smiled, stifling a laugh.  "Don't look at me, man.  She hasn't said a word to me in six months, she's incredibly proficient in this psychological warfare stuff, I praise her dedication.  I'm almost starting to think I actually did what she thinks I did to make her mad.  Best part is... she could make me apologize to her, but that would require her to talk to me... so I'd win just moments before she came in second place."

He smiled wide as her middle finger shot in his direction.  Months ago Charlie passed the 'fuck it' stage of whatever game Tease was trying to play with him, and he was right... the best part was she couldn't protest without breaking her own rules: that she wouldn't speak to him until he apologized (for what, neither of them could actually remember at this point).

"Um, out of curiosity, why don't you like your real name?"  Jeane asked.  It took the topic off her for a moment, giving her time to formulate new answers and properly word the one's she had worked out.

"Hmm?"  Tease asked, she'd already begun smacking out a text or status update, or... gods only knew what.  She lived on that thing.  "Oh, um, mostly because humanity is a shitty concept.  See when something different comes along that humans don't understand they try to do one of three things: hide from it, control it, or destroy it.  In my case I had a lovely life of being one the most popular girls in my school, I had the task planning the prom, homecoming, I was on several teams and my academic credentials were on fleek, I'm talking Gucci ay ef.  Anyway, keys become a thing and I'm toted off to a military base to finish my 'education' there... which consists less of trig and American Literature and more," her voice dipped low into a poor version of an adult male.  "...'so what are your powers exactly', 'these sessions are designed to help you cope with your new life', 'so what did you say your powers were?  This camera?  No, were not making a log to keep files on you, it's just for our records'..."

She didn't look pleased.  She shrugged, "So, when they stopped treating me like a person and more as a lab rat was when I decided I wasn't a big fan of humanity.  That's why I only use my code name, to distance myself from a population that sees me either as a weapon, a marketing tool, or a threat.  Luckily I don't hate them, like my brother does.  I'd prefer they left us a small country of our own somewhere and pissed off.  He's actively trying to exterminate them... like, all of them.  So, yeah, Christmas dinner at my house is going to be so fucking awkward this year.  You have no idea..."

With a deep breath, she focused.  "But enough about me, back to Meatslapper's question.  How long have you been a key?"

[Abel Cross]

Abel scowled, and in a moment, it was gone replaced with an unreadable mask.  "Tease, just use my given name or codename.   There's no need for that sort of thing.  No one has ever told me of your preference, I will use it from now on.  Sorry for not knowing something I should have."   

He'd had enough of this with Devin when he was around, and he wasn't in the mood for it right now.   

[Jeane]

"...Five months," replied the blonde daredevil, taken slightly aback by Tease's verbal barrage. She was looking a little haunted, eyes flicking from face to face.

That sounded... exactly what had been keeping her up at night when she thought about bungling her debut. Jeane saw little enough of her dad to know exactly how much time the military demanded from those it employed. Add in the wrinkle of an older Key actively out to be some type of comic book super villain... She breathed out, trying to rally her reserves of confidence again.

"But it's not that bad all the time, right? There have to be some kind of perks for being out in the open rather than holding back myself all the time? Some civilian alternative to whatever military deal you have going, right?" 

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"It's not that bad at all, honestly," Tease replied.  "Jeane, we're not military drones, we volunteered for this.  I got the usual military questionnaire about what I could do, counseling to teach me how to use it responsibly, and of course, I lied through most of it.  It's like a rite of passage, lying to the government about our abilities, but anyone of us could have walked away and gone on with our lives."

She turned in her seat so she could better see Jeane and offered her something that resembled a warm smile.  "Look," she shared her brother's propensity for starting points with the word 'look'.  "I'm anti-humanity, not anti-human.  The world has a very messed up way at looking at itself and treating its fellow man.  I won't look you in the eyes and tell you I'm a good person, I'm not.  I'm not a bad one either.  I'm sort of in the moral gray of 'decent person'.  I lie from time to time, I manipulate, I'm pretty mean, but that's hardly my fault.  I can't help if I'm better than everyone else.  But underneath it all I respect and value people's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  In that order.  Anytime the latter two threaten the first one, that's not acceptable.  No body's happiness or right to freedoms should ever place another person's life in jeopardy."

She glanced at her phone as it vibrated, smirked at whatever private joke was on the screen and pressed on.  "So, that's why I volunteered.  Because even shitty people have a right to keep being shitty as long as they're not hurting anybody.  We are a minority now, but we are standing on the precipice of an opportunity to change the world's paradigm.  We can help bring peace, we can abolish many of the trite things that cause famine, warring, and misery in our world.  We have an opportunity to guide humans to a nexus where they will be able to rewrite the definition of humanity into something that isn't fraught with shame, intolerance, and senseless harm upon one another."

She spun about, tapping out a reply to whomever texted her.  "Plus, I can totally knock the bitch Courtney off the cover of People.  Save the human race, and get rich.  Sounds like a bitchin' life, no?"

[Lilly Pryor]

FORT STORY , VA

 

Lilly pointed the large drainage pipe out to Kia as she thought to her friend, < There we go. If the kid is homeless, then he might be crawling down there. He is also probably not eating well, now that I think about it. Hmm. I'll run to the little Exchange we passed and grab a little something for us to offer him to eat and drink while you stay watch the pipe. If we come across him, some food might go a long way to building some trust. >

Kia nodded and took a seat on a rock as Lilly turned and took off jogging. She moved quickly, but not at superhuman speeds, not wanting to draw more attention. The store was less than half a mile away, so Lilly returned quickly with a few items in the pockets of her hoodie.

< You ready? > she asked mentally as she moved toward the pipe as quietly as she could, all the while a faint ripple washed over her body, clothes included, and in the wake of the ripple her body and clothes began to shift color, matching the background. < I'll take point. > she added, blinking a few times as her eyes shifted to those of an owl. 

Lilly looked at the drainage pipe and mentally sighed. < We lead charmed lives. > she mused sarcastically as she shifted her bones and joints and squeezed into the pipe, moving as quietly as possible while keeping an eye out for possible clues or traps.

 

Spoiler

Lilly is manifesting Chromatophores and Low-light eyes body mods and attuning the food and stuff.
15 Successes on Stealth roll.
4 Successes on Awareness roll.

 

[Abel Cross]

Abel remained silent as Mari spoke, he didn't agree with everything she said, but there was a good bit that he did agree with.  "Money's not really an issue anymore, but that's not why I do what I do.  Like some others, I want to help Humanity rise from the muck and mire, but We quickly realized that wasn't going to happen being beholden to a national government.   To that end, Sean and I founded Irregular Solutions.   Mostly we're a research and development firm for  new technologies of all kinds, though we do various forms of consulting as well.   Things that help lots of people all at once, or allow them to help themselves.  The other goal is to provide a place for Keys who wish to wish to follow their dreams without being beholden to a government, or some faceless corporation.  There are several other Keys currently working there beyond the Irregulars who do.  We provide real training as well as education opportunities to help actually learn the material."

He looked to her and nodded.  "Everyone contributes in their own way, but in no way is participation in dangerous missions mandatory, or even advised.  I take the safety of my friends and coworkers very seriously."

[Jeane]

Wow. Okay. This... This was good. Super good. It made her mad to realize she had needed this information hand-walked to her to even get an inkling of it.  

"I'd love to run with your crew if you'll take me," Jeane offered with a genuine smile, brushing a rogue hair behind one ear, buoyed on the honeyed words of optimism, "I wouldn't have gotten anywhere with parkour and running if I hadn't asked for help from my elders and betters, and if Irregular Solutions is about teaching us how to key away from labs and marines and orders... I'd be stupid to not ask. Almost all the people I like are human, too, so I'm behind that idea... You have a website and a sign up process, right? I mean, for after we, or you if I'm honest, get this other Key off the streets? Are we headed to the park after we get Tease her nachos?"

 

[Abel Cross]

"Well it's something we can discuss with your parents to be sure, but you will need their permission as you are still a minor."  He might have used his powers to get the principal to allow her to accompany them, but he wasn't planning on getting her parents to agree to this the same way.   

"Another question, which you should think on, are you prepared to reveal to your family that you're a Key?"

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"I don't see why she should have to," Tease said matter of factually.  "And whether she does or doesn't, is or isn't, really is not for any us to say, Sage.  Her personal life is none of our business.  If she wants to wear mask and go nuts helping people, while keeping her identity a secret, that's on her and we've no right to tell her otherwise."

"Point being Jeane, don't let Sage make you feel like you have to do anything.  He's not signing your checks, or mine for that matter, but he sure as hell will act like he is.  He's a guy with a few patents that's all."

[Charlie Cole]

"What Tease said." Charlie said, as he made a left turn and pulled into a parking lot. "According to Google, this place should have nachos." He pointed out to the restaurant across the street, with the bold yellow storefront letter of Ariba! Ariba! "Also has the best salsa in town, according to the reviews." A moment, and then Charlie decided that all good things must come to an end, if only because they couldn't keep this going forever.

"And Tease? I apologize. Whatever it was I said about you, I know by now that your brother is undoubtedly far more deserving of it. Now, we can chat face to face over burritos!"

[Jeane]

Urrrgh. Jeane's expression curdled at Sage's unpleasant precondition popping her bubble of happiness. That was such an... an... *adult thing to say*. Echoes of past unpleasant conversations played behind her eyes. 'Please clean your room, Jeane, and you can go out tomorrow.' 'Jeane, your sister can maintain better grades than this, if you don't do better next semester, we may need to rethink your curfew.' 'Young lady, I'm disappointed in you.' All that talk of things being better and development as a key, and he dredges up... Fricking being voluntold...

Tease's and Proteus's rallying counter as they pulled up to the restaurant, brought some of her former smile back. She pulled up her hood and unbuckled, hopping out to the ground. The smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Can we not and say we did? At least for a few weeks?" she bantered semi-seriously in an effort to poorly cover her mounting upset, holding her hands up before Sage could answer, "Kidding. Your crew, your rules. But, yeah. I'd rather not involve them any more in my life then I have to, but you're the only one offering something like this, so yeah. Sure. Why not?! If it gets me, somewhere I can learn..!"

[Abel Cross]

"That's your decision Jeane.   It's true we could do it without their permission, but doing so runs risks that I'd rather not take without great need.  If you want I'd be happy to speak with them, or maybe even One of the other Irregulars. "

He spared Tease a glance, and smiled.  "You know, if you want to do that, take Courtney down a peg, I could help.  I do sign the checks, just not yours, but I could.   You would be working with us to help project the best possible image for Irregular Solutions, and everything we're trying to do."  There was an important distinction, he wasn't asking her to work for him, just with him and the others at the company to make things better for everyone.

Looking to Charlie, "I'd offer you you a place there too Charlie.   A chance to earn a good living, and do what you want to do while doing so.   It's something we can all discuss later over the Dinner I promised if you all want."

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Eating Nachos In A Car
Somewhere In Virginia

"Sage, I could walk into Microsoft tomorrow and own it," she stated flatly.  "Point being, you will never be my boss.  However, if you wanted hire me as an independent consultant to see to it that you guys don't completely screw up your daily lives," she leaned over in her seat and looked back at Sage, giving him a once over.  "Well, less so than usual, anyway.  I could be persuaded, for a fee."

"Frankly, being a part of your business is risky," she scooped nachos and chewed.  The girl sure could eat.  "Ugh, why am I so hungry all the time now?!  Six months and I'm a human garbage disposal!  Anyway... the things you do to people, invading their privacy, ruining their minds," she let the sink in for a moment.  "Yeah, I know.  My brother warned me to stay as far from you as possible because you don't respect people's privacy.  One day the world may find out about that, not from me, but one day they could.  And if that day comes, Irregular Solutions will go belly up and Sean will be ruined.  I don't want to be associated with you guys when or if that happens.  As a consultant I possess plausible deniability."

[Sean Cassidy]

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

(the present)

On 3/31/2018 at 12:42 PM, AWS ST said:

Pandora sighed and shook her head "We are individually powerful yes but not as much as that. Alone our power is not enough to destroy a world at least not in some grand single action. For example Apollo could easily best any of you in single combat. But together you would be able to defeat him.

No your greatest fear should be thier fleets. They have the technology of every race they have conquared at their finger tips. You have robbed them of their slaves in this galaxy, likely they will send spies from somewhere else to gain intelligence."

"At least we don't have to worry about instant planetary disintegration or mass extinction available upon request," Sean murmured. She finished her coffee and with a casual flick, tossed the empty cup into a trash can across the open hall.

Having developed a viable Quantum Vacuum Thruster, she had several spacecraft designs in the works meant to engage an invading fleet in a variety of tactical methods. They certainly weren't meant to confront the fleet on their own, and the probabilities were still in flux if Earth's fleet - one that make a notable difference - could be completed in time. It depended on if the nations' manufacturing infrastructure could be tuned to a common purpose, if they could acquire the raw resources to build the fleet, and what Keys with what abilities could be convinced to help. They would have to speak with the T'tauri and Grutal Freen - and any other sympathetic alien factions they could find - to see what aid they could offer and were comfortable with...

On 3/31/2018 at 12:42 PM, AWS ST said:

She look at Sean with concern "But i fear your own world carries more danger for you than my brothers at least in the near future."

"I know," Sean said with melancholic acceptance and determined resignation.

She glanced at the frozen people working at the UN building as she began peeling back mental filters on her formidable awareness. Always at least subliminally conscious of threats directed at her, this went further. She could sense changes in the universe that would affect her; she could... hear was not the right word, but know when she was being talked about or referred to, a ripple in the quantum field at her name she could detect.

"We're a fractious, self-interested lot," Sean admitted. "Which isn't a completely negative thing. Competition can spur innovation, but too often, it stifles it. People believe they can only gain at another's expense, rather seeing we can all rise together. We have to show that we can, not just to new people's who may become our allies, but to ourselves. Else, your brothers won't even have to make the journey to eliminate a potential threat. We'll have done it ourselves." She took a deep breath. "I'm attempting to do what I can on that front."

Sean looked down at her hands. Perfect hands, beautiful hands that could create and break, their flesh and proportions flawless to a scale the human eye couldn't discern. Her hands. They had all changed, were changing still, some more than others, some faster than others. But one and all, the Keys had been born human.

Pandora and her siblings had come into existence with their capabilities - in many ways, they had started in stagnation. The Keys, the human Keys, they were still evolving, and who could say where it would take them? But the rest of humanity would have to evolve with them, for both their sakes. Could one survive without the other? Perhaps, but what survived might not be recognizable.

"The Keys." Sean shared a look with Pandora, conveying what she was thinking with glance and a subtle gesture. "We're still learning too. But powers aside, we're still human, in that we have our saints and our sinners, each of us wanting to make our own marks on the world in our own way. And even if we align in goals, the paths to them can and will differ and at times clash."

Sean twisted on the bench, recrossing her legs and faced Pandora directly. "You and Apollo have spent more time with him recently, and with your... prolonged experience, your point of view would be more unbiased that those of family and friends and their - our - prior interactions. Pandora, what is your sense of De-" Sean interrupted herself, pursing her lips in a tight line before correcting herself. "- of Ronin?"

[WS ST]

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

Present

"Hmm, Devin I may have misjudged him. I like a man who acts who takes charge, I thought that's what we would be getting with him. I thought he could be a leader which you really so desperately need. As powerful as you first born's are, your aimless. You need leadership. He is a good salesman and he sold himself. Now I am not so sure." She looks off into the distance. "He could be dangerous if he doesn't center himself. But he isn't the only danger and not the most powerful."

She shifts on the bench to face Sean more fully and looks into her eyes. "I'm worried about Avenger, Sara." She smiles gloomly and takes Seans hands gently like a concerned mother.  "The actions of her node worry me greatly. I did some ...studying after I saw her in paradise. The organ is not functioning the way all the rest of your nodes do. The energy has to be going somewhere and I am afraid it is like Chimera's mass. I know you haven't studied her but she does not create the mass she uses when she transforms. She, probably unknowingly, stores it in a sort of interdemensional pocket. Such thing by their very nature are finite, once filled they cannot contain more, and they don't stretch. We have no idea how much energy she has already absorbed or how much more she can take. But she is still Absorbing, every joule she comes in contact with the very earth she touchs feeds her node. If that energy is released it could be apocalyptic to your world."

[WS ST]

FORT STORY , VA

Kia and Lilly made their way across the rocks to the drain pipe. It was a good six feet across and had only a small trickle of water flowing down it's center. The both had expected the worse but the air coming from the darkness was if not pleasant at least not the sewage they had imagined. Together they stepped into the darkness.

Both had altered their sight to see better in the darkness utilizing the light from behind them. they traveled in a straight line about 20 yards before the pipe veered to the south and plunged them into total darkness. As soon a the light behind vanished after the turn a reddish glow appeared ahead of the and the air vibrated, a disembodied head could be seen floating in the red glow it looked like a robots head.

 

The air vibrated make goosebumps appear as a voice seemed to come from everywhere. "Who goes there? Who dares enter the lair of Opimus Pym"

 

 

 

[Lilly Pryor]

FORT STORY , VA

LARGE DIAMETER DRAINAGE PIPE

 

 

Lilly inclined her head slightly, hiding a smile.

< Okay. This is just too cute. Play along. > she thought to Kia.

"Oh great Opimus Pym," she addressed the disembodied, robot head, "I am Lilly and this is Kia. We come before you seeking an audience with you, or perhaps a child under your protection." Lilly said as she slowly reached into her hoodie pockets.

"We only wish to talk, and we come bearing gifts of Cheetos, M&Ms, Pepsi and Dr, Pepper." she added, holding the two bags and bottles out in front of her with her head slightly inclined still.

 

[Charlie Cole]

"All rightey!" Charlie raised his hands up, interjecting to prevent the argument from breaking out. "Let's go in and get our seats, and order." Unfortunately, he was well aware that Tease had a point, especially given his suspicions as to what Abel had done with the principal. That was the sort of thing that was going to come back and bite the Irregulars if it came out. For now, he was just going to try and peace-make in front of Jeanne.

[Abel Cross]

"Just a moment Charlie.  I want to set the record straight, for everyone."  

 He turns his head and smiles at Jeane continuing. “Sorry about all of this Jeanne, for such a social creature Tease has problems relating to people, just as I do at times. I'm a psychic, in every sense of the word. Telepathy, Telekinesis, and yes mind control,  they're all abilities I do possess.  I say this without pride, but it's probable that I am  the most powerful one on Earth.  Having said that, I try not to use my powers on others unless it's an absolute need, I don't like robbing people of their will."    He held up a hand to forestall a question regarding earlier.

"If you listened to Tease's brother, Ronin, he would have you think I go around mind-raping everyone stealing all their secrets and blackmailing them, using them like puppets. In fact I don't.  Today was a unique situation, and something I didn't want to do. Contrary to Teases's beliefs about me, I am not a monster.”

His gaze shifts to Tease. “I don't know what you really want Tease, I don't know how to get through to you.  I haven't used my telepathy on any of you in some time.   I'm in control of my powers.  You all asked for your privacy and you've had it, else i'd have known about your preferences.  I pay attention to details.   I don't even know why your here. But your welcome here with us, with the Irregulars.  That's why I offered you a place at Irregular Solutions.   You've chosen to stand with us, with humanity, as opposed to burning it down.   If this is what you want, that's great,  if not your free to go, no one is holding you back.  I can call James and I'll have him take you anywhere in the world you wish to go.  But if your going to stay you need to become a team player. "

His steel grey eyes narrowed, and he sought to hold her gaze.  "You can have everything the rest of us do. But most important you can have real friends. Friends who care for you, who will fight for you, maybe even die for you."

 

He sat back , his voice earnest and strong.  "As always, the choice is yours.”

[Jeane]

Jeane hadn't been sulking about her uncool outburst through the whole debate between the two Irregulars, well, one Irregular and one consultant, trouble in paradise that. Nor had she been brooding on what she was going to have to say when her parents started blowing up her phone. She had been... Planning. Yeah. That was the word. Save the street kid, save the world kind of heroic planning thoughts.

Yeaaaah...

Definitely.

Abel had the blonde daredevil's full attention as he made his speech, starting to put dots together. So mind control was a thing. That meant... emotion control could be a thing? And she had... never seen anyone so attractive or charming as these Keys. Let alone the internet blowing up about Savant. She bit her lip as she tried and failed to picture Tease or Sage as less than amazing. But he was saying things... That... Screw it. She bit out questions like they were hot coals on her tongue, "Is... Is super hotness a power, too? Are you using it on me right now? I'm sorry, I'm sorry... It's just..?"  

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia's eyes cut towards Lilly for a second, then focused back on the floating head. It was kind of cute, she guessed...but the exploded tree hadn't been very cute. He was just a kid though. A kid scared of what he'd done, scared of what would happen to him next.

She nodded at Lilly's offering, then said, "We...seek your wisdom? Because we're able to do strange things that other people can't...and it's confusing, and scary and we're sometimes not sure what to do."

"We were hoping you might be able to help us. Um. Opimous. Would it be okay if we stayed here for a bit?"

[WS ST]

Tease set the box of nacho's down and shook her head. "Thanks but no thanks. Pull over here.'" Charlies did as he was asked. Tease opened the door "I'll find my own way home, " She looked back at Jeane, "Good luck kid, and for gods sake get some new clothes."

She slammed the door and started walking back the way they had come her phone in hand fingers flying as she texted.

[Sean Cassidy]

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

(the present)

Sean had noticed something peculiar about Kia, something subtle, after seeing her several times visiting Abel in the lab when her vision has been attuned to differing spectrums and her sense for precise measurements of distance and volume sometimes giving her very incongruous results. In some ways, it had reminded her of a stable Portal, but she hadn't gotten around to making a study of it, partly because she had been busy with other projects and partly because she was giving Kia the time to bring it up herself. And it certainly explained where the mass for her more drastic transformations came from, since she had seen little to no evidence she was drawing it in from her surroundings.

Extrapolating from that, Sean could see how something similar was happening with Sara. The absorption rate of her node made quantum-based senses useless, but it seemed her node was acting as the aperture, the funnel, for the energy getting pulled into the hypothetical extra-dimensional storage space. Due to its qualities, Sean didn't believe a PAM suit would help significantly, but perhaps one of the T'tauri powersuits, like the one Laurie possessed, could be attuned to slow the rate of energy absorption, to give them more time. She would have to talk with Laurie and the T'tauri delegates.

In the face of Pandora's concerned touch and her bleak smile, Sean's expression firmed with resolute determination. Cold, brutal, efficient logic dictated a solution to the potential catastrophic posed to the Earth. It was one she refused to consider, a solution she exempted from billions of equations in her mind until any and all others were exhausted.

Enticing lips curved in a brief smile as Sean brushed rich, mult-hued hair - bright under the noon sun streaming in from the windows - from her face. "I'm worried too. About Sara. For Sara. The idea of the extradimensional pocket gives me another path of inquiry to look into. If we can manage a controlled release..."

Sean pursed her lips in a musing moue, speculating and calculating on Sara's rate of absorption, what the output might be if it was released all at once, and the effect it may have on Sara. Properly released, could it be used to turn her from... from let's call it a Lock, back into a Key?

"I also have a possible trail on what may have caused Sara's issue in the first place." Circumspectly, she studied Pandora for any hint of recognition or familiarity with what she mentioned next. "Something called Operation Deadbolt. There's a few I want to ask about it. Have you heard anything about it, Pandora? Even hinting at it?"

[Abel Cross]

In the Car

Abel watched Tease go,  and then turned back to Jeane, who still had a question unanswered. He  shook his head.  "No one is actively using such an ability.   It is true some Keys are impossibly  charming and attractive, Savant and myself are good examples, though the effects are more intense for those viewing her as opposed to me.  There are also those gifted at getting their way through subtle and not so subtle manipulation.  Some can  restrict the flow of quantum energies to their bodies,  effectively becoming humans again, though in most cases, they're still at peak levels of what a normal human can achieve.  You have this ability, though physically you don't actually change."  

 

[Jeane]

In The Car

Jeane restricted her reply to Tease's departure to a quick nod and a wave as they picked up speed again. She felt conflicted at the other girl's departure, like having a cut lip to explain away after a good spar among friends.

"On the outside anyway," she murmured in response to Sage's comment about her powers, more to herself than the Irregulars.

Her expression was more guarded when she continued, the blind dazzle displaced a bit, "...But whatever. So this is you *not* pushing. Jeez.  If a Key decided to use a power like that to be a bully or worse, there's really very little most people could do to stop them, huh? At least not if they were smart like the worst bullies are."

She massaged one thumb with the other. No one messed with Jeane the crazy new girl who didn't put up anyone's shit and did awesome things on a whim. It gnawed at her that some stupid power could bring back even a shadow of Jeane the new girl who people took advantage of because she was lonely. Bad thought. So she changed the topic.

"Are we there yet? I kinda want to start looking for this street kid sooner rather than later now that I know you haven't been feeding intel to a team of boots on the ground while we've been talking," Jeane wrapped up with a grin and a chuckle.

[WS ST]

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

(the present)

Pandora looked off into space lost in thought. “I don't recall anything by that name being spoken of in my presence. But then I don't really hang out around these people you bend over backwards making happy.”

She stands up and brushes the wrinkles from her dress. “Keys, I like that name, are developing much more rapidly than I had surmised in my initial assessment. Don't dawdle dear, I would hate for you to become irrelevant. As for Sara, I think you should consider Dr Reshoud's suggestion, for everyone's sake.”

She looks around and suddenly the building comes alive as if there had been no intervening time. “Take care dear call me if you need me.” Pandora walks off smiling at the people she passes, leaving Sean behind.

 

FORT STORY , VA

LARGE DIAMETER DRAINAGE PIPE

“You may enter!” the voice reverberated through the pipe as the head and glow faded away into nothingness. In the distance about another ten yards they could see a more normal light.

Kia and Lilly proceeded cautiously, they came to a place where the main pipe had been altered. The pipe had been thinned, smoothed, and spread into a room about 12 feet across. To one side of the room was a make shift bed and several piles of clothes and a couple of pairs of shoes. The center of the room was occupied with a long metal table that looks as if it had been made of scrap metal. The Table was covered with toys. Cars and trucks, dolls and action figures, many of them broken. The whole area was lit by three incandescent balls of light. Both Kia and Lilly could feel the Quantum Energy flowing throughout the room.

Standing by the table holding a plastic Optimus Prime toy was the boy from the forest.

 

 

[Lilly Pryor]

FORT STORY , VA

LARGE DIAMETER DRAINAGE PIPE

 

Lilly took it all in, fighting back a frown at the conditions the boy was living in. It really made her heart break to see, even if the boy had carved out something of a home in the drainage pipe. I hurt her in a way she had never really felt before, causing her to sniffle one and blink a few times to hold back tears as she approached the boy, holding out the two bottles and bags of snacks.

"Wow. This is quite the lair. You made this yourself? That's really cool." she said as she looked around, sincerely impressed.

When she got closer to the boy she crouched down to be at his eye level, and smiled warmly at the boy with another, small sniffle.

"Hi. I'm Lilly and this is Kia. Are you the great Opimus? Or do you have another name we should call you? Either way, we are glad to meet you and thank you for letting us enter." she said with a warm smile, doing her best to be as non-threatening as possible and put the kid at ease.

< We found kid and made contact. We're talking now, but taking it easy. He does indeed seem to be homeless too. This soooo sad. > Lilly though to Kia and Able, her own sadness was quite evident through the link. < Hang back with the others for now though, he is a bit guarded. More people walking up or into his home will probably spook him. Me and Kia got this for now. >

 

[WS ST]

NORFOLK VA.

On the Side of the Road

She had texted Devin three time and still he hadn't responded this was so typical. Tease growled deep in her throat, she didn't even have the stupid communicator thingy to call the space people and have them beam her to Montana. She was  starting a text to Laurie when she noticed the car.

It was a red Corvette with rental plates. It had passed her by just a moment ago then did a u-turn and came back passed again and did another u-turn now it was coning up on her side of the road slowing down the passenger side window lowering. Tease kept walking and gave the car a dubious look. She could see the driver, middle aged, mid to late forties ,looked well groomed but his clothes didn't fit the car they looked more like work clothes or outdoorsy stuff like what the guys in the oil fields back in Shelly wore, but of higher quality and clean.

The car kept pace with her and the driver leaned over unlike most he wasn't wearing sunglasses and he was kinda good looking for an old dude. “Hey Miss, I know this is odd but I saw you when I drove past and I'd like to talk with you. My names Darrin Carpenter I work for Absydeon Studios, I'm here in Norfolk scouting locations and we're also hold auditions for extras in a movie we're going to be shooting here. I don't know if your interested in acting but if you are I would like to buy you lunch.” He sounded sincere and there was an edge of excitement in his voice. He was holding a card up toward the window

[WS ST]

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

FORT STORY

FIRST STATE LANDING PARK

Charlie pulled into the visitors center parking lot at Abel's instruction. They could just make out the Naval Reserve recruiting station down the road, the FT Story gate beyond that. Jeane was very familiar with the center it was where the bus dropped her off twice a week so she could run in the park.She wondered why they were stopping here, again she got the impression Abel and Charlie were communicating somehow.

"Why are we stopping?"

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Norfolk, VA
Getting Picked Up By A Weird Guy On The Side Of The  Road

She was glad to be rid of him.  The guy had absolutely no idea how terrified of him she really was.  The very core of Tease's abilities focused around making people do for her anything she wanted them to do, but she didn't strip from them memories or rewrite their life in manner she saw fit.  What if he'd decided to do that to her?  What if he already had?  Abel clearly had no concern for the sanctity or privacy of other people's minds or private thoughts.  He made that evident when he just telepathically controlled the Principal instead of actually trying to work with the man and convincing him to see things their way.  It spoke volumes for the face of Irregular Solutions and their business model.  When Abel couldn't have his way, he just tore people's minds apart until everything was the way he wanted it.

While Marissa was in no position to claim any sort of moral high ground (in fact, she was evil, vindictive, temperamental and far from innocent), but being on the giving end of mind control was one thing, seeing someone on the receiving and understanding that if they tried it on her she would have absolutely no defense against it, only cemented her desire to be as far from Abel Cross as humanly possible.  He had no patience and made it clear that the shortest, and easiest route to success was his method of doing things, and she had no desire to be in his path when his patience wore out again.

Still, as much as she hated Abel and wanted his prostate fall out, he was the guy who brought the car and according to Google Maps... it was a long walk back to Montana.  Okay, so maybe she hadn't completely thought through her desire to be rid of Sage.

"Well, shit," she mumbled.  Okay, so having a Key terrorist on her phone on speed dial was not the best option for her, especially since she'd already told the Irregulars she had not idea where he was or how to get in touch with him... but he was her brother.  Despite his poor life decisions, she still loved him.  She talked to her non responsive text screen.  "Seriously, dick.  What could you possibly be doing that you can't give me a ride home?  Quit fapping to Lilly's year book photo and frickin' reply..."

When the man pulled up in the Corvette, she curled an eyebrow skyward as she looked from her phone to him. Listened to his pitch then took his card.  "Hope you didn't pay too much for these, they spelled 'Obsidian' wrong." She replied with all the dismissive sarcasm that made Tease so lovable.

"You're skeptical," he laughed.  "I get it.  I completely understand.  I swear, I've never just pulled over on the side of the road and offered someone one an opportunity like this, that's the truth." He paused and read her expression, laughing again.  "Aaaand, that sounded like a line."

"Yeah, kinda did."  She smirked, going with the flow.  "So, I'm going to take your word for it because I read on the internet once that crazed rapists don't drive Corvettes... they enjoy minivans and ice cream trucks," she played stupid.  At the moment it was the best course of action.  Besides if this guy wasn't legit, he was one wandering hand away from shooting up a hipster coffee shop while high on bath salts.  Double besides: free lunch.  "Full disclosure though, Darrin: I'm all kinds of drama."

Darrin's eyes were wide and glued that way in awe as Tease polished off her third cheeseburger.  Three cheeseburgers, three large fries, a strawberry shake, a chocolate shake, and a Diet Coke.  She looked at him, the sudden realization that she'd devoured nearly seven thousand calories in a single sitting.  Unlike the rest of the Irregualrs, Tease did not acquire their hyper enhanced stamina.  She couldn't go day or week without food and her QEH metabolism was off the charts.  On the plus side, it was so efficient she could eat whatever she wanted and barely have to work it off.  She looked from side to side, like maybe he was looking at someone else sitting exactly where she was sitting.  "What...?"

[Abel Cross]

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

FORT STORY

FIRST STATE LANDING PARK

<Understood Lily, we're here in the park, we have the young woman who made the text, and to even my surprise, She too is a Key.>

"We're stopping here because The other Irregulars who came along have made contact with a young Key, likely the same one you encountered."  He looked around, taking note of everything around them.  "They think it wise to avoid everyone showing up right now, since he seems to be on guard against others.  Considering his youth, we'll let the two of them handle it for now, and just stand by.  They'll let us know if they need us.   I shouldn't be surprised that they found him so fast, they can cover alot of ground quickly."

[Kia Mizuki]

"Oh wow, look at all these toys," Kia cooed, hunkering down to get a better look. She didn't try to take hold of any, remembering well how territorial kids could get about their stuff, but did lean closer. "These are really cool!"

She then looked up at one of the hovering globes of light.

"These are cool too...did you make these?"

[WS ST]

The child watched them then reached out and took the Dr Pepper. "Yes I made them. Its easy." A quick twist and the cap came off and the kid put the bottle to lips and started drinking with big swallows. After about five long swallows the bottle came down and a huge burp reverberated through the room.

The kid laughed.

"You should warn your friends. The one you talk to in your head. The crusher is coming for them.

What did you bring to eat?"

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia glanced at Lilly, a little nervously. Not many beings had been able to sense the link they shared before.

"I'm Kia," she introduced herself. Then she added, cautiously, "What's the crusher?"

<Abel, he says something called the crusher is coming for you. Watch out, okay? We'll try to find out more.>

[Abel Cross]

<understood Kia, I'll let you both know if we need help.  We're going to the beach since there's no one there and we can minimize civilian risks.>

"We need to leave the car now, head to the beach and keep walking away from the visitor's center.   There's something called the Crusher coming for us, and we can't let it endanger anyone else. "  He looked to Jeane, even as he opened the door to get out.  "I wish I could send you back to school and keep you out of whatever's coming, but from the tone of the warning I got, we don't have that kind of time.   Stay at my side and I will make sure you get to go home to your family."  

He looked to Proteus.  "Do you need a sample of anything, or are you good to go?"

He hadn't been expecting an attack, but at least they were somewhere without many others to get caught up in it.

[Charlie Cole]

"No." Proteus stated. "There's always something plentiful to work with around." There usually was. Of course the mention of 'the Crusher' was a concern, but more for Jeanne or the kid than them. Several members of the first Irregulars, plus Charlie himself of the second wave. Unless they were talking something like the leviathan, but no way that could appear, right?

[Jeane]

Jeane just stared at Sage's back as he got out of the car, adding the warning to the pile of things he had said and and done around her. No. Just... No. This was her park, her home, hell the Irregulars wouldn't even be here if not for her fortunate-and-unfortunate text. She got it. She did. They were big damn heroes, and she was the fledgling Key. They were big, and she was small. She'd follow, but if this 'crusher' looked like it was going to break though and hurt the people of her city... Well, she might slow it down enough for one of them to finish the job.

Jeane got out of the car and double-checked her hair was out of the way in it's messy ponytail.

She squeezed the fingers of her left hand closed around an invisible hilt and let her mind's eye flash with ten thousand weapons, many of which she didn't have a name for. Too small. Too long. Too weird. Too blunt. Too ornate. Too... Her breath hitched as she Saw the perfect fit, and let the itch bloom into life. Red lightning sang as the quantum great sword blinked into existence, lighting up her face from below with every move. She hefted it to one shoulder like the three feet of weapon weighed nothing in her hand. 

God, she loved that part of her power. Too cool.

"Ready," she sing-songed, glad to have something *physical* to worry about.

Spoiler

Quantum Weapon Up.

 

[WS ST]

The kid grab the bag of snacks and poured it out on the table and started rummaging through what Lilly had bought. "I don't know," as he tore open a Slim Jim bit into it then looked at it while he chewed, "this is good. I like it."

"What about the crusher? How do you know it's coming? And where?" asked Lilly

The kid tore open a candy bar having devoured the Slim Jim. "I don't know, I see things. Like your head talk. I see you two doing it and then saw you do it with the ones in the car. Was that the girl from last night? In the park? I hope I didn't hurt her. She scared me. Thought she was the Crusher."