Aberrant: The Middle Children of History - Echo Infinity

[SalmonMax]

Echo Park was a beautiful spot in the Los Angeles metro area...near the freeway, but not TOO near. Green and well manicured, with gently rolling hills and carefully placed trees that didn't obscure the grass or the sky, but still offered shade. Recessed sprinklers occasionally popped out in rotation to keep the grass healthy in the burning LA sun.

It was frequented by picnickers and dog-walkers, by joggers and people with books who just wanted some fresh (or as fresh as it got anyway) air while they read. At the north end were three people tossing a Frisbee between them as a dog gamboled joyfully around, trying in vain to leap high enough to grab it. Down at the south end, a badminton net was going up. High in the sky...something was coming.

A white contrail headed by a black dot. An airplane, perhaps. The LA sky was full of them. But...no. There were no wings to speak of. And it was smaller. The contrail petered out as whatever it was dropped lower, faster. It made a sound now, a loud hollow rumble like a jet fighter. Most of the heads in the park were looking upward now as a what appeared to be a modern-day suit of armor rocketed down, turbines as big as its legs thundering noise and belching blue-orange flames out their backs.

It soared over, twisted around with startling agility for something so seemingly massive, and came back...the maneuver having bled off enough speed that now it could hover in place, directly over the center of Echo Park. It loitered there for a moment before the sound of the jets cycled down; shutting off before it reached the ground. The armor fell the last few feet, but the grass wasn't so much as singed. It caught itself with a flex of its knees and stood up.

Without warning the giant set of rockets on rotating gimbals sprouting from its back just...vanished in a haze of white light that was almost immediately gone. A moment later the armor itself followed suit, dissolving into a momentary radiance. When it faded, there was a girl standing in its place.

She was pretty...even very pretty, though a tinge too ordinary to be 'beautiful.' With dark brown hair pulled back into a tight twist at the back of her head, and bangs that needed to be cut...dark eyes and cute features, she was the girl next door; the high school crush. Not a supermodel...which was significant because more than one at the park could tell that she was a nova. She had that odd, subtle 'too good' perfection of body image...the flat belly and tone, but all in propotions that mortals might work for years to achieve and never reach. Most novas put supermodels to shame...or nightmares. This girl was notable by virtue of her relative averageness.

She looked around the park and a pair of tinted sunglasses appeared perched on her nose. She nodded and grinned jovially at the people watching; their afternoons interrupted by her arrival. Waved when one of the kids waved.

"Okay, public seemed good at the time," she muttered. "Maybe rethink that next time."

A moment later there was a whoosh of displaced air and a dancing corona of light that resolved into a wooden signpost behind the nova. The sign read in big block letters, -Infinity, Over Here.-

[Mech]

Connor looked at his watch and nodded. It was time to go meet Genesis and possibly Infinity. He concentrated on the Image of Echo park where they were supposed to meet and vanishes in a flash of white Light, reappearing near the place in a clearing. He heard the commotion and quietly made his way towards the noise. He was dressed somewhat inconspicuously, wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans with a pair of of sunglasses to hide his eyes. Unfortunately this did little to hide his other features.

He stood nearly two meters with a body that went beyond the handsomeness a baseline could achieve. His shoulders are broad and look like they could bear up under any load, and he walks with a grace that seems almost feline. His rich brown hair is cut short and his skin is perfect, with a slight tan starting to show.

He smiles as he walks up, seeing the look in the eyes of several baseline women enjoying the park as he walks by. "I hope this is only a short visit, getting mobbed won't be fun." His voice doesn't carry, as it's a joke mostly to himself.

He walks up to the female nova he assumes is Genesis. "I assume you're the beautiful young scientist I spoke to, I'm Mech. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He looks around. "I hope she shows up soon. I think my disguise is flimsy at best and soon these people are gonna realize who's standing here." His voice is a rich baritone, and lends itself to his seemingly jovial nature. It does however seem a bit deep for someone as young as he is.

[z-Infinity]

"Oh, my god," Infinity muttered as she stared across the park. Her nightmare waited for her out there; the bane of all teenagers: public attention. She had dressed down so as not to gather attention, and here, Genesis had literally erected a sign with a big arrow. And there were people she didn't want knowing she was in the area!

Clutching her drawing pad, Infinity hurried across the green area, moving so fast she nearly tumbled over the fat heels her boots sported. She was dressed in tight black jeans with a ripped and patched shirt, and her hair - her natural color for once - was hanging around her face.

To the others, she was just another short woman in the park, maybe one dressed a little oddly, but not that unusual for Los Angeles. The color of her outfit was unusually dark, but not enough to draw any real attention. She had dark eyes, nearly hidden by the fine, straight dark hair hanging over her face. She looked like the least-nova nova they'd ever seen.

"Hi,I'mInfinty,pleasegetrideofthesign,thanks," she muttered, furtively glancing around the area.

[SalmonMax]

Alexandra couldn't help chuckling as Infinity's approach answered Mech's reservation. "Sort of, Mech, though you haven't seen me until now."

The signpost evaporated.

"Mech. Infinity. I'm Alexandra Davis." She makes little quote marks with the first two fingers of each hand. "Genesis. Pleased to meet you both."

She gives Infinity a contrite smile. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable there. I can make us a room or something if you want some privacy."

[z017]

Shae had watched the three gather from a park bench a couple of yards away, smirking at 'Mech's' self-importance and Infinity's teenage horror of signage. To be fair, Shae would have been mortified, too. Deciding to go over and be one of girls with the other two, she stood up and headed over.

"I hope it's still okay if I crash your party," she interjected. "It's nice to meet other novas face-to-face instead of handle to handle once in a while."

She was a willowy blond dressed in a bright t-shirt and nice jeans; were it not for the too-perfect set of her features she could have been mistaken for any other LA beach bunny. She held her hand out in the general direction of the three, letting whoever felt like being social shake it and include her in the group.

[Jager]

Thank God we don't need to hide, Gray thought, because we are far to good looking to pull it off all that well.

It was a joke, of course. Novas could hide very well in plain sight if they wanted to. He believed it because he had been trained to believe it. It wasn't like he had tested the theory.

The too-beautiful kid with the Carolina Mudcats baseball cap and light blonde hair approached the group. He had on a "Mech" t-shirt and light gray cargo pants on. His tennis shoes looked worn and the red fabric was faded and dusty from prolonged use. His backpack was a deeper red and certainly had to have some goodies in it.

The boy who walked up to the group didn't look his age. He was tall and lean. He could easily have been ten, or even ten and a half.

"Hi Everybody!" he said in a chipper voice. "I'm Jager."

[z-Infinity]

The sign's disappearance was welcome, and Infinity relaxed a little, right up until Genesis mentioned creating a room. "I'll pass," she muttered, "because I think that making a room, right her in the middle of the park, would be more conspiquious."

Matters were compounded when the lovely Shae approached. Shit, of course they're all beautiful, Infinity sighed to herself, frowning. She managed a shy smile to shake hands with Shae, though, and anyone else who offered. She rarely met eyes for long; she kept them on other things, or only looked at people through her curtain of hair. She wasn't trying to be rude; it was just that Infinity was always wary of dealing with novas. They had the power to run roughshod over her and she rarely knew if they were going to be the type to do that until they did it. Caution was in order, just as if she were a baseline.

And "Jager's" arrival was the very thing she'd been worried about with the sign, though she was surprised to see him in LA. Gray, what the hell are you doing here? "Hey, Jager," she said, waving a little. "I didn't know you were in town. You've gotten big."

[Jager]

Huh. How does she know me? The old days?

"Yeah. I saw the sign and I had just concluded some ... business and I decided to come on over."

Looking over to Genesis, "Really classy!"

"Anyway, I was curious about the message on the sign and then I saw Mech coming over and I figures what the heck. Why not come over and introduce myself."

The other novas can catch him shining moon-eyes over toward Shae, though he tries to meet and 'slap skin' with everyone. Oddly enough, he subconciously tries to stick close to Infinity.

[SalmonMax]

Genesis laughs and rubs the back of her head.

"Damn...I didn't know novas hung out around here."

She shakes hands with Shae and gives Jager five.

"We're a wet bar away from The Amp Room here."

With a clap of her hands, she looks at Infinity. "Okay, well, it's up to you. I figure we'll do some baseline readings of your EEG, do some control measurements of background radiation and the local tensor topography, and then we'll be ready to see what your node's up to. Oh, and I looked up the schematics for an MRI, so we can do one of those too. Sound good?"

[Mech]

"Well I only just noticed you because I only just teleported here from where I was before."

He looks to infinity. "Nice to meet you Infinity..." sensing her discomfort he nods. "Perhaps we should adjourn to somewhere not so much in the public eye.

Connor shakes Shae's offered hand. Welcome to the rapidly growing group it would seem, I'm COnnor."

He looked at Jager, wearing one of the shirts that had his image and immediately cringed inwardly. "Uh.. Hi Jager. How's it going?"

He looks back to Genesis. "No wet bar we're definitely not all legal here." He gives her a devilish grin, knowing that she's older than him, and returns to the matter at hand.

"In under a minute we've gone from no novas gathered in one spot to five. If you'd all like we can go to my place near here and avoid being the utter center of attention, and the likely gathering press. Can everyone here fly?"

[Jager]

Originally Posted By: Mech

"In under a minute we've gone from no novas gathered in one spot to five. If you'd all like we can go to my place near here and avoid being the utter center of attention, and the likely gathering press. Can everyone here fly?"

"Your place? Wow, that would be neat."
"I don't fly though," he adds with a grin. Jager shifts his back pack and looks around the group.

[z017]

Shae shakes her head with a rueful smile. "Wings weren't in my nova welcome package, unfortunately. And if Geni here is going to be making all those fancy machines, maybe we should look at somewhere outside of town. Unless you've got the money to rent an empty warehouse?"

The last was directed at Mech and seemed half teasing.

[SalmonMax]

"Flying's easy. I can whip up a helicoptor or VTOL or something," Genesis says with a dismissive gesture. "Seats...as many as needed."

[Mech]

Connor chuckles. "You're right Shae might not be the best idea to go to my place."

"I can carry all of you if I use one of my other forms no problem..." He listens as Genesis remarks on how she can simply crea a Helicopter. "Well unless you're going to actually have all this equippment stashed away isn't it going to take a substantial part of your power to create it all? Why not let me handle Transport?"

[z-Infinity]

"I'm not riding in you," Infinity said, her voice angry and flat. She'd finally found her voice and anger burned away her shyness. "Look, we can get a fuckin' cab." She shook her head. "Helicopters and powers - nonsense. We take a cab to a cheap by-the-hour hotel and we just do it there."

She turned to Mech. "And you have the manners of a gutter whore. 'Can everyone here fly?' You fucking know I can't, so either you were making fun of me, or I'm not someone enough to matter to you. Either way, I don't appreciate it.

"Genesis, would you be able to go to a hotel? I know that you all want to make elaborate plans, but really - we just need to play it cool, really." Infinity was watching her low LA profile being blown out of the water, right in front of her face.

[z017]

Shae looked Infinity over. "Take a deep breath, girl, it's okay." To Genesis, "Would a hotel room be large enough, or would we need to get like a suite or something? I can probably afford a larger room somewhere that has suites, if it's just one day."

She gave Infinity a sympathetic look. Shae might be used to being a lab rat herself, but that didn't mean it was fun. Even when it was voluntary. To the rest, "We should get a cab and head somewhere though. Not everyone likes their picture being taken or ending up in some tabloid's nightly news just for being in a public and being a nova. I've got a rental car, if people are up for driving."

She started heading towards the parking lot, looking back to see if anyone was following.

[Mech]

"No Inifinity I didn't. Not everyone is as open with what they can do as others, It wasn't my intent to offend by asking. You said as much the other night, but I did not know about everyone else here. Besides who said you'd be riding in me? I can quite easily carry everyone here. Though if you want to take a cab that's fine."

He starts following Shae. "It's all good to me." He smiles as he walks off after the young blonde nova.

Inwardly he was already cringing. Emo bitch, just what I DIDN'T feel like dealing with. She's a fucking nova and she says she doesn't have any powers and she's bitching... Why doesn't she do something about it? It's not like we're actually limited to only the powers we errupt with. Jesus Christ, I gave up shooting some kick-ass scenes today to be here. Now I start to see why Bastion doesn't like this bitch.

It didn't take any visible effort but inwardly he was preparing to bolt, and already wondering why he'd put off shooting to hang with a bunch of goddamn kids. Because I'm tired of only being around humans, and this is as much as I can manage at the moment.

[SalmonMax]

"Okay okay, whoa...everyone, settle..." Gen says, holding out her hands.

"Infinity, that's fine with me. A motel room'll work great. And I don't mind a cab in the least, or Shae's rental. Or whatever."

She nods. "And for what it's worth, sorry about the big sign and...well, all that. From now on, low profile."

[z-Infinity]

Mech's tongue lashing got little response from Infinity, who just rolled her eyes and turned away before he was done talking. An apology involves the words 'sorry' or 'apology' asshole. At least I know you're some Bollywood jerk with an inflated sense of self and I can start ignoring you.

When Genesis offered her sincere apology, some of the anger left Infinity's expression. "It's ok," she lied, shrugging. "Didn't mean to make such a big deal. I just don't like letting people know where I am, 'cause some people think that a nova without powers is a target. Add in that I'm a second-gen, and you've got a lovely target for a shitload of haters.

"Shae's rental is fine," Infinity muttered, falling into step with Genesis as they followed the blonde woman and the movie star. "I hope there's enough room for everyone and Captain Cosplay." She shook out a cigarette and paused. "Do you mind?"

[Mech]

Connor frowns as Infinity obviously seems to still be angry with him and turns away. Things weren't supposed to go like this for him anymore. He tried one more time. "Look Infinity, I'm sorry. I asked in that manner so it didn't seem like I was singling anyone out because I knew what they could or couldn't do already. I really wasn't my intent to piss you off like I have."

"I can always follow from the air if there isn't enough room, and no, not as myself, but something less conspicuous. I'm not that big of an idiot."

[SalmonMax]

Alex decides not to get into the Mech/Infinity thing. It really wasn't relevant to her reasons for being here, other than simple social contact...which felt a little awkward to her after being cooped up so long. The mis-step with the sign was just one mistake she'd made. Best to adopt a hands-off approach unless intervention was really needed.

She does reply to Infinity's question about lighting up as she gets into Shae's car.

"I don't mind."

Once inside she comments, "We should probably get two rooms, or a suite to avoid interference on the results. It's on me though, since this is my idea."

[z017]

Shae shrugged amicably as she slid into the driver seat. The car was a large four-door sedan, nice interior and said that whatever the blond did, it paid well. "Well, how about Mr. Fontenot up front with me and the three of you in the back? It'll be a little cramped, but better than any other arrangement. I saw a DoubleTree on the way in, would that work?"

She was either completely oblivious to the biting comments back and forth between Infinity and Mech, or simply really good at ignoring it.

[SalmonMax]

"Works for me. How 'bout you, Infinity?"

[z-Infinity]

Originally Posted By: Mech

"Look Infinity, I'm sorry. I asked in that manner so it didn't seem like I was singling anyone out because I knew what they could or couldn't do already. I really wasn't my intent to piss you off like I have."

Just as she did with Genesis, Infinity seems genuinely mollified by his statement. "Ok, thanks," she said, relaxing a little and brushing some of her dark hair out of her eyes. It slipped right back into place as she added, "Sorry about snapping - I just get a lot of shit about being the 'quantum-powered zip.'" There was a lot of pain and bitterness in her voice, years of hurt - though whether real or not was the question.

She nodded at Shae's suggestion. "Shae's car should be big enough, since Jags, Genesis and I are small."

[Mech]

Connor nods "Sounds like a good plan." Connor climbs into the passenger seat and puts on the seatbelt without thinking.

[Jager]

Gray follows along with the other novas following the verbal and emotional interplay. It was strange to see things become so personal, so fast, but then his own interpersonal experience was limited. Was it always going to be like this?

Originally Posted By: Infinity

"Shae's car should be big enough, since Jags, Genesis and I are small."

"Sitting in back with the ladies," Jager jokes. "This day is certianly turning out well."

As he gets into the car, he pulls his backpack around to his lap. Jager wiggles into the middle section, giving the 'grown ups' more leg room then pulls out a lap top and begins typing.

"Do you guys want to rent a room or two? I'll search the location and have the rooms ready when we get there ... if that's okay?"

To Shae,

"Double Tree, you said?"

[z-Infinity]

Infinity settled into the seat and lit up, sighing with relief as her nerves started to settle. Thank god, she moaned to herself, rolling down the window so that the smoke could escape the car.

She was a little - okay, a lot nervous being in a car with all of these novas. She was sure that they could all kill her eight times over each, so that was a total of thirty-two times over, which was a lot of killing. More personally, it was a lot of killing her, which she really couldn't support.

She listened to Jager talk, a frown growing on her face. "Uh, hey, kid? How... you're what, ten? How can you rent a hotel room? Even I'm barely old enough to do that."

[Jager]

Jager smiles up at Infinity.

She thinks I'm ten! Damn, I must be doing something right.

"I go on-line and rent with a corporate account," he says matter-of-factly. I've done stuff like this before. Its as easy as ordering anything on-line."

"Anyone want me to order some room service so we can get down to business once we arrive?"

[SalmonMax]

"I ate before I came out here," Genesis demurs, chuckling at the cute kid. "It'll take me a minute or two to get the equipment set up though, so no complaints here."

[z017]

Shae shrugs and guides the car out to the street, then down the highway to towards the DoubleTree. "I'm good. Well, a snack might be nice. Whose corporate account are you putting this on, by the way?"

She let her voice sound like she was worried that maybe the pipsqueek in the back seat was hacking or something.

[Jager]

That irrepressable smile flashes up from behind his screen and beems into the rear view mirror at Shae.

"Nope. Its all perfectly legal."

He looks back down at his screen adding,

"It would be kind of ass-holish of me to commit a criminal act in the midst of a group of stranger-novas I've just met and agreed to go to a strange hotel with, wouldn't it?"

[SalmonMax]

"Yeah, but the world's full of assholes," Genesis remarks.

"Glad to hear you're not one of 'em."

[z017]

Shae doesn't quite manage to suppress a giggle that might show she's not as mature as she's been acting. "Fair enough."

It takes about twenty minutes to get to the DoubleTree, and another ten to find a parking spot that isn't half a mile away. Safely tucked away in a forgotten back corner of the lot, Shae kills the engine and climbs out. "Here we are. What's the room number, Jager?"

[Jager]

"Rooms 126 and 128, incase we need the extra space. We've got four fruit platters in 126 and the frigs are on account."

Jager shuts the laptop and looks up at everyone. The boy seem perptually happy, but not smug. He's just happy to be meeting everyone.

[Mech]

MEch was impressed, the youth had really stolen a march on him to have everything paid for already. He'd think of a suitable way to repay him as the day went by.

[z-Infinity]

Infinity, her calming cigarette long gone, stepped out of the car and followed the group to the front desk. The keys to the room were attained, and everyone moved to room 126.

It was a nice double bed room and Infinity nodded as she looked around. Certainly nicer than the shithole she rented. "Ok, then," she said to Genesis. "Where do you want me?"

[SalmonMax]

"Next door," Genesis said absently as she walked around the room, looking around at the walls, the aisle between the beds, the smaller area in the back where the mini-fridge and coatrack was, as well as the door to the bathroom.

"I need to get the equipment set up and get some baseline readings before I'm ready for you. Should only be a couple of minutes. Everyone needs to go to the other room though."

As she spoke, she patted the mattresses, jiggled the curtains, pushed the TV around a little on the dresser top and turned the end table lamp on, then back off.

"Oh hey, are you claustrophobic? Or have any piercings, body modifications or implants that are electronic or magnetic in nature?"

Even when she asked the question, she didn't look at Infinity, or anyone else, instead continuing her thorough investigation of the room.

[Mech]

Connor nods and goes next door and takes a seat in one of the chairs. "So now I guess we wait."

[Jager]

Jager follows along with the action, seemingly just happy to be here. He follows Connor into the next room and sits down on the bed.

"We wait ... yeah ... Why exactly are we waiting?"

"No. Hold on. I know they are doing some tests next door, but what I'm asking is why are these tests being performed ... at a hotel?"

[z017]

Shae shrugs and leans back on one of the beds until she's staring up at the ceiling. "Mostly to keep Genesis from materializing a room in the park, I think. I mean, if she's just running some scan on Infinity, it's not like a hotel is a dangerous place to be doing it or anything."

She props her head up and looks at the other novas in the room. "So, what are we going to do while we wait? I hate being bored."