Archive Mutants & Masterminds: Future Imperfect - Chapter 1: The end of the world as we know it

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

While everyone else continues to prevaracate Tom starts to examine the room that they had been held in, taking care to keep out of the way of the moving hoses. He will start with the tanks they where held in - trying to work out what there purpose is, and if possible how they work.

Tom examined the alcoves staying outside the range of the 'dancing' hoses and cables. The whole machinery had a very alien quality as if it was not man made. It was effectively designed for life support but no comfort beyond that.

There were several parts that made no sense to Tom which led to the huge console in the middle of the room. Unfortunately the interface was lacking any display. It had only an array of different colored buttons of which most blinked in colors from red to green to yellow and white.

Above the console was an array of red killswitch buttons which all were in the up position. The text on the console was in German and didn't make much sense to Tom.

Click to reveal..

The cables and hoses most likely did more than provide life support. Some of the cables especially after checking where they've been connected to most likely monitored and maybe even controlled parts of the mutants bodily functions. You've never seen any kind of interface like that.

[z-May Allman]

"Before that, would you guys like to hear a bit more?" Ronnie asked casually. "I have seen this before, in a laboratory in Berlin, where experiments were being done on their soldiers. They were trying to enhance these mutants genetically, which you know from your history books was a favorite pastime of the Nazis. The 'people' behind all of this, as near as I was able to determine, are aliens who were Neo-Nazis or affiliated with them somehow.

"Before we pull the plugs, I have a question for the General - do you think you can hook people back into the tanks if it turns out to be fatal to us to undo them? If we pull the plugs, our priority should be seeing if Grav can get us out, then heading for the bridge and seeing what was can find there. That's likely a fight and with non-combatants around... not the best option, no matter what class of mutant we are.

"Thoughts? Comments? Try to keep them quick and helpful - we're burning time here."

[SalmonMax]

Neo-Nazi aliens experimenting on mutants? What is this, a Saturday morning cartoon?

But no, that wasn't terribly helpful. If this was all some fucked up dream, she'd wake up and have a good laugh about it. Right now it was the only reality Juno had.

"You know," Juno says after a second, "disconnecting us from this shit in here didn't ring any alarms or bring any guards. I'm just thinking, maybe it's safe to split into two teams. One can check out the other mutants, and the other can scout around. Maybe there's more clues or weapons or something else we can use somewhere around here."

Not to mention it'd cut down on the bitch factor to move half of them somewhere else.

[Grav]

Annalise nods once. "Annalise Gravinsky, I manipulate gravity in numerous ways, one of which you all saw seem to work and then collapse horribly while we were in the engine room." As they got further from the engines she did slowly start to feel better, though nausea continued to keep her quiet, focusing mainly on keeping up with the others, and little else.

She knew that right now they were a long ways from where she felt safe trying the warpgate again, but knew she only had one to two more shots at best with it.

[Rorx]

"Well I've had a look at the tanks they had us in, but my field is more sound and electronics rather than medicine and stuff. It looks like it was some kind of life suport, but with some other functions as well. Not knowing German I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at working out how the controls work. I guess they must be familiar with the colour coding of the lights that seems to be the only indication of the status of the controls. Given that we haven't seen a single VDU anywhere yet I wouldn't hold out much hope for getting much information anywhere on the ship unless it's from a manual or journal or something. In which case you'll need to know German again."

Rolling his neck to relieve some of the tension that had built up he concludes, "So where to next?"

[Stargaizer]

Kevin looked at Ronnie; his worst fears were becoming realized. His voice had more than a hint of 'please don't let me be right' in it. "Ronnie, how long ago did you see this in Berlin? Because I'm fairly certian that I've seen this before, but back then he didn't have access to quite so much technology; or so many mutants. Actually, back then, he was trying to make mutants, because there were so few of us.

Does the name, Dr. Z, ring any bells, perchance?" He hoped both that it would and that it wouldn't. If it did, at least he'd know who they were dealing with; if not, then they had a completely new sicko on their hands.

That question asked, he turned to Annalise. His questions were quick, but not disorientatingly so. He wanted everybody to get out of here as much as anyone, but he wanted to make sure that that was going to happen first. "Annalise, you said that you manipulate gravity. First question, which someone else asked me and I didn't know: can you tell where or how they're producing gravity on this ship. Second, more important question, you mentioned before that that thing up in the engine room was what was keeping you from making our escape portal. Can you tell if that is the only thing keeping you from doing so, I mean, we are over the far side of the moon right now. And lastly, if you can make our escape route home, would you be able to bring us back here when we're all ready and in tip-top shape?" Those were probably the most important questions he'd ask.

Then came the unenvyable question of hooking people back up to these monsterous contraptions. Quite frankly, he didn't know if he could, and he would feel right doing so even if he was capable. Of course, his sense of idealism would take a back seat if hooking people back up to these was the only way of saving everybody... life before comfort. His next statement was back to Ronnie. "To be honest, I don't know if I could. I'd have to study the connections, both the cables and on somebody, before I could answer that. And, chances are, it'd be a jury-rig. But that would be something to figure out. Any volunteers?"

[Rorx]

"Well, I won't volunteer, but that's because I might be able to help you work it out. Perhaps we might stand a better chance combining our skills, especially if you can read German General?"

[Stargaizer]

Kevin looked to Tom. His tone was almost apologetic as he corrected himself. "No, by volunteer I meant to examine he human side of the connection. I'll need to examine the cables as well as the holes they left in us; and I can't see my own well enough. If you think that you could help, I'd be completely open to it. Two heads are better than one they always say. And, as for the German, I used to be able to, but I haven't used it in so long that I fear it's not of any help here. I apologize."

[Travis Kincaid]

"I'm inclined against splitting up. Not until we can be certain that the people left behind will be safe from attacks, because if we are going to the bridge we are going to get into combat and," Travis looks at Adrian's sister and at Sly and Anna, "Some of you are in no shape of have no ability for combat." Travis looks at the general, "If I had it my way none of you civilians would get anywhere near the enemy, but if push comes to shove I hope you'll all be willing to shove back as much as you are able. Ronnie, the General, and I will make sure that is our last resort." Travis walks over to the control panel Tom is looking at. "I can read German, what do you need help with?" He casts a brief look over his shoulder at Ronnie, his expression full of worry.

[Grav]

Annalise nods. "Yes, as Far as I can tell The engines are the source, but as to how they're generating this much gravitic force is beyond me. It's truly like a black hole level of gravity. Even now it's still taking alot of effort not to be overwhelmed by the field. I'm making minor adjustments, but it is as if I were trying to swim up Niagra Falls."

"Away From here and at full power I could get us back here I think, proivded there was no gravitic disturmbance."

[Katalyst]

"Hey I'm fine with standing in the background, just as easily as I can be in the front. I just want to get out of here. So how are we going to do this?"

[Rorx]

Tom turns to the General, "I understand your position General, but I was offering my engineering skill to help workout how it works, not my body."

When Travis offers to translate Tom shrugs, "Thanks, but I guess we might be better off heading out in whichever raid we are going to do. I doubt we really have enough time to experiment enough to work out much of it."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis shrugs, "Suit yourself, I figure we got time because this whole committee seems to take a while to come to a consensus." Travis ambles back to the group, "There's nothing doing in here, why don't we head down to the other lab and see what's what. We need to do so regardless so ..." Travis makes a shooing motion toward the elevator.

[Rorx]

Tom follows Travis and is one of the first to head to the lift wiping the fresh gunk from his recent examination of the equipment off his hands as best he could.

[z-May Allman]

Originally Posted By: Stargaizer

Kevin looked at Ronnie; his worst fears were becoming realized. His voice had more than a hint of 'please don't let me be right' in it. "Ronnie, how long ago did you see this in Berlin? Because I'm fairly certian that I've seen this before, but back then he didn't have access to quite so much technology; or so many mutants. Actually, back then, he was trying to make mutants, because there were so few of us.

Does the name, Dr. Z, ring any bells, perchance?" He hoped both that it would and that it wouldn't. If it did, at least he'd know who they were dealing with; if not, then they had a completely new sicko on their hands.

"No," she said softly, "I haven't heard of a Dr. Z. Who is he?" Let's see if the General was as forthcoming as she had been.

She took advantage of a lull in conversation to say to everyone, "I'm grand with German - that's why I've known what the signs say. Translations should probably come to me."

She was right behind Travis, hovering... protectively?

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis starts to walk toward the elevator slowly, as he sees Ronnie and Tom already underway. "I really dislike repeats. Maybe we should save story time for when we've woken up the two people in the lab below?" Travis wanted to hear every little bit of information but he wanted to get out of this place too. He fought with himself but ultimately the prospect of not dying was more attractive to him than 'story time'.

[Adrian Moss]

"For Christ sake, if it helps, I'll get back in the tank," Adrian says exasperatedly. He doesn't move toward one mind. He stays close to the front, even though he has his sister clutched in one arm.

"Travis, if the engines are stopping Anne from getting us out of here, can't we find the cut off switch in German somewhere there? The ship may crash into the Moon. It my fly off into space forever, or they might fix the engines an save their sorry asses. Let's find out what we need to know and leave."

Having used Travis' name, Adrian realized his omission.

"Oh, I'm Adrian and my sister is Rebecca."

[Travis Kincaid]

"I'm all for getting out of here. Have been from the get go kid. It's Doctor General there who's been trying to delay our departure." Travis is walking backward as he speaks and tries to encourage the rest of the group to move to the elevator with him. "Sitting around and talking about this only provides more time for those two dead men to go missing. Time is of the essence, we can share talk about all of this back on earth but the conversation will see pretty wasteful if we are caught and killed in the middle of it in the very room we started out in!"

[Stargaizer]

Kevin listened to everybody, especially Annalise. The comment about the black hole level of gravity struck him rather hard though. As did Ronnie's statement that she hadn't heard of a Dr. Z. Honestly though, it shouldn't have been suprising, seeing as how that was just a code-name assigned to him by the Brittish military during WWII. Unfortunately, during all his tracking and confronting, they'd never learned his actual name.

Of course, Kevin wanted to reveal more, to tell everybody everything that he knew, but most of it was still classified; and he'd probably said too much already. He'd have to talk to his contacts back at base if they ever got back. There was still a little bit more tha he could tell them, but it would mean revealing even more about himself than he already had; things that almost no one who was still alive knew. Oh well, they were all in this together, and if the heat got too hot... he could just chill out on the bottom of the atlantic for a couple of decades... nobody'd ever find him there, and they'd eventually stop looking.

The situation wasn't very good, and there weren't any real solid options, but something had to be done, and the hope of porting out and back in later was better than taking whatever may or may not be on the bridge and trying to figure out how to fly this thing back to Earth. Of course, that is supposing that the energy wasn't what was containing the black hole, and that by releasing the mutants they'd release the black hole as well. If that happened, then the entire solar system would be kaput, including them and all their problems... surely not, surely Dr. Z wouldn't build something that could... oh crap...

Ronnie and Travis were right this time though, it was time for action. The only additional piece of info that it would be possible for them to get sticking around here, would be if it was possible to plug them back up. That being the case, even without a solid plan, even with the possibility of wiping out all known life, it was time to move...

As he followed everyone else towards the elevator, Kevin hoped that there would be a future to judge their actions as history, however harsh it might be. His first response, in a very open tone, was to Ronnie. "'Dr. Z' was the code name of the guy I just described. We never learned his true name, so that's what we called him... which is probably why you never heard of it. I still think that we're both talking about the same guy. That being said, I have one correction, he's not a Neo-Nazi, he's actually the last remaining original one."

He then turned to Travis, a slight hint of 'I can't believe you said that' mixed with 'I thought we already covered this' in his voice. Either way it wasn't entirely plesant, but hopefully only enough to show his annoyance and not enough to break the uneasy 'truce' that they all had. "Travis, I have never once tried to delay our departure. From my perspective there were things that needed to be found out and discussed in order to make sure that we didn't get stranded out here and everybody die because of a rash decision that could've been avoided. Now that we've figured out about as much as we probably can, I suggest that the best course of action is to disable the power, and hope that whatever is making the gravity isn't an actual black hole being contained by the power supplied by those two mutants. Because if it is, it would destroy our entire solar system if we were to cut the power and release it. That being said, I still think that option has more chance of getting everybody home alive than hoping that we can take the bridge and then figure out a way to fly this thing home. So let's get going and keep in mind that we all want to get home as quickly and safely as possible."

With his piece said, he looked around to see if anybody needed help getting to the elevator and help them if he found them. If no one needed his help, he went on to the elevator, staying close to the door on the inside.

[Grav]

Annalise nodded. "Let's shut them down then and I will do all I can to get us home then." She got onto the Elevator, taking Kevins offered aid and smiled. "thanks for helping. I hate being a burden, but it's just so hard to do much else right now."

[Joani]

The odd mixed group of Mutants went back to the elevator led by Ronnie and Travis. The trip down to Lab 2 was uneventful yet the creepy sense of being watched was covering their skins like a fine shower of tropical rain. It made their clothes sticky and their skin itch.

The doors opened...

---

It could feel the presence of the intruders. They were not supposed to move freely. It's assignment was clear and unambiguous and for a moment it hesitated before it made it's next move.

2 Units were dispatched and sent to intercept. Their mission was neutralize and capture. With a wave of its hand the machines suddenly stopped. It would tend to this matter personally. It woulld not tolerate mistakes by inferior underlings.

---

... revealing a long corridor just like they left behind in Lab1. The crew moved carefully towards the intersection checking carefully for any guards or surveillance equipment. Lab2 had the same creepiness in design and "feel" to it. No one could shake off the feeling of being watched.

They quickly moved forward to the Laboratory labeled <Laboratorium 2>. Lab 2 was different in design - most stricking detail the two elevated alcoves or tubes that were facing eachother in the room. The two mutants Sly had sensed were in a state of suspended animation and it felt weird watching them. A large array of cables and hoses connected the tubes with a large console in the middle of the room. The same interface unit was controlling the room as it seemed.

Inside the tubes were a young man and a young woman. Both blonde and very nordic in general appearance. They were wearing a kind of jumpsuit with openings for the hoses and cables. Everyone could sense the immense energy that was produced in this room and all the machinery hummed with a strange song like quality.

A heavy clank like sound brought the mutants out of their awe of the scenery. The elevator doors had shut.

[Mr Fox]

Sly looked at the two lying in their tanks. Pity and empathy were not emotions with which he was terribly familiar, but having just emerged from a tank just like these he did feel for these two.

Using a little of his ability he quickly scanned their minds to determine if they were conscious at all or if he could get any idea of who they were and how they had come to be here.

Click to reveal..

Dropped the mega to avoid the virus.

(01:07:22) ChatBot: (Sly_Fox) rolls 9d10 and gets 7,5,10,7,10,7,8,2,9.

7 successes, freakin nice roll.

[SalmonMax]

"Alright so we just unplug them and let her do her thing, right?" Juno asked, looking around as she plucked at her shirt irritably. She hadn't seen any cameras, but the feeling of being watched was starting to grate on her.

[Travis Kincaid]

Originally Posted By: Stargaizer

"Travis, I have never once tried to delay our departure. From my perspective there were blah blahh blah ..."

Travis just rolled his eyes silently, If you'd just let Ronnie and I run with it we'd already be home by now dammit. You delayed us as sure as rain is wet. He shook his head and punched the button on the elevator panel once everybody was in. Ronnie told him the code and they began to sink down into the ship, Or whatever this is ..., again.

The second lab reminded him of something out of a bad science fiction movie, the place thrummed with energy and with the pair floating in those tubes Travis grasped for points of tangency but found his memory a stubborn blank. He turned to Ronnie, "You popped the cork last time, care to get this nightmare over so we can go home?"

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looked past Travis at the bodies. It sort of just blurted out of him,

"I wonder of one of things can wipe your mind ... or something like it."

Looking at Travis,

"I mean, if it drains our energy, couldn't it drain or damage our minds as well? Sly detects mental energy. This thing drains energy. Just thinking."

Feeling kind of stupid for his ramblings, Adrian looked guilty of something.

"I'll stand here and be quiet now."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis gives Adrian a brief level look that says, Don't go there kid. "Well I certainly don't remember much after the giant killer robot shot me but I'm not sure if that was the tank or the fact that I got damn near killed. Myself, I suspect the latter but who knows, do the rest of you feel like you are missing any time or memories?"

[Adrian Moss]

"Umm ... I can't remember how I was taken out. I was at the clinic, the walls came crumbling down and ... nothing."

Adrian looked to Juno to see if she could remember more. He also squeezed his sister slightly, seeing if he could bring out a response (of any kind) from her.

[Katalyst]

Joshua waits with the others his special 'friends' close by his side. He doesn't offer any help, but if one of the others asked he would. The situation they were all in was dire, and Joshua was at a real loss as how or what he could do for help.

"Me and my boys will keep watch for you guys. Just hurry up and do what you gotta do okay. It's getting creepier the longer we stay here."

[SalmonMax]

Juno shrugs. "Don't look at me. I remember the clinic being attacked. These big skeleton looking robots were shooting people...glass breaking, people screaming...then there was something like a big white flash."

She 'popped' her fingers out splayed for a second, mimicing a burst.

"Then I was here, all slimey."

[z-May Allman]

Ronnie stepped carefully into the room, her hair standing on end. Do. Not. Like. The last time she'd felt like this, Travis had died. Or whatever. "General, would you take a quick look before we break them out? See if you can figure this machine out."

She took a hard look around at the machines, trying to see if there was a helpful clue here. Hell, at this point, she'd take a non-helpful clue.

[Rorx]

Tom just stood back and kept a careful eye out for any source to the feeling of observation, and on the now closed lift. The equipment down here was obviously quite different to that he had examined upstairs and considering how little he had gained from examining that there seemed little point to his wasting time looking at these tanks.

Click to reveal..

Awareness roll for keeping an eye out?

(15:10:19) ChatBot: (Tom_Davies) rolls 7d10 and gets 10,9,3,5,8,10,[9]. []=mega

(15:12:34) ChatBot: (Tom_Davies) rolls 2d10 and gets 6,8.

7 sux

[Stargaizer]

Kevin ignored Travis' rolled eyes; he was being honest. Ronnie and Travis' original plan had been the correct one by sheer dumb luck. They hadn't known or considered the fact that they were in outerspace and needed power for life support, they hadn't known or considered the fact that someone could port out and that it was the generator that was keeping them from doing so. As far as he still knew, they hadn't considered anything regarding this specific mission, and just wanted to act.

But, enough had been said about it already, so Kevin simply ignored it and let Travis have the last 'word'. He was a big enough man to let it go.

When they got down to the second lab, and saw the other two mutants, Kevin was taken aback. They were Ayrians and they had clothing that was actually tailored for the tank. This gave Kevin the nagging suspicion that these two wanted to be here. Then, there was the fact that the elevator doors closed, of their on accord. It was looking to be a close escape, but hopefully it would still be an escape.

Quickly, more quickly than they'd seen him move yet, Kevin jumped into action. To Ronnie he replied, looking to the closed elevator doors, "I think we're going to have company. Just get them out of the tank, don't trust them, get that portal open and get everybody through. Toss those two through if you have to, but let's get out of here. I'll check them out on the other side. Right now, I'll be holding the elevator, and keep anybody from crashing our exit."

And with that, he ran towards the elevator doors, and prepared himself to give his forcefield everything he had.

[Rorx]

Seeing the Doc heading to guard the lift, Tom goes to join him, taking cover behind any available cover close to the lift.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looks around and finds a machine to hide Becca from the elevator. He was getting to go up toward the elevator himself when he saw Doc walking the wrong way. Wasn't he supposed to get the two people out of the tanks.

Oh screw this! Wasn't it decided that Travis was in charg?

He looked around and his eyes fell on Juno first,

"Head to the door. I'll be right there to help you in a sec."

Blue eyes fell on Ronnie next. His body turned toward the tanks.

"Help me get them out of there? Please, no one else is."

The kid sounded really agitated. He finished speaking and went to the first tank, looking for the latch to open the lid.

Is it so damn difficult? Mission - get the two mutants out of the tanks. Here we are, let's rescue them.

Click to reveal..

Awareness roll to find a way to open the tanks: (12:34:47) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 8d10 and gets 2,4,9,6,9,9,1,5 = 3 successes.

[Joani]

Tom

You cannot determine a direction from where you feel watched. It is as if the ship itself is watching you. You look at a wall and it seems to be staring at you.

Adrian

You keep looking around the tubes for any obvious mechanical hatches but you simply can't find any. Whatever Ronnie did to free you it must've either been a very nice trick of hers or she had other means to open the tanks.

[z-May Allman]

Ronnie's fists clenched as the general walked away. He was the only one who could verify whether or not he could reattach mutants to the tanks if Grav couldn't get them home. She was sick to fucking death of these people, as of right now.

"Sure, kid," Ronnie said, aware that she'd almost let her anger get the best of her. "Thanks for keeping a clear head," she added as she helped him with the tank. Having done it several times already, she was able to get them off.

Nervously, she began to fish out the mutant within.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian helped her, working in tandem with Ronnie's efforts to lift out the mutant and as humanely as possible remove the metalic parasites that were draining their essence. He wished he was stronger so that he could pull them out of the walls, but he wasn't.

"Come to," he whispered to the body. "Please don't die on us."

[z025]

Sly slipped into the mind of the blond man....

Click to reveal..

It was starting again and all he wanted was for it to already be over. He didn't know if they'd kill him or his sister this time; he prayed it would be him again. The creatures were coming for him and he was strapped down to the cold metallic table. She was near, he could feel her, but they kept them from touching. They never let them touch.

.....the little blond boy watched anxiously as his twin aimed, the smooth round rock poised between her fingers. She flicked it, and it rolled firmly, smacking into the side of his favorite blue one that had come from the riverbed. It vibrated as it rolled, but slowly slowed to a stop as it neared the chalk line. Then, unexpectedly, it vibrated a little, and began to pick up speed, rolling out of the boundaries. He scowled.

"MOM! Jeraldine's using her powers to win again!"

"What's wrong with using our powers?! You can use yours too - I don't mind, I promise!"

"That's not the POINT - it's harder without the powers. C'mon.. try it again."

He picked the stone up and meticulously moved it back to where it was for a re-do. His sister pouted, but picked up the shooter again.....

The pain came in sharp little bursts along his chest, dashed lines of crimson criss-crossing his skin. Someone screamed. It didn't matter if it was him or her. Green hands and arms swam in and out of his vision, the red eyes floating in their triads somewhere hazy and above him. The incisions they were making began to burn and his mind ticked off the sequence of Hell. Next would come wires and the strange machines, brining with them the stinging pain of electricity. After that, they would would turn them both over and take samples of their skin, one agonizing layer at a time, from their backs and legs. They let them both scream. They didn't care, except to note it down for duration and strength. Then they would pull them off the tables and compare them to the charts they were taking. One of them would be branded with a symbol, a triangle set in a square, and the other would be chosen for the air lock. They would be tethered to the wall and sealed in. They would open the hatch and watch them die. Then they would take more notes.

....."Savannah? That's a little...geographic, isn't it?" He grinned down at her, always grateful for the few extra inches he had on her. She rolled her eyes at him and he could feel her playful exasperation.

"Oh, and Simon is sooo much better." She smacked his arm, and for a moment this was all a game. She shrugged, her smile slipping again, "Besides, it's easy to remember and it goes well with Tanner." She made a face, "We sound so generic now. I don't think Grandpa would have approved."

"Grandpa wouldn't have approved of most things these days, I think. C'mon. Mother said we'd have to be at the apartment at six sharp to get the ID's made." He linked arms with her, trying to keep his spirits up.

She pressed in close to him, her eyes on the path in front of them. "We're never going home, are we?"

He stopped and kissed her gently on the forehead, both of them far too serious and world weary for their scant 14 years. "No, we aren't," he whispered softly to her.....

He had come to envy her when she was chosen. He hated himself for that.

.....Savannah smoothed her fingers across the piece of black granite. She had found it broken off the corner of an old kitchen counter in the run down old building they were hiding in. She had been working on it for days now, the few moments she could sneak to herself. Under her fingertips, the rock had smoothed away, turning soft and malleable. She had formed it into a perfectly round disk, about a fourth of an inch thick, and then formed a perfect hole in the middle with her pinky. As a finishing touch, she had found a long piece of string and tied it off, looping it through the hole, and then back through itself and tightening around the disk, so that it formed a necklace. She could hear Sie - Samuel. She could hear Samuel approaching from the other room, and she slipped the disc into her pocket.

"Happy Birthday, Savi."

He leaned against the doorway, and grinned at her. He had one hand held behind his back, but then he pulled it out, and there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand, translucent as a piece of glass and wrapped with a piece of cloth so that they wouldn't freeze her fingers when she touched it. She laughed then, and jumped up to hug him, taking the perfect bouquet. The flowers had so much detail.....

Even as his mind went over this nightmare sequence, it was happening. Every sense was singed and seared with pain by the instruments of the green-armed creatures until all that was left was a numb exhaustion. He would say he was used to it, but each time it was only worse. It had happened many times by now and he wished he could simply remain dead. Dead was cold and frightening and lonely, but at least was only that.

.....He was sweating even in the December chill. They'd had to make a hasty retreat from St. Louis, heading out into the Great Planes on the wind currents he'd pulled from the storm brewing over the city. She'd spent her own efforts keeping their pursuers mired in the ground, but the toll was high for both of them. He forced himself up off of the motel bed and towards the bathroom.

He creaked and stumbled his way to the dingy hand towels that were drying out on the side of the tub. He wiped himself down, then took the ice bucket, now full of cold water, and another hand towel back into the main room. He knelt next to his sister, dipping the hand towel into the water, then running it over her forehead.

She let out a moan at the extreme change in temperature. He murmured something soothing in German. Their parents had always spoken to them in the mother-tongue when they were ill, a holdover from their immigrant grandparents. "We'll get through this," he whispered. "We always do."

Silently he prayed for the scientist that were searching for the cure. He would have prayed to God, but those prayers had never been answered for him before.....

He couldn't die, though. He couldn't leave her to them. That was all that kept his mind tethered to his body. He hadn't been able to touch her for eternity, he hadn't been able to keep her safe or rescue her from Hell, but he also couldn't abandon her. He wouldn't die until he knew he could bring her with him. Anything else would simply be too cruel.

[Savannah Tanner]

...and from there, into hers...

Click to reveal..

It was starting again and all she wanted was for it to already be over. She didn't know if they'd kill her or her brother this time; she prayed it would be her again. The creatures were coming for her and she was strapped down to the cold metallic table. He was near, she could feel him, but they kept them from touching. Why wouldn't they let them touch?

The little blond boy watched anxiously as his twin aimed, the smooth round rock poised between her fingers. She flicked it, and it rolled firmly, smacking into the side of his favorite blue one that had come from the riverbed. It vibrated as it rolled, but slowly slowed to a stop as it neared the chalk line. Then, unexpectedly, it vibrated a little, and began to pick up speed, rolling out of the boundaries. He scowled.

"MOM! Jeraldine's using her powers to win again!"

"What's wrong with using our powers?! You can use yours too - I don't mind, I promise!"

"That's not the POINT - it's harder without the powers. C'mon.. try it again."

He picked the stone up and meticulously moved it back to where it was for a re-do. His sister pouted, but picked up the shooter again..

The pain came in sharp little bursts along her chest, dashed lines of crimson crisscrossing her skin. Someone screamed. It didn't matter if it was her or him. Green hands and arms swam in and out of her vision, the red eyes floating in their triads somewhere hazy and above her. The incisions they were making began to burn and her mind began picturing the ways they should burn in Hell. Next would come wires and the strange machines, bringing with them the stinging pain of electricity. After that, they would would turn them both over and take samples of their skin, one layer at a time, from their backs and legs. Then they would pull them off the tables and compare them to the charts they were taking. One of them would be branded with a symbol, a triangle set in a square, and the other would be chosen for the air lock. They would be tethered to the wall and sealed in. They would open the hatch and watch them die. Then they would take more notes.

....."Savannah? That's a little...geographic, isn't it?" He grinned down at her, always grateful for the few extra inches he had on her. She rolled her eyes at him and he could feel her playful exasperation.

"Oh, and Simon is sooo much better." She smacked his arm, and for a moment this was all a game. She shrugged, her smile slipping again, "Besides, it's easy to remember and it goes well with Tanner." She made a face, "We sound so generic now. I don't think Grandpa would have approved."

"Grandpa wouldn't have approved of most things these days, I think. C'mon. Mother said we'd have to be at the apartment at six sharp to get the ID's made." He linked arms with her, trying to keep his spirits up.

She pressed in close to him, her eyes on the path in front of them. "We're never going home, are we?"

He stopped and kissed her gently on the forehead, both of them far too serious and world weary for their scant 14 years. "No, we aren't," he whispered softly to her.....

She had come to envy him when he was chosen.

Savannah smoothed her fingers across the piece of black granite. She had found it broken off the corner of an old kitchen counter in the run down old building they were hiding in. She had been working on it for days now, the few moments she could sneak to herself. Under her fingertips, the rock had smoothed away, turning soft and malleable. She had formed it into a perfectly round disk, about a fourth of an inch thick, and then formed a perfect hole in the middle with her pinky. As a finishing touch, she had found a long piece of string and tied it off, looping it through the hole, and then back through itself and tightening around the disk, so that it formed a necklace. She could hear Sie - Samuel. She could hear Samuel approaching from the other room, and she slipped the disc into her pocket.

"Happy Birthday, Savi."

He leaned against the doorway, and grinned at her. He had one hand held behind his back, but then he pulled it out, and there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand, translucent as a piece of glass and wrapped with a piece of cloth so that they wouldn't freeze her fingers when she touched it. She laughed then, and jumped up to hug him, taking the perfect bouquet. The flowers had so much detail..

Even as her mind went over this sequence, it was happening. Every sense was singed and seared with pain until all that was left was a numb exhaustion. She almost though she was used to it, but each time it was only worse. It had happened many times by now and she wished she could simply remain dead. Dead was cold and frightening and lonely, but at least was only that.

.....He was sweating even in the December chill. They'd had to make a hasty retreat from St. Louis, heading out into the Great Planes on the wind currents he'd pulled from the storm brewing over the city. She'd spent her own efforts keeping their pursuers mired in the ground, but the toll was high for both of them. He forced himself up off of the motel bed and towards the bathroom.

He creaked and stumbled his way to the dingy hand towels that were drying out on the side of the tub. He wiped himself down, then took the ice bucket, now full of cold water, and another hand towel back into the main room. He knelt next to his sister, dipping the hand towel into the water, then running it over her forehead.

She let out a moan at the extreme change in temperature. He murmured something soothing in German. their parents had always spoken to them in the mother-tongue when they were ill; a holdover from their immigrant grandparents. "We'll get through this," he whispered. "We always do."

Silently he prayed for the scientist that were searching for the cure. He would have prayed to God, but those prayers had never been answered for him before.....

She couldn't die, though. She couldn't leave him to them. That was all that kept her mind tethered to her body. She hadn't been able to touch him for eternity, she hadn't been able to fight them off or save him from Hell, but she also couldn't abandon him. She wouldn't die until she knew she could bring him with her. Anything else would simply be too terrible.

And then, surely, she was going to die again, because she could feel herself be pulled down and out, and the hands were rougher, and not so careful, or scientific. She felt pain filling her lungs as she began to cough the fluid out of them, and then her eyes opened, and she looked around, almost automatically her eyes going to him. She shoved the people who were holding her away, falling from their arms, scrambled to her feet, and ran, half-stumbling, over to the other tube. She began beating her hand against it, gasping.

"Simon! SIMON! Get him out.. please, please get him out!"

Click to reveal..

Burning 1 WP to make it to Simon. Will update current WP in a second.

[z-May Allman]

She was slippery, Ronnie noted as she squirmed away from her. "Calm down," Ronnie said gruffly, "you're going to hurt yourself. And now," she added as the girl began to pound on the tube, "you're in the way. Here." She dragged her away and pushed her to one side, though close enough to keep her from freaking out more.

She turned back to the tank, starting to shiver again from the liquid sticking to her arms and dress. What a fucking zoo. she growled to herself as she and The Kid got the other hood off and started to unplug the other kid, a young man. He began to jerk and cough as Ronnie pulled the last thing out and helped him over the edge.

Sudden red light bathed the room, and a voice announced in German, "The power is failing. Falling back to emergency power now. Evactuation is recommended."

"No shit," Ronnie muttered, propping up a kid. "GRAV! That's your cue. Let's go! Rest of you, this is the part I mentioned before - get ready to run like hell!"