Archive Mutants & Masterminds: Future Imperfect - Chapter 2: Resistance

[Joani]

The fresh air felt good in their lungs and taking deep breaths helped a lot to calm down and let the rush of adrenaline ebb off. The roof was only poorly lit but they had enough light to examine themselves for any injury and if needed to forge new plans.

Adrian placed down the female cyborg he had rescued who had fallen unconscious on the way to the portal. Her face showed her asian heritage but her body belied that. She was huge, like the skullfaced machines of death that had abducted them. That was the only trait she had in common with the metal-hulks, though.

Parts of her body had been replaced or layered with cybernetic components. She still was recognizable as female and most likely was a normal human or mutant before this was done to her. If someone could blend out her body her face could be considered beautiful and even delicate.

Grav moaned with pain and exhaustion - this marked a new record in her book. The worst day in her life, period. Juno was standing on the edge of the roof staring at the horizon. In the distance a faint orange light lit the horizon - just where the MIC was. Gunshots could be heard and the streets around them were unusual empty. Las Vegas never really slept but right now it seemed they were the only people in the area.

Juno felt it in the pit of her stomach - this fight wasn't over. It barely had just begun.

Click to reveal..

Feel free to lament your pain and injuries while you lick your wounds. Post at your leisure. The Cyborg girl is the last addition to the game for a while. Welcome on board, Forge

[z025]

Slowly it penetrated through his mind that somehow Hell had been averted. The nightmare was over. His sister was holding his hand. Simon pulled her close to him, relief and joy overriding the bone-numbing exhaustion that was still with him. He hugged her tightly for several long moments before looking up at where their rescuers had brought them - and who there were.

Las Vegas was easy to recognize, though it made his stomach tighten in a wave of fear and homesickness. The people around him, though, were a mystery. He tried to speak and coughed instead. His throat was raw, so the screaming in Hell must have been real. His second attempt was more successful, "Thank you, whoever you all are, for rescuing us. I had...." his arms tightened around Savannah and his voice dropped to a whisper, "I had given up."

[Savannah Tanner]

For several moments she hugged her brother back, burying her face in his shoulder as he spoke. Wherever they were didn't really matter so much as the fact that they were finally away from that horrible place. Finally, though, she looked up at the rest of them, and nodded.

"I don't know how we can.. ever.. thank you enough."

She laid her head back on her brother's shoulder, and he could feel that she was still trembling from fright, or exhaustion, or adrenaline.. she whispered quietly to him.

"If I ever figure out who did that to you, I'll kill them."

[z-May Allman]

Ronnie sagged down to sit on an air conditioner, her head pounding. With a little groan, she tugged on the front of the dumb dress, trying in vain to get it to cover a bit more chest. Normally, the post-mission let-down wasn't this bad, but she was thinking really, really hard.

All these mutants... the doctor's connection to Berlin... the Nordic duo... Fuck, I need a cigar and a cold one.

Or a hot one. I'm sure Trav would be hap-

Ronnie shut Lena down, hard. Now was not the time. Now, was time to think. "How long were you two in there?" she asked softly, lifting her head. They'd had trouble walking, which suggested atrophy of muscles. And the boy's comments... Ronnie would be lying if she said his remark on losing hope didn't make her mad. No mutant should have to live like that.

Her purple eyes fastened on them, waiting for an answer.

[Ira Sagebrush]

The female cyborg started to stir, the pain that had wracked her mind subsiding as the control she had been succumbed to finally loosened its grip. She slowly raised up on all fours, and as she felt the gravel and roofing tar under her hands and the setting sun warming her textured skin, she collapsed into sobs.

"Free." she managed to croak out, the voice rough with disuse.

Almost immediately, she started shrinking to roughly half her original size, looking more the young woman she was and less cyborgish.

[z025]

"I don't know...after a while everything...just...ran together." He was shivering now, though it might not have been from the Las Vegas night breeze. "Do you know the date?"

[Rorx]

Tom sank to the roof massaging his throat, that was the most he had ever used his powers, before answering.

"Well if we were out for less than a day it would be Christmass day. Hey, consider it a Christmass present."

He looks around the tired, injured, bedraggled mob and addresses, careful to project his voice so that it wouldn't carry off the roof,

"So anyone know somewhere we could hole up to rest, recuperate and compare notes? While you think about that I'm going to check the Police bands."

Click to reveal..

Spend his remaining 6QP to activate Enhanced Hearing for the scene, tune into main police band for update on MIC situation and anything that might relate to us.

He slumps exhausted, while he tunes in.

Click to reveal..

Health = Hurt (-1)

QP = 0/28

Willpower = 3/3

[Tim Wiley]

Vegas!? Why could'nt it have been California, or new York, or even Utah? He could understand why she picked Vegas. She was probably from there as well and it was familiar to her. Still, he'd wished it was some place nice like San Diego.

Looking out over the unusually dark Vegas, he couldn't help but feel that something had happened to the city. He was reminded of at least a half dozen novels which dealt with someone sleeping, then waking-only to find themselves in a jacked up situation. Not only was this whole situation fucked up, but his body was as well. The holes where the tubes connected hurt; like they had been lampreys sucking out his juices, then suddenly ripped from his body. He was exhausted too. He lay back on the roof of the school and closed his eyes, hoping he could regain some of his strength.

Click to reveal.. ( meditation)

06:14:55)

Meditation roll @ +1 diff: 6 die

ChatBot: (Tim_Wiley) rolls 6d10 and gets 4,5,10,9,1,10.

3 sux -1 sux= 2 sux

,,

[SalmonMax]

"Alright," Juno said after a long moment looking out towards the fires over the MIC in the distance. "Look...that was probably THE most fucked up thing that's ever happened to me, but I don't know anything about Dr. Z or Terminators or spaceships over the moon. That's..."

She gestures, mimicing something flying over her head.

"So I hope you guys work all that out. Right now though, I've got my dad in a clinic and my people stuck in a riot, and they're going to need my help."

Juno looked over her shoulder at Ronnie and the rest.

"It's not that I'm not grateful. I just...don't see what I can do to help you guys."

[Adrian Moss]

Still not understanding his connection to the cyborg, Adrian went and knelt by his sister. She was shiver from the cool night air and the wet gunk that still covered them - most of them, anyway.

"We need some clothes, and transportation," he called out. The immediate needs of not getting sick, and getting away from this place were paramount.

To his sister, he whispered,

"Come on. Get better. I need you focussed."

He got up and walked over to were Juno was standing on the edge of the roof. He looked down to see how rough the jump would be, if that became his only option.

The Kid scanned back around and waited to see who the leader would be this time. Someone had to have a plan. Otherwise it meant he was going off with Juno into the riots.

[Katalyst]

Joshua welcomed in the familiar sight of Vegas. He'd never thought he would say it but for once he was glad to be home. The stress of their escape and the frighteningly reality that he could die had left him exhausted and it took him a extra moment to summon and absorb his servants back into his body.

Now that they had escape Josh was sure that the questions would start up again, and sure enough it was Tom that had started it off. "Sorry Tom I don't know anyplace were the lot of use could hide. I live on the streets, so my home is anywhere I can rest my head."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis stumbles backwards into a cooling tower for the school's HVAC and slides down to the asphalt and gravel roof with a squeak of his still damp body against the sheet metal. He considers simply bailing, going home and sleeping for a week. It would hurt, he'd need to push beyond his limit, but he could do it. Unfortunately there were answers to be had and answers were something that Travis only rarely passed up. "Hey Wonder Twins, yeah you, blondie and blondie. What's your deal?" Start with the people who are greatful for having been saved, work your way to that cyborg thing the kid insisted on capturing. Divide and conquer.

Click to reveal..

Hurt -1 / QP 0/28 / WP 3/3

I'm assuming that we have to re-up any maintenance powers and so Travis drops his shield

[z-May Allman]

"Hey, you two," Ronnie blurted to Juno and The Kid. "Don't run off just yet. We need to talk, because I'd bet my last dollar that this isn't over. In fact, Travis here, and the Doctor's mention of this Dr. Z shows that this has been going on for a while. I don't see it stopping just because we blew up a ship.

"And no," she added gently to the pretty young Latina mutant, "it's not Christmas Eve anymore; we've been gone at least four days and probably longer - I was sedated a lot of the time and lost track. Whatever you're running off to, it's long done. If you give me some time now to plan to save our asses, I promise I'll go with you and help you with your problem."

She put a hand on Travis' shoulder, wishing Celeste where here-

I am.

Here-here... I'm not cut out for this crap but I'm the one they think is involved now. Fuck, Ronnie sighed to herself.

If you want to keep them together, I'd start by giving them a central location.

"I've got a small place that people can stay," she said nervously. There was a general outcry from within, as The Others immediately protested what she was thinking. It's not like I can offer the Hilton, she sighed to them. They'll just have to keep their noses out of our shit. "And given how we were all taken, I'd guess that staying in groups from now on would make it harder to take us, since we're ready for them."

[Grav]

Annalise, sitting on her knees and looking like hell warmed over, lays back against the maitenence exit. The pain was agonizing, and being well and truly exhausted didn't help much either.

"I can rent a hotel room for a night I guess if people need, my apartment got completely trashed, otherwise I'd offer that."

Her own thoughts echoed those already expressed, wondering what had just happened, and what the hell they'd become involved in.

She looks at her watch noting it'd stopped working and sighs. "Does anybody know what time it is? Something tells me I won't be going to work today."

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

"So anyone know somewhere we could hole up to rest, recuperate and compare notes? While you think about that I'm going to check the Police bands."

The police bands we're mostly jammed by a highpitched whitenoise like sound. Concentrating on it was giving Tom an headache. He could make out that the city has been put under quarantine.

The higher secured bands used by the military worked but sounded scratchy and distant. The national guard has been called to help but nothing indicated at the MIC.

All radio-channels were dead. Tom pinpointed only one signal that transponded the date and time. It reported that it was 31st of December, 2011 at 10:21PM.

"Holy shit - we lost a week! The city seems to be under attack. All bands are jammed even the military is hard to make out!", Tom looked at the others and squinted because of the whitenoise sound in his ears. He'd need an aspirin or two once they were done with making plans.

[SalmonMax]

Four days.

Juno's head spun. Four days. Or more!

She nearly jumped off the roof right there, meaning to get to the clinic where her dad had been taken. The only thing that stopped her was a last second realization. However long it had been with her on the moon ship, it would have been longer if Ronnie hadn't been on board too. A lot longer.

If she ran off now and got taken again, taken alone...

Uncertainty warred with the need to act. Finally she looked back at Ronnie. Why was she helping? Well duh, she'd just said it. She needed them. And it seemed like, for now at least, they might still need her.

Juno frowned, but nodded slightly. "Alright. Where to now then?"

"

[Travis Kincaid]

"Someplace where we can sleep, recover." Travis searches the pockets of his ruined suit and pulls out a set of keys. "Or maybe I'll just go home and pass out." Its a testament to how tired that he doesn't offer his bed to any of the women, or even all of them.

[z-May Allman]

"You shouldn't go anywhere alone," Ronnie insisted, right as her stomach growled loudly. She continued quickly, before Travis could make that comment into a dirty offer. "No one should. They found you once. They'll find you again. We need to buddy up."

Celeste asked, All of us? What about hiding what we are?

Or is this a convenient way to be up-top more? Lena asked coldly. You planning on getting more than your fair share?

"Damnit, we have an emergency situation here!" Ronnie snapped, then realized she'd answered Lena aloud. "C'mon guys... we're tired and hungry. We need to make some plans and get moving."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis' head lolled to the side and he looked up at Ronnie, "Aww aint that cute, Grimmace here wants to have a slumber party!"

[Savannah Tanner]

Savannah looked at the scraggly man who had mentioned Christmas.. and she swallowed a little, trying to clear her throat as well. Other than her hoarse screams to release her brother, she had been speaking mostly in whispers, and hadn't moved much beyond her initial outburst. She sat up a little though, her gaze flicker from the scraggly looking man to the one who had addressed her and her brother.

"..Christmas, but.. what year? What year is it?"

[z-May Allman]

Travis' remark earned him a dirty look. This is serious time, she thought at him, then realized how tired and wrung out he looked. Her hard look softened and she moved to sit next to him, so he could lean on her if he wanted.

"It's 2011, and it's actually New Years Eve, so almost 2012," Ronnie told the blond girl. "What is your name? And is that... your brother?" She glanced at the cyborg-girl. "How about you? Got anything for us?"

[Savannah Tanner]

Jer digested that information quickly, but Ronnie could see her swallow again, and she winced painfully from it. She also seemed to shrink a little into her brother's embrace. But Sieg had been doing the talking, and she didn't want him to strain himself. She'd deal with the questions, for now.

*Four years.. almost four years, Sieg..*

Her mental whisper to her brother sounded as if she wanted to cry, but visibly she kept her cool for now, to answer the questions.

"My.. my name is Savannah, and my brother is Simon. We.. we were taken in April, I think it was. Spring - I remember that it was spring.. of 2008? Yes. I remember, it was 2008."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis let out a low mournful whistle. Poor kids. Still, four years is nothing compared to ... thirty? Thirty-five? Crap I can't even be sure my age is real. "'Splains the weakness, your muscles have gone all shrively. But you are out now, and anything you can tell us will only help us all out. Help to maybe put an end to those fuckers."

[Grav]

Grav laughs. She'd been gone six days, thankfully during Christmas break. It showed just how out of it she was thinking that she'd needed to be at work on Christmas.

"I agree. Let's find a place to get some food and some sleep and see where that leaves us in the morning."

[Adrian Moss]

Well, that meant he didn't have to go running off to near certain recapture and possible death. That was something. Turning, he faced the rest of the mutants, listening to what they were saying and planning.

"Umm ... Savannah and Simon. Got it. Are you okay ... or as okay as any of us can be right now?"

Looking to Rebbeca,

"Sorry Sis, I missed Christmas."

[z-May Allman]

Shiiiiiiit... Ronnie thought, peering closer at the boy. Was he...?

Click to reveal.. (Flashback)

"Travis!" Ronnie cried again, coughing as more dust entered her lungs. She shoved her hair out of her face and looked at the piled rock. Without hesitation, she started to dig.

The second collapse nearly caught her, and it was only luck that she had fallen the right way. Coughing harder, fighting back helpless desperation, she looked back at the wall. Travis...

Get up! Celeste screamed at her. Don't lie here and die!

I have to get Travis-

Travis is dead! Ronnie shook her head, even as she knew that Celeste was right. Her partner - no, her friend, couldn't have survived that.

"Save whom we can." Baara's voice was firm; too firm, and Ronnie was pulled under as the green-eyed woman surged forth. After Ronnie, she was the tallest of the women, and so Ronnie's clothes only hung a bit on her frame. The Irsaeli "native" moved to the open tube and started to lift the young man inside out. His blond hair swirled around him as she struggled to free him.

Pain tore through her shoulder, right before Baara heard the weapon's roar. Choking back her cry, the olive-skinned woman dropped her charge back in the liquid and hid behind the tank. They'd fired high, over the tank, and it seemed that they wanted to keep the person in there alive.

She wasn't sure they had the same compunction about her. Snarling, she prepared to fight.

Barbara? Ronnie asked, using the woman's English nickname. Is that kid... from the tank in Berlin?

Perhaps, the woman replied after a moment of study.

Berlin was the key, Ronnie mused, nibbling lightly on a lip. It was all swirling around that. But how? Why? She wasn't smart enough to figure this shit out on her own.

[Ira Sagebrush]

None of the dialogue was penetrating, it was all she could do keep from passing out in relief. The state of emotions seemed to be running high on the rooftop but all Sam could think about was what to do next. She hadn't made that decision for herself in what seemed a lifetime. The crying started to abate as she managed to roll onto her back and press her hands to her eyes.

Diu! Ham Ka Chan! Lok chat! Diu! Diu! Diu!

Sam cringed waiting for the inevitable jolt that meant her oppressers were still in control, somehow toying with or testing her. When nothing came, the crying started all over again as she drew her legs and hugged herself.

[Katalyst]

"Food and drink sound good. I know I sure could use something to drink that's for sure, just point the way and I'm there!"

[Rorx]

Tom didn't even bother to raise his head from where he lay on the roof as he wearily joined the conversation. "Problem is none of us can go home or where we went regularly. Why? Because they took me in the middle of a casino restaurant. They must have been following us and know all about us. At least thats the way I see it."

He pauses briefly then rolls on his side to address Ronnie, Travis and the Doc, "But all the jamming on the radio can't be anything to do with the MIC. Is it possible that the guys that grabbed us have invaded? After it looked like they had a whole city on the dark side of the moon when I examined the portholes."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis shrugged a noncommittal reply, "I'm too tired to care. It'll keep 'till we get some food and rest and band aids. If not ... well, I'd say we're pretty well fucked then." Travis looked at Ronnie and nodded gravely, his eyes on her own. If either had been telepathic the look would have not been required but neither was and so he conveyed his words with a simple look. We need to talk, this can't be a damn coincidence.

[z-May Allman]

Ronnie's steady gaze easily concurred with his assessment. "Ok, let's do this fast - who here needs a place to land? I ask because they weren't after me, they were after you guys, and I think my place is probably safe."

I love to see how you're going to explain all the extra clothes and such, Lena said snidely.

Let me handle that, Ronnie said hotly. God, she hated that bitch...

[Travis Kincaid]

Originally Posted By: May Allman

Ronnie's steady gaze easily concurred with his assessment. "Ok, let's do this fast ..."

Travis couldn't help but snicker, his mind had been a filthy hole before everything that went down a year before. Now it was a hole that was less filthy but still dirty. Unfortunately he didn't count on the effects of fatigue and once he started snickering, he began to chuckle, and then laugh. It took less than a minute for him to end up doubled over laughing uproariously like a madman on the roof of some damn school in Las Vegas. The situation itself only fed his hysterics. Tears streamed from his eyes and he gasped for breath but nothing could be done to quell the fit.

[Rorx]

Tom briefly scans the cell phone frequencies to see if they are jammed, then goes hunting up and down the frequencies for any sign of the invaders.

"Well why not hole up here? There may still be tinned food in the kitchen, we could use gym crash mats as bed and if its got a pool there may be towels we could use as blankets. Hell, schools have to have first aid kits as well!"

[z-May Allman]

She'd never seen Travis like this before and she wasn't sure what to do. Awkwardly, she reached out and patted him on the back - maybe it worked for hysterical laughter as well as burping.

Ronnie shrugged at Tom's. "If you want, Tom. Prolly ain't a bad idea," she said. "I'd still like to go out and get a few things, like smokes and some hot food." And decent clothes, she promised herself, tugging at the front of her dress again.

[Stargaizer]

Kevin sighed heavily and sits down just as hard, slumping under the weight of the virus and their escape. It had been a long while since he'd pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion, and even longer since he'd pushed himself to the brink of death... in fact it hadn't been since then...

Nala...

His eyes misted as he brought himself back to the present. Everything in his head was still swimming, but he tried to assemble as much of the information that was being shared as possible.

Radio signals jammed? Being attacked? This sounds like it could be serious...

Kevin finally spoke up. The toll his actions had taken easily heard in his voice. "If all the radios are jammed, if it seems like we might be under attack, then there might be something like a curfew in effect. No telling what we'd be walking into, and a group of this size isn't exactly inconspicuous. I say we send a scouting party to gather information. See if there's a curfew, and what times and or areas it's in effect for. The rest of us should find a place, nearby, possibly the building we're on top of, to get out of the wind and finish getting dried off. Then I'll be able to give everybody a proper examination to see exactly what's been done to us. However, once we know if it's safe to roam the streets, I need to get back to what's left of the free clinic. I had supplies there, I hope they're still there, personal effects, etc. I'll need those to treat any injuries that we may have.

We need to move, but we need caution as well. Waiting around for an 'all clear' would be much better than drawing offical attention during a lockdown or martial law. Trust me, I've seen it before."

He waited for a response. He anticipated that his idea of splitting up wouldn't be recieved well, but a group this size walking around after curfew would be even worse.

Click to reveal..

(( [Wounded -2] || 6/28 QP || 6/6 WP ))

[z-May Allman]

"Another good idea," Ronnie said. "I'll be on the scouting party - I'm the least injured here, probably. Who else? Kid? Juno? Interested?"

[Mr Fox]

Sly felt tired. This whole thing was not something he wanted to be involved in but you didn't always have a choice in life as he knew all too well. "I'm up for crashing at your place," he spoke the comment to Ronnie, "but, I can get us a suite of rooms at any of the casino's in the city if you want." He waggled his fingers as if to say he could do it with magic.

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

Tom briefly scans the cell phone frequencies to see if they are jammed, then goes hunting up and down the frequencies for any sign of the invaders.

There were no frequencies he could receive anything from on the cell phone band. Anyone trying to use a cell phone most likely had a network error on his display.

This was surely a bad sign.

[Adrian Moss]

"I'll go alright. I'm used to treading lightly," Adrian said, stepping forward boldly.

"I'm still feeling pretty okay. Most of you look like death warmed over. Maybe we should get you in the building first so you can rest?"

Las Vegas had cold nights. Las Vegas in the winter ...

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis' laughter slowly faded. It too some time but eventually he had it suppressed down to only occasional giggles. He couldn't remember being this tired before. He was sure he had been, in another life, back before his mysterious death and resurrection. "I." He said rather matter of factly, "am in no shape to do anything but sleep." Still he braced his back against the cool sheet metal of the HVAC unit and slowly levered himself into a standing position. "Ronnie, be a dear and take me to bed."