Mutants & Masterminds Mutants & Masterminds: The Unlikely Prophets - Issue #2: The Man Who Built Yesterday

[Charlotte]

[Charlotte]

Seldom ever was any knowledge given to keep, but to impart; the grace of this rich jewel is lost in concealment.

- Wendell Phillips

It was a new day.

The sun gave the blasted lands of Austrailia a once-over, sending waves of shimmering heat across the landscape. The nine of them were disoriented at first – Larissa's portals didn't distort on their own, but few could pass from one climate to the next with no ill effect. They emerged from a tourist-trap restaurant's front door, that advertised burger patties shaped like Ayer's rock – well, moreso than a pattie already was.

Bodhie carried Blackjack was they walked. Jack explained what had happened to the town. For a long time, Ayer's Rock had been considered off limits by the Order – for reasons he never knew the bones of. People weren't allowed within several kilometers, and that fell just short of the town. In time, the ban had been lifted, but the town's only trade had been tourism, and the damage had been done. Everyone had moved away, but for Lori Pine and Jack McNeil. Now it was just Jack... and of course, should they decide to stay, anyone else.

It took very little time, between Cyco's speed and Necronaut's on-demand aeroplane. Soon they had arrived at Jack's home, which had various rain barrels out to collect the rain, a generator in the back, solar panels on the roof. A roomy interior, that was decorated as if a woman were the sole occupant – or at least, the sole occupate with eyes.

Jack walked across the main room, with a spacious enough couch for everyone, and went into the kitchen, withdrawing a pair of six-packs. He walked into the room bearing them both.

"So, let's begin. My name's Jack McNeil. Call me Blackjack. My live-in help might have invented a song that hacked the Mathemagician, and gave us all super-powers. She left me a tape. Would you like to hear it, anyone who hasn't yet?"

[Necronaut]

The smile on the Necronaut's face was just visible through the ethereal substance of his mask. It hadn't wavered once since his arrival. He seemed particularly occupied by the sky, and the sun, which he was definitely staring at too much to be healthy. He was gazing out the window when he responded to Jack's query. He figured eye contact wasn't really required.

"This is a really nice place Mr. McNeil." He hoped it sounded like a compliment, rather than giving the blind man information he might not otherwise possess. "I'd definitely like to hear the tape. Oh and, er, do you know if there's a cemetery, or aboriginal burial ground around here? I should probably try to meet the locals at some point."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie slowly shrank to her ‘normal’ size as she entered the house and looked around taking in the interior with an approving nod. She liked it and could imagine to stay here for a while if the situation demanded it. Only after a short moment she noticed that only her tank-top had barely survived her transformation. It desperately clung to her muscle plated torso while her pants were torn rags. Bodhie’s sneakers obviously didn’t make it as she was standing there barefooted. She wasn’t a shy or self-conscious person but still it seemed inappropriate to her to be almost naked infront of her new peers.

“Does anyone have a shirt and some spare pants left for me? I… I kinda outgrew my old stuff.”, Bodhie’s question was a blatant understatement. The real question was – did anyone have anything that would fit her?

[CyCo]

Originally Posted By: Sharatur

Her gaze was fixed on the view in the distance, her voice a little dreamy as she asked "Hey, Speed Demon. Can you take someone else safely with you when you go zipping around like that?"

Cyan glanced over at Sharatur, cocking her head to one side and squinting her eyes.

Was she talking to me earlier?

"I'm not sure if I can take anyone. I'm scared I would rip the arm out of their socket when I took off." she said suddenly.

It was out of context and the question had long passed, but for anyone that could remember it, there was the answer.

"Why, you want to go somewhere?" It was becoming obvious she was addressing Sharatur, if only by pointedly looking at her and then suddenly appearing next to her. "Can't imagine it would take me long to run around this place a few times, at least...after I've had my beer and some shrimp." she finished, grinning like a mad cat.

[z-Gloom]

Gloom took her beer and herself into a corner. Setting her bag on the floor, she eased into a seated position and pulled the shadows around herself. It was comforting, to be in the dark. For the sake of the others, she merely thickened the shadows around herself and waited until they needed her input.

[Necronaut]

The Necronaut's attention was diverted to the corner, where it seemed that someone had just turned off a light. He was well aware that he lacked all intuition for when to leave someone to themselves, but chose to throw caution to the wind.

"Hey miss Gloom? I was going to ask before, how did you end up working for the Watch-m... er.. Watch-persons? None of my business, I know, but you seem pretty decent for that line of work."

He replayed the last few words in his head and shuddered.

"I mean, for the kind of work the Watchmen get up to, you seem incongruously interested in doing right. Just based on what I've seen of Chicago watchmen anyway. Yeah."

[The Scarlet Samurai]

Kenshin sat quietly, the unopened beer sitting on the floor in front of him slowly beading with perspiration and sweating a ring of condensation onto the floor. He sat with his head hung, his face obscured by the visor of his hideous hat and stared at the pocketknife that wasn't in his hands. The voice of Muramasa was muted but still audible to his mind, it called for blood and violence, death and murder. Part of Kenshin was terrified, the prospect of being a willing participant to all of this was more than the professor from Japan could handle. Part of him was eager to draw the blade and find people who's evil deeds forfeit their lives. He sat and stared and around him the others conversed and he barely hear a word.

[Bodhie Armstrong]

The mood was kinda odd and it didn’t seem as if anyone would answer her request. Bodhie briefly considered checking the cupboards in the other rooms but thought it would be impolite to just help herself. She shrugged and took one of the cans and opened it. Normally alcohol would be an absolute no-go for her but she felt one drink wouldn’t hurt much.

Looking at the furniture and evaluating the room in general she decided to remain standing were she was. Her eyes watching carefully what the others did. Scarlet was brooding quietly and didn’t say much after they returned from the Mulcher just like that other girl with the staff.

Cyco made her chuckle again and thinking about it – shrimps did sound like a good idea. Food in general had a high priority on her list and she wondered how much calories she had to eat now to maintain her physique.

“Aside from beer – do you have some food here? I don’t mind if I have to cook something – maybe I can cook something for all of us? Any preferences? Allergies? Shrimps?”, she winked at Cyco and smiled and finished her can of beer with one large gulp.

[SalmonMax]

Larissa looked up from the Book, having 'accidentally' become engrossed in a particular page. She closed it carefully and got up to join Bodhie in the kitchen.

"No preferences here. Want some help?" she asked. "I can't promise I'll be much good, but..." That's when she noticed, really noticed, Bodhie's wardrobe issues.

"You know...maybe I can help with your clothes."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie was really glad that Larissa joined her. “Of course you can help… everyone can cook pasta, right?”

The oversized bodybuilder checked the cupboards in the kitchen and took out all necessary tools to get started. Then Larissa mentioned something about her clothes which made Bodhie perk up instantly.

“Really? I mean, I already shredded my clothes twice and I just don’t know what I can do to stay decently covered. I don’t know how long this top will last, I can already feel it starting to tear. So there is a magical wardrobe spell in that book of yours?”, Bodhie smiled warmly at Larissa her voice vibrating powerful and giving a tiny hint of the strength she possessed.

[Charlotte]

"My room is upstairs, Bodhie. If you take my size - and I have no way of knowing - you can help yourself. Norman, I'm sorry but I don't know where the local graveyard is, I haven't had much occasion for it. But look around and you might find something. As for the other request..."

Jack reached into his pocket and withdrew a tape recorder. He pressed play. There was a thumping noise, as if someone was tapping the microphone to test it. Then a woman's voice came on.

"Jack, it's Lori. I know this won't make any sense. I know that after what we shared, me just up and leaving like this will break your heart. But I have to. I don't think I'm going to be coming back. What I'm about to do is... there's no real way to describe it. We haven't invented a language for it. Well, I have, but it won't make sense to anyone who hasn't been working on it for the past three decades.

"Yeah, I cracked it. That song I've been writing for thirty years? It's done. I wish I could play it for you but I have a feeling this is a song that'll only play once.

"You ever listen to a song and it takes you somewhere else, in your head? Well, this is a bit like that. Except it'll take all of us - the world - somewhere else. I can't explain it better, but if I'm right... if what we heard about the Mathemagician is right, then once this gets plugged into it, the world will shift under our feet. Things that were impossible before will be possible." She sounded a bit shaky and excited, suddenly. "The superheroes will be coming back. The world's going to let them back in, for just a second. You need to find them, Jack. You need to listen to a radio constantly for the next week. The Order controls all telecommunication through the Mathemagician and it's the key. It's how the song will get out. It's going to ask you and anyone else who fits the criteria 'who are you, and why are you here.' You'll be able to find them because I caught a glimpse of what you can do if the world lets you, and it's made me more confident than ever that this is the right thing. You need to find the superheroes, Jack. Because we're ruled by supervillains and no one's ever been able to stop them or stand up to them, and I know how that eats you up inside.

"I love you, Jack. It kills me to leave you. But if I don't do this then by the time we're gone they won't even have the word 'love' any more. I have to go now, Jack. I have to go hack the machinery of gods."

The recording ended. Jack pressed the stop button. He tucked it away.

"So that's what I did. Larissa and Kenshin were the first ones I found. After that I found Hikari, Sandra, Cyan and Bodhie, Sharatur and Norman. I think that's about all of you."

[z-Gloom]

Originally Posted By: Necronaut

"Hey miss Gloom? I was going to ask before, how did you end up working for the Watch-m... er.. Watch-persons? None of my business, I know, but you seem pretty decent for that line of work."

He replayed the last few words in his head and shuddered.

"I mean, for the kind of work the Watchmen get up to, you seem incongruously interested in doing right. Just based on what I've seen of Chicago watchmen anyway. Yeah."

Gloom sighed internally, took another swig of her beer and prepared herself for the backlash that was sure to come. "I loved being a Knight," she said. "And if I had to do something that seemed distasteful... well, I was just following orders. I took out the trash but never looked in the bags.

"Then my squad interrupted a ritual that was summoning a shadow-creature," she continued after another swig. "He jumped into me because he needed a body, and his presence causes certain alterations." She waved both of her right arms at him to confirm his unspoken thoughts. "Anyway, turns out that creatures made entirely of shadows has a better moral code than I do." She laughed, a little bitterly. "Who knew? So Darkness has been nudging me onto the straight and narrow." She paused, wondering how much to add; they were all freaks, her freaks and all she had left. "I kinda like it though. There's a nice feeling that comes with being nice, ya know? Though I guess you do."

She glanced at Jack as he spoke; when he was done, all she said was, "It's Andi, not Sandra. Or Gloom, if you're speaking to both of us."

[Radiance]

Hikari took a beer and smiled, opening it and taking a long draught. She nodded to the other blonde. "Bodhie, whatever you find is fine I'm not that picky at the moment." She went to the living room and too a seat, mindful of the fact that her clothing really wouldn't fit her normal form so she resigned herself to stay as she was.

[IndyPendant]

Her eyes widened as she imagined Cyco grabbing her, racing off...and ripping Sharatur's arms right off from the speed. "Uh. No. No, that's all right, I'll pass. Thanks."

She listened to the recording and shook her head in disbelief. "All of this...because of a song? That's...insane." She sat on the arm of a chair and leaned her bow staff against her chest. "My name's Sharatur De Vasch. Before this...I was just a tour guide. Nothing special, I had a quiet life, and you know what? I kinda liked it that way. Started Tae Kwon Do for self-defense, found to my surprise I liked martial arts, and continued it for fun and exercise. But I was never anywhere near this good!"

She hesitated, this next part said almost with embarrassment, pulled out by pain and loss. "See, I never believed in this shi--stuff. I'm an atheist, I thought I knew how the world worked. That stuff on TV was all faked, there was no such thing as superheroes. The Order never really bothered us much at the Institute, so I actually believed they really were there to protect us." She laughed, a little painfully. "Oh, the arguments I would get into about that with Terry and Francis!"

She leaned her staff away from her, staring at the plain, functional wood. "I don't want this" she stated softly. "I don't want any of this. If I had the chance to go back to that life of happy ignorance, without these freaky abilities...I would take it. In a heartbeat. Sorry Jack, but right now I hate Lori. Quite a bit, actually."

She pulled herself out of it, wrenching her gaze from her staff to scan the room. "...I'm really trying not to whine too much" she says a little ruefully. "You're all so gung-ho about all this. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, and all that. Fact is, this is what I'm stuck with, and it's not all bad. I might never have seen Ayers Rock otherwise, and thanks to Norman here I now know for certain that there's at least some sort of life after death. That...makes up for a lot." She shrugged.

"What about the rest of you? Part of the reason I told you all of that is we need to get to know each other. We're going to be thrown into deadly situations here; our lives will quite literally depend on each other. And some of you frankly scare the hell out of me. The only people here I really know anything about so far are Norman and Bodhie. So! Who's next?"

[Radiance]

"My name as I said before is Hikari Motarasu. I know that's kinda hard to believe considering how I look, but considering the difference in my normal form and the one I'm currently clothed in I'd ask your understanding with regards to why I don't show you."

She smiles. "I'm an artist by trade, and a good number of my paintings are in the Seattle art museum. I did several paintings for the Order Cultural Guidance program, and numerous others that have been bought by private collectors."

Like you Sharatur, my life was very simple and what I'd call normal before the song. Since that time thing have changed greatly."

She chuckles. "I don't really want to go back, because I can't. That said, I'm gonna need to go home, if only to get some more clothes. I imagine these are gonna start to smell after awhile."

[z-Gloom]

Gloom sighed. "Sharatur, none of us can go back," she said. "If you were going to go back, you needed to do it before you declared war on the Order. I couldn't go back from the moment that I decided that my friend's life meant more than a badge, and I turned on my partner to help that friend." She thought of Russ's blood on her hands and repressed a shudder, taking another deep draw on the beer. "We're all stuck with this, just depends if we wanna hide out here or do something good with it."

I vote do something good.

Yeah, you know, I fuckin' got that Dark, ok?

[IndyPendant]

Sharatur shrugged at the words, her eyes steady on Gloom and her tone calm as she stated simply, "I know. I'm here, aren't I?"

[SalmonMax]

Once the tape was done again, Larissa said quietly to Bodhie, "There is...it's how I change my looks. But right now I only know how to use it on myself. And I think you'd probably want real clothes too, not just illusions. Give me some time...I'll see if I can figure something out for you."

She gave the huge woman a reassuring smile, then poked her head out of the kitchen to pitch in.

"I'm Larissa! Before all this I was a schoolteacher...I taught first and second grade..." She paused, then mused, "I guess I still can, too. I'm pretty sure I've covered my tracks. Anyway, I was cleaning out my parents' place after dad died, and after the music played, I found this book. And it wasn't there before the music...or if it was, I couldn't see it. Anyway, it's a book of magic. Spells, and magical theory. I used a spell from the book, and a note that Kenshin's father wrote to my dad, to find him. I guess I hoped he could lead me to answers."

She grinned at Jack.

"I guess in a way he did."

[CyCo]

"I really am Cyco...and I'll be right back."

She burst away, using trial and error to find a town, and then a store, and then some shrimp, returning only seconds later, holding a bag of fresh shrimp out to Bodhie. "Shrimp."

Zipping back to the living room, she continued her introduction, "I was/am a Courier, if that isn't obvious by these messenger bags. I am a descendant of Angels, whose Heavenly abilities were being locked away by the Order. If that doesn't give ya the heebie-jeebies..." she said, snorting before continuing, "I mean...the Order can tell Heaven what to do...that's wrong on so many levels.

"Anyway, the mood music led me to my true calling and here I am. I'd show you my wings, not my tat, but the real ones, but they kinda hurt when they come out...like a lot...and I don't think there's room. Is there a phone? My Mom is gonna freak, with a capital K, if you know what I mean, when I tell her I'm half Heavenly Host."

She absent-mindedly scratched at her back, drawing attention to the tattoo as she zipped over to Shiny Gal, "I can get your stuff, despite what Gloomy says, no one can catch me. I could be back in like what...a day? How far is it to Seattle...anyone?"

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Once the tape was done again, Larissa said quietly to Bodhie, "There is...it's how I change my looks. But right now I only know how to use it on myself. And I think you'd probably want real clothes too, not just illusions. Give me some time...I'll see if I can figure something out for you."

She gave the huge woman a reassuring smile, then poked her head out of the kitchen to pitch in.

“A suit that would stretch would be awesome… and maybe a mask of some kind.”, Bodhie answered excited and nodded at Larissa while she filled a huge pot with water preparing it for a large portion of pasta.

Larissa could tell by the way Bodhie moved around the kitchen that she was a ‘skilled’ housewife.

Originally Posted By: Cyco

"I really am Cyco...and I'll be right back."

She burst away, using trial and error to find a town, and then a store, and then some shrimp, returning only seconds later, holding a bag of fresh shrimp out to Bodhie. "Shrimp."

Bodhie was just about to toss in the pasta into the boiling water when Cyco zoomed in with fresh shrimps. “Awesome!”, she smiled at her newfound friend and took the bag of really fresh shrimp.

“I’ll make Pasta a la Frutti di Mare – it’ll be delicious.”, the large woman quickly rearranged the working space in the kitchen and started to prepare the shrimp for the meal while she tried to listen to the conversation in the living room. Her stomach already grumbled with anticipation – she was really hungry.

[Charlotte]

"Hope you paid for that shrimp."

Jack was facing in Sharatur's general direction. "I'm sorry to hear all that, Sharatur. But trust me. The Order is rotten to its core. I've seen it myself."

Jack removed his sunglasses. His eyes were clouded, and rimmed with scar tissue. He pointed to them. "My first memory is of Archon taking them. I don't know if any of you all are old enough to remember the time before the Rise, in the gap of history. I am old enough, and I don't remember anything.

"My first memory is being in Las Vegas on the strip, which was in chaos, although I don't remember why. People shouting, screaming... someone fired a gun. Someone hit me and I remember cards in my hand, and I remember them fluttering up like a flock of birds, set free... and then I remember him.

"I remember that cloak - it was torn, but I suppose he's fixed it since then. I remember the lightning crawling along his armor and I remember that helmet, and then the lightning flared and - " Jack stiffened at the memory.

"It was the only thing in my life I've ever seen."

Jack popped the top of his beer and took a shaky sip. "I woke up months later and it was all over. They New Order - that's what they called themselves at the start - were in charge. Everyone seemed fine with it, and I have a theory there. I wasn't fine with it. I got tired of people who were, and I moved out here because... never mind, it was stupid. I made my way out here and that's where I met Lori.

"So he took everyone's memories. He took all of mine. And he took my eyes, and no matter how often they tell me the trains run on time now I know that this is not the way things are supposed to be. Call me selfish if you wanna, but I want a better world than this." He took another sip, then set the beer aside.

"So that's my secret origin. Now, whatever Lori did, I don't have a clue. She never went into it. This was all a huge shock to me. But I did what she asked. I listened to the radio, even though as it droned on day and night I could feel a part of myself going 'yeah, the Order's okay, you're just a bitter old man' because I'm convinced that whatever shut people's memories off is still out there, telling them to obey. I'm curious why it was you eight. So if you don't mind, tell me as much as you can about what your day was like, when you first heard the song."

[Necronaut]

"I sort of see where you're coming from." The Necronaut offered Gloom uncertainly. "I'm glad it seems to be working out for you. Being nice." The awkwardness was stifling. He had to change the subject. "Have you considered learning to play an instrument? I bet you could be really impressive with the extra hands." This did not help matters. His brain struggled to put the breaks on his mouth, but it was too little too late. "Or yo-yo's..."

Only Jack's entreaty for information prevented him from shoving his foot further into his mouth. He spun around, raising his hand, and lowering it immediately when he remembered Jack wouldn't know either way. "I sort of grew up hating the Order's collective metaphorical guts. For a long time I figured everyone felt that way and just didn't do anything about it. Not much to be done, right?"

"Anyway, I was at work and one of the Magistrate's cronies came to tell us we would be shutting down in a month or so, as part of the transition to the Druid's mulching program. I told him I didn't think it was very nice idea and that I'd try to appeal to various relevant authorities, or the public. And yes, I did have a vague idea of how dumb that was at the time. Thanks again for saving my co-workers and the funeral home from the fallout of that exchange."

"So after the usual threats and stormings-off and self recrimination and whatnot, I went for a walk in the graveyard to calm down. I heard the music over a radio some folks were playing on the sidewalk. And after that I saw Ms. De Vasch's dad. He figured I'd just kicked the bucket since I looked like another ghost to him. But my body was still alive. It had safely fallen into an open grave."

He self consciously scraped some clinging grave-mud out of his hair, reflecting that he might want to take a shower soon.

"We tried to figure out what happened to me but all we could pin down was that I was in a good position to help some people who really needed it. Dead people that is. I ended up taking off to find Ms. De Vash after that. And, yeah, that's about it."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie heard Jack speak up and walked over to the door looming over Larissa and carefully trying to not fall over her. The water would still take some time before it was ready for the pasta and so she thought she might add her part of the story.

Just when Necronaut finished she simply spoke with her powerful voice.

“You already know my name but for those who take notes – I’m Bodhie, Bodhie Armstrong, 36 years old and married…”, she paused briefly gathering her thoughts before she continued.

“I was working out at my best friends place because my husband cancelled my membership of the gym I used to go to. I… I was really mad at him and this just added to a long list of grief I’ve got because of him and my son. They both hate me and I hate him for…”, she shook her head.

“Well, that’s not important anymore…”, she sighed and they could see that the issue was really having an impact on her. It looked as if she had grown a few inches just because talking about him...

“Anyway – I was getting into a real good grind. Being angry is a strong motivator I suppose so I pushed myself harder than ever. My best friend Rachel was watching TV and suddenly there was this transmission and I heard the song. It felt as if it was just for me and it changed everything. I barely remember what exactly happened but suddenly I held the rack I was working out with in both hands. I broke it like a toothpick… and I was huge – all over. Rachel freaked out when she saw me and to be honest I was a bit freaked out myself. Before we could assess the situation Cyco appeared – and I simply went with her after she asked the key question. You know the rest.”

The ultra sized bodybuilder nodded at Cyco and smiled warmly. She liked her new friend and she hoped she’d become good friends with the others, too.

[Radiance]

Hikari nodded. Two men from the Order had come by to pick up a painting I'd done, though they asked for a couple of revisions. While I painted They turned the Tv on and I heard the music. They clearly didn't hear it so I said nothing and they left. I showered and found I had become as you see now. I quickly realized I could alternate and went out and bought clothes for both forms."

She sighs. "It seems pedestrian to worry about such a thing, but the difference in my physical forms is so great I really didn't have a choice."

When i came back I exprimented alittle and discovered my abilities. It was then that I felt another presence, and followed that sense across the city and found Andi."

[Charlotte]

"Order Cultural Governance made you alter something you painted? Hmm." Jack was idly flipping through his deck of cards, stopping at one that he ran his fingers over. "What did they ask you to change? Have they asked you to change anything else?"

[Radiance]

"I was asked to remove a woman named Leslie Mitchel from the painting. Afterwards I found the painting very unbalanced and had to end up redoing it completely and removing certain elements of light from it."

They looked at a number of finished and unfinished works, and noted one where I had painted the Cardinal Building, and speciffically gave the impression I should paint another without it because it might to be remaining there."

[Charlotte]

"Hmmmm. Well. Probably nothing. Shrimp smells good! Been ages since I had a good cookup." Jack tucked the stack of cards away, and stood up. "By the way, Andi, you heard anything about this building?"

[z-Gloom]

Gloom stared at Necro as he spoke. It was kinda funny, but her funny bone wasn't really up to fully enjoying this, and she just stared at him blankly as he prattled on. It was a relief for both when he stopped.

"Yeah, it's the ghost building." She glanced at Necro. "No offense," she added mildly before turning her gaze back at Jack. "It's a big old building owned by the Seattle Magistrate, but they don't use it or rent it out and it has been empty for years. Good security though - we never get called there, no vagrants or anything like that." She shrugged. "Rookies have to go up and look through the glass on the first floor, else they're pussies. Supposedly, if you are going to die on duty, you'll see the face of the man who'll kill you reflected in the glass." There was a tense moment and she grinned. "That's not true, actually. But after we tell the rookies that, one of us sneaks up behind him and looks into the glass over his shoulder. They get a round bought for them if they can make the rookie piss himself." She grinned, and something in her expression said she'd won that wager at least once.

[CyCo]

Cyco gave Jack a look of sarcasm and rolled her eyes, it not occuring to her that he couldn't see it.

Yeah, sure...I paid for it...With my awesomeness.

She smiled back at Bodhie, if only because she was the one cooking the shrimp and she felt like her stomach was going to cave in on itself and she would have to resort to gnawing on her wings for sustenance.

She turned back to the conversation, grabbing a second beer for when the first ran out.

Wah wah painting, wah wah blah blah, ghosts? Did she say ghosts?

"Haunted building? Let's go." Cyco said, perking up. "I need a phone. Jack, you got like, outside access here?"

[Bodhie Armstrong]

„Hold on, Cyco. Pasta is not done yet and I’m not leaving anywhere before I’ve gotten something to eat. Patience, ok?”, she looked back and forth between Gloom and Jack and added, “I’m of course in if we’re already making plans for our next move – but can’t we just have some food first? Make yourselves useful and get some dishes. I hope you’ve got a table large enough for all of us, Jack?”

Bodhie seemed to be used to run an household and the way she spoke suggested that she wouldn’t appreciate if no one helped her.

[Radiance]

Hikari nodded and through a little trial and error found the dishes in the cabinet and grabbed enough for everyone, though she had to use a plastic one for herself and at least one other. Beyond that she grabbed forks and spoons enough for all.

[CyCo]

As Hikari was moving towards the table, the dishes and utensils disappeared out of her hands and the table manifested place settings, if snuggly close to each other and in a bit of disarray in their placement.

"Food, now?"

[Charlotte]

"No land lines, and no signal for a cell. All I get is Order radio." Jack stood up. "And you didn't pay for that shrimp, did you?"

[The Scarlet Samurai]

Kenshin stood suddenly and went to the window; looking out at the ghost town he asked quietly, "How long has the town been like this? Was there a library that may have escaped the purge of information? I was ... I am a historian, I would like to find out just what happened those years ago."

[CyCo]

Cyco just cocked an eyebrow as she zipped into the kitchen, using every opportunity to revel in her speed.

"So Bodhie, is it done?"

[SalmonMax]

Larissa listened to the stories, and as she did she drifted to a window and peered out at the looming spectacle of Ayers Rock. After a few minutes it dominated her attention, putting her into an almost trancelike state.

"We have to go there, don't we?" she asked after a moment. "The rock...that building...there are places where whatever the Order did doesn't work. We need to find out why, so we can figure how to do it on purpose."

She turned and looked at Jack. "What was your theory about the Mathemagician. The woman in that recording said 'we' had one, referring to you and her. She calls him 'it' too. What is 'it'?"

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Originally Posted By: Cyco

Cyco just cocked an eyebrow as she zipped into the kitchen, using every opportunity to revel in her speed.

"So Bodhie, is it done?"

„When it’s done!“, Bodhie gave Cyco a short glare like a mother would to her daughter. Actually the pasta was almost ready and Bodhie just wanted to make sure it was perfect – being a perfectionist it was natural for her to make the best with the means and tools given to her.

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

"We have to go there, don't we?" she asked after a moment. "The rock...that building...there are places where whatever the Order did doesn't work. We need to find out why, so we can figure how to do it on purpose."

She turned and looked at Jack. "What was your theory about the Mathemagician. The woman in that recording said 'we' had one, referring to you and her. She calls him 'it' too. What is 'it'?"

“That’s a good question, Larissa.”, Bodhie said as she carried the large pot of Pasta over to the table and started to serve food. She put a huge amount on her own plate after she made sure that everyone else had something on their plates. “Lunch is served!”, she proclaimed and then started to eat away. She felt like she could eat a horse – or two.

[Charlotte]

"Our theory about the Mathemagician is that it, or he, or whatever, is some kind of program or tool. It only appears on TV, never in public. I don't think it thinks for itself. It just does whatever it's programmed to."

Jack sat down at the table, and tucked into the food with abandon. "Tasty. Anyways, whatever it is isn't as important as what it does. I think it influences how we think. I think it's the reason no one can remember the sixteen years before the Rise. Why no one can come up with a new idea for a movie or a new invention. Why everyone, such as Susan Pine back at Necronaut's old haunt - no relation with Lori, far as I know - feels the instinctive need to just let the Order walk all over them. And why there haven't been superpeople outside the Order's public face and whatever supervillains they have waiting in the wings. I think she broke through that, for the nine of us. No idea how."

He took a swig of beer. "As for the town, there's a library, yeah. Go ahead and check it out if you want to see if anything escaped the purge. I only ever read through the braille section. But it's been abandoned only for the last seven or eight years... I'm not sure how long it's been. I don't think the Order skipped it. I never heard what was going on at Ayers Rock, so check that out if you want to, Larissa. And Cyco - "

Jack opened up his wallet, and took out a sheaf of Order currency. He held it up. "I dunno if this is how you fed yourself before, but long as you're living in my house you are not stealing from anyone who doesn't deserve it. You take this and go back and put it in that shopkeeper's possession. Even if you think you're sticking it to Archon, you're really sticking it to them, and if they've done anything to deserve it I don't know about it. Am I clear?"

[Necronaut]

Stroking his chin thoughtfully was made more difficult by the semi-real filtration canister of his gas-mask. "I would like to check out the town as well, er, after we eat."

He tried to shove the food through his mask but although this proved possible, it was way too weird. He pulled the goggles back over his forehead and the rest of the mask dissolved into nether-stuff. "Best meal I've ever had in Australia." He took a moment to complement Bodhie's cooking.

He refocused on Kenshen after downing a few more shrimp. "Anyway, right, um, Swordsman, let me know before you head out. I might be able to dig up a primary source or two. And I need to find the scuttlebutt... ...hee, I love that word... from the netherworld if there's any to be had."

He spared a quick, wary glance at Larissa and added, "I definitely want to see Ayer's Rock too, but maybe later. More of a touristy interest there."