Mutants & Masterminds: The Unlikely Prophets - Issue #3: "History is a Bomb"

[Guest Anonymous]

Click to reveal..

It's a'me! Necronaut!

Meanwhile, in the graveyard...

Norman ultimately decided to delegate. After a quick run to the corner-store for more magic markers he set a few partially materialized ghosts to wander through the headstones, drawing in names, dates or messages as their owners requested. This left him free to ponder Ty's ominous message. The Olympics. He wracked his brain for possible meanings. There were a few options, but the one that stood out in his mind was the mountain range in Washington state. He pondered reporting back to the others but, with the ghost-plane at his disposal... it was less of a journey and more of a joy ride. What harm could there be in a quick fly-over?

Once he was satisfied that the graves had been marked appropriately he re-summoned his spectral conveyance and, waving farewell to the dead, took to the sky... flying northwest. His intention: an areal survey of the Olympic mountain range, and perhaps a brief stop at a graveyard or two in the area...

Click to reveal..

First roll is knowledge: geography (Olympic hunting). Second is investigate(Initial search of the Washingtonian Olympics)1d20+4=24, 1d20+9=20

[SalmonMax]

"You should also know that we've had other people who heard the message, and decided to go their own way," Hex added softly. "You're not bound to us by anything. There's no obligations, no expectations. We all have our reasons for doing this. None of us have to."

[Charlotte]

Necronaut had a spectacular view of the Olympic mountain range, but aerial flyover didn't reveal any hidden facilities. Investigating the graveyards in the area revealed a few ghosts with a few last requests - messages they wanted delivered, that sort of thing - but no one with any knowledge of a secret prison.

[Guest Anonymous]

Necronaut was only a little disappointed. On the off chance he was anywhere near the right place, it was too much to hope a secret prison would be easy to spot.

After he helped the dead such as he could he made one final stop; to snap a picture of a door to an interpretive center at the Olympic National Forest. Then he he summoned his plane and took to the skies, to reconnoiter with the rest of the team.

[Thomas Froit]

Thomas shook his head. "That presumes that it is easier to avoid the Order. That 'might' is a rather significant if. I'm in a sticky situation no matter where you turn, and I consider myself somewhat safer and acting the right way if I join this venture. I've made up my mind, and the die is cast."

[SalmonMax]

Hex took a deep breath and let it out. The possibility of infiltration was still there..the Order must have SOME idea there were superhumans out in the world by now...but it seemed unlikely just yet. Still, she looked at Jack.

"I believe him. What about the rest of you? Bring him to the Rock?"

[Radiance]

Radiance nodded. "LEt's go then. If this is truly what you want to do, then welcome aboard."

[Charlotte]

Jack nodded. "Bring him to the Rock."

* * *

The Rock

The group got back just in time to catch Necronaut upon his return.

[Necronaut]

The Necronaut staggered toward the others. He was still shaking feeling back into his legs after hours stuck on the ghost of a pilot's seat that had been designed before the word 'ergonomic' had been invented.

"Hex, we've got to talk about round-trip magic-door arrangements. The ghost-plane is great, but that transatlantic crossing will be the death of me." He paused as he considered this may not have been the most essential topic in his repertoire. "Also, I have good news and bad news about..."

He paused again, this time as he caught view of the newcomer. He tilted his head, causing the light to glint weirdly off of the half-real lenses of his nether-mask.

"...about that thing we're looking for which I don't know if I should be discussing in present company."

[Radiance]

Hikari nodded. "If it wasn't safe to talk about in front of him, he'd not be here."

[SalmonMax]

"He's a new one, like us," Hex reported tiredly. "Jack took us to him and he already had Knights chasing him down. So we blipped to Boston, and then to here."

"Glitch, this is Necronaut. Necronaut, Glitch. What did you find?"

[Necronaut]

"Glitch, good to meet you. I'm glad you could join us." Necronaut composed himself quickly, taking his allies at their word and prefacing his report for the newcomer's benefit. "Turns out we have another potential-friend already being held by the order. I've been off trying to track the place, Iron Gates Prison, down."

"It's a bit sketchy, but I had one report of a facility where politically undesirable people might be kept, not necessarily the Iron Gates. Word is, it's a spot with a great view of the Olympics. That phrase may have been used sardonically. I did a fly-over and quick graveyard-survey of the Olympic range up in Washington state, but got nothing. It could be somewhere near a game-site, or a geological feature. Probably hidden either way."

[Thomas Froit]

Thomas, or Glitch as he had decided to codename himself, scratched his head as he sorted through Necronaut's discovery (which did explain the 'ghost plane') and decided to get more info. "Held by the Order? Has he or she heard the song and gotten caught? Is there any particular reason you looked at the mountains there?"

[Guest Anonymous]

"Music? No, not as far as we know. It's sort of complicated, but the short version is she's related to someone who was like us, but before the order. A man named Goldsmith. In theory that relationship is enough for the Order to consider her a threat. In even more theory she can help us use some of the equipment he left behind, which will in turn help us fight back. Unfortunately that's not much of a lead."

The Necronaut cleared his throat, "...the even tinier lead we have on that lead is that a facility that might be where she is kept has a view of the Olympics. Which Olympics, I have no idea, but I figured I'd check one possible location out while I was out."

[SalmonMax]

"Maybe we're being too literal about that," Hex said thoughtfully. "One thing host cities of the Olympics do is build entirely new stadiums specifically for the events. Once the games are over, those stadiums often just kind of...wither away, because they aren't needed anymore."

She glances around at everyone. "What if a past Olympic stadium was converted into a prison, by the Order? I mean, it's a huge building, with controlled access points and very sturdy construction. You could do worse for the beginnings of a high security prison."

[Thomas Froit]

"There's a great deal of them, of course." Glitch pointed out. "It would be rather difficult and inefficient to go after each one, and in all likelihood, the prison would not be in plain view to find. It could also, theoretically be right idea of Necronaut, wrong mountain. As in Mount Olympus."

His stomach then growled, and he sighed. "Or perhaps, we shouldgo to whatever place is home base, and get some food. I'm hungry, and I need to settle in. And tinker, I suppose."

[Charlotte]

"Food sounds fantastic. Let's get some into you."

Blackjack escorted the group and their newcomer into the house he owned. He made his way towards the refrigerator. Glitch could tell two things - that the man was blind, and that the man knew his way around this house so well he didn't need eyes.

Blackjack opened up the refrigerator. "'Close to the Olympics' isn't much to go on. Could mean a lot of things, and it's a big damn world. We might need to find out more about this 'Iron Gates.' Does anyone know anyone in a position in the Order who'd be able to tell us more about it?"

[Thomas Froit]

Glitch picked out some turkey, roast beef and pickles, balancing the foodstuffs with a plate while he pondered the problem that Blackjack posed to the group. Setting down the plate covered with cold cuts and pickles upon the counter, he volunteered a proposal that came to him naturally.

"Problem is that if it's clearly not public knowledge, then the odds of any possible people placed to know actually volunteering might be rather low. I have an idea. There's very likely to be an Order building with a major database somewhere, and once we find the right one, all we have to do is get close enough- say, a few miles away, provided there's a good view. Then, I could put this to work."

He extricated a device from a pants pocket, placing it on the counter, that on inspection, could pass for a Blackberry or Palm Pilot.

"Something else that I created before I had to run. I've dubbed it the Wireless Computer Interface, and it has the capacity to be used to access computers and computerized systems in a large radius. I figure with luck, we could stay a safe distance away, but still patch in."

[z-Gloom]

Gloom snorted. She'd been silent up until now, but at his last comment, she felt compelled to speak. "I was willing to buy the song-thing," she said, her voice a harsh, sibilant whisper. "I thought a few hours might be too short a time for the Order to do something about us. But then you show up with exactly what we need? That seems awfully... convenient, don't you think?"

[Radiance]

Hikari was less sure now. Gloom had been a Knight after all. "The Olympic buildings idea is viable. I wouldn't put it past them to put it in Greece either. The Olympics were founded there. Though if it were a prison, I'd more expect Tartarus from the Order."

[Necronaut]

"The way I see it, we're all awfully convenient. I'd be suspicious if he had found us, but not so much the other way around. If the Order already has a way to fool Blackjack's luck, we're in a world of hurt. Er. A more immediate world of hurt, I mean."

Necronaut's diplomatic tone became positively conciliatory as he added, "And also, um, Gloom any thoughts on where the really secret order Prison records might be stored? Or a friend of a friend who might have?"

[Charlotte]

"It is pretty convenient," Jack admitted. "But it's not like this wireless thingme is the only way to accomplish what we're looking for. Sounds damn handy, though. Does it only work for you?

"As for trust issues, hell. I'll be honest. There's no way to really know right now. Far as the rest of you are concerned I could be the devil himself. But knowledge builds trust, I find. So tell me about yourself, Glitch. Rest of you, let's hear ideas on where and how we find out more about the Iron Gates."

[IndyPendant]

Sharatur had spent a few minutes on her return working with the LOOM, before announcing she was taking a shower to clean off her sweat and dirt, and get her hair in order. That now finished, she returned to the group, still scrubbing at the back of her hair with a towel. "Okay, so what's the plan now?"

As she was filled in on everything she missed, the rest of you noticed that she seemed to have embraced the concept of a costume after all. She was dressed in a form-fitting, dark-and light-green patterned...jumpsuit. Perhaps surprisingly, it suited her very well.

She quirked a smile at Gloom. "That's something that occurred to me quite a while ago." She pointed to Jack. "Only reason we're all here together's him and his weird 'I'm-really-lucky' powers. Awfully convenient, that."

"I'm not saying I think Jack's up to something, I don't think he is. But we saw how those cards of his pointed him to, uh, Glitch here. If we get suspicious of that, we'd have to be suspicious of each other too, stands to reason."

She paused then, and cleared her throat as she folded the damp towel, patting her hair into place. "Oh, I'm Sharatur by the way. Er, I guess that's Jade when we're...working?"

[Thomas Froit]

"Yeah. First thing, my real name is Thomas Froit, just so people know. Glitch is the work name." Thomas had facially expressed a mite of concern when Gloom became suspicious of him, but he stayed quiet and calm. Now he moved over to beside Jack.

"I barely understand the principles behind what I've got so far, but really for practical purposes, you guys have the capacity to use my gadgets as well. The WCI is an exception, since you operate the controls, but hacking IS hacking, and a tech-head like me knows hacking. Otherwise, this stuff is utilizable by anyone if you really needed it." He told the older, blind man while he pocketed the said gadget.

"Anyway, about me. Ok, let's see... Favorite book, a little pre-Rise book hidden in my parent's attic. And yes, up until now, I've been living with them, they need the extra money I make. The book, a sci-fi novel by David Brin, Startide Rising. I hid away in the attic a bit, reading that book so much. It was a bit, darker, but there was always the promise of hope at the end...

Moving on, until today, I was Lead Engineer at De-PX, or was, considering my boss Joanna dumped a jammed project on my lap."

"Jammed project?" Blackjack asked Glitch, trying to understand the unfamiliar expression.

"Project that's butted up against an engineering problem with no real solution. In other words, a hot potato attached to a ticking time bomb. Fatal when it goes off for your career. Though I suppose to be fair, I got the sense that Joanna was under pressure from above too. But the Song happened, and that's over with."

His eyes regarded Sharatur for a moment. "You got a good tailor around here? That is a good costume."

[Charlotte]

"Okay then. Seems like you've given up a lot to be here, Glitch. What about your parents? Are they going to be safe where they are, or should they be next on our list?"

[Radiance]

Hikari listened intently, knowing they could have yet another trip across the world to make. She just wanted to relax, but she couldn't not yet.

"I'll go along if we have to do that."

[Thomas Froit]

Glitch paused, and it was rather clear that Blackjack's words had made a strong point. Glitch turned his gaze to the floor as he ran over his memories of the incident today, trying to see if there was anything that implicated his parents in an offense. No, there wasn't.

"I don't think the Order has a reason to suspect them of any wrongdoing. Not that they don't need a reason to clamp them up or worse... but I think their safe."

It was clear from his words and tone that Glitch believed that, but also hoped desperately that he wasn't wrong. "They'll be safe."

[IndyPendant]

Sharatur glanced down at her suit, and actually flushed with embarrassment, explaining with just a hint of defensiveness, "Well, I figured it's about time to stop complaining and just accept that this is happening. Once you get past the whole 'costume' concept, they actually have some big advantages."

She shifted her balance to her left foot and kicked out at head height--nowhere near anyone else, of course--her torso only tilting slightly in compensation. "This thing doesn't restrict my movement at all! In <i>any</i> direction." She held up a new mask, now a smoother shape with more under her eyes than over, the same green as her suit. "And this thing's supposed to fool electronic stuff. Don't really understand that part, even though I had the thing explain it to me like four times."

She tilted her head after a moment, studying Glitch. "Maybe you should take a look at it. You're a technogeek right? Might be good to examine the thing before we leave it all alone here. We've taken a lot of things on faith so far, with it."

[Charlotte]

"If you're sure. If you change your mind, let us know. So okay! Glitch, here's what's happened. We found a hidden Vault. A treasure trove of artifacts from before the Rise of the Order. We can't get it open - that - " He waved in the general direction of the L.O.O.M. "Was all it'd give up."

"To open it the rest of the way, we need the Vault's owner's daughter. We have information that she is in some place called 'Iron Gates.' We get her, we can open the Vault, and find a way through AEGIS-1, that ruby thing that protects Order VIPs and their station. We get through that, and they can't hide from us. So that's why we need to find the Iron Gates. You with us?"

[SalmonMax]

Larissa added, half to Glitch and half to herself, "The Order was after the Vault too. That must be why they kept her around. I wonder if looking for a prison is the wrong way to go..."

[Thomas Froit]

"Yep. Though, I think I would rather outfit myself some more before going anywhere." Ideas for that drug that was tech development was moving through his head and Glitch wanted a fix.

"Let's see, is there any source of unused electronics around here, or in this house? Since I'm not currently part of the planning process by request, I figure some scavenging and trying to build more gadgets seems in order. Maybe I can make the costume analyzing part of that?"

[Radiance]

Hikari looked at Larissa. "They may not have her, odd as it sounds. Surely they'd have thought to find her after the Goldsmith's passing, if only because they encountered this message."

"That they didn't have access to the vault shows that they didn't have her, or it can tell when someone's under duress."

[Charlotte]

"Unused... electronics?" Jack thought for a moment.

"Well, you can have my radio. I never use it now. And whatever people left behind out in the town when they pulled up stakes... the town's electrical grid should still be good, too."

[SalmonMax]

Hex gazes thoughtfully at Hikari and nods.

"That's a good point...though I think they'd have had to have broken into the Vault room before they could have used her. They were still doing that when we got them."

She shrugs. "Not enough information to make a good choice. We'll just have to keep open minds."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie had stayed not sure if her presence was needed or not. She was eager to put her physical prowess into action but also wary that she could cause too much damage and thus endanger the mission.

While the team was gone she made herself comfortable and acquainted with the L.O.O.M. experimenting with it and trying out different outfits. She finally settled on a mixture between comfortable, useful and sexy. The suit left her legs and arms exposed granting her maximum freedom of movement and showing off her amazing muscles. Once she was satisfied with the design, which included a black facemask, she tested the fabrics ability to grow with her.

The blonde amazon concentrated and slowly started to grow, gaining inches and inches both in height and overall size. Her already huge muscles expanded even more until she reached her hulklike size of over 8 1/2 feet. Fortunately the suit didn't rip apart and remained as comfortable as she had envisioned it. After a short moment of impressive flexing and relaxing Bodhie exhaled shrinking back to her normal size and nodded with a big grin on her face.

The telltale signs of an opening "door" caught her attention and Bodhie wondered just how much time she had spent testing this handy L.O.O.M. thing. People were already deeply discussing their next step when she entered through the door, still wearing the mask - Who knew what they had stumbled over and she decided to be better safe than sorry.

The floor creaked ominously under her bare feet as she entered the house a raised eyebrow on her attractive face.

"You guys been successful?", she asked giving Glitch an obvious look.

[Necronaut]

"Friends, I think we may be thinking too big." The Necronaut nodded at Bodhie as she arrived, and did a double take, taking note of her new duds. "Um, that is to say! We can speculate about exactly what's going on until the sun turns cold, but we do have some pretty solid leads right now. We should follow what's right in front of our faces; Olympics, Iron Gates, Little Miss Goldsmith. If we're making bad assumptions we can figure that out on the way. I'd guess that right now any, er.. hm..." he paused to put some genuine thought into his inspiring hyperbole, "Yes, any three of us could track this thing down if we put our minds to it, no sweat. So let's all get on it, we've got dead people to put to rest and living people to keep from joining them!"

"Gloom, name a big secure Order data repository you've heard of, anywhere. Blackjack, maybe put some Olympic hosting cities names on cards and start pulling them out of a hat? Hex, you can send Glitch and er.. some... body... to the first and I and somebody else can check the second? And.. yeah." The Necronaut ran out of steam pretty abruptly, threatening to plunge the room into awkward silence...

[SalmonMax]

Larissa stared at Necronaut with equal parts astonishment and abashment. He was usually so quiet, it was easy to forget when he was around...but he seemed to have a very clear grip on the situation, even as the rest of them lost focus.

She took a breath and nodded. "If we can get an address, I should be able to find somewhere close I can open a door to." With a nod at Glitch she added, "Your face will be on their list by now. You should use the Loom for a mask at the very least."

[Thomas Froit]

"Good point." Glitch nodded to Sharatur. "Mind showing me over to your electronic tailor then? We'll see how this LOOM works then."

[z-Gloom]

Gloom quirked an eyebrow at Necronaut. "The only data repository I've ever heard of was the Mathemagician's, and you'd better be able to breathe vacuum if you want to get up there," she said with dry amusement. "Not to mention if you could, you'd be able to take on the Order alone and the resta us can just kick back with a couple of brewskies and let you do the work."

As Necronaut deflated a touch, she added, "But all prisons are made by the Human Planning, Incarceration and Punishment Division. If ya want information about a prison, that's where you'd have to break into.

"Oh, and has anyone thought that a 'view of the Olympics' means she's in an orbital prison?" Gloom shrugged. "I mean a prison in one of those generally-synced orbits or whatever they are. That's a view of the Olympics, probably a damned good one. God knows that the Order loves their space bases."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

"I know nothing about Iron Gates.", Bodhie's strong voice resonated in the mansions old wooden walls. "But my husband insisted we should move to close proximity of one special Department of the Order. Human Planning, Incarceration and Punishment Division. He works for the Order in a lawfirm, it helped him keep things tight and within range for so called legal loose ends. Maybe we can find some data there? it's just a wild guess. I know where it is..."

The larger than life bodybuilder crossed her arms over her mighty chest and pondered about what has been revealed. She was ready to do whatever needed to be done and her face mirrored that determination. "I think our chances to break into that place are relatively good, getting away is the problem."