Aberrant: Quantum Zero - Quantum Zero

[Asbjørn]

Within seconds Blaze closes with the flame-enclosed insectile woman; both he & Junebug can feel the searing heat from the obviously dangerous flame barrier...

Whoa!! Talk about overdoing a forcefield... ::blink

Within a few moments Blaze - bright guy that he is - realizes that the flames are not Junebug's own doing, and feels a little more secure as he hovers outside looking at her through the flames.

"Hey! That Blaze guy's captured a super-villainess!"

::blink

"Well, that should take care of the introductions... ::cool I'm Blaze, as you probably heard. I got three questions for you: 1: Who are you? 2: What the hell are you doing here? And 3: I hope you got that outfit cheap..."

Pausing briefly, he shrugs and adds

"Ok, that last one wasn't a question, but you get the idea."

As the Knight's shadows reach street-level, fully smothering the inferno, New York's finest Nova turns his masked face upwards - towards Junebug & Blaze. Despite the fact he's wearing a mask, it kinda' looks like he's in a bad mood... 

Seeing the Gothic Knight turn his attention on them, Nathan adds

"You could always talk to him instead, of course..." ::sly

[Prince of Boredom]

Michael glances in The Gothic Knights' direction, then starts walking in the direction of Junebug and Blaze, the sphere of fire slowly lowering (giving Junebug time to adjust her flight pattern) until she is forced to the ground. Michael walks up to the sphere, clearly unaffected by its heat, and steps through it, extending his hand in greeting with a warm smile, "Hi, I'm Michael Davison, PR rep for Masters International (he nods to Blaze) you've already met my friend Blaze... and you are?" Assuming she takes his hand and answers, "Perhaps you wouldn't mind if we asked you a few questions regarding why you were here (activating Persuader) and what your intentions are?" If she seems to acquiesce, the flames start to retreat into the ground... he starts leading her away from the crowd, his arm on her shoulder.

"You see, we find it a bit odd that you would appear just before that great explosion, apparently trying to run away before anyone saw you... We're trying to figure out why that is?"

[ezekiel]

Feeling the air move as a new 'window' is opened behind him, Vinnie again lets his eufiber mask glide up to cover his face. Turning to Terry he says

"Mr. Nathanson, welcome back. Please have a seat."

He then glances at his watch, noting the [X] minutes his colleague has left to show up...

"Thank you"

Terry sits down in front of Vinne

"I don't know about you but I've been quite busy these past two hours. I have spoken with my friend, he'll be able to meet you as soon as we're done. Do you have the demon's blood sample? Have you been able to glean any information from what I've given you?"

[Archer21]

The suitably-cowed driver is the height of professionalism as he transports his charges to the high-class restaurant. Only a few photographers are present to snap pictures of the rich & famous who are dining - those few grin behind their cameras at the sure knowledge of a profitable 'money shot' as the glittering couple step from the car.

Inside the restaurant boasts a vaguely Morrocan style - the be-fezed head waiter smiles as he escorts Mr Fabry & his guest to the best table in the house.

With a generous, but not extravagant tip, John nods to the driver in thanks as they exit the car. His mega-watt smile turned on for the cameras, the actor is still well aware of how far Janet outshines him, but he doesn't care.

Nodding politely to the waiter, he allows them to be escorted to their table. Ordering their drinks, his hand slips to his pocket below the table. By feel, he taps in Terry's number, then a quick, one-word message. Ready

Only afterwards does he pause, slight puzzlement creasing his brow as he puts the phone away. *Why was that so easy to do?* Shaking off the idle thought, he grins at Janet. "There are some wonderful dishes here. I'm hoping to leave with at least some recipes, if not the chef."

[Heritage]

Slither cannot believe her crappy luck - here she is, a 'bad guy' prentending to be a 'good guy', mistaken for a 'bad guy'! ::rolleyes How the hell was she going to get out of this? ::blink

"Well, that should take care of the introductions...  I'm Blaze, as you probably heard. I got three questions for you: 1: Who are you? 2: What the hell are you doing here? And 3: I hope you got that outfit cheap..."

Pausing briefly, he shrugs and adds

"Ok, that last one wasn't a question, but you get the idea."

Seeing the Gothic Knight turn his attention on them, Nathan adds

"You could always talk to him instead, of course..."

*Okay, here goes nothing....*

I call myself the stupendous Junebug, or just Junebug - I guess you could say I'm new on the nova scene. I was hoping to help with the fire, which I picked up with my ultra-keen senses-

Here Junebug indicates her antennae.

But I quickly realized that the fire was well beyond my new-found abilities to handle. As far my costume goes...

And here she poses elegantly, but her tone of voice is hurt.

I designed it myself - why, don't you like it? ::sad

Michael glances in The Gothic Knights' direction, then starts walking in the direction of Junebug and Blaze, the sphere of fire slowly lowering (giving Junebug time to adjust her flight pattern) until she is forced to the ground. Michael walks up to the sphere, clearly unaffected by its heat, and steps through it, extending his hand in greeting with a warm smile, "Hi, I'm Michael Davison, PR rep for Masters International (he nods to Blaze) you've already met my friend Blaze... and you are?" Assuming she takes his hand and answers, "Perhaps you wouldn't mind if we asked you a few questions regarding why you were here (activating Persuader)and what your intentions are?" If she seems to acquiesce, the flames start to retreat into the ground... he starts leading her away from the crowd, his arm on her shoulder.

"You see, we find it a bit odd that you would appear just before that great explosion, apparently trying to run away before anyone saw you... We're trying to figure out why that is?"

*God, why do all these novas have to be so attractive? You should talk, Carla - hypocrite much? ::wink I'm so glad my face is hidden!*

Junebug thrusts out her hand and shakes it firmly.

A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Davison! As I was just explaining to Blaze here, I call myself Junebug - today was meant to be my big debut as a nova, but I'm afraid I've bungled it a bit.

She chuckles self-conciously.

I heard the police report on my antennae and rushed to the scene, but I have no experience dealing with fires; after I got caught in the updraft off that explosion, I decided to leave this one to the pros -

She indicates them both with a flourish.

And seek out less perilous situations to test my fledgling powers ::laugh

Meanwhile, inside her head Slither is hoping she can somehow contact Link via his telepathy if she 'thinks loudly' in his direction ::crazy

*LINK!! HEY LINK!! I"M TOTALLY FREAKIN' OUT HERE!! TELL ME YOU CAN HEAR ME!! LINK!!*

(OOC: If it will help, she'll spend a Willpower point.)

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Will watches the exchange shaking his head with a stupified look on his face ::blink "Guys! No time for this! There are fires and people hurt all over the place! Bug you wanna help then help with these people! God how do the smart ones always apear to be so dumb?" Will finishes his sentence under his breath and goes back to see how he can help those around, not really interested in any retorts bound to come his way for the last line.

[Asbjørn]

As far my costume goes...

And here she poses elegantly, but her tone of voice is hurt.

I designed it myself - why, don't you like it? ::sad

Blaze looks her up and down through the flame barrier, then says

"Well... If you're planning on a part time job as the Easter Bunny's assistant, I guess it's ok..." ::biggrin

"Just kidding. It looks good on you. Nice and... tight." ::wink

As Mike takes over the talking, Nate divides most of his attention between Will and the Gothic Knight, glancing back just a few times at Junebug's butt...

"Guys! No time for this! There are fires and people hurt all over the place! Bug you wanna help then help with these people! God how do the smart ones always apear to be so dumb?"

Nate follows Will down the street - unless he's moving too fast, that is - saying

"Well, I'd love to help, pal, but don't you think the paramedics and firefighters have it in hand now? Not to mention him..." He nods towards the demolished building where he's certain a larger than life Knight will appear any minute now.

"Hell, I hardly know how to open a first aid kit..." ::rolleyes

Still, Blaze does follow his friend's example and helps out where he can, specifically asking the guy in charge if there's anything he can do.

[Asbjørn]

"I don't know about you but I've been quite busy these past two hours. I have spoken with my friend, he'll be able to meet you as soon as we're done.

The Ghost nods at the mention of the other nova.

Do you have the demon's blood sample? Have you been able to glean any information from what I've given you?"

"Yes I have the sample. But you may want to make doubly sure this Zia is open and honest with you..."

He pushes the vial with the sample across the table, where it slides to a halt in front of Terry.

"I'm guessing he forgot to tell you that the data were copy-protected, right? ::sly My boys only got a brief glimpse before the whole thing melted as they tried to copy it. What they did see made them very impressed, but they didn't have a chance to study it in detail. It was a highly detailed medical analysis of the genetic make-up of a specific teenage girl, no names mentioned."

The Ghost shrugs, as if to say 'sorry, but what can I do?'.

"The substance you gave me looks more promising. Don't have much to go on yet, but it does target the same genetic sequence. They haven't figured out exactly what it does, but it's obvious it's got something to do with nova potential."

[ezekiel]

"Yes I have the sample. But you may want to make doubly sure this Zia is open and honest with you..."

Terry smiles grimly

"He isn't, that's why I initially asked for two samples. Honest or not, he's the world's leading expert."

"The substance you gave me looks more promising. Don't have much to go on yet, but it does target the same genetic sequence. They haven't figured out exactly what it does, but it's obvious it's got something to do with nova potential."

Terry grabs the vial in front of him and looks at the contents

"Does it target the same sequence that the Demon's blood targets? Could this help your informant addict?"

[Heritage]

Blaze looks her up and down through the flame barrier, then says

"Well... If you're planning on a part time job as the Easter Bunny's assistant, I guess it's ok..." 

For a moment, the insectile nova's antennae seem to droop ::sad

"Just kidding. It looks good on you. Nice and... tight." 

But then they perk up a bit, and Junebug moves briskly about looking for a way to help, rubbing her hand over her mask as though smoothing down hair.

*Okay Carla, you're just getting a little too into this role - this way leads to insanity ::sly*

As Mike takes over the talking, Nate divides most of his attention between Will and the Gothic Knight, glancing back just a few times at Junebug's butt...

Still, Blaze does follow his friend's example and helps out where he can, specifically asking the guy in charge if there's anything he can do.

Keenly aware of Blaze's wandering eyes, Slither makes every attempt to show off her curvacious figure as she bends and crouches near the injured, murmuring the sorts of things she expects 'good guys' say.

You'll be fine...you're in good hands now...

*Well if Marco doesn't put out a hit on me for being late for lunch, this might actually work out - looks like Blaze over there might eventually feel chatty ::sly I wish Link could hear my thoughts - if need be, I can still 'call' Marco by phone, I guess ::confused*

[malkboy]

( At the fire which is supposedly X time before the meeting )

Link watches the going on, the fire bubble, and shakes his head sadly. He flips open his phone and dials for Vinnie, as well as trying to find the fastest way up.

(Same message if he gets Vinnie or his voicemail)

"Hey friend, I'm here with our other friend who is having a time with the locals. I'm going to try to give her a hand and will be along quickly. "

Link starts to focus in on Junebug (aka Slither) to connect with her head for a chat.

[Asbjørn]

Does it target the same sequence that the Demon's blood targets?

The Ghost nods.

Could this help your informant addict?

"Maybe. It's too early to say, but they're working on it."

Then his phone rings [now's as good a time as any, I guess... ::confused ]

The Ghost picks it up, waiting a fraction of a second for the encryption sequence to finish, and turning the speaker volume way down before he answers

"Yeah?"

"Hey friend, I'm here with our other friend who is having a time with the locals. I'm going to try to give her a hand and will be along quickly."

"Whoa. Wait a sec. You're where? What locals?"

[Heritage]

Link starts to focus in on Junebug (aka Slither) to connect with her head for a chat.

Junebug stiffens for a minute, then continues to make herself useful - however inside her head, it's another story altogether.

*LINK?! Oh thank God! Listen, tell-*

She stops, suddenly aware that she has no idea what the nearby novas powers actually are ::shocked

*Tell my friend that I've met some new people; I think if I got to know them better, it would help us very much, since they're with Masters Intenational. They were scared at first, but I think they might like me now. This is an amazing opportunity, and I think I could learn a lot from them.*

[ProfPotts]

Aftermath:

Several police officers quickly converge on the location of Junebug's (forced) landing as she descends, although they seem wary enough to keep back as Blaze & Mike talk to the unknown Nova.

"Guys! No time for this! There are fires and people hurt all over the place! Bug you wanna help then help with these people! God how do the smart ones always apear to be so dumb?"

Quickly ('quick' being his 'thing', after all... ::wink ) Will backs up his words with actions - zipping around to the various small fires to help extinguish them before they start the whole disaster over again. The first couple of times his rapid approach heralds a gust of air that threatens to fuel the flames, rather than put them out, but with a little practice the young Nova finds he can maintain a good speed without adding to the problem. He also quickly realises that his personal immunity to being burnt by the fires enables him to approach them in a much bolder manner than the baseline fire fighters - no matter how well-trained & well-equiped they may be.

"Well, I'd love to help, pal, but don't you think the paramedics and firefighters have it in hand now? Not to mention him..."

With appropriately dramatic timing, the Gothic Knight appears standing on the edge of the shadow-enveloped building's roof. After a brief pause (during which several bystanders point & awed comments start to circulate through the crowds) the impressive figure leaps from the building, cape billowing behind him as he drops, shadows appearing to flow back into his form as he moves past them. Just before he impacts the ground, the Knight flings a thin line out, which snags some high-up spot, & allows him to control his descent to land in a crouched pose in front of the smoldering burnt-out shell of a building - all that remains once the shadows have retreated.

Blaze appraoches the fire chief, as the chief appraoches the Gothic Knight. Junebug, meanwhile, does a great job of distracting the (male) paramedics & injured - although her obvious appeal may not be quite the best Nova power to be flaunting whilst lives hang by a thread... ::lookaround One of the female paramedics quickly (with a disapproving sigh) moves over to the new Nova,

"Look, sister, I don't know if you caused any of this or not, & right now I don't really care - but if you can't do anything to help these people, then just keep out of the way - these first few minutes are a critical time." The paramedic, an athletic looking black woman in her mid-thirties, doesn't even bother to wait for an answer before she turns back to tending for the injured - snapping clipped comments at her male colleagues in an effort to get them to pay more attention to their own life-saving work.

As the chief, Blaze, & the Gothic Knight meet, the Knight casts a quick glance around the scene &, without bothering with the introductions, starts to direct efforts. After quickly pointing out where the chief's teams should focus their efforts, he turns to Blaze,

"Four of these people will die before they reach hospital unless we can move them now. You take those two," he points to a badly injured police office & a Hispanic man unconscious on a stretcher, "get your fast friend to take the others." - he indicates Will & two more of the heavily injured - a fire fighter who looks like she has a crushed leg that won't stop bleeding, & an elderly Asian gentleman who appears to be having trouble breathing.

The city defender's commands are quite compelling, & he appears to realise that, turning from Blaze as if he presumes his orders will be followed, & striding towards Mike. Reaching the PR man the Knight says,

"I have some idea of what you can do - talk to the crowd & try to get them to disperse - the area's not yet fully safe, & their presence is making everyone elses' jobs harder."

Finally turning on Junebug, the colourfully clad Nova notices the Knight briefly glance across the crowd - seemingly right at Link - before facing & addressing her directly,

"What can you do to help?"

Desert Sands:

"There are some wonderful dishes here. I'm hoping to leave with at least some recipes, if not the chef."

Janet smiles then, glancing at the menu, comments,

"Ooo - they have a house speciality pudding, 'Dessert Sands' - make sure to get that one - it sounds yummy." ::bigsmile

Giovanni's:

Whilst Vinnie takes his phone call, a spot of light appears floating in the air near where Terry is seated. Moments later the dot expands into a disc, & a beautiful pale-skinned woman, with long white hair & all-white eyes, steps through - PathFinder. Wearing tight white jeans, trainers, & a skimpy white vest with the immortal words 'Bad to the Bone' written across the chest in dark red, the Terat is quite a sight to behold. Raphael can't help but smile slightly in appreaciation of the newcomer's perfection, but the smile turns to an uncomfortable frown as she turns her gaze upon him. The elder mobster appears discomforted at PathFinder's presence, & gently loosens his collar with a finger, then pads a handkerchief over his suddenly sweat-covered brow... ::squid ::nervous

The mounting tension is broken slightly as Marco re-enters the meeting room. He too takes a moment to comtemplate the Terat beauty's curves, but seems somewhat less dismayed by her less-than-human stare as it is turned upon him; instead of Raphael's nervous reaction, the younger, more charming, mobster merely smiles & nods a polite bow, before seating himself back at the table.

Moving over to the seated Terry, PathFinder slips an arm around the ex-cop's shoulders & bends down to share a kiss with him, before finally looking up at Vinnie,

"Ghost... I wouldn't advise doing that if I were you. Geryon may not kill fellow Novas, but he could cut your mercenary career short nevertheless, & some of our other friends are less forgiving than he is. Make no mistake, Terry is not to be hurt. Oh, I'm sure you feel you have a 'family obligation' to live up to, but you must have started to realise how misplaced that devotion now is. These baselines are no longer your family, we are. You know full-well that you no longer think like they do - you can see how limited their petty struggles are. Would you really feel it the right thing to do to execute a fellow Nova, cut short all that potential, over some slighted baseline honour? Would such a waste really be living up to your own potential?"

The Big House:

Disjointed noise & blurred images come first to John's perceptions, along with a headache that throbs just behind his eyes. It takes a few moments for his senses to clear as the scene fades in around him.

John realises that he's still in his Nova form - the anima is surrounding him, but it appears somehow dim, as if something was disrupting the normal flow of raw power that he feels. He can barely detect the scents of the various people in the room with him - it's as if his Nova self was fogged with a cold. Mostly he can only detect the acrid tang of industrial deturgent.

Trying to move the young man finds that he can't. His blurred vision clears to reveal tight, thick, metal bands surrounding his chest, arms, & legs, holding him strapped, upright, to some kind of metal frame. A light dusting of frost covers the bands where the anima touches them, but not with the destructive intensity he's come to expect. He knows that Glacier should be able to snap the restraints - they're thick, but not a match for his best efforts - but, like his senses & anima, his muscles feel weak & drained.

"Welcome to the Project Utopia Bahrain maximum security Rashoud facility."

The dramatic male voice is evenly pitched, but cuts through the fog of Glacier's awakening like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Focusing on the voice some of the young Nova's wits, if not his powers, return to him. He looks up - an effort in itself - to see a handsome blonde man wearing some sort of dark Project Utopia uniform. The man's athletic build & chiseled features suggest a Nova, although it's still quite hard for John to focus enough to be sure of that.

Managing to glance around the room he's in, as the effects of the (he now realises) drugs he's been dosed with start to wear thin, Glacier sees that it appears to be a mid-sized, very neat, office. The blonde man is seated behind a large desk of polished oak. Behind him is a window... no... at second glance it's not a window, but rather some sort of video image of a country scene, made to resemble a window. The walls appear to be of white-washed concrete, although the pale blue carpet on the floor is quite plush. For some reason the greenery of the single rubber plant, positioned in one of the corners behind the blonde man, looks out of place with the rather severe style of the rest of the office. Naturally, Glacier can't see what's behind him, in the other half of the office, since he can't move.

The blonde, official looking, man steeples his fingers as he takes a moment to look John in the eyes; he then turns to a rather old-fashioned card dossier on the desk in front of him, flipping it open & looking through several sheets of documents. With a quiet sigh, the official closes the dossier, stands, & walks around the desk until he's face-to-face with John,

"I am Montressor, warden of this facility. It is our goal here to study & treat those whose eruptions have led to their becoming dangerously tainted," the word seems to John to have a specific resonance, as if it was refering to a certain thing, not just being used in a general way, "& to keep such individuals from being a danger to either themselves or others."

The official, 'Montressor', pauses, then asks,

"Do you understand why you are here?"

::squid ::squid ::squid

[Heritage]

Finally turning on Junebug, the colourfully clad Nova notices the Knight briefly glance across the crowd - seemingly right at Link - before facing & addressing her directly,

"What can you do to help?"

For a moment, Slither feels a quick surge of panic, but it is quickly submerged beneath a wave of insecurity and shame ::blush When she responds, she doesn't even remember to use her 'Junebug voice'.

I dunno - probably nothing.

She waves her hand to take in the scene.

I don't know what I was thinking - this isn't my world.

She tugs at her outfit.

This isn't me - I mean, look at this stupid outfit! It's an insult to guys like you, guys who do it for the right reasons.

Slither watches the paramedics as they hurry to save lives, feeling entirely inadequate.

I'm just a distraction, a stupid bimbo getting in the way ::angry

She holds up her hands.

Don't worry, I didn't have anything to do with this - just saw an opportunity to show off, 'do the right thing' and all that. I'll leave this sort of thing to the pros, at least until I figure out a way to make myself more useful.

She looks over to Mike.

My powers are pretty much useless here, so I think I should just leave - do you have a business card or something? Maybe I'll look you guys up when I have an outfit that's a little less retarded ::blush

[ProfPotts]

This isn't me - I mean, look at this stupid outfit! It's an insult to guys like you, guys who do it for the right reasons.

The Knight looks Junebug up & down, then says, in a completely deadpan manner,

"I expect the outfit does exactly what you intended it to."

Don't worry, I didn't have anything to do with this - just saw an opportunity to show off, 'do the right thing' and all that. I'll leave this sort of thing to the pros, at least until I figure out a way to make myself more useful.

"Doing the right thing is fine, but it doesn't go hand-in-hand with showing off. If you really can't do anything to help, then I suggest you leave as quickly & quietly as possible. If I need to find you, I will."

The city defender's tone is so final & matter-of-fact that Slither has no doubts that the man can do just that if he wants to...

[Asbjørn]

As the chief, Blaze, & the Gothic Knight meet, the Knight casts a quick glance around the scene &, without bothering with the introductions, starts to direct efforts.

Blaze stands in uncharacteristic respectful silence as the orders are given.

After quickly pointing out where the chief's teams should focus their efforts, he turns to Blaze,

"Four of these people will die before they reach hospital unless we can move them now. You take those two," he points to a badly injured police office & a Hispanic man unconscious on a stretcher

Snapping up into what's his idea of a salute, Blaze says

"Gotcha!"

"get your fast friend to take the others." - he indicates Will & two more of the heavily injured - a fire fighter who looks like she has a crushed leg that won't stop bleeding, & an elderly Asian gentleman who appears to be having trouble breathing.

Blaze nods again, then turns to the red blur buzzing around here somewhere.

"Will! Get your ass over here! We got some wounded to take care of!"

When Will shows up he points to the two last injured.

"You take those two, I'll take these."

Then he moves over to the man on the stretcher and makes sure he's strapped in good before he takes him under one arm and helps the policeman to his feet with the other.

"Come on, man. Just hold on to me and we'll get you fixed up in no time. You're gonna be fine."

Holding the officer as comfortably as possible, he leaps into the air again and speeds off as fast as he can to the nearest hospital, landing outside the emergency room and hurrying inside with them.

[Heritage]

"Doing the right thing is fine, but it doesn't go hand-in-hand with showing off. If you really can't do anything to help, then I suggest you leave as quickly & quietly as possible. If I need to find you, I will."

The city defender's tone is so final & matter-of-fact that Slither has no doubts that the man can do just that if he wants to...

(OOC: If Mike offers a card or phone number, she will slide it into a ‘pocket’ in her eufiber)

*Link, I’m gonna head back – let ‘em know that I’m an idiot and might not be safe. Call me at 555-6061 when you know what they want me to do.*

Feeling like she wants to disappear, Slither does just that – giving the other novas a quick nod, she slips into the crowd, her outfit starting to lose its bright colors, the wings and antennae sliding back out of sight. By the time she’s at the back of the crowd, its dull gray, and she ducks down the nearest alley and hoofs it; after a few blocks, she’ll dorm down, shifting her eufiber into a plain but fashionable contemporary design.

After a few more jogs and reversals to shake off possible pursuers, she will shift to Liz Baxter and head back to the restaurant, but will hang back from going inside until she has word from Marco or Ghost.

[phoenix]

Trying to move the young man finds that he can't. His blurred vision clears to reveal tight, thick, metal bands surrounding his chest, arms, & legs, holding him strapped, upright, to some kind of metal frame. A light dusting of frost covers the bands where the anima touches them, but not with the destructive intensity he's come to expect. He knows that Glacier should be able to snap the restraints - they're thick, but not a match for his best efforts - but, like his senses & anima, his muscles feel weak & drained.

Realizing his own helplessness, panic begins to seep into the back of Glacier's mind. It is restrained, however, by his own natural calm and by the phlegmatic attitude imposed by the drugs.

"Welcome to the Project Utopia Bahrain maximum security Rashoud facility."

At the voice, Glacier winces and considers opening his eyes.

"Thanks.."

"I am Montressor, warden of this facility. It is our goal here to study & treat those whose eruptions have led to their becoming dangerously tainted," the word seems to John to have a specific resonance, as if it was refering to a certain thing, not just being used in a general way, "& to keep such individuals from being a danger to either themselves or others."

Glacier opens his eyes to take in the uniformed man. He asks himself briefly whether or not he could be serious, but on the force of the iron bands and drugs restraining him, decides to take the honest fellow at his word.

The official, 'Montressor', pauses, then asks,

"Do you understand why you are here?"

Glacier pauses, then lifts his head to ask,

"Is this what a hangover feels like? I guess I should've found out before I erupted, but I paid too much attention to my parents and the anti-underage-drinking commercials.."

[malkboy]

(Sorry a post I made seems to have disappeared.. I've edited this one for your viewing pleasure)

"Whoa. Wait a sec. You're where? What locals?"

Link sighs a bit, "We're at some place that caught fire. It's over on (street here) but pretty much all that could be done has been. I'm gonna grab our friend and... one second.."

*Link, I’m gonna head back – let ‘em know that I’m an idiot and might not be safe. Call me at 555-6061 when you know what they want me to do.*

* Yeah, smooth. I'll let you know what's up, once I figure it out. *

Link looks around at all the devastation and just shakes his head as he turns around and walks back towards Giovanni's.

"I'm on the way, but our friend might have some nova company. Wants to know if she should head over or stay away, any preferences?"

Quickly, Link checks for anybody following him and finds his way back to Giovanni's. Stepping inside, Link takes a quick glance around before heading for the back.

[ezekiel]

"Ghost... I wouldn't advise doing that if I were you. Geryon may not kill fellow Novas, but he could cut your mercenary career short nevertheless, & some of our other friends are less forgiving than he is. Make no mistake, Terry is not to be hurt. Oh, I'm sure you feel you have a 'family obligation' to live up to, but you must have started to realise how misplaced that devotion now is. These baselines are no longer your family, we are. You know full-well that you no longer think like they do - you can see how limited their petty struggles are. Would you really feel it the right thing to do to execute a fellow Nova, cut short all that potential, over some slighted baseline honour? Would such a waste really be living up to your own potential?"

Terry keeps an arm around Pathfinder as she stands next to him but raises his other hand as she speaks.

"Family is family whether you've erupted or not. This is a point we've agreed to disagree on, more or less."

He indicates Pathfinder with a nod but maintains his stare on Ghost.

"You've got to ask yourself whether you've misplaced intentions though Vinny. I've been nothing but totally open and honest with you from the get go. I won't lie and say I'm happy dealing with your family. I'm not and won't be until you give me good reason to like you. Telling me you were family would've been a good start. And this I found out without any help. At least I would've known that Gino Genovese sent some family to deal with me."

Terry shrugs and hands the Demon Blood sample over to Pathfinder

"Like I said I'm more trouble to you dead than alive. I think our working together could be mutually beneficial...but if you disagree and truly think you can take on Masters and the Templars on your own then maybe we'll just leave and get on with our other business. I initially just came here for information on the Templars after all... "

[Archer21]

Desert Sands:

Janet smiles then, glancing at the menu, comments,

"Ooo - they have a house speciality pudding, 'Dessert Sands' - make sure to get that one - it sounds yummy."

He winks at her. "I'll keep it in mind." Feeling more relaxed than he has in ages, the actor peruses the menu and idly wonders how much their chef will cost him. ::cool

[Asbjørn]

Link sighs a bit, "We're at some place that caught fire. It's over on (street here) but pretty much all that could be done has been. I'm gonna grab our friend and... one second.."

"I'm waiting..."

Whilst Vinnie takes his phone call, a spot of light appears floating in the air near where Terry is seated.

Ghost quietly looks from Pathfinder to Terry when she appears, not pleased by her interruption.

"Ghost... I wouldn't advise doing that if I were you. Geryon may not kill fellow Novas, but he could cut your mercenary career short nevertheless, & some of our other friends are less forgiving than he is. Make no mistake, Terry is not to be hurt. Oh, I'm sure you feel you have a 'family obligation' to live up to, but you must have started to realise how misplaced that devotion now is. These baselines are no longer your family, we are. You know full-well that you no longer think like they do - you can see how limited their petty struggles are. Would you really feel it the right thing to do to execute a fellow Nova, cut short all that potential, over some slighted baseline honour? Would such a waste really be living up to your own potential?"

Ghost ignores Pathfinder [even if it takes a willpower point to do so... ::wink ] while waiting for a reply on the phone, his masked face betraying no reaction to neither Pathfinder's appearance or her... appearance.

"I'm on the way, but our friend might have some nova company. Wants to know if she should head over or stay away, any preferences?"

Ghost sighs

"'Nova company' doesn't tell me sh!t, and you know it. That could be anyone from Divis Mal to the f*ckin' tooth fairy. Be more specific, and if you can't say it on the phone give it to me otherwise. Gotta go."

Then he hangs up, and is about to answer Pathfinder when Terry launches into his monologue.

"You've got to ask yourself whether you've misplaced intentions though Vinny. I've been nothing but totally open and honest with you from the get go."

*Yeah right...*

"I won't lie and say I'm happy dealing with your family. I'm not and won't be until you give me good reason to like you. Telling me you were family would've been a good start. And this I found out without any help. At least I would've known that Gino Genovese sent some family to deal with me."

Ghost smiles a little.

"You mean you didn't know that before the meeting? What kind of cop are you?" ::blink

"I didn't tell you cause it's not important. I'm here as an employee of DeVries National Tactical Solutions. Raphael is more family than me, another fact you would have realized if you hadn't slept through the 'family'-class at the academy. Instead you chose to insult him and my grandfather. Real smooth, Mr Nathanson." ::sly

He turns to Pathfinder, meeting her eyes and doing his best to shield his thoughts from her.

"You're interrupting a business meeting you weren't invited to. I know you can spy on us from wherever you god damn want to in the world - including through Mr Nathanson's eyes like earlier - and if that is your intention I sure as hell can't stop you. But I don't want you here. Please leave."

"Like I said I'm more trouble to you dead than alive. I think our working together could be mutually beneficial...but if you disagree and truly think you can take on Masters and the Templars on your own then maybe we'll just leave and get on with our other business. I initially just came here for information on the Templars after all... "

"You came here for an ally, or at least that was the impression you chose to give. So far I've scratched your back more than you've scratched mine, but if you want to cut it here, that's fine. After you introduce me to your friend."

[ezekiel]

Ghost smiles a little.

"You mean you didn't know that before the meeting? What kind of cop are you?" 

Terry raises an eyebrow

"An ex-cop who has much better things to do than find out who's who in the underworld."

"I didn't tell you cause it's not important. I'm here as an employee of DeVries National Tactical Solutions. Raphael is more family than me, another fact you would have realized if you hadn't slept through the 'family'-class at the academy. Instead you chose to insult him and my grandfather. Real smooth, Mr Nathanson."

Terry shrugs

"Do you really charge your own family for your services? You're either more mercenary than I thought or you take me for a fool. Who's insulting who?"

He turns to Pathfinder, meeting her eyes and doing his best to shield his thoughts from her.

"You're interrupting a business meeting you weren't invited to. I know you can spy on us from wherever you god damn want to in the world - including through Mr Nathanson's eyes like earlier - and if that is your intention I sure as hell can't stop you. But I don't want you here. Please leave."

Terry pushes back from the table and stands and seems to fill up the room (activates awe-inspiring)

"She was invited, by me. The sample needs to get to Zia as soon as possible. But if this is how you treat my soulmate then she isn't interrupting anything, this meeting is over."

You came here for an ally, or at least that was the impression you chose to give. So far I've scratched your back more than you've scratched mine, but if you want to cut it here, that's fine. After you introduce me to your friend."

Terry shakes his head

"You gave me information about the Templars and I gave you information about Masters. You gave me a sample of Demon's Blood for which I'm thankful but with little effort we could've gotten a sample of our own. In exchange I gave you a unique sample of a possible antidote...or something close to it. I also offered to give you the results of the analysis of the Demon's Blood by the worlds leading expert on node physiology. Whether or not you get those results depends solely upon you. You won't meet my friend today. You've already threatened me, I won't put a friend in danger."

Terry tugs down on his jacket

"I suggest a cooling off period. You know how to contact me, if you wish to meet me again in a week's time just leave a message. Hopefully Zia will have finished by then."

[Asbjørn]

"She was invited, by me. The sample needs to get to Zia as soon as possible. But if this is how you treat my soulmate then she isn't interrupting anything, this meeting is over."

[Definitely spending willpower to resist that one...]

The Ghost remains seated, calmly replying

"I appreciate the fact that you want to move quickly, and understand how Pathfinder is the best way to do it. But, you could have mentioned it. As you say, she is your guest, not mine, therefore I ask her to leave."

"You gave me information about the Templars and I gave you information about Masters. You gave me a sample of Demon's Blood for which I'm thankful but with little effort we could've gotten a sample of our own. In exchange I gave you a unique sample of a possible antidote...or something close to it. I also offered to give you the results of the analysis of the Demon's Blood by the worlds leading expert on node physiology. Whether or not you get those results depends solely upon you. You won't meet my friend today. You've already threatened me, I won't put a friend in danger."

The Ghost raises an eyebrow.

"You don't think what I told you about Masters' involvement in this is worth anything?"

"And I have not threatened you at all, Mr Nathanson. Believe me, you would have noticed."

"Very well. If your friend decides he wants to talk without his middle man, you know how he can contact me. You disappoint me, Mr. Nathanson. Good bye."

[ezekiel]

"You don't think what I told you about Masters' involvement in this is worth anything?"

"Yes I do but then so was what I told you."

"And I have not threatened you at all, Mr Nathanson. Believe me, you would have noticed."

"Your thoughts betray you Ghost, remember?...and his temper does as well."

Terry indicates Raphael

"Very well. If your friend decides he wants to talk without his middle man, you know how he can contact me. You disappoint me, Mr. Nathanson. Good bye."

Terry nods and opens a warp behind him. Allowing Pathfinder to step through he throws a last glance around the room

"Goodbye"

[Heritage]

Getting no reply from Link, Marco or Ghost, Slither decides hanging outside like an idiot isn't doing anyone any good; she enters the resturaunt and heads to the back, shifting into Emma Peel-like Slither mode as she trots down the stairs.

*Gotta face the music sometime - might as well get it over with now.* ::rolleyes

Hiding her eyes behind eufiber shades, Slither slips into the room and leans against the wall, too ashamed of her own stupidity to speak.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"Will! Get your ass over here! We got some wounded to take care of!"

Will finshes what he was doing and zips over to Nathan.

When Will shows up he points to the two last injured.

"You take those two, I'll take these."

Will nods then calls to the nearest emergency workers "Get me some fireblankets so I can move these people without killing them!". Once the injurred are prepared for a quick trip, Will gathers them up and runs to the hospital taking as much care as possible not to cause further injury.

[Prince of Boredom]

striding towards Mike. Reaching the PR man the Knight says,

"I have some idea of what you can do - talk to the crowd & try to get them to disperse - the area's not yet fully safe, & their presence is making everyone elses' jobs harder."

Mike turns to look at the Gothic Knight, "Of course..."

(don't have my book with me but Persuader only works against one person, right?)

Mike heads to a central location just this side of the police barrier, looking around for a bull-horn if possible, "Ladies and Gentelmen, please, may I have your attention... The police and fire department have the situation under control, however this area is not yet safe, so please return to your homes so they can do their jobs. I know you all have questions as to what happened here, but no one is sure quite yet. Please go home, and watch the news, I'm sure they will keep you up to date with any new information. Again, please, for your own safety and that of our cities finest, please disperse the area and go about your business...", he'll continue repeating this message in a similar vain until the crowd starts to disperse...

She looks over to Mike.

My powers are pretty much useless here, so I think I should just leave - do you have a business card or something? Maybe I'll look you guys up when I have an outfit that's a little less retarded

Mike takes his attention away from the crowd for a moment and profers a smile to Junebug, "No one's powers are useless, it sometimes just takes a while for us to find our niche... (he reaches into his pocket and hands her a business card) Give me a call if you need anything, or maybe would just like to have dinner sometime ::cool..." With that he turns back to the crowd and continues his speech...

[ProfPotts]

Aftermath:

"Ladies and Gentelmen, please, may I have your attention... The police and fire department have the situation under control, however this area is not yet safe, so please return to your homes so they can do their jobs. I know you all have questions as to what happened here, but no one is sure quite yet. Please go home, and watch the news, I'm sure they will keep you up to date with any new information. Again, please, for your own safety and that of our cities finest, please disperse the area and go about your business..."

It takes a little while but soon enough Mike's quiet confidence, natural charisma, & commanding bearing filter through to the gathered crowds & - with some gentle encouragement & direction from the local police - they begin to disperse. The various agents of the press, however, remain - although they appear (thanks at least in part to the ex-football star's calm words of sanity) content to keep out of the way of the emergency services.

"Come on, man. Just hold on to me and we'll get you fixed up in no time. You're gonna be fine."

"Get me some fireblankets so I can move these people without killing them!"

In a display of benificent power-use that would put T2M to shame the two Masters International employees demonstrate just how much of an asset Novas can be when co-ordinated by some decisive directions. Within moments Blaze is soaring across the city - over the heads of the crowds that Mike is dispersing, & Will is a crimson blur zig-zagging at incredible speeds through the streets of the great metropolis, each bearing his burden of fading human life to those who can best help them...

... Having already been called about the incoming casualties the ER at the hospital is ready to leap into action as the two heroes arrive with their charges. Even so, it takes a moment or two for the natural awe that most people feel when witness to Novas & their powers to be battered aside by the professionalism of the staff. However, the patients are soon whisked away to recieve the correct treatment - leaving the two Novas, perhaps, all too aware that for all their mighty powers there are some situations in which they can still feel a relative sense of helplessness...

Junebug, meanwhile, slips into the thining crowds - only to seemingly vanish into the throng as curious eyes & cameras are turned her way...

... Having fled the scene Slither pauses to check for pursuit. As usual she's proved to be impossible to follow, except.... except that when she turns the female Nova, just for a moment, is overcome by that all too familiar childhood sense of there being some forboding form, some thing, lurking in the shadows at the edge of her vision... A quick check, naturally, just reveals some poorly arranged discarded trash in a dumpster. But that feeling was enough to send shivers down the young lady's spine... ::lookaround

Giovanni's:

"She was invited, by me. The sample needs to get to Zia as soon as possible. But if this is how you treat my soulmate then she isn't interrupting anything, this meeting is over."

As Terry's preternatural presence fills the room Raphael stifles a grunt, & Marco goes wide-eyed, his hands clenching tight enough to whiten his knuckles on the table. Still, despite the effect the ex-cop's forceful personality is obviously having on both men, it's perhaps to their credit that neither appears to give in to the feelings the Nova has induced. Perhaps it's more of a testament to a career resplendent with facing-off against deadly foes who go for the jugular at the first sign of weakness? In any case, both baselines keep quiet & still as they allow the Ghost to do the talking for them...

Soon after Terry & PathFinder make their (dramatic) exit, both Link & Slither return to the restaurant. As they enter the private room used for the meeting they manage to catch a glimpse of Marco flexing & cracking his knuckles as he suddenly realises how tightly he'd been holding his fists, & Raphael wiping away the sheen of sweat that had formed across his forehead. The elder mobster takes a moment to exchange a rather solemn nod & glance with the Ghost, in acknowledgment of the Elite's handling of the situation; & seems, for the moment, willing to allow him to continue to guide the meeting... at least until his own nerves have settled a little... ::lookaround

Desert Sands:

The Cabernet Sauvignon is a particularly well-aged vintage from a small interest in California which compliments the main course exquisitly. With a smile, Janet inquires if John's going to buy the vinyard... ::sly

Bahrain:

"Is this what a hangover feels like? I guess I should've found out before I erupted, but I paid too much attention to my parents and the anti-underage-drinking commercials.."

Montressor doesn't appear amused... or moved... by Glacier's flippancy. Instead he remains impassive, & calmly replies,

"The drugs are one of several means that keep you from harming yourself or others. They are a neccesity."

Moving back over to the file on his desk John's jailer flips it open again, scans down it, then shakes his head as he comments,

"Initial tests indicate that around eighty percent of your body is tainted - twisted & deformed by out of control Quantum energies. You don't control your powers, they control you. That's not, I imagine, the most pleasant situation to be in. At this facility we conduct research into those Novas who, like yourself, have been tainted by their powers. Such research is, by its very nature, experimental. I'm told that it can be painful. However, some of our more community-minded guests have proven able to see beyond their own discomforts & have volunteered to help with such experiments - to aid our work in identifying &, eventually we hope, treating these dangerous Nova ailments."

Turning his gaze again upon the young Nova captive Montressor pauses for a moment before continuing,

"We have the authority to conduct such experiements as we see fit, with or without inmate consent, but co-operation proves best for all parties concerned. This is no threat, you understand, I just wish you to comprehend the situation as best you can. You don't have to decide right now, but do you feel that you might be willing to help with our research?"

PathFinder's Place:

Stepping into the white room the Terat waits until the warp portal has closed before turning to embrace her lover. She smiles as her thoughts dance playfully through Terry's head,

*That went well, didn't it? What now?* ::wink

[phoenix]

Montressor doesn't appear amused... or moved... by Glacier's flippancy. Instead he remains impassive, & calmly replies,

"The drugs are one of several means that keep you from harming yourself or others. They are a necessity."

Glacier meets Montresor's gaze a second time, but decides to give the sarcasm a rest.

Moving back over to the file on his desk John's jailer flips it open again, scans down it, then shakes his head as he comments,

"Initial tests indicate that around eighty percent of your body is tainted - twisted & deformed by out of control Quantum energies. You don't control your powers, they control you. That's not, I imagine, the most pleasant situation to be in. At this facility we conduct research into those Novas who, like yourself, have been tainted by their powers. Such research is, by its very nature, experimental. I'm told that it can be painful. However, some of our more community-minded guests have proven able to see beyond their own discomforts & have volunteered to help with such experiments - to aid our work in identifying &, eventually we hope, treating these dangerous Nova ailments."

Turning his gaze again upon the young Nova captive Montressor pauses for a moment before continuing,

"We have the authority to conduct such experiements as we see fit, with or without inmate consent, but co-operation proves best for all parties concerned. This is no threat, you understand, I just wish you to comprehend the situation as best you can. You don't have to decide right now, but do you feel that you might be willing to help with our research?"

Glacier shrugs weakly.

"I don't know.. but I'm probably not going to fight something you're gonna do to me anyway.. I mean, not deliberately, anyway.. What do you mean by.. discomfort?"

[Archer21]

The Cabernet Sauvignon is a particularly well-aged vintage from a small interest in California which compliments the main course exquisitly. With a smile, Janet inquires if John's going to buy the vinyard...

John gives her an impish grin in return. "Very possibly, my dear." Internally, he can't help but wonder what's taking Terry so long. *Five more minutes. Then I'll call.*

[ezekiel]

Pathfinder's place

Stepping into the white room the Terat waits until the warp portal has closed before turning to embrace her lover. She smiles as her thoughts dance playfully through Terry's head,

*That went well, didn't it? What now?* 

"First..."

John receives a text message:

They wanted me dead, got the sample. Enjoy your dinner. T-

Terry then sighs and crashes on the bed with Pathfinder

*I'm not sure...I think I might try to meet with Derek and friends later but I need to rest a bit first. I got a text message from Blaze earlier today, Masters may be trying to bait me into a trap. Either that or I'll go to Cairo and see if any progress was made.*

He looks at her and strokes her hair

*What about you? Got any plans other than bringing the sample to Zia?*

[Asbjørn]

Soon after Terry & PathFinder make their (dramatic) exit, both Link & Slither return to the restaurant. As they enter the private room used for the meeting they manage to catch a glimpse of Marco flexing & cracking his knuckles as he suddenly realises how tightly he'd been holding his fists, & Raphael wiping away the sheen of sweat that had formed across his forehead. The elder mobster takes a moment to exchange a rather solemn nod & glance with the Ghost, in acknowledgment of the Elite's handling of the situation; & seems, for the moment, willing to allow him to continue to guide the meeting... at least until his own nerves have settled a little... ::lookaround

Letting his mask down Vinnie nods in reply to the older man, then turns his attention to the newcommers.

"You missed the show." he shrugs.

"Nathanson was here with Pathfinder and decided he didn't want to play ball after all. So, unless his mysterious friend decides to be a bit more rational about the situation, we're on our own. Which is probably a whole lot easier."

Vinnie glances over at the two mobsters and decides to give them a bit more time to recover. Turning back to Link and Slither he asks

"So what's this about a fire? What novas?"

[Asbjørn]

... Having already been called about the incoming casualties the ER at the hospital is ready to leap into action as the two heroes arrive with their charges. Even so, it takes a moment or two for the natural awe that most people feel when witness to Novas & their powers to be battered aside by the professionalism of the staff. However, the patients are soon whisked away to recieve the correct treatment - leaving the two Novas, perhaps, all too aware that for all their mighty powers there are some situations in which they can still feel a relative sense of helplessness...

Left outside with Will - and probably about a hundred spectators ::rolleyes - Nathan looks around in silence a few seconds before he turns to his partner.

"Guess we'd better get back... Bob knows what the hell else can happen over there."

With a smile and a nod to the people around him he shoots off into the sky again, heading back to the scene of the fire.

A short while later he lands next to Mike, smiles to the reporters ::cool and says

"Everything under control, Mike?"

[Archer21]

Feeling his phone vibrate, John gives Janet an apologetic look and opens his phone. After reading the message, he purses his lips thoughtfully and snaps it closed. Tapping the closed phone against his chin, he finally sighs and says, "Apparently Terry won't be joining us. If you'll excuse me for just a moment, it seems I'll need to contact our other guest myself."

Having long since memorized the number to DeVries, John dials it in and waits patiently until it's answered. "Hello, this is John Fabry again. I'm trying to contact one of your agent's handlers. I believe he goes by Lodestone...could you please put me in contact with the appropriate party?"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"Guess we'd better get back... Bob knows what the hell else can happen over there."

"Way ahead of you" ::wink Will zips off past the crowd back to the scene, a smile breaking across his face as does so ::blush .

[Heritage]

Vinnie glances over at the two mobsters and decides to give them a bit more time to recover. Turning back to Link and Slither he asks

"So what's this about a fire? What novas?"

Slither clears her throat.

I, uh, either did something terribly clever, or incredibly stupid. I picked up emergency radio chatter while we were out - there was a fire a little ways across town.

Slither seems to find her stylish eufiber boots fascinating.

I thought I had an opportunity...to make contact with some of Master's novas. A fire, in Manhattan...figured maybe they'd show.

She shrugs and her eufiber shades peel off and disappear into the rest of her costume.

I created a new identity, pretty much on the spot: Junebug. Please don't ask me to show you the costume ::blush It covered every inch of my skin, so none of my micro-scales would be visible. I volunteered to help, and was pretty much useless, but I did make contact with a few of their novas, and one of their people gave me a business card...even invited me to dinner ::sly

A flicker of a smile flashes across her face, but then the sultry nova takes a deep breath and looks rather grave.

But the Gothic Knight was there, and maybe it's all part of his 'aura of mystery' or something, but he said he could find me whenever he wants - and it felt like he was telling the truth. I never dropped the Junebug look or did anything out of character, but if I in anyway compromised your security, either by letting him see me or any of it...well, whatever you want me to do, I'll pretty much do. Up to and including taking a dive into the East River.

She slumps against the wall and waits for the 'boys' to pass judgment.

[Prince of Boredom]

It takes a little while but soon enough Mike's quiet confidence, natural charisma, & commanding bearing filter through to the gathered crowds & - with some gentle encouragement & direction from the local police - they begin to disperse. The various agents of the press, however, remain - although they appear (thanks at least in part to the ex-football star's calm words of sanity) content to keep out of the way of the emergency services.

After the crowd has dispersed, Mike hangs around to see if any of the reporters might be interested in an interview... ::cool

A short while later he lands next to Mike, smiles to the reporters  and says

"Everything under control, Mike?"

"Yeah, I think everything's under control for now. How goes the evacuation?"

[Asbjørn]

"Yeah, I think everything's under control for now.  How goes the evacuation?"

Nathan pulls his shades slightly down and look at Mike, the glowing white light from his eyes strengthening as he raises an eyebrow

"You're asking me...? I just got here, pal..." ::tongue

Hovering a few feet off the ground to get a better view he looks around.

"Looks to me like the paramedics are on top of the situation. I think..."

[Presuming things are under control...]

He slowly lands next to the PR man again.

"Anything more for us to do here?"