opnet [OpNet] My Enemies

[Avenger]

I'm starting up this little masturbatory thread to address some questions posed on this board about myself. In the interest of dissemination of information, I'll answer these questions here.

It could be argued that in answering these questions about myself, I give those who would see me fall more rope to hang me with. And that's true, to an extent. You may all wonder whether I'm lying or not. I suppose only I know for sure. You'll have to weigh what you know of me against what I say and come up with what you perceive as "truth". I know I'm not a liar, but my assurance will do you little comfort, I am sure.

Incidentally, I've found no better way to find out who you can trust than to entrust them with your secrets and see what they do with them.

I am duly responsible and "guilty" of approximately six-hundred and thirty counts of first-degree murder. Give or take ten or so. All of the acts were premeditated and planned. All of them were face-to-face confrontations. And all of them ended the same way, as you may have seen in the papers. I don't know the number for certain because I never bothered to keep count. All I can guess at is 20 here, 35 there. You might consider it crass to not even recall the number of men I've killed, but that's too damn bad. The people I slaughtered don't even deserve that much.

I'd like to answer your questions about why these men needed to die, but to do so would be to put myself in jeopardy. Not from anyone who would try to catch me, but from those who would try to bait me. And though I do not presume that either of you would try to double-cross me (I think we've evolved beyond that), I cannot say the same for those here, or those you may speak to in the future. Suffice it to say that all of the people in question had done something very, very bad, something that cannot be forgiven. If you search news archives for the deceased and cross-reference with certain notable databases, I'm sure you'll notice a common thread amongst them. Don't let the fact that it doesn't show up on every one of them dissuade you. Rest assured that every man I killed was guilty and deserved to die.

There isn't a chance in hell that I'll ever become that which I battle against, to answer your question. When you see, you will understand.

But things brings up all sorts of morality play. Am I right doing what I do? Should I take the law into my own hands? Does anyone deserve to die? What if someone decides I deserve to die? What then?

I do what I feel inside me is right. Whether you agree with me or not, I have the conviction to back up my actions, and that counts for a lot in my book. The law failed these men, that is why I brought justice to them. They would have lived their lives having never been duly appraised for what they did. I chose to apply blame and acclaim where it is due, and when the system of reward or punishment breaks down, someone has to pick up the slack. It would have been more just to expose what these people did for all to see, to let the public decide on their mutual fate. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. When fighting a cancer that spreads faster than the scalpel can shear, you must use the hatchet. There are too many truly evil people in this world to deal with each one equitably. Something must be done quickly, and I'm doing it. In the future, when people have woken up, maybe we can deal with these matters calmly. But until this wickedness has been beaten back to a manageable level, I'll do what I do the efficient way. It's already working, if you look closely. But I confess, not for the reasons I'd like it to. I don't like instilling fear, but fear is better than the alternative.

And should someone decide that I, too, am a danger? Well many already have. The groups I listed before are out to get me to fulfill their own agenda, because of obligation or because they think that I am "wrong". I'd like to sit down and speak with anyone who's coming after me and talk about what has happened, and I denied my "victims" no less. But many of those that would see me fall are after me because they are following orders or satisfying an atavistic agenda. They aren't doing what they feels is right. They have no conviction. They're doing it for cash or for prominence, or because they have no choice. These people I choose to avoid, and I have no qualms about calling in allies to assist me against whores trying to make a name for themself by taking out 'The Vigilante' (as the press was so fond of calling me back in '07, which is why I bothered with that 2 Minutes Hate nonsense).

Whether you feel that people "deserve" to die or not is irrelevant to me. If anyone deserves death, it is these people. I have drawn a firm line in my mind as to who does and does not deserve to die. Baseline law does not treat this matter with the gravity it deserves, and instead imprisons men for life who slaughter men who wronged them. I don't condone killing people who piss you off, but it's more understandable than the stain my "victims" smeared onto their souls. Some people deserve to die. I stand by that. They are a danger to people who did nothing to them. When someone becomes more dangerous than they are worth, it's time for you to get recycled. Better luck next time.

Alright, James. Honestly, I feel flattered that you took the time to look me up. I'm glad my story interests you, especially as I respect what I have seen you do here and know you to be a man of merit.

I would spend time at the Amp Room, though unfortunately, Andy Vance and I had a bit of a falling out. If you were there long, you may have even seen me. Between late '05 and a few months ago (May of '08), I was the dark fellow who opened the velvet rope to let visitors into Raoul Orzaiz's little conference area. I also sat in on these meetings, though mostly I served to look intimidating and keep stragglers away. The schism between Vance and I started in late '07 when I stopped a fight breaking out while Vance was flirting with someone. He got mad that I was "doing his job". We didn't really have hatred for each other at that point, it was more the seeds that grew to our mutual distaste for each other.

Later, it was going around that a mutual friend of his and Jennifer Landers' had some sensitive information Jenny may have passed to her. I tried to get the information from her, but she was staying with Vance at the time. The fucking queen got uppity when I stated -- in earnest -- that I needed the information. He acted like it was a personal affront to his friend and his family, so I got turned away. I hear she died shortly thereafter, but thankfully, my pal Corbin got ahold of the information in the end, and he gave me copies. Vance and I have been enemies ever since, and I haven't been welcome in the Amp Room.

After a little bit of reflection and investigation, I deciphered what you were meant about the angry Elite. I could not, for my life, remember insulting someone's parentage, much less at the Amp Room. It wasn't until I looked up the Elite in question (well, all of them, narrowing it down to the one) that I realized what you were talking about.

The father of "The Pugilist" was one of the men I've killed. To his credit, he confronted me not with vengeance in his heart, but curiosity. He wanted to know why I did what I had done. When I told him the truth, he refused to accept it. Not surprising, all things considered. He decided that because I must be lying, I must have killed his father for other reasons, and has been gunning for me ever since. I never really made the connection between his coming after me and what happened between his father and I as, truthfully, I had forgotten all about his father long ago. But I could see how what I said could be construed as an insult, particularly if you didn't believe me. I know it'd be a difficult pill for me to swallow, too.

Nonetheless, I thank you for this information and am in your debt. Now that I know the reason for his animosity, I can collect my evidence and present it to him, perhaps avoiding any shedding of blood or unnecessary pain. I'd hate for either of us to get hurt or killed over this. He just needs to learn to accept certain unsavory facts about his lineage.

If anyone has any more questions pertaining to all this, feel free to ask.

-- Avenger

[The Ranger]

Let me start this reply by saying that I have killed. I have fought countless battles againnst baseline, Nova and other forces. I regret every one. Avenger, it disturbs me that you fall so easily into violence. Nothing condones mass, calculated murder on the scale you have commited it. You remind me of a friend I have that falls into the same pattern.

Killing is the easy way out. How much harder is it to find the evidence, to uncover the plot, and to prosecute the injustice? To fail to attempt this route is a greater crime. Undoubtedly you will say to me that you have tried, that the task was above you, I don't believe it. Your words show a high intellect - albeit backed up by a psychotic ID - your actions show a strength born of quantum...how is it that anything is beyond you?

If the justice system does not work for these men then remould it so it does work. If I am correct then the people you are killing deserve to be exposed. By the way the traditional method of cutting out a fast growing cancer is to poison it while you cut to retard its growth...expose does just that.

[Avenger]

Word of advice, Ranger. This one's free. A friendly word of wisdom from your pal Avenger, something he learned himself the hard way a long time ago.

Do your homework before you open your mouth, lest you shove your fucking foot into it.

I understand that you don't have it in you to end someone's life without a great deal of gravity, perhaps only upon threat of death. That's fine. It is the lot of some to be killers, it is the destiny of others to not. The division between us is clear; I am a killer. You are not. Yes, you've killed people, but it's clear that you feel profound guilt over what you did, even if you did it in defense of your own life. I have no such qualms. I wish I could lie and tell you that killing so many people has deadened me to feeling bad about murder. But this is not a matter of familiarity breeding desensitization. Three men were killed when I erupted. I didn't feel bad then, either. I haven't since the first life I ended.

Every time I go to bed (a rare occurrence), I do so with a clean conscience. I don't feel guilty or hurt or scared, not about having killed those people. I go to bed and go to every subsequent kill blameless and just.

The reason I can do this, Ranger, is because I do my research. Yes, every time. I gather my data, I interview witnesses, and fuck you very much, I rape the minds of my suspects, just to be sure. Every man I killed was guilty, without a doubt.

As for prosecution? Again, you failed to do your research. Many of the cases had already gone to trial with no conviction. Many of the crimes had no victims, because --

because...

you know what, Ranger? Fuck you! I'm tired of this facade of civility! You want to know who I kill? You want to know who my "victims" are? I kill rapists, Ranger. Fucking R-A-P-I-S-T-S. You ever been raped? You ever know anybody who was raped? Maybe sitting on your perfumed ass and trusting in "the system" to bring justice is good enough for you, but unlike you, I WILL NOT sit back and pretend that I don't care, and I WILL NOT stand still when an innocent is being attacked! I REFUSE to throw a blanket on my head and pretend the system works, because it fucking does NOT! I've seen it happen hundreds of times! I've talked for years to women and children who fell prey to these pieces of human shit! It happened to my mother! My sister! It nearly happened to my fucking girlfriend, and it would have, had I not brutally torn to shreds the piece of human shit who was trying! I would NEVER kill someone that I wasn't SURE had committed this HORRIBLE crime, and I make damn well sure that I do my research to make CERTAIN I've got my perp!

...I'm ecstatic to know that you're content to remain complacent while the innocent are abused -- destroyed -- to satiate the pathetic desires and vices of a sub-human -- nay, sub-shit -- creature who is so powerless they must exert their will on the helpless. What I do to these men is just and right. I make them feel powerless and small. For a brief moment, I make them feel what their victims will feel for the rest of their lives. I liberate their souls -- should they have them -- so that they may move on. I cleanse society of people who create more pain and trouble than they cause joy or positivity. I protect the innocent...

...And I avenge the wronged.

And I don't give a fuck if you agree with me, Ranger. I'll continue to do what I do because I know it's right. I'm sorry you don't agree, but then again, you're not me.

But where do you draw the line, my mentor? My paragon of virtue! When is it okay to kill and not okay to kill? God forgive me, I failed to consult "Rangers List O' Morality". How could I have failed so ignominiously?

You might not like what I believe in, Ranger. You might not agree with my vision or my methods or even my agenda. But the fact of the matter is that I believe in something -- and you don't believe in shit.

Don't bother me on this issue again.

-- Avenger

[Hugin]

Avenger, I think we were all fairly sure of the nature of your victims, you were quite clear in your earlier post. But thank you for clarifying something, I had not been positive as to whether or not you included molestation in your purview, some do consider it a different crime.

I have to thank you for this post. You see I make a habit of collecting odd scraps of data and wringing from them the truth, the ebb and flow of human thought and emotion. The 'vengences' you have wrought created some unusual adjustments to my data. While I was aware of your existence as a wrothful fury scouring the landscape for the guilty I did not have the exact count of your activities. I have to ask, in some cases you are quite blatant in your involvement. In others the available police files do not mention your presence, why is this? Whatever the answer I thank you for your clarification, it enables me to more properly interpret the data available.

I cannot pretend to know your mind Avenger. I myself have only killed one individual with my hands. I have been in the rare fracas in which my actions contributed to the death of another with a companion's assistance but as I am sure you know, that's not the same thing. I am glad that your conscience is clear. Having more than one psyche in my mind that has been abused horribly I can appreciate the horror that you spare this world. Also, having one psyche that perpetrated these acts himself, I can understand that your vengence in fact released tortured souls from a sad and violent existence of self loathing, confusion, and hate.

I would offer assistance, but I doubt you need any. How about this? I have a friend, well, an aquaintance at least, by the name of Walt. He is gifted with computers to say the very least. He's not a Terat, but he has leanings in that direction. In the past he has provided me with programs giving me access to more data than is, well legal. If you ever find yourself running short of victims, I am sure he could provide you with something to ensure that you find those individuals whose connections, lawyers, or just plain luck have managed to keep themselves off of your radar. I would be more than happy to subsidize your activities by purchasing said program. No answer needed now, just keep it in mind.

[Guest]

Well hey there Avenger! So your the desperado thats got everyones panties in a bunch? You know how much coin is laying on top yer pretty little head? Whole heaps and heaps compadre.

Now, I don't thinks ya have anything to worry about with me now. I ain't the 'track em down cross the ends of the earth' type Elite. Now, I don't mean to run myself down, I'm a life-taker to be sure. Only been in the game a couple years and already bagged myself a respectable head count. I'll admit though, you might be out of my league, for now at least. So, I ain't here to make threats and to wave mah pecker abouts showing what a man I am. Ain't my style.

Just wanna let you know that while the varmits you knocked off may have been mean and ornery cusses to a one, they had families. Families that loved em, well, at least some of them. And some of those families had some serious money. Enough money that many a man would be willing to strangle you with your own guts and be grinnin the whole time. Ya can't blame a grievin mamma or daddy for trying to get the sumbitch who wasted their bonny little boy now can ya? It's not like they gonna exactly admit that their kid was guilty of not taking 'no' at face value now is it?

So,I guess laying low like ya are is exactly what you ought to do. Now, I make good coin doing what I do. But wiping towns and villages off the face of the map and beating local novas to death don't pay quite as well as your head would, so be carefull brother.

[Avenger]

James --

I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that. I'm not sorry to Ranger because right now I think he's a self-righteous ass, but I'm sorry that I had to blow up like that insofar as everyone else is concerned. I suppose my wrath doesn't translate very well over a monitor screen, but to hear it told, seeing me angry isn't pleasant at all.

Anyway, to answer your questions. No, I don't consider molestation the same crime as rape. I consider it worse. At lest a woman can fight back. A child can't do a goddamned thing against an adult. Some people can argue all they want about prison being a worse punishment than death, but I have to think more about the mutual good of society than torturing my perp. The punishment for rape or molestation merits the same for me -- you die. I might spend an extra ten to thirty seconds hacking up a child molestor, but usually, I tailor the brutality of my punishments to the brutality of their crimes.

Which is why, as you asked, some of the murders were very public indeed (like when I beheaded Head of Project Utopia Human Resources Michael Hodge at a charity event -- he had been molesting his daughter for three years) and some still haven't been credited to me at all. When I do it messy, cowboy style, walking in to a public place and slashing the guy six times before going for the throat or ramming my sword through his stomach, it's pretty obvious that the mysterious "Vigilante" is the one behind the job. Sometime, though, the perp is some yokel living six miles away from the closest trailer park in a shanty he made out of overstarched laundry and poo, and the job goes so quietly that he isn't discovered for six months, and by then the 'coons have got to his carcass.

Before I went public a few months back, many of the murders were unrelated. Obviously, when twenty men end up dead in Addis Abbaba in the space of three nights, the murders are related. But when there are four hundred men dead from Sydney to Cairo to New York to Johannesburg to London, either the connection isn't made or the new media knows it would crate widespread panic if it was.

Sorry if that was a bit verbose. The short answer is "there's a lot of reasons". Like I said, a combination of my methods, time frame, possible coverup, lack of connection on the part of police, etc.

I'm sorry to hear that you struggled with so many voices within you, and that no fewer than one of them are tortured by this stain. I feel even worse that you must combat one who commits these acts. I thank you for the empathy you can provide on the matter. I'll grant that I don't exactly have the better interests of the rapists at heart in their liberation from a life that is indeed miserable to them, but don't think it has escaped my attention that ending the life of a rapist is very often not only liberating for the victim and vindication for society, but a final, blissful peace for the tortured creature who lies within a psyche that feels it has no other choice but to harm the innocent. Provided your sliver of this never gains the upper hand over your better judgement, I imagine we'll never have a problem. To that end, I may know someone who could remove your least savory personalities permanently.

It would take far too long to erase all your multiple personalities, and I have a feeling that somehow simply getting rid of all these voices isn't what you want. But for a quick fix, I know someone who could make the one or two most troublesome psyches go away and not come back.

On a side note, I thank you for your offer of assisstance, though I don't feel it will be necessary. My closest friend lives on the OpNet as a stream of data -- if it's on a computer, I've got access to it. But I'm always looking for access to hard files, if you've got that.

Anyway, James, thanks for your understanding and support. I don't expect anyone to endorse me or what I do entirely, but it's nice to know that there aren't people out there frothing at the mouth to kill me for what it is I do.

Vile Bill --

I appreciate your bluntness and honesty. It's a trait to be valued. I'd encourage you to maintain it, despite your unfortunately unsavory profession.

I'm well aware of the amount of money on my head. Frankly, in the grand tradition of the desperadoes of old, I'm a little disappointed it isn't precipitously higher. True, my price tag is ten times higher than the most depraved varmint in all the wild west, but when you count for inflation, I should be pulling in at least a billion or two.

Anyway, Vile Bill, you make an excellent point. Though I find it particularly funny that you brought up the families without playing the "Oh, they're hurting so much because of your actions" card. You are quite correct, many of these hurt families wil seek retribution, and that is their right. I'm actually very good at conflict avoidance, though, and anyone who wants to bring me in had at least better be prepared to -- literally -- track me to the ends of the earth. I'd never kill someone who was sent to bring me down, even if their only interest me is money. I don't feel someone needs to die for their job. It may well be their fault that they're starting this fight with me, but it isn't a sleight they deserve to die for, that's for sure. Even in self-defense, Pax himself would be hard-pressed to catch me when I simply run away.

Nonetheless, thank you for the heads up. A pity we have to acquaint under such circumstances.

Before I go, though, Vile Bill, I've got a little quote for you. It's a favorite of mine. I think you might like it, too.

-- Avenger

"I was told when I grew up I could be anything I wanted: a fireman, a policeman, a doctor -- even president, it seemed. And for the first time in the history of mankind, something new, called an astronaut. But like so many kids brought up on a steady diet of Westerns, I always wanted to be the avenging cowboy hero -- the lone voice in the wilderness, fighting corruption and evil wherever I found it, and standing up for freedom, truth and justtice. And in my heart of hearts I still track the remnants of that dream wherever I go, in my endless ride into the setting sun."

-- Bill Hicks, Revelations

[The Ranger]

I believe in Justice Avenger, I believe in the virtue of compassion, I believe in what is right, and I believe that every victim of your seemingly unlimited rage could have been saved.

I also believe that your time would be better spent preventing all the pain that those men caused. Have you ever considered the possibility of preventitive measures? You read minds, how about preempting these people and scouring the urge from their minds so that they never create a victim?

What would you have given for your mothers and sisters lives never to have been shattered they way they were? Think about it. Think about the families of those you killed and if they deserved to see their

brother, father or son die.

You have my pity Avenger, your moral compass seems to be spinning in a thunderstorm of rage and confusion. Have you ever considered turning yourself in?

"Self righteous ass"? Perhaps. Perhaps not. I am not the monster who slaughtered six hundred men and seeks to justify it with feeble excuses.

[Guest]

Hold on now Ranger old son, you ain't the right to tell the man what he's doin is wrong. Prevention is nice and all, but what about a little old fashion vengence? Those that he killed did wrong and he made them pay. That's what justice is all about.

Now, I got some people who're mighty pissed 'bought some of the things I've done in the past and theys huntin me for em. Luckily DeVryes watches their own. I gots plenty of back up, and the few that have got to me find it's tough to fight a man after he's just pumped a couple shots of Nasty Black into your heart. Avenger's got some after him and he's up and righteous about knowin why and acceptin that. So cut him some slack.

There'll come a day when you gotta cut some bastard down for steppin up on ya, don't judge the man whose already been there.

[Avenger]

Vile Bill --

All I can say, my good man, is "wow". Your clarity of thought betrays your humble front, for you've defended me, and with no small amount of skill, at that. Thank you, for what it's worth. I appreciate your support, such as it is.

Ranger --

Let me clear this up; you believe that every "victim" of my "seemingly unlimited rage" (nice descriptive, that; pick if up off N! Prime?) could have been -- excuse me -- saved?

That is why you are a fool, Ranger.

Whether they could have been saved or not is of little relevance. The cold facts of the matter is that these men had committed a crime for which they needed to pay. Your pathetic, sentimental humanism sickens me to the core. You spend the bulk of your time crying over pigs wearing human hide -- not even pigs, a pig would never act so shamefully -- and yet, where are your tears for the victims of these crimes? You fool. In your ridiculous ideas that all people really are equal and that "everyone deserves a second chance", you have forgotten that these men had done something very, very bad to someone who did nothing to them. You're a joke.

Your interest in the health and welfare of the families and friends of the criminals when the families of the victims grieve even worse exhibits clearly your views on this matter. Yes, I'm sure that the family and friends of a convicted rapist feel really bad when I kill their son/brother/father/uncle/whatever, but the families of their victims feel vindicated and overjoyed. You tell me; who's the one who's supposed to feel better in this arrangement? Ms. Rapist doesn't like that I killed her little boy Mr. Rapist, Jr.? Well that's too goddamned bad. You may as well cast derision on the legal system for making the families of a felon feel bad when they cart their little boy off to prison.

You don't watch the news much, do you, Ranger? Check the newslogues over at N! Prime sometime. Do a search on 'Vigilante'. I was a little surprised when I did, myself. You know what I found, and what you would find? Dozens -- by no means a complete list, but literally dozens -- of "thank you's" written to the 'Vigilante', care of N! Prime. These thanks aren't from the families of the rape victims. They're from the families of the perpetrators.

On the subject of "saving" rapists and molestors. You sound a great deal like Moniz of last century, pioneering father of the lobotomy. Moniz, too, thought that dangerous lunatics could be "saved" by scraping away that trifling piece of brain tissue that causes aberrant behavior. The method worked beautifully, though it left it's patients as near-vegetables, unable to even go to the bathroom without assisstance. Anything within them that was once quantifiable as human was gone; they were nothing more than proto-retarded husks. They may have well been dead, and furthermore, the operation didn't always remove all traces of aberrant behavior.

So why don't you share with me your miracle cure for sexual sociopathy? I'd love to hear it, really. Last I checked, sifting through the files that comprise a man's mind was within the compass of my abilities. Fixing their every mental quirk was not, and I simply do not have the time to tote along a nova physician everywhere I go. This quest is personal. Do you want to come along and "fix" these people twenty hours a day with me? Didn't fucking think so.

And exactly what preventive measures do you recommend? While I take the time to profile a potential rapist -- something that is well within the range of my ability -- a dozen rapes are committed. Those are a dozen rapes I could be stopping in the act with the death of the assailant. The fucked-up truth is that preventative measures take too long for the number of rapes that are committed.

When the army bears down on you, will you pick up your sword and fight for your life and your home or will you retreat to draw up strategies while the enemy razes your village, pillages your stores and rapes your women? Keep your cowardice. When prevention is a feasible solution, I will employ it. Right now, however, it is as ridiculous as booking tickets out of Africa as you are in the tiger's den.

Incidentally, you still haven't answered my questions. I repeat;

,,

Quote:

But where do you draw the line, my mentor? My paragon of virtue! When is it okay to kill and not okay to kill? God forgive me, I failed to consult "Rangers List O' Morality".

You admit freely that you have killed before, yet you seem to be able to draw no line as to when killing is just and not just. You care so much about life, and yet you have killed before. But "I had no choice!", right? Bullshit. According to you, there was always a way out. Always a way to resolve the conflict without blood. Perhaps you should have used preventative measures to avoid the conflict in the first place. Perhaps you should have profiled all of your potential enemies and knew enough to avoid them. Right, my Mentor?

"I had no choice!"

Fuck you, Ranger. Neither do I.

-- Avenger

[Guest]

Bill, justice is about making things right.

How does killing anyone make anything right ?

It just gets your hands dirty.

If you are so weak that you feel it's okay to murder people, that's your problem.

Don't pretend you understand some universal truth that the rest of us don't. You don't. You're a petty, vindictive little psychopath, who profits from the deaths of other people, baseline and nova, when you could easily make a living doing something else.

Me ? I'm an elite. I've been there. And you know what ? It sucks. It stinks. I hate it as I hate few other things on this stinking planet, and if you like it, think it's worthwhile, or any of that shite, then you're the worst sort of fool.

I've killed more people than I ever really want to think about, and it never made anything better. The money ? I could bottle my piss, sell it on the OpNet, and make money.

Is being an Elite the only thing you can do ?

Is it the only way you can make a living ?

Is the money really worth killing all these people ?

You're an Elite because you have a choice, aren't you ?

Stay away from me because you're as bad as the worthless REMFs who give me my orders, a selfish, narrow-minded bastard who can't be bothered to think past the next paycheck, the next woman, or the next job.

We do the same things, you and I, but you have a choice.

I don't.

This is the point where I'm supposed to threaten you, or make some macho bullshit statement, but I don't think it's worth the bother, is it ?

You've already heard it all, seen it all, and nothing scares you. Christ, I pity you.

[Guest]

683 men

An impressive list. Backtracking to the victims wasn't always easy, Avenger, but, by now you should becoming aware that I have. It saddens me that when you decided to liberate the souls of my brothers, you missed the ones they shared their moments of spritual extascy with. Shame on you.

I have decided to rectify that situation and send on their souls as well. I do share one last blistful moment with them...for you, Avenger. Something we can share as well.

I have taken six so far. J.Cassidy in North Hampton was really difficult to find. You changed her name and everything. I am sure you remember how she wimpered. She did it again. She is sleeping now.

I have so much to do and you have showed me the way. I am glad we understand each other so well. Maybe, someday, we can share one?

[Ashnod]

Avenger,

I have to admit, I'm curious. You have admitted to only the killing of men. Would you enact the same vengeance upon a woman who molests a child, or a woman who abuses her husband?

Rare though the cases may be, they do exist.

[Avenger]

Wolf --

Your opinions of Vile Bill are obvious. I kill people as well. What are your thoughts on what I do? I don't get paid, I can tell you that much. What I do has thus far made things better, insofar as I can see. I also do not have the choice to do anything other than what I do.

Ashnod --

I assure you that the women I have killed -- and I have -- were not mentioned because of the sheer volume of the alternative. Women molestors are rare, you are correct. I have come acros only six in my '683', if Costas is to be believed. I did not relish it for the reason that without exception (so far -- I'm sure the exception exists), the woman I killed were insane to one degree or another, ranging from sociopathy to paranoid schizophrenia. I never feel good about killing an insane person. But the good I do outweighs their "right" to live.

As for the other offense you listed, I don't even kill men who abuse their wives. I don't like wife-beaters. I gleefully kick the asses of wife-beaters. But I don't feel that someone deserves to die for that sort of temporal abuse. Naturally, this kind of abuse leaves deep scars, and I find the act absolutely abhorrent. But I don't feel it's a deathworthy trespass. Many men who do these things aren't crazy or simply evil -- many are substance abusers or have problems with their anger. I think that violent people can be redeemed. That doesn't mean I won't stop abuse where I see it. I will, and I don't mind breaking bones to do it. But I won't kill a wife-beater or a husband-beater.

Costas --

I'm not going to sit here and debate with you. You are clearly fucking insane. I'm not going to waste my time convincing you or anyone else otherwise.

You've made yourself part of the problem, Costas. You chose to be the enemy. So I'm going to do what I feel I have to; my friend traced your post -- even through the multiple proxy's you used -- back to your residence. By the time this message is finished and the computer has time to post it, I will be there. I'm going to kill you.

It could be argued that I created you and the pain you've already caused. So I'll destroy you. Thanks to your insanity, all I can do for your victims now is avenge them. I'm sorry you have to die.

-- Avenger

[The Ranger]

"but the families of their victims feel vindicated and overjoyed."

So, by that reckoning it is alright to murder as long as it makes people happy. Why didn't I think of it sooner? No more Disneyland, we will replace it with Murderworld, where Avenger and his cohorts will slaughter dozens of people a minute for your viewing pleasure. Why stop at rapists? What about murderers, or drunk drivers, or people cut others off in traffic? Do you take requests? Because I am pretty sure there are a large group of people out there that would be overjoyed if you topped yourself. Go on, do it, it would make people happy after all.

Fool.

"Do you want to come along and "fix" these people twenty hours a day with me?"

No, that is your crusade. I will however teach you how to do the same. You say that prevention is too slow. Rubbish. Prevention stops all the hurting and pain suffered by the victim before it happens. There's a

word you seem to forget about Avenger, victim. Those women were victims, so were the men you killed, just the same. Its not justice to do what you do, its murder. Who are you to judge these men? If you follow my path or one like it you can stop all that pain before it happens. As for comparing my suggestion to the work of Moinz, Moniz had no idea what he was doing, no scientific basis beyond crude physiology. Your

comparison is void and the typical kind of tripe I have come to expect from political hacks - I thought more of you. Better to compare it to the "thought police", a much better parallel I believe.

"But where do you draw the line, my mentor? My paragon of virtue! When is it okay to kill and not okay to kill? God forgive me, I failed to consult "Rangers List O' Morality"."

It is never "OK" to kill. Such a flippant remark is typical of what I have come to expect from you. As for a choice, I had a choice, I chose to kill those men before they killed again, I chose to kill beings whose entire minds and bodies had been infected by sentient virus, a plague with intellect beyond our own. I chose to save the lives of innocents. That is my only defence.

"I had no choice": I did have choices, there are always choices. But any choice beyond the one I made could have resulted in the deaths of thousands. Maybe I was wrong though, maybe I killed because it was the easy path to take, the simple road. That thought haunts me in that depths of space. I can see the faces of those I killed even now. Can you who has "lost count" say the same? Is there any remorse in your heart for the countless lives you have ruined?

Oh Costas, giving yourself up to me is a better option that dealing with the Avenger...think about it.

[Avenger]

Quote:

I can see the faces of those I killed even now. Can you who has "lost count" say the same? Is there any remorse in your heart for the countless lives you have ruined?

No, Ranger. I can't. I'm not haunted. I'm not plagued with guilt. I feel good about what I do because I do what I feel is right.

I'm sick of having this conversation with you. We disagree. I won't convince you that I'm right. You sure as hell won't convince me that you're right. We can either agree to disagree or you can come stop me. Personally, I favor the former. I'd rather not have to hurt you.
No, Ranger, I wouldn't kill you, even if you tried to kill me, which I doubt you could achieve. If I couldn't escape you -- which is unlikely -- I would only do what I had to do in order to escape. That wouldn't include your death. After all, I do draw the line somewhere. You're an idiot, but you don't deserve to die for it. Maybe you'll wise up one day.

So either come get me or stop fucking whining at me. I'm sick of your hypocritical, self-contradicting arguements. I don't know why I bothered to start this battle with you in the first place. I don't need to justify what I do to you. I don't need to convince you that I'm a nice guy or a responsible citizen.

I don't need to do that, Ranger, because you're a fucking coward who's never going to do a goddamn thing other than sit at your monitor and bitch at me.

Leave me the fuck alone.

-- Avenger

P.S. I wouldn't bother with Costas. He was expecting me, it seems. I offered him an alternative, but he wouldn't take it. He's dead now.

[Guest]

I guess I´ll take my chances and post here, because there´s some things that has been bugging me about this. Answer me if you like, Avenger, but don´t take it as an insult. If anything, you can always look at it as the uneducated, baseline opinion.

Question #1: You are a Terat, one member of a loose ideology-cum-organization that advocates separation of Nova and Baseline societies, where each "species" are responsible for policing their own (at least, this is my conclusion from what I´ve heard from the lot of you on this forum). As such, why do you bother with us? Why is it so important for you, a member of the "One Race", to be so personally involved with the destinies of mere, mortal men and women?

Question #2: Take the time to think about this: ísn´t it perhaps possible that you are, after all, not doing this for the betterment of the world but for your own, personal satisfaction? The parts of your background that you chose to tell us about makes your killing spree (on which I will choose not to make any moral judgments this far), crusade or whatever you wish to call it, look like little but a harsh case of overcompensation for the suffering of your loved ones.

When some sick fuck hurts someone weaker than him/herself, your instant gut instinct as a human being would be to go out and make that fucker pay - to make him hurt as much as any of his victims ever have up and until the last moment when you put him out of his misery. This is, however, the simple solution. Believe it or not, Avenger, but it is seldom that people who has suffered this kind of abuse feels any better after their rapists has been slaughtered by a superhuman vigilante with a mean streak.

The people who make a difference in this case is not bloody-handed vigilantes. It´s the ones who can surpress this first, primitive impulse and instead choose to do what they can to help and support the victims, so that perhaps once they´ll feel like human beings again.

You might have a point in this prevention business, but at least try to look upon it with your eyes open. Consider who you´re really doing this for. Again, just my ol´mortal baseline one-of-the-herd opinion. You understand, I´m sure.

[ 10-26-2001: Message edited by: Gwyneth Marlowe ]

[Guest]

Well hell son, don't my heart just bleed for you? Nope, sorry ya little pissant but it don't.

Hate to tell you this junior but you ain't Elite, *you* are a hired assassin. You ain't got no pride in yourself or what you do and thats yer problem. Waah, waah, bitch whine moan, so sorry that you have no choices about what you do.

Me, I like what I do. I matter. I do something and the world is just a little bit different at the end of the day. Some little guy by the name of Jager threw some military jargon at me over on the Opposing Viewpoints thread and I got this to say. Duh. Yeah, you can hire a buncha baseline soldiers and make the same changes. But each one of them is just a little cog in a big machine. Me, I can break the damn machine if I so choose. I just don't.

People hire me cuz I make a point. When the cameras see me wander into a fortified holding, filled with coked out soldiers armed to the teeth people pay attention. They're glued to the set as I let the Nasty Black fly, tear off heads, kick in teeth and beat people to death with jeeps. Nobody watches that and thinks they could survive. If you watched to armies go at it your average joe is gonna pump up the old ego and think that if he was there he could make a difference. He sees me in action and he thinks he'd just be another blood smear on my boot. I make sure that people don't get uppity without being damn sure about whatever they believe in.

Now, this here is Avenger's thread so lets keep on that subject. The man cleans up filth, ain't now other way to describe it. What does he do that's good in the world?

1. He makes sure those slime will not repeat their actions.

2. He makes sure that their former victims will have some sense of justice.

3. He makes sure that other slime out there knows that there is something nasty waiting for them.

That's good enough for me.

Oh, and 'Venger brotha? You don't gotta worry bout that Pugilist character no more. He bought it in a little fracas a couple days ago. Too bad too, he was a breaker and a taker. I'll be lifting a glass in his name at the Amp Room tonight.

,,

Quote:

Originally posted by Wolf:

Bill, justice is about making things right.

How does killing anyone make anything right ?

It just gets your hands dirty.

If you are so weak that you feel it's okay to murder people, that's your problem.

Don't pretend you understand some universal truth that the rest of us don't. You don't. You're a petty, vindictive little psychopath, who profits from the deaths of other people, baseline and nova, when you could easily make a living doing something else.

Me ? I'm an elite. I've been there. And you know what ? It sucks. It stinks. I hate it as I hate few other things on this stinking planet, and if you like it, think it's worthwhile, or any of that shite, then you're the worst sort of fool.

I've killed more people than I ever really want to think about, and it never made anything better. The money ? I could bottle my piss, sell it on the OpNet, and make money.

Is being an Elite the only thing you can do ?

Is it the only way you can make a living ?

Is the money really worth killing all these people ?

You're an Elite because you have a choice, aren't you ?

Stay away from me because you're as bad as the worthless REMFs who give me my orders, a selfish, narrow-minded bastard who can't be bothered to think past the next paycheck, the next woman, or the next job.

We do the same things, you and I, but you have a choice.

I don't.

This is the point where I'm supposed to threaten you, or make some macho bullshit statement, but I don't think it's worth the bother, is it ?

You've already heard it all, seen it all, and nothing scares you. Christ, I pity you.

[Guest]

This has been a most illuminating topic of discussion. Gwenneth, you bing up some very relevent points here although only Avenger can honestly answer those questions.

As for you Avenger, I do not judge you moral convictions, however, I too am concerned about how you go about them. I will not say that these people do not deserve death. This form of "Justice" may actually be the method that works. As we are all aware, the various legal systems of the world do not seem to performing as they were intended. So, in some ways, I will not judge the punishment either.

I do find some things mildly distressing about your comments Avenger. This is not to attack you, just to let you know how at least one other person interprets your statements.

1. You say you do not remember how many people you have killed and cannot remember their names or faces. This is disturbing, not for the dead, but more for your own well-being. It suggests a level of desensitization that could become a serious issue if not kept in balance. Empathy is not a weakness, despite what some would claim. Not to say that you should mourn the lives you took, but to acknowledge that you have taken from someone the most prescious posession anyone has, life itself.

2. Your comments about the difference in mental states between men and women who commit these crimes is also a concern. While you did not directly state as much, you implied that any woman who commits such crimes is insane while the same was not true for men. This aberration of logic puzzles me, especially coming from such an intelligent individual. Any person who derives pleasure from the abuse of others displays sociopathic tendancies. Scociopathy, in the most simplist of terms, is a disorder that makes it difficult for the aflicted to interact with the society in which they exist. The extreme form of this disorder is psychopathy. It may seem like splitting hairs, but I would venture that anyone metally capable of commiting these crimes would be classified as sociopathic. Perhaps the difference you percieve in the mental states between men who commit these crimes and women who do the same, is the same misconceptions baseline societies have been propagating about men and women since recorded history?

3. This last observation is about what I consider the most important issue, the victims of the men you kill. How does what you are doing affect those victims? Are you sure it is helping them or giving them closure? It is well known that one method of "healing" is the ability to confront one's attacker. It is a form of empowerment that some of these people may have required. By killing the rapists and molesters without input from their victims, you remove that possible course of healing from them. You speak of justice, yet wouldn't a truer form of justice be to empower the victims to do inact the punishment themselves?

Again this is not a condemnation of what you are doing. No system of justice is perfect, they all have flaws, including yours. All I hoped to do is give you something to think about, perhaps improve upon you system.

To Avengers detractors,

You have to admit, there is some good that does come from Avenger's work. There are 600 or so less perpetrators of abuse, molestation, and rape stalking the world. While the methods Avenger uses seems distasteful, not all of life is bright and shining. Ranger, you speak of preventitive measures, perhaps if you were to intiate those protocols while Avenger continued his work, he would find less and less reason to do what he is doing.

There is no easy or instant cure to any of the worlds problems. To believe that only one method or answer can be the correct one is foolish and immature. Sometimes life can be unpleasant and Avenger is highlighting both sides of that unpleasantness. It is to his credit that he has the ability to acknowedge that he is walking in the darkness.

[Stheno]

A most...interesting discussion.

Avenger, I disagree with your methods, your goals, and their results, but I see no reason to argue.

You have made your own decisions and you are willing to pay the price.

Be aware that the price may be higher than you are willing to pay.

Vile Bill: you play with words as though they meant something.

Wolf: There are always choices. Take your pick and pay your price. Whining solves nothing.

For the record, Avenger, I have no intention of stopping or opposing you.

Almost 700 deaths is a large number to have on one's conscience. That is enough of a price for you to pay.

[Guest]

Bill: I didn't ask for your sympathy.

I wanted you to know where I was coming from.

Hired Assassin ?

That's a new one.

And what's the difference between that and an Elite, exactly ?

You kill people, I kill people.

Oh wait, you kill people and enjoy it.

That's an Elite, huh ?

Cool.

You still didn't answer my questions.

I'm not holding my breath.

See you on the field, "elite".

[Avenger]

Before I begin this, I'd like it if we could all have a moment of contemplation for the fallen Pugilist. Vile Bill is quite correct, he unfortunately met his end a few days back in Argentina.

He didn't deserve to die. I've checked his dealings with Elite agencies. He was an honorable man who did good work. Much of it was pro-bono.

Join me in a moment for the fallen. We who will follow you one day salute you.

That said, on to business.

Gwyneth --

Please don't think that because you're a baseline I won't listen to what you have to say or discount your words as the rambling of my "lesser". It is a wrong most greivous to assume that baseline humanity contributes nothing. Indeed, their less clouded, less complicated view of the world can sometime provide insight that novas, in their complexity, may overlook.

Answer 1: I am a member of the Teragen. Being a member does not preclude my subscribing to every dogmatic law that we have set down. That's part of the beauty of our organization -- we are permitted the freedom to find our own way. Besides, my personal crusade has nothing to do with the Teragen.

You are correct in your assumption that the members of my organization call for seperatism of judiciary law. I agree with this. But I feel what I do transcends notions of law. This isn't a matter of "legal" or "illegal". It's a matter of "right" and "wrong". Of "good" and "evil". I know that many wouldn't agree that I am good or right. But I do what I feel is good and right, and I can do no more.

Answer 2: Undoubtedly, you are correct. I have no qualms about the fact that what I do is largely a personal crusade. But overcompensating? I don't feel that's the case. My mission serves a twofold purpose; not only do I avenge those wronged, but I send a clear message to those who would follow.

I'll grant that there are some victims who feel no sense of catharsis at hearing of their violators' demise, but few have felt worse. Those few who have felt better make it worthwhile. If I kill a hundred rapists and only one victim feels better about her situation and the knowledge that someone cared enough to hunt down and end the life of the person who wronged her based solely on the virtue that he wronged her, I'm more than glad to do it all.

My mission's other purpose is to serve as a warning to rapists in the future. Love me or hate me, rapes in urbanized centers have dropped like a stone. I can live with one rape where once we had scores. I've sent a clear message to the scum of the world -- you'll pay with your life.

The legal system isn't a deterrent. But I am.

As for prevention? I'm all for it. But please don't ask me to "do it all". It is the place of some men to fight with swords and blood, and the place of others to fight with thoughts and ink. I would be happy to do both. But for now, I must carry on my crusade in the manner I do. When the tide is stemmed, prevention will prove a more viable option. And I'd be happy to help anyone who's bailiwick is prevention. Even Ranger.

Vile Bill --

Thank you for telling me about Pugilist. You are right, sir, he was a good man and good at what he did. I too raise a glass in his honor.

Atwight --

You raise some valid points, and I'd like to address them as best I can.

1. Please don't misunderstand. When I say that I can't remember my victims, what I mean is that I cannot remember all my victims. It would be near-as-dammit impossible to remember the names of any seven hundred people, whether victims or close friends. I am not blessed with an eidetic memory. I do remember some of the men, and I remember all of the women. But I took no pains to remember them all. I'd rather not issue them that degree of import. Making an effort to remember them all validates their existence as human beings.

2. A point of clarity; I believe that anyone who is a rapist or molestor is in some way sociopathic and dangerous. I've met perhaps one to five individuals (all rapists) who seemed to have no mental scars and were just plain, fucked-up evil. I know this because I dig around their heads before I do what I do. Most of these people have deep trauma. Some of them have very little and are petty, small people.

The difference is that none of the women I killed took malicious enjoyment in what they did. I'll grant that many of the men didn't, either. It just seemed to be a universal that while men took perverse glee in what they did, women always felt profound loathing over their situation. The women and some of the men did what they did out of some twisted sense of catharsis, and they often would flagellate themselves or commit some other kind of penance after the fact. Many of the men, however, were avid collectors of child or violent pornography and were very active in their debauchery. I thoroughly enjoyed killing them. I didn't take much joy in the former. I did it because it was better than the alternative.

3. I understand completely what you mean, and for once, someone has brought up a matter that I do indeed struggle with. Well done. I feel bad -- sometimes like a goddamned Nazi -- about my "assembly-line" killing tactics. My main concern is for the victims, and it does concern me that some of the victims may never have the closure that comes with confrontation. Don't think I've overlooked this, Atwight. I do have a strong background in deviant psychology and therapy.

I'd like to point out, though, that in many cases, the men I killed had committed their crimes years or even decades ago. The time for confrontation had safely passed. As time wore on and the list began to whittle down, I actively sought out case files and did extensive research to decide who best to confront. I did choose my targets, Atwight. When I ran out, I decided to start working my way down the line. I agree that some of the victims I avenged could have benefitted from confrontation of their attackers, and I genuinely feel...remorse...for that. I would say "regret", but I'd do it again, honestly. In the future, I hope that I can do this with more care and take more time. I hope that I can put down my axe and use a scalpel. But right now? I'm sorry. I'm fighting a war. Until I've whittled their army down to a squad, I have to sacrifice quality for quantity. That alone is my biggest regret about what I do.

I grapple with this, Atwight. Thank you for acknowledging that I have some positive effect on this world. I run a dicey gauntlet between light and darkness. I know this corrupts me. I know it desensitizes me. I know it taints my soul. I know that someday, it might make me as evil -- though of course not in the same way -- as those I fight. I belive what Nietzsche said about battling with monsters. I sincerely hope that doesn't happen to me. And I will genuinely try not to slide into darkness.

Stheno --

The samurai have a saying -- "Rain is only a problem if you mind getting wet." So too is my mission.

Now if you'll all pardon me, I've got a dozen men to kill tonight.

-- Avenger

[Guest]

Missed me....

It troubles me greatly to believe that I would be so easy to find. I will miss John. He was a rapist. I know, because I made him into one. A true artists, once I released him. I had already learned all I could from him and I really had to be moving on. I will keep his last name to remind me of our first shared kill. Thank you.

I love the way he pleaded with you. I really did. The thing was, he was right. It really wasn't his fault. It was mine, but you didn't believe him. That is so rich. How many have told you that some inner demon "made them do it"? It was fantasitic! I nearly revealed myself to you then and there, but that would have ended our little journey a bit prematurely, don't you think?

I grabbed another one today, Avenger. She remembers you, so I am going to spend extra time with her before she goes. She says she was also a friend of your Jennifer. I bet you know who it is now, don't you? Too late, we have already moved. Hee hee hee.

She is so tasty.

I will leave her in a place where you can find her. Its a good thing you are sooo fast because I am going to leave all kinds of evidence lying around that leads straight back to you. After all, I am you. You've just cracked up and don't know it.

I love this game. If your really good, I will leave a clue with the next one whose soul I save.

I love that bit about recycling them back for a new start. It inspires me.

Ranger, you are a cold one. Don't piss off my beloved Avenger. His emotions and thoughts are mine and I am very proprietary.

Gwyneth, you have no idea...yet.

[Hugin]

Costas, you are a fool in addition to being a demented psychotic. You announce your actions with fanfare and think that your small cleverness will help you? No. I don't think so. You are not Nova, you are an aberration, a mistake with a node. I deny you the right to consider yourself evolved.

Avenger, for this case please consider myself at your disposal. In addtion to a mind unparalleled by most here I do have other talents. One of them being the ability to shut down quantum expressions of power. I am leaving a device that will enable you to contact me at your leisure. I will leave it with the good Count and you can pick it up if you decide to accept my offer. Also know that I possess great wealth with which to ease the path should it be necessary. This is also at your disposal for this particular case.

Costas, you offend me. You shall cease to be.

Avenger, in regards to an offer you made some time ago, no thank you. I wish to keep my consortium of minds intact. With their particular quirks and psyches I gained their skill and knowledge. I value this. Also, I gain insight to the human condition by examining this tortured soul. Luckily, I am in control, not he. However, thank you for the offer.

[Guest]

Missed the little tosser, Avenger? Ye always did have lousy aim. No worries, mate, your uncle Geryon'll be glad to help you on this matter of yours. Seems you've got yourself up to yer zip-lovin' eyeballs in trouble with some wanker playing copycat. Even I won't abide by rape, though I don't give a sweet sufferin' fuck about the lives of a bunch of monkeys. But you've always done right by me, Avenger. I figure I owe you at least one for that little skirmish you did me a solid on down in Oklahoma City. Tell you what. You find this tosser and I'll break his arms and legs and hold 'im down whil you finish the job. Once you've got a lock on the looney, give us a whistle. Might even bring my mate Leo along on this. He's been lookin' for a spot of action.

Vigilance!

[Guest]

Oh, goody. We are going to have ourselves a little Terat Civil War.

Geryon, I am sure my friends in the Harvesters will appreciate you hunting down one of their own. Hee hee hee...

You would think that I didn't know Avenger was a Terat, or that I wouldn't take the precaution of isolating him from most of his friends.

I kind of like the idea of the Big Bad Geryon avenging baselines. That is just too much.

Have I threatened Avenger? The life of any other terat? I would love to be a fly on the wall when you explain this one. I have already forwarded you little threat; its such good reading. Bye-bye.

Oh, James...I remember you. You are going to pay for what you did to me. You cost me everything. Your friend Saint is already dead, so I can't repay him for his 'kindness'. All the more for you, I guess.

You don't remember me, do you? I was just some memo you sent out at Utopia. Your memo put me in a dark, dank cell. You took everything away from me. I couldn't get out. Once they had poked and prodded me enough, they left me there to rot.

Maybe I should thank you. You made me as much as Avenger showed me the light. I certainly wouldn't be what I am today if it wasn't for you. It took me a whole lot of time to find my way out of the prison you made for me. Hee hee.

"The body in my prison isn't me...hee hee."

Maybe they shouldn't have induced my coma, James? What do you think? They said that I was incurable, that I was too far gone. I got better. I certainly feel better.

Still don't remember? I was the one the drugs didn't work on. I had planned for that, but you found another solution to the problem. Did it take you more than ten seconds to take years away from my life? Good little Utopian, locking away a fellow nova with no appeal or trial. I remember.

Avenger, at the house on Kensington Park Road, I was right next door to you. You can find her there...in the same place he would have left her if he was still with us. She killed herself to get away from me. Pity. I was barely able to save the 'moment'. So, I gave the memories to her son, instead. He is locked in there with her. Better hurry. He doesn't have too much air left and Mommy will be getting ripe.

I like Bill. He's funnnnyy. He knows that we all have a job to do.

Bill, does it piss you off that no one else understands that?

[Jager]

Avenger, I know how you feel. I have been there myself, in my own way.

"But I feel what I do transcends notions of law."

They called me a terrorist and gave me my name. I killed the abusers. I made them suffer for their crimes. What I did was wrong, because I went too far. Maybe you won't.

I checked your figures and you are partially correct. In cities were you have made an example, rapes are down. Unfortunately, rape-murders are up. In New York, the police no longer list sexual assualts as long as another crime is evident. I believe that is because of your actions. Its the same in Cinncinnati and Pittsburgh (the other two cities I checked). The only evidence of the sexual nature of the crimes is in the hard copy. Sorry, I was hoping to find something else.

Fear doesn't seem to stop rapists, it makes them desperate.

I think you understand this, but I will say it anyway. You are going to end up killing thousands of people. It will never end.

If you are having some problems, let me know. You have always been okay in my book. I have found that being any man's judge is a pointless profession. I take care of myself and my own moral compass and hope my friends will do the same.

[Guest]

Are you angry with me, Avenger? I was just trying to understand you...to get to know you better.

I'm...I'm sorry that I made you cry.

My actions complete your own, don't they? Don't I make the world a better place? The nightmares end, Avenger. The pain goes away and they aren't afraid anymore. I complete the cycle of violence. Everyone dies and is happy. How can that be wrong?

It can't and you know it. These people are forgotten by the legal system and society. I change all that. A bunch of people are interested now.

You taught me what to do; gave me purpose. Just think about all the fun we are going to have.

Got to go. She squirming her way toward the door and there are a few more things we have to share. Bye bye.

[Hugin]

Costas, I know you. My memory is quite good thank you very much, better than your addled mind to say the least. Yes, I was with Utopia for a little over a year. Yes, one of my responsibilities was to be the primary contact with new eruptees, such as yourself. Jay 'The Saint' Prince would use his genial presence to calm down the newly erupted, get them to open up and be themselves. Is that what upsets you so much? That he got you to be honest, to reveal yourself? Pity, but it is understandable that you detest what is inside you. I simply observed you, your environment and made simple deductions. Nothing spectacular really. Even a baseline with only moderate training in psychology with a background in forensics could have easily pegged you for what you are. You give me much more credit than I deserve though. I simply forwarded my observations to Utopia, they are the ones who acted on them.

If I had my druthers, I would have decapitated you on the spot. I saw what potential you held. But I had not yet made the cognitive leap to understand what my true place was in the world, I held back. I let you live. Another mistake I now need to account for, with your blood.

Don't think that you can escape little freak. I can deduce even the actions of the insane. Your options are limited. I can track you down via your very being, I am not fooled by appearence. I have friends, including ones in the Harvesters you know. Not many, but those I do know would be dismayed at your actions. Even baselines look on in disgust at their scientists who torture animals.

Please understand something. You will be caught. Your only hope at escape would be to cease and desist all activities that would give away your presence, to stop doing the evil that you do. But that would kill you wouldn't it? You are so weak and sad that you have no control over your actions. You are a base creature. You will be dealt with as such.

,,

Quote:

Originally posted by <Costas>:

Oh, James...I remember you. You are going to pay for what you did to me. You cost me everything. Your friend Saint is already dead, so I can't repay him for his 'kindness'. All the more for you, I guess.

You don't remember me, do you? I was just some memo you sent out at Utopia. Your memo put me in a dark, dank cell. You took everything away from me. I couldn't get out. Once they had poked and prodded me enough, they left me there to rot.

Maybe I should thank you. You made me as much as Avenger showed me the light. I certainly wouldn't be what I am today if it wasn't for you. It took me a whole lot of time to find my way out of the prison you made for me. Hee hee.

"The body in my prison isn't me...hee hee."

Maybe they shouldn't have induced my coma, James? What do you think? They said that I was incurable, that I was too far gone. I got better. I certainly feel better.

Still don't remember? I was the one the drugs didn't work on. I had planned for that, but you found another solution to the problem. Did it take you more than ten seconds to take years away from my life? Good little Utopian, locking away a fellow nova with no appeal or trial. I remember.

[Guest]

Eh...shite. Sorry, 'Venger ol' lad, but yer new friend has a point. I couldn'nae known until I bothered tae ask. I'll not be able to help ye on this in the interest of not fighting another Terat. But cheer up old son, yeh've got a lot of friends. I'm sure yeh can find a group of not-Terats who'll be glad to help ye take this tosser out. I can't fight, but I can bloody well choose to be looking in the other direction when yeh show up to do the dismemberment. Zia and the others will make sure they're busy, too. Be glad yeh've been with us so long, mate. It's the only reason yeh're gettin' away with this.

Vigilance!

[Avenger]

Geryon --

Thanks anyway, Geryon. I know you weren't terribly hot on roughing him up in the first place and were mostly intent on it for my sake. So thanks, cause that at least shows me that you don't want me fucking dead. That counts for a lot.

Besides, you're right. There is no shortage of people who want Costas dead, and I'm sure I've got enough friends outside the Teragen to see it happen.

Costas --

Give it up. You're a lone nut. Lone now because I'm a member of the Teragen too. Difference is, I was before you and I will be after you are gone. I consider Scripture to be a friend. Raoul is one of my closest allies. As you probably guessed, Synapse is my best friend. I'm not a part of the pantheon because I choose not to be, not because I'm a demented whack-job who masturbates in his own feces. You're alone. The rest of the Teragen can't legitimately aid me in slaughtering you, but they can sure as hell make the decision not to support you, either.

Guess what. Your allies just left you shit outta luck. And because you're a fucking lunatic, I'm willing to be you don't have a group of close buddies on your side who're willing to help you evade the posse I will get together for the particular purpose of seeing you put through a meat grinder. You've already drawn the ire of half the people on this board. Did I happen to mention that Andre Corbin is an old friend of mine?

You know, the other guy never goes for this offer. I don't expect you to be any exception, but I'll make it anyway. If you give up and turn yourself over to me, I'll kill you quickly and without pain. Make me catch you and I'll torture you so fucking slowly you'll think it's a career.

That's my one and only warning, Costas. If I don't see you at the Blackburne by tomorrow evening, I start hunting you down. I won't be alone. How long do you think you can dodge a few dozen novas? My guess is not long enough.

Prodigy --

Your help would be much appreciated. I'm gathering a posse and I'd be glad to have you. If you can stand to work with people who may be your enemy for the sake of mutual good, you are welcome to the war party. Midnight at the Blackburne Hotel in New York City if you're interested. I'm sure you'll be of profound help.

Jager --

Don't feel too bad about your discovery. I understand that rape-murders are up comparitively, but as a short example, I look at it this way;

There are fifty rapes in a night (we hope not)

Of those fifty, ten are rape-murders

Avenger comes to town

Now there are twenty rapes a night

Of those twenty, eighteen are rape-murders

You see my point? Rape overall is down, and that's always good news. It's unfortunate that this precludes more death, but no matter how you choose to look at it, quantifiably fewer lives are being ruined. Those are figures I can live with, as gruesome as that sounds. I don't like the world in which I live very much, Jager. I just try to do a little bit of good. I can't stop all the evil. All I can do is try.

On an addendum to that note, you thankfully did not check all the cities I worked in, as you more than likely do not know of all of them. Likewise, I doubt you felt so inclined as to check the figures for every city I "visited". In some of the cities, your unfortunate statistics are quite correct. In many, however, rape has plummeted altogether. I have a feeling that the numbers will rise gradually in time. I'll just have to pay cities like Chicago another visit when that happens. I still patrol many of these cities regularly when I can.

I understand that my quest will lead me to kill perhaps thousands of people. I don't feel good about that. But it's something I've come to accept. I hope someday I find another way -- one that works. Until then, I feel that I have little choice. Nonetheless, thank you for your councel. I will keep it in mind.

-- Avenger

[Guest]

God, I feel sick to my stomach.

This always seems to be the problem with moral philosophy - objective principles contra emotional reactions. Can´t say that I don´t harbor an understanding of your motivations, Avenger, at least not after reading the rantings of that...sick... little... fuck.

I used to be a police officer. Believe you me, I know how it feels to thirst after a quick solution. That fucks like Costas can gain the amount of power that a MR node brings... frankly, it scares the shit out of me.

Then again, so do individuals like Geryon. The Nova age seems to have brought with itself a lot of fear for those of us not blessed with the powers of demigods.

[Guest]

Avenger,

I myself am not a terat. It's not that I have no sympathy for the Teragen viewpoint. It's just that... well... if a law is wrong it's just plain wrong and no one is bound to obey it and the only way you can judge a law is by your conscience. And that applies to baselines too. (though I do agree that some laws that apply to baselines just plain can not apply to novas)

I don't usually go in for killing. Having said I wast to help find that sick bastard who thinks it fun to create rapists. If you will have me.

My reasons are personal. I erupted while I was actually being raped. It's probably the only reason I survived at all. I want to find the person responsible and I think it may be him. I know this because I am telepath and when I erupted I saw my attacker's mind he was not acting of his own volition. Someone had created him. Remolded his mind into a total sicko but it was not truely him. I did my best to help him because what had been done to him was as much a rape as what had been done to me. Unfortunately when his real personality realized what had done he killed himself. Killing the person who made him that way will cut the number of rapes far more. If you want my help just ask.

I hope I'm making sense. The subject tends to make me tense up and spout gibberish.

Elizabeth

[Hugin]

Avenger- I shall be there sir. Don't worry about my not playing well with others. I have done extensive work with many Terats and consider a number of them to be close, personal friends. The only ones I have problem with are the zealots. The Cult of Mal and I have a history, however we currently have a truce going.

Haven't been to the Blackburn in a few weeks, to bad this jaunt isn't for fun. See you then.

[The Ranger]

Coward. Fool. Idiot. Self contradicting. Avenger, you seek to label me so much that I wonder what scares you about me? Is it that I undermine the framework on which you base your justifications? You kill these men because it makes you feel good. Admit it Avenger, any good you do, any feelings of justice you engender in the victims of these men is secondary to your need to gratify the demon that burns within you. You are a murderer Avenger, pure and simple. All else is smoke and mirrors. Pretty shapes to conceal a rotten core.

Costas, I know you, I know all about your family and what happened to them. The Rashoud files and the police reports are quite detailed, you must have spent a lot of time making them up. Your mental restructuring was cruder however, I could attribute that to your inexperiance at the time - if I was the fool Avenger takes me for.

You wanted us to know the cradle from which you arose didn't you? You went to so much trouble to make it interesting to root out, don't you want to share it with everyone? Give them another reason to wake up screaming at night.

You'll need to try harder than this to impress me villan. I've dealt with worse than you before breakfast. Try something on a grander scale, or are you scared I'll put an end to your little game before you can finish breaking the others?

[Guest]

There is a certain casino which i have recently visited. If i have an enemy that would be it. Its not my fault that im lucky.

Last time i entered their blue faced hired goon beat the crap out of me. I mean i have rights. I mean a man ,Nova or baseline should be able to go where he wants. Not to mention they kept all my winnings. Thats not fair.

[Avenger]

Ranger --

Sometimes a cigar is a just a cigar. And you're just an idiot and a coward. Don't try to read more into than that.

For all your bluster, all you do is create point after facetious point, trying to thrust home to me how evil and depraved I am. In case you hadn't noticed, sunshine, it isn't working. You have my permission to give up now.

And you still haven't answered the fucking question I asked, which I find very amusing. I find this amusing because when I asked you if you were going to do something about me or just sit on your ass and whine like you are now. But your letter alone has answered the question. This is particularly humorous because I embody the other option. You're a thinker. I'm a prover. You contemplate. I act. Rashly? Certainly, sometimes. It happens to the best of us. But while I achieve, you consider. That's fine for you if it's what you want.

And by the way, don't think I didn't take note of your little masturbatory "I've dealt with worse than you before breakfast". Sure you have. And I'm god's Avatar of justice on earth.

Jerkoff.

-- Avenger

[Father Ryan]

Your arrogance amazes me.

Do you not realize what you are?

Can the source of your "mysterious" powers be lost upon you?

You are all creatures of evil. You might indeed be avatars, but you represent pure evil. You are all infected with the leprous touch of the pestilence of Satan.

Can you not see that even your attempts at "good" acts are always tainted by an infernal touch? Everything good rots around you.

Both Avenger and Ranger have been claiming that they fight for "justice".

You are all self deluding soulless fools.

This is not a comic. You are not just some costumed idiot cleaning the streets of Gotham of crime.

You even jest about being Avatars of God. Do not mock it servants of Lucifer, least holy fire burn the evil touch of taint that is spawning inside you.

At least those two think they fight on God's side.

Most of you revel in your depravity.

Should any of you want to do some real good then I suggest you start with putting down that rabid animal called Hazzard rather than attacking minor creatures of evil, for he is a true avatar of Hell.

[Guest]

Hmmm...

Avenger, I apologise for missing the party at the Blackburn. A mutual friend of ours, Michelle T., crossed my path as I was coming to see you. I just couldn't help myself. You would think a fellow nova could have put up more of a fight. I guess she wanted it that way. You know that some of them do, don't you? If they didn't, they wouldn't act like they do.

She feels so good. Do you want her back?

Elizabeth, I remember you. Your neighbor had a nice dog. I put it in the mircrowave because it just wouldn't shut up. Maybe it felt like something was wrong with me?

Whose the girl in the picture with you? I guess I will just have to find out. Well, gotta go. Sorry I didn't clean up after myself.

[Avenger]

Ranger --

I read a little quote today and it made me think of you. It's out of an old comic called "War Story" by Garth Ennis. Came out around eight years back. I thought I'd share.

"I think soldiers're always gonna be judged by folk don't know what they're talkin' about, sir. But it doesn't make a picka difference. We've a job to do an' that's all there is to it."

And

"I would like to confront people who presume to judge me. ... No, that's foolish. But I'd like my shade to do it. I would say; You cannot imagine. Your experience is a thousand times more limited than mine. You are no better than I am, until you have faced the things that I have. And this is so important, because there will be more wars.

And this will happen again."

I know, I know. You've seen it all. You've done it all. You've dealt with all sorts of shit I could never understand, right?

I'm feeling too depressed to combat your hypocrisy tonight.

Costas --

Allow me to blow your little mind here, Cupcake.

Yes. Of course some of them wanted it.

Let's not forget who the Pyschological Prodigy is, here. Many women who are raped don't put up much fight for that very reason. Because somewhere, deep within, they don't mind as much as they'd like to think. That doesn't make what the rapist does right, and I know for a fact that dear Michelle didn't want it that way.

Yes, I want Michelle back. But you're playing a game, Costas, and all you want out of me is my anger. You won't get it. I'm far too sad to be angry. At this point, I wouldn't even take joy in torturing you to death.

Though I bet that changes by the time I catch you. Funniest thing, really. I went to kill a man topping out at 95 last evening. He was living in Santiago, Chile. Know what that devilish little cretin had floating around his head?

Torture tactics. Lots of them. A fucking repository of grizzly mutilations.

His real name was Franz Weismann, and he was a member of the Gestapo during WW II. I learned much from him before killing him. I plan to use what I've learned on you.

-- Avenger

[Elizabeth Rayne]

Costas,

I remember you too and you're as pathetic as you ever were. Your continued existence offends me but don't think you can get the steam to come out of my ears or make me panic with threats. If I'd have been prone to either of those emotional states I'd have probably erupted with a far more aggressive (and less useful) power set.

Of course you remember me I beat you once. Are you sure that you care to bet that I can't do it again?

Elizabeth