Heroes: Endings and Beginnings

[Hotfoot]

"I don't get it, the results are different this time, it doesn't make any sense."

"Who cares, just get it upstairs, Hawk wants him for that reassignment meeting."

"He has a name, you know."

"Fuck it. Have you seen it outside of this room? It's a goddamn machine. No emotion, no feelings, just orders and actions. I might as well slap it into the mainframe."

"He's still human, under all that."

"What? That mangled flesh it calls a face? The sliced up brain, patched into a computer system? It can't even remember anything from before it was constructed."

"The activity in that section of his brain is limited, but it's there. The poor thing-"

"Is a goddamned thing and it does a job. That it didn't turn on us during the Omni-Corp incident is a fucking miracle. Now Hawk wants it upstairs ten minutes ago and I don't care what kind of glitch you found in its offline cycles."

The audio file played through Mark 25's head as he made his way to the conference room. He knew the source of the voices, and put it away for future reference. Around his keepers, he knew to keep things quiet. They had a closer look at him than anyone else, and even they could not decide if he was a thing or a person. As he marched deliberately up to the meeting room, he saw everything. The fear, the surprise, sometimes the acceptance, but almost always for the wrong reasons, on all counts.

Over the years, his frame had undergone numerous modifications, away from the original design which was meant to inspire fear, to one that was meant to inspire confidence. However, with the recent events, very little confidence was to be inspired these days.

He noticed Legion in the distance ahead of him, but did nothing to attract the other Meta's attention. He had read the team report and knew they would be working together, but contact too soon was not what he wanted.

He entered the room shortly after Legion and looked around, his blue and white armored body whirring and clanking as he entered. A turtle-human hybrid, a woman who looked too bookish to be in the field, Legion, a mercenary, Inferno, Templar, and an AI. Immediately his gaze locked on NeXT, and while he showed little outward signs of emotion, inside, he boiled with anger. Breaking his gaze, he snapped to attention and saluted to Agent Hawk.

"Special Agent Mark 25, reporting for duty. My maintenance staff apologizes for my delay." He looked for a chair that would support his frame, and then took a seat.

[LadyTevar]

Well shit. Inferno -and- Mark25?

Jerri was also surprised. Mark25 was as well known in Ultima as Inferno, for different reasons. Office gossip had spread his sad story around -- captured, forcibly cyberized, to the point Ultima's best couldn't revert him to anything human. And yet, he stood by Ultima, even in the middle of the OmniCorp crisis, doing his duty by his teammates.

You know, some say he's just a machine in there.

== If so, its' a pity. Icefire said he saved her skin last time, simply standing between the Omni-Mechs and her and taking all their fire without moving.

Yeah. He's good. From Heidi, that was major respect. What of this 'Legion'

== I'd have to see if I can find his file, but he and Gordon are both outside contractors.

Good, bout fuckin' time we got help. Still.. he's cute too

Jerri's eyes rolled, for no apparent reason other than what might be on her laptop's screen. To the newcomers, she could have been simply a secretary but for the Ultima-issue uniform with the Gemini patch on her left breast.

[Charon]

Inferno watched NeXT carefully after he spoke, and who could blame him? AI's had everyone spooked these days. But if Ultima was giving him status as an agent they at least trusted him a little, so the real question was how the public would react to the team having an AI. The bookish woman was apparently one half of a team, that explained the Gemini symbol on her uniform. He'd seen her around the building a few times during his time here, but had never spoken with her. Inferno ignored his own emotions, she was attractive, but she was a teammate and fraternization would only lead to difficulties in the team. The turtle didn't give a name, just a codename, that was interesting, and didn't say much for his trust in them. The military looking guy was a mercenary. That put Inferno a bit on edge, he didn't much like mercenaries, and that was before you brought Grey Legion into the picture. Agent Templar wasn't someone he'd heard of before, but deep in his consciousness the fact that he was a telepath set off warning lights in his head. Legion was a special agent, that meant Ultima was in serious trouble if they were pulling him into the public light. The last was Mark 25, he'd heard a few stories about him, really heart-breaking stuff. He was a good guy though, if he still was a guy.

Inferno looked over to Jerri. "What's keeping your sister from being here?" And were they twins? Shut up you.

[LadyTevar]

Jerri looked over to Inferno at the question, wondering what excuse to use this time.

No excuses, god... Show him, if you want his trust.
Jerri's eyes dropped, and her mouth moved, barely breathing the words "you just want to come out."

Oh fuck that, I'll be out soon enough. Stop the cover bullshit and show them.

Silently, slowly, Jerri reached down to her belt, which held several small pouches. Out of one box, she pulled out a single vial of liquid and sat it on the table in front of her. "This is the Gemini serum, and why Heidi can't join us yet," Jerri admitted.
That wasn't that hard, now was it?

"It lasts almost exactly 60 minutes," Jerri stated, retreating into her recital voice. "Effects can be prolonged by ingesting another vial, but no more than eight in a single 24hr period." With a twist of her lips, she continued. "I'd go into the how's and why's, but the easiest way to explain is 'The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'."

Yeah yeah... dad was Soooooo cute calling me Heidi

[Agent Fisher]

Mike tilted his head slightly, looking over at her.

"Question." He said. "Is it just a personality swap or do you become a totally different person, physically I mean?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

Richard waited while everyone introduced themselves. They seemed nice enough. The staring was natural, but at least they might treat him like a person. Which was good, he was getting really sick and tired of being treated like some sort of Quasimodo. Not that the term was inaccurate. It meant Half-Formed...

He didnt have too many apprehensions about the AI. He had too much experience with irrational fear to worry overmuch about it turning on them. If it didnt turn on them with the rise of OmniCorp is probably wouldnt. Same thing with Mark 25. In fact AI's were sentient, so it was probably a person in a loose sense. Mark 25 he did not know anything about. He did not think to read anyone's file before he came.

It would certainly be interesting. Then it came out that the bookish woman who stared at him had a transformation serum. Interesting

His expression was hard to make out. He sort of had fleshy lips that allowed him so form words without a lisp, but couldn't really smile.

"I am guessing physical. Let me guess... RNA retrovirus? Probably with some ATP and amino acids tossed in? You know, it is probably a metahuman ability to not die from the transformation. It would take a lot of energy. Hell, I know my transformation took about a week and it nearly killed me"

[Charon]

Inferno's eyebrows perked at Gemini's revelation. Well that was interesting. He smiled softly. "Well that's good to know. Thanks." Inferno looked over at Sunrise as he began to speak, he wasn't a tech whiz by any means, but that didn't mean he didn't find it interesting.

[LadyTevar]

Again, Jerri retreated into Scientific Recital, although it was clear she didn't talk about this often, nor did she like to. "A complete change of both. The change is on a cellular level, to the point where damage and truama suffered by one is completely healed by the transformation."

As Sunrise added his comments, Jerri looked at him in surprise. He knew what she was talking about. "Yes, it is a retrovirus with ..." and she started rattling off names that sounded like the stuff you find in ingredient lists on the back of cereal boxes.. that really shouldn't be in any kind of food. As she spoke, she relaxed, seeing him nod in perfect understanding.

[Comrade Tortoise]

It wasn't quite perfect. He was not a biochemist. But it was enough to follow along and understand approximately what was going on. He could not visualize the chemical reactions that took place en situ like she probably could. Nor could he actually create such a virus. Ever, in a million years. But he understood. Until he got to the last part.

"Why the spearmint oil?"

[SirNitram]

Mark 25 caused a brief stir from Al's sedate watching. His front-end was obediently playing like a puppy, dragging up the profiles he had access to. And.. There was the cyborg. Cyberpathy. The freakish mutant's optokinesis was enough the guy.. thing.. was named for it. Even his brains.. He couldn't imagine building a serum to transform as Gemini apparently did.

What am I here for? the question lingered in his mind. He seemed.. Redundant. He tried to put such thoughts out of his head. An AI wouldn't have such a profoundly human thought as being a fifth wheel.

"Serum must require considerable infrastructure to produce. With permission, I will access records of potential sites outside of Chicago offices, for mission redundancy." In case we get into shit across the globe. Al thought. And yea, she's terrified of me, but.. Even a little attention would be.. something.

[LadyTevar]

"To improve the taste," Jerri answered Sunrise with a grin. "Can you think of trying to swallow that if it -didn't- have flavoring?"

NeXT's comment had her looking over at him... it. "That... would be nice. For the most part it takes time more than the ingredients or the workspace." She wasn't sure why the AI offered this. Maybe it ... he? ... was trying to be friendly.

You know you missed Inferno smiling at you, right?
Jerri's head suddenly jerked to stare for a moment at Inferno, before realizing what she'd done and flushing slightly.
Yeah.. he thanked you for the information and gave this shy smile Heidi added. There was a touch of evilgrin in her voice.

"You're welcome, Inferno," Jerri answered, looking down and typing furiously onto the laptop.
==Why didnt' you tell me he was smiling sooner! Now I look like an idiot!
You going to explain why you're typing?

Jerri paused in her typing, wincing. "There is a measure of communication between the dormant and waking halves, but it's all ... external," she explained, blushing more as Heidi yanked her chain. She did get the courage to look up and face everyone in turn. "That's why I keep the laptop. It's less ... embarrassing ... than talking to myself."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Richard chuckled at the spearmint oil.

"I imagine it would taste aweful" he said "In any case, If ever you dont have the laptop, I wouldnt think any less of you. We all have our own little idiosyncrasies."

He was a giant turtle. He was an idiosyncrasy

[Agent Fisher]

Mike shifted in his seat, glancing up from his notepad to the others in the room every so often, the pages of the note book starting to fill with names of his teammates, powers and other things he observed.

'Well, seems like a good team. A telepath, the poster boy of Ultima in Chicago, an agent from another agency, an AI, a cute scientist with a twin sister sharing the same body, a cyborg, and a giant fucking turtle.' Mike thought. 'God I miss the simple jobs.'

Mike raised a hand, looking toward Agent Hawk. "Sorry that I came in late and if this was already answered, but, what is our team's assignment, sir?"

[Charon]

Inferno nodded at Jerri as she explained the use of the laptop, then looked over to Agent Hawk. "Was that all, sir?"

[Hotfoot]

The team before him was not the worst he had ever seen. Most of them were veterans, some were talented rookies, and apart from NeXT, none were immediately troublesome.

Internally, he registered the looks he was given. A few indicated that they knew at least something of his history and had an ounce of compassion. Others did not. Still, the usual go-around was happening, each member talking about their abilities. Mark 25 took notes, even though he had access to the Ultima records on nearly all of them. Records could give him basic information, but there was always the human element. Personalities, emotions, the things people didn't think Mark 25 had or knew about. He made records, notes, and observations.

Gemini was interesting. She appeared to be too intelligent to be out in the field, but the conversation about her other half interested him more than the long conversation about the formula that was used to cause the change.

Trapped. The concept was one not unfamiliar to Mark, the idea was curious, they could talk to each other, but only one could truly act, or was it something else? She seemed to not immediately recoil at the sight of him, perhaps she would be willing to converse, if only for a moment.

On Jerri's computer, a dialog window popped into existence with a simple message. Mark 25 has invited you to a chat.

[LadyTevar]

Mark 25 has invited you to a chat.

Jerri blinked as that popped up on the laptop, and her eyes slid over to the cyborg before she clicked acceptance. What followed was a ... very interesting ... conversation as Jerri and Heidi split their attention between Laptop and those around them.

[Hotfoot]

[15:41] *** Gemini1 has been invited to the group chat.
[15:41] *** Gemini1 has joined the chat.
[15:41] Gemini1: Hi
[15:42] Mark25: You said that only one of you is awake at any time. What is it like to be dormant?
[15:43] Gemini1: You know that stage of dream where you think you're awake?
[15:44] Mark25: I think so.
[15:46] Gemini1: You hear things around you, and if they're interesting you listen in and comment. But, if they're not interesting, you start to doze off
[15:47] Mark25: What happens if you want to take control?
[15:48] Gemini1: Heidi will bitch until I drink the serum. I have to wait til it wears off.
[15:49] Gemini1: Otherwise... we have a schedule.
[15:49] Gemini1: So... are you Mark?
[15:52] Mark25: I am Special Agent Mark 25. I chose this method so that I could talk to you completely, and without getting others involved. They don't need to know.

My real name is not Mark.
[15:52] Gemini1: Thanks. Would you rather be called by the codename?
[15:54] Mark25: If you need to shorten it for audio communication that is fine.

Jerri, how do you wait? Heidi, why don't you wait?
[15:58] Gemini1: I have to answer for Heidi, as she's got no control of the body... she's just making comments inside my head.
She doesn't want to wait, because she only has control while the serum's active. It annoys her (and thus she annoys me), which is why we set up the schedule so she gets her equal time.
[15:58] Gemini1: I'm content to wait my turn, because I get the body by default.
Or at least until I figure out how to modify the serum more.
[16:01] Mark25: I see.
[16:02] Mark25: Thank you for your time.
[16:02] *** Mark25 has left the group chat.

Mark left the chatroom silently. He wasn't sure what he had hoped to find, but he chastised himself for getting his hopes up.

[LadyTevar]

He's no robot Heidi said softly as Jerri again glanced at Mark25.
== No, he's not. I have to wonder if he feels trapped like you do sometimes.
Yeah. Poor bastard

[rhoenix]

As Mark 25 had entered, Agent Templar nodded once as he (and it was a he, he thought with some surprise. With all that weight on his shoulders...) was introduced to Mark 25.

It was shortly afterwards that what he'd felt from Gemini make more sense, as he literally felt two distinct minds within her. Again, he didn't act surprised; and to be honest, he wasn't too surprised at her, or even with Mark 25 or Sunrise. Metahuman abiities took all shapes and sizes - ever since it had been his job to "apprehend" (if that term actually applied) a metahuman whose ability was literally turning into liquid feces, and was able to control his own "flow," well...not all that much was a surprise if you worked for Ultima long enough.

But...he did figure that he'd been a bit stiff before. Now that he knew for sure this wasn't another profiling, he'd relaxed a bit, and sat down in one of the chairs as he gratefully drained the last of his coffee, unable to stop himself from making a happy "mmmm" sound as he drained the last dregs of the cup; the stuff at the bottom where most of the stuff like caffeine was left over.

Now, since he and these others were evidently the new Omega Team...well, this could be interesting.

[Jason_Firewalker]

Entering the room with the other Ultima agents, "I apologize for my tardiness." He sat down next to the man he had been told once from a co-worker was Agent Templar. "Again sorry but would someone toss me a catchup on the situation?"

[Dark Silver]

Legion had taken in the go around and conversations of the others, making mental note of what he could concerning Gemini's revelations and the formula for change.

He was almost certain some of the boys at the Department already had access to most of the ingredients, and wondered if it was attempted.

He never payed much attention, honestly, to what the tech guys did, he was classified operations. The fact he was sent to serve as a attache to a Ultima Team was many-fold: He had more experience with fieldwork than most Agents of Ultima had now, he used to work for Ultima for awhile, and three, he was here to ferret out any corruption in the ranks, and try to find out what he could about a Agent named Tarot.

Overall, a hefty set of goals. Especially concerning Tarot.

Legion sat in the chair he had picked out, crossing one ankle over his opposite knee, and leaned back slightly. He put on the amiable half grin, and knitted his gloved fingers together.

"I assume we're being brought together for a reason Agent Hawk," Legion stated, more than asked.

[rhoenix]

Walking over to the coffeepot, Agent Templar filled up his cup - and seeing that he'd drained the pot, began making a new one with practiced motions. As he did, he watched the others, getting to know each a little better as he did with practiced glances.

[B4UTRUST]

Hawk looked up as the last agents entered the room.
"Try to save the excuses. I don't care why you're late, just try not to do it again. Right now we're already late in this brief which is putting us behind out in the field.

"Some of you have read recent reports, I'm sure, that there's some Omnicorp mecha wandering around trying to enforce the law. Police have been unable so far to detain it. No surprise there, they're not equipped to stop a multi-ton warbot.

"NeXT, if you would be so kind as to give us a visual? The robot in question has been doing us a favor since it's arrival from God knows where and behaving itself. It has engaged no civilians and seemingly gone out of its way to avoid collateral damage and innocent bystanders. However it has been very active in taking down some metahuman criminals in the area. The police and civilians are expecting the worst from this thing and since it's got Omnicorp, literally, written all over it, we're inclined to agree until we can prove otherwise.

"This one isn't acting like the normal series of warmachines Omni was producing, but that doesn't mean it's not dangerous. We're suppose to bring this thing in, whether it wants to or not. Once we get that far, the buys down as Metatech are going to do a full analysis.

"Don't ask me why they're so keen on bringing it in instead of destroying it. Not my call. My guess is that they want to see if they can use some of its comm and IFF protocols to see if they can't start tracking down the remaining Omnicorp units.

"I think you can all figure out why you all have been assembled for this op. Your primary goal is to protect the civilian populace from this thing. Its detainment is secondary to that at this point.

"NeXt, if would, see if you can find any sightings of this thing so we can get you all out there."

--------------

The punks in the bank had come running out and almost ran straight into the giant Omnicorp 'bot. They skidded to a stop, bags of money slipping from their hands as they stared up at the coming mechanized death. The apparent leader looked up at Alpha. Flashes of energy flared around his clenched fists.
"Well, boys. Looks like Chicago PD finally got some serious hardware. But there's only one of 'em, lets get em!"

[General Havoc]

"Force Level Beta, Authorized."

The robot's right grenade launcher lobbed a single projectile at the bank robbers, a flashbang grenade aimed square at the ground in front of them, which was immediately followed by two hollow "thunk" sounds. An instant later, the adhesive "sludge" canons on either side of the robot's waist vomited forth a pair of medicine ball-sized projectiles comprised of a sticky, biodegradable polymer derived from paper pulp. Propelled by compressed air, the balls mushroomed like dum-dum rounds as they flew, until they were several feet wide, aimed directly at the Meta leader and the robber nearest to him. They had enough force to slam a man-sized target back into a wall, and then bind him there like a spider's cocoon. whirring gears signaled that the adhesive canons were reloading as the robot lined up and fired a taser-projectile at a third meta, wires trailing behind the flying electrodes, ready to deliver a 40,000 volt shock should the round hit.

[Dark Silver]

Legion listened to Hawk and nodded. He looked around the table, to his gathered teammates, then to Hawk.

"What is our authorized Response Level, Agent" he asked. The authorized response level would of course tell him how lethal they could be.

It also told him how serious Ultima was about putting on a good face.