Heroes: Eve of Destiny

[LadyTevar]

In the bag on the floor, the radio in Saibot's helmet suddenly came to life.

"This is Tarot. We're pulling back to base. Mirage team report to sick bay for treatment. Any who are capable of leaving sickbay, report for debrief in three hours."

Lei frowned over at the voice. "So much for a quiet dinner out," she sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of Garth's head. His ring still needed recharged, and she could feel talking about his past had hurt. She wanted to make that hurt go away. "Stay here, just one more moment..."

Even though she'd tried to block it out, Lei felt how much the last battle of the Guardian Force hurt him. Not because he had killed the alien; but because he had been unable to stop it from killing his friends. It was like a poison in his system, self-hatred and anger because he had failed them. Pulling that poison out of him, while it was close to the surface, was the easy part. The hard part would be showing him it was a poison.

Her hands cupped over his chest, rising slowly as she drew out the negative emotions. Removing those would have been totally invisible but for what else she was doing. Drawing on the shadows around the couch, she formed a small, smoke-like tendril. It seemed to curl up from his chest, rising like cigarrette smoke into the air to be 'caught' by her cupped hands. Like any good magician, it was a trick to fool the eye and the mind. Garth could not only feel the emotions leaving, but see it as well.

"Don't move... please," she whispered close to his ear. "Let me take it away... you don't have to blame yourself anymore."

[Shark Bait]

Up on the roof another team began to airlift Seven back to base. His considerable mass prevented normal methods and his cyborg nature allowed the medics to forego standard first aid.

A larger problem however was that no one had any idea what the hell they were dealing with. The mark seven body was a cybernetic system that was years beyond any commercial model and still far beyond most known experimental systems. The paramedics had no idea how to even take Seven’s vitals, and the docs at the trauma center followed procedure perfectly. However the body simply behaved differently, it did not respond to a direct computer interface, and the metal endoskeleton prevented an MRI from being performed, and design issues caused an EEG to read as a flat line. The only sign that the doctors got was that the body’s batteries were still containing a good sized charge which masked the systems that were still functioning. Because of this they followed the only procedure remaining the sent the body down to the morgue, but luckily did not have time to put it in the freezer.

About 45 minutes after John had been loaded onto the helicopter he woke up in a panic, sitting straight up and screaming. His eyes were not functioning, his right hand was shot and diagnostics told him left arm was at 50% lifting capacity. To put things mildly he was terrified, last thing he knew he was fighting some freak on a roof top, and now he was blind and naked on a cold metal table. Something crashed to his left, quickly he detached his right arm at the elbow and extracted a long sharp spike hidden in it. “Who the fuck is thatâ€

[Dark Silver]

He felt the mental weight lift for a few blessed moments, as she slide her hands down his chest, and she whispered.

He closed his eyes, inhaled her scent, then opened them again..

"No."

He said those words softly, looking up at her. "No...don't take it...It keeps me going on...."

He reached up, cupping her cheek gently, "I'll make up the dinner to you....we'll go in a few minutes...give the ring a bit longer to recharge...."

[LadyTevar]

"No."

He said those words softly, looking up at her. "No...don't take it...It keeps me going on...."

He reached up, cupping her cheek gently, "I'll make up the dinner to you....we'll go in a few minutes...give the ring a bit longer to recharge...."

The unexpectedness of it broke her concentration. The smokeshadow ball fractured, evaporating into nothingness, the emotions she'd drawn out still cupped in her hands. "... what?"

[SirNitram]

Tarot and his gaggle of lower-rung evolutionaries had left. The Ultimas grunt-force was on the scene, but they were easier to ignore. Gravitas resumed what he had come to do, before being so rudely interrupted.

It was infuriating to know that, simply by searching, Tarot could look into Gravitas' futures and find the one where he found exactly the right connection, and would instantly know where the strand led. Except..

...Except Tarot would know this when he came to see the site, as Gravitas was still choosing the same future. Why? Was the path dead? No; you couldn't scrub a gravitational link. Not without leaving a timestream, and only one or two knew that he could do that, and there were no signs of others.

What are the chances of two men arising from the hubub of the early twentieth century, armed with the power to disconnect from the timestream, and becoming powerful in an agency that seeks to control the dominant strain of post-human? Stupid question; it happened. What are the probabilities it's anyone but the same man.. That's the question.

Mercer... What's your game? What's your angle in this?

[Dark Silver]

The unexpectedness of it broke her concentration. The smokeshadow ball fractured, evaporating into nothingness, the emotions she'd drawn out still cupped in her hands. "... what?"

Placing his hand behind her head, gently, he pulled her down to place a kiss upon her lips.

"I can't explain...and I don't expect you to understand yet beautiful....I need it there though."

[LadyTevar]

The unexpectedness of it broke her concentration. The smokeshadow ball fractured, evaporating into nothingness, the emotions she'd drawn out still cupped in her hands. "... what?"

Placing his hand behind her head, gently, he pulled her down to place a kiss upon her lips.

"I can't explain...and I don't expect you to understand yet beautiful....I need it there though."

He was telling her the truth... or at least, what he believed was truth. "It's poisoning you...." she whispered against his lips, slowly lowering her hands back onto his chest, letting the emotions trickle back slowly, so not to pain him more.

[Dark Silver]

He sighed, she only wanted to help. But her help could mean the end of what he did...

"Your to good for me..." he said gently, his fingers running through her hair gently. "I'll go change....the ring should be charged enough for a flight back to HQ....and after debriefing...we can come back here for the night."

He slipped from her, his hand carressing her cheek first, before he moved to his bedroom, stripping the shirt off before the door closed.

[LadyTevar]

He sighed, she only wanted to help. But her help could mean the end of what he did...

"Your to good for me..." he said gently, his fingers running through her hair gently. "I'll go change....the ring should be charged enough for a flight back to HQ....and after debriefing...we can come back here for the night."

He slipped from her, his hand carressing her cheek first, before he moved to his bedroom, stripping the shirt off before the door closed.

She frowned as he left, still half-slumped over the couch. "... I hope you're right..." she whispered to the door, pushing her fears into the little box inside her heart.

Still.. one of the fun things she'd learned over the years was a quick costume change. A shadow rose out of the bag, filling her costume out approprately. Lei herself faded into her shadow-form, which then merged with the other. A moment later both separated, the clothing counter-changed, and the unneeded clothing fell back into the bag.

[Dark Silver]

He exited the bedroom five minutes after he had entered. When he had his ring, costume changes took barely ten seconds, as the ring variated the clothing he wore into his costume, right down to "pulling" the helmet out of a pocket dimension and placing it on his head.

But when there were times his ring was recharging, he had gotten used to suiting up manually. Still, he didn't have a helmet right now, it was in Lei's bag.

He smiled at her, seeing her having already changed, "You know...if you change that quick all the time....I don't think we'll have many fights for the bathroom."

He winked, as he went towards the spare room, the one where the ring was recharging. As he opened the door, the glow of the rosewood box revealed the contents of the interior, and the still torn original costume, though the stains of blood and dirt where long clean.

He didnt bother closing the door, in to much of a hurry, he grabbed the ring from the box, slipped it on his finger, and felt the telltale rush of power it always gave him. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, and moved towards her.

"Leave the bag baby," he said, a small tendril of blue energy grabbing the helmet from her bag, and floating it towards his head, "We'll be back for it later..."

[LadyTevar]

He exited the bedroom five minutes after he had entered. When he had his ring, costume changes took barely ten seconds, as the ring variated the clothing he wore into his costume, right down to "pulling" the helmet out of a pocket dimension and placing it on his head.

But when there were times his ring was recharging, he had gotten used to suiting up manually. Still, he didn't have a helmet right now, it was in Lei's bag.

He smiled at her, seeing her having already changed, "You know...if you change that quick all the time....I don't think we'll have many fights for the bathroom."

That made her laugh and blush a little as he passed by

He winked, as he went towards the spare room, the one where the ring was recharging. As he opened the door, the glow of the rosewood box revealed the contents of the interior, and the still torn original costume, though the stains of blood and dirt where long clean.

She could see part of what was inside the room, but the Silver Guardian costume is what drew her eye. Suddenly, she wanted very much to see what else was inside.

He didnt bother closing the door, in to much of a hurry, he grabbed the ring from the box, slipped it on his finger, and felt the telltale rush of power it always gave him. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, and moved towards her.

"Leave the bag baby," he said, a small tendril of blue energy grabbing the helmet from her bag, and floating it towards his head, "We'll be back for it later..."

"If you're sure," she replied, not so sure herself but leaving the bag... as a promise to return with him. "Just one question... how do we get to your base, hero?" she teased. "I've never been there."

[Dark Silver]

"That's simple..we'll fly."

The helmet slide over his head, and the mini servoes clicked in place, sealing it around his head. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her close to him.

"Take us up to the roof" he said, the helmet altering his voice, deepening it again beyond recognition.

She did so, the shadows wrapping around them, and less than a heartbeat later, they were on the roof. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms, and the Life Support field glowed around them both. He took to the air then, making thier way towards the Ultimas Building....

[LadyTevar]

The close contact prevented Lei from completely hiding her nervousness from him, even though she tried to bury it under the joy she had in being carried in his arms this way. She herself had limited flight as her dragonshadow form, but flying with him was another dimension entirely.

Still... the closer they got to the Ultimates building, the more she worried about her reception within.

[Agent Fisher]

Niner stepped out of the Helicopter on the pad. His damn tail always made it hard to ride inside vehicles. He followed an agent to a supply station, where he got a new radio and some flex cuffs just incase for the future.

Three hours later, he stepped into the briefing room.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart followed Tarot towards the briefing room.

[Dark Silver]

It took longer than it should have for them to reach the Ultimas Building, Saibot didn't want to stress his ring.

They flew in silence before setting down at the Agent's Entrance to Ultimas. He set her down carefully, before moving towards the door, holding her hand.

[LadyTevar]

They flew in silence before setting down at the Agent's Entrance to Ultimas. He set her down carefully, before moving towards the door, holding her hand.

Lei needed the support as they walked forward. Even before she saw the three agents who stood in front of the door, she felt the implacable threat in the air. This was not going to go well ... and she feared that Saibot would only make it worse trying to protect her.

"Agent Saibot..." Tarot stepped out from behind the agents, and Argent couldn't help but flinch from the 'read' she got from him. "Thank you for bringing in the prisoner. We shall take over from here."

[Shark Bait]

A door slammed, Seven was alone in the… well whatever the hell the room was, he tried switching between several vision modes, none of them worked the connection point between his optic nerve and the cybernetic inputs were ruined. They could be replaced and there was no actual damage to the nerves but the linking systems would need replacement and soon. He put down the razor sharp metal spike he had kept concealed in his arm and re attacked the right arm if nothing else he could still throw a punch with it.

He stood up and let the sheet that had been over him fall to the ground he did not care, he was as anatomically correct as a ken doll. Under any other circumstances he would be timid of such an outward display of the fact that he was not a true human. He did not care anymore he didn’t know where he was, if he was safe or maybe in the same place as where the croc had been taken. He grabbed the spike in his left hand and felt his way around and bumped into another table, a long one longer than a bed with a sink at one end, this was some how very familiar till finally it clicked. All of those detective shows he had watched with his dad, and downloaded off the internet, he was in a morgue that answered one question but it didn’t help much. He felt his way around heading towards where he had heard the door close till he finally found it. He turned up his audio pickups and partially opened the door, listening for the sounds of anyone in the immediate area. He didn’t hear anything so he stepped out of the door keeping on hand on the wall ahead of him he felt his way around, hoping to eventually find some answers.

[B4UTRUST]

OoC: This is happening as an interlude of sorts prior to the briefing.

IC:
A couple of armed agents appeared behind Tarot as he confronted the two lovers. Behind the guards a pair of white-coated lab workers stood, each holding strange devices. The devices were made of cold metal and adorned with needles and bondage straps. Their purpose wasn't immediatly obvious other then that their application was not likely to be comfortable.

Tarot turned towards Saibot.
"Agent, you will need to report to medical for evaluation. Immediately."

The guards stepped forward, one covering Argent while the other pulled out a pair of handcuffs and moved to cuff her. As soon as she was cuffed the labrats moved in behind her, attaching the harnesses and devices to her body.

One needle slid smoothly into the base of her brain stem, dispensing a chemical solution into her are regular intervals to make her docile, slowing her heart rate and breathing, reducing her awareness of her surroundings to something akin to a very disoriented sleepless state. An set of electrodes were attached to her head at the temples and just behind the ears, sending out signals designed to disrupt any psionic powers before they get truely started, dispersing the brainwaves back along the brain channels for coping with frustration and emotional stability. One of the labbies produced a syringe filled with a blue glowing fluid with silver specks of some material swirling around it at random intervals. The needle of the syringe was inserted into her arm as she was held against a wall to prevent her from moving. The liquid joined her blood and began to circulate throughout her body.

"Allow me to explain what has just happened.

"The needle in the back of your brain is making you sleepy, docile, slowing your heartrate and breathing to that of someone just above the state of sleep. The electrodes at your head are dispersing any attempt you have to use your mental abilities, Miss Zan."

He smiled, waiting for her response. Secrets were his stock and trade...

"And the injection you have just recieved is a nanite solution designed to prevent physical transformation of any form. The effects are temporary, a few hours before they are destroyed by your body. We do, however, have much more... permanent solutions."

The guard holding her against the wall jerked her back from it, forcing her down the hall towards an elevator which would take them to another floor to an interrogation room.

Turning to one of the technicians still standing about Tarot issued out orders.
"Go tell Dr. Zier that his patient in the morgue is awake. I'm sure he's very distraught. Have him repaired as soon as possible and send him to the briefing room when the repairs are complete."

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

The doc listened as the elevator doors opened with a ding. Stepping out into the dimmly lit basement where the morgue was kept always made him feel a bit jumpy. The bright white light of the elevator cab disappeared as the doors once more shut. He coughed and began rubbing his arms unconciously.

He moved at a brisk walk, not wanting to spend time down here any more then he had too. His footsteps echoed off the concrete tomb. He reached the door to the morgue and pushed it open, flipping on the light. He screamed, startled and shocked, falling back through the door and landing against the wall behind him on the other side of the hall. His hand went to his chest as he sat there on the floor gasping for breath. He was getting too old for this kind of shit.

"S-sir. I, I don't think you're suppose to be up walking around. You're dead... I think that for everyone concerned that it would be best for you to, ummm, lie back down like a good corpse now... Yes, I think that would be best don't you? "

[Charon]

Mark was still unconscious as he was brought down to the medlab. The symbiote pooled around him, peeling away from the skin to show dozens of scars that had reopened, the symbiote was keeping in place to stop the massive bloodflow, but it was obvious it was tiring. As Legacies came into position a half-dozen doctors congregated around him, the symbiote peeled away from his body and the blood began to flow out, some steadily, some in great spurts. It was obvious that in many places bones were broken, mainly his ribs though. The doctors began to staunch the bloodflow and got to work at closing the wounds. Something else was wrong though, they couldn't place it medically though. It seemed as though part of Legacies very essence had been lost. That was not something that it seemed Legacies would ever recover from. As this realization came to the doctors the symbiote peeled away from Mark's face, revealing the white grizzled beard, medium length white hair, and his silver tinted eyes, revealing an identity Mark hadn't wanted known even among the meta community.

[Shark Bait]

Turning to one of the technicians still standing about Tarot issued out orders.
"Go tell Dr. Zier that his patient in the morgue is awake. I'm sure he's very distraught. Have him repaired as soon as possible and send him to the briefing room when the repairs are complete."

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

The doc listened as the elevator doors opened with a ding. Stepping out into the dimmly lit basement where the morgue was kept always made him feel a bit jumpy. The bright white light of the elevator cab disappeared as the doors once more shut. He coughed and began rubbing his arms unconciously.

He moved at a brisk walk, not wanting to spend time down here any more then he had too. His footsteps echoed off the concrete tomb. He reached the door to the morgue and pushed it open, flipping on the light. He screamed, startled and shocked, falling back through the door and landing against the wall behind him on the other side of the hall. His hand went to his chest as he sat there on the floor gasping for breath. He was getting too old for this kind of shit.

"S-sir. I, I don't think you're suppose to be up walking around. You're dead... I think that for everyone concerned that it would be best for you to, ummm, lie back down like a good corpse now... Yes, I think that would be best don't you? "

Seven stood in the door way to the morgue he could approximate where the man who was talking to him was, based on sound alone. Seven pointed the spike at him, had he been able to see he would know what a horrifying sight he was, he looked like the bastard child of the terminator and a crash test dummy. Huge patches of synthetic flesh were missing from his neck, lower jaw, and arms his hands were totally bare, all of their machinery exposed to the world. His legs were cut up too with fragments of metal clearly imbedded in the fake skin, and several places had larger tares showing some inner armor plating.

The man was telling him to lie down and play dead, “a good corpseâ€

[B4UTRUST]

Zier stared crosseyed up at the spike that was hovering inches in front of his face. He was breathing in ragged gasps, sweat beading off of his forehead. He began to stammer as he spoke.
"Y-y-you you're in th-the m-m-m-morgue. A-a-at the Ultima Bureau... And... and y-you're here be-because y-you're suppose to be.. be dead! And d-dead people...they don't point s-sharp o-ob-objects a-at pe-people..."

[Dark Silver]

As Tarot appeared, and the agents moved to get Lei, Saibot frowned.

"She's not a prisoner. She helped me get out of there, she's on our time." he said slowly, shuffling her behind him, but he was just pushed aside as they put her in the restraint device.

Saibot growled, almost getting in Tarot's face, "Didn't you fucking hear me, she's on our side, she helped me escape."

The power ring glowed dangerously but he didn't lift it..yet.

[B4UTRUST]

Tarot stared down at Saibot, letting the sunglasses that seemed to permanently grace his face slide down his nose, allowing Garth to stare directly into the depths of nothingness.
"She is a confirmed agent of the group that was involved in attack on the Senator, resulting in his kidnapping. She then was involved in another attack at the memorial park, followed by the kidnapping of one of the agents on your team to an unknown destination. She then kidnapped you, and you come back insisting she's on our side and try to defend her.

"You, agent, are comingly dangerously close to insubordination and bordering on gross stupidity on your part. You have yet to present adaquete reasoning why we should not interrogate her and your sudden fascination with her well being just further compounds the already bad impression we have of Miss Zan. You, to all appearances, quite enthralled by whatever power she wields over you. You should be thanking me for helping to free you from this. Now, before I stop taking into account your flawed mental state due to these circumstances, I suggest you report to medical as you were ordered. Otherwise I will recall the fact that if you are mentally incapaciated due to tainting by an outside force that hinders your loyalty and logic facilities then you are absolutely no use to this team, and based upon your record that the only place you should be is not out assisting the government that you take such frequent liberties of, but rather spending the remainder of your days, which thanks to my influence I will see to it that they are long and numerous indeed, in a cell in Station Zero.

"Now, Agent Saibot, did you not just inform me that you felt you might need to seek medical attention?"

[Dark Silver]

The growl coming from his helmet was low and threatening, but Saibot let it slide, for now. Tarot was powerful, not just in the sense of being a Metahuman, but in the political sense.

He had it all over Saibot, and there was nothing he could do about it. And unfortunatly, he had to deal with it.

"You don't scare me Tarot..." he said softly, so just the man could hear him, "I've faced off against far worse than you...far more powerful, and I've taken them all down. If anything happens to her...I swear by whatever powers that be, I will hunt you down, and flay your flesh from your bones...slowly, and savor every second of it."

He took a step back, the malice seemed to pour off of of Saibot, as he glared at the technicians.