Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[Cynical Cat]

Seeing Blast reminded Blackheart of something he had to do. Kyosuke was still out of it. He pulled out his phone. "Hello, this is David Grey. I would like to make an appointment. No, nothing big. Hmmm. Might be able to make it. Yeah, go ahead. Goodbye." He folded up his phone.

[B4UTRUST]

Legacies showed back up to the gym after having dropped Kyosuke off with the medics. Kyosuke's sword was still embedded into the gym floor, testament to the training session that had gone too far.

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

Bowman was in his office when the initial reports came in. He sighed as he read through them. It wasn't good for those involved. He picked up the phone and got patched through to Blackheart's comm unit.
"Agent Blackheart, it's Bowman. Need to see you in my office when you get a moment. Got some news, good and bad."

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

Kyosuke was wheeled into the ER unconcious. He was unresponsive. The medics put him through a CAT scan and a battery of tests. Results showed that he had minor bleeding on the brain and a concussion. Three ribs were cracked. He had multiple minor lacerations along his face.

A few hours later he awoke and was discharged back to his residence and given orders for bed rest and no duty for a week.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost waved to his teammates, "Well, its been fun, but I have paperwork to do, unlike all you civilians, and I have to take care of a few things." Turning he walked out of the gym and headed for his cubicle. Sitting down, he logged on. Typing in the correct commands he brought up Tachyon's file. After reading through it a few times, he closed it.

Ghost opened up his email and started typing.

From:DRyan@ultima.gov
To:SKyosuke@Ultima.gov
Subject: Training

Agent Shingure;

I would apologize for the training exercise, but I know that the words would most likely be hollow. However, up until it got out of hand, I did enjoy the match. And I would like to extend an open invitation to spar whenever you have recovered enough. And this time, leave your pet spirit critters at home.

Ryan

That done, Ghost closed down his computer and heading towards the normal gym, switching into some running clothes from his locker and hopping on a treadmill.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart sighed and headed to Bowman's office. "You wanted to speak to me?"

[LadyTevar]

That left Argent setting Blast upon his feet, along with Hotfoot, Legacies, Warpath, and Tachyon. She watched Blackheart rush off, sighing softly. "More bad news..." she said softly, her head shaking slightly. She was curious whom he had called for an appointment, wondering if it was Dr Cavanaugh.

Oh well, it was not like he'd tell her. She looked around to the remaining members of Mirage Team, briefly brushing their emotions to gauge them ... and again came up against the shroud over Tachyon's mind that reminded her of a silken curtain. "Tachyon ... are you a telepath as well?" she asked, as good an explaination as any for why she couldn't touch his thoughts.

[B4UTRUST]

Bowman glanced up as Blackheart entered. He slid the printoffs across the desk towards him.
"Got news, good and bad. Good news is that Gravitas and Saibot are going to make full recoveries. Kyosuke is going to be down for a few days, minor concussion and some cracked ribs. Bad news: Saibot won't be returning to Mirage Team.

"IA has a full copy of his memory. The incident with the Freak Legion is the 'last straw' so to speak. Multiple crimes of theft, manslaughter, obstructing justice, conspiracy, are just a few of the crimes he's being nailed for. His insistance on going after the Freak Legion wasn't exactly in the public's best interest. It was personal, going back to the attack on the Binary Corporation. He wasn't there to help, he was planning to hit it himself. The Freak Legion just got there before he did. He wanted Ultima to go after them so he could get the microchips back and fence them himself.

"Quite frankly, it's looking like they're going to nail him to the wall. Rough guess would be 20+ years in Gramercy if he's lucky. They're talking sending him to Station Zero. Not many people come back from Station Zero...

"IA is asking for witness statements and will probably subpoena the whole team before it's all over. You might want to prepare the team for this..."

[Dark Silver]

- Meanwhile -

"Come"

"Our informants in Ultima have passed on some interesting information. It concerns Subject Zero-Two-Nine-Gamma."

The man took the folder, flipping through the report, going over it at a quick skim.

"I want the Box. Eliminate the computer systems and any electronic media in his domicile, but bring me the Box before Ultima sends a team there to go over that place."

[Cynical Cat]

"Right," said Blackheart. It wasn't a shock to hear that Saibot had fallen that far, although it was disappointing. Another possibility occurred to him. How reliable was the info that Saibot was up to no good? The spook patrol with thick on the ground with this one. "I'll break it to them."

He left the office and phoned Argent. "I have bad news and no time to sugar coat it. They are going to throw the book at your boyfriend. Anything connected to his powers is likely to get disappeared real soon, so if it isn't already stashed do it. You're free to go do what you have to do."

[Marcao]

He heard the call for help originating from whom he assumed was Blast, but before he could consider an approach to assist Argent was already in action. He watched as Argent did what she did and firmly retrieved Blast from his present position. His eyes lingered on Blast for a moment, aware that of all the members of the team so far he had a great deal in common with blast and that they could supplement their strengths and counter act their weaknesses very well.

Blast needed energy to absorb before he reached full strength according to the dossier. He could provide that energy. Blast lacked the ability to move quickly in a battlefield, he could help change that. They were in many ways a natural pairing, assuming that their personalities were even remotely compatible and their ideologies meshed well. His attention flickered towards Blackheart as he rushed off once again and somehow he got the feeling that this had to be unusual. Surely, Blackheart did not move about this much on a daily basis?

Argent's words danced in the air. "I wouldn't doubt it." He replied. Good news could usually wait. His eyes remained on Argent for a moment or two before his attention gravitated elsewhere.

His eyes returning to her when she spoke once more. He considered her words for only a moment before shaking his head. "I don't have such talents Argent. I am not a telepath, I am not an Empath either." He paused for a moment before continuing his left hand moving, his index finger pointing at his skull. "This wasn't always here and I can't make it pick and choose. Its automatic, like breathing."

"It is not an immunity of course, so if you are interested I would be willing to spend an afternoon with you." There was just a slight hint of something beneath his words at the idea of spending an afternoon with her. She would not be the first to try to defeat his psychic defenses and the truth was that some of Ultima's best had succeeded. It simply took a great deal of skill and time, something that he belived Argent had an abundance of. No, he would not mind being poked and prodded by Argent. Not that much anyway...

[LadyTevar]

"I don't have such talents Argent. I am not a telepath, I am not an Empath either." He paused for a moment before continuing his left hand moving, his index finger pointing at his skull. "This wasn't always here and I can't make it pick and choose. Its automatic, like breathing."

Argent listened, and nodded as he explained. Curiousity made her wonder what had set up the barrier, but it explained why she visualized it as a curtain draped around him, instead of something more a part of him. But to have no control of it... such a pity.

"It is not an immunity of course, so if you are interested I would be willing to spend an afternoon with you." There was just a slight hint of something beneath his words at the idea of spending an afternoon with her.

Argent wasn't used to picking up nuances from just words alone. Her empathy had always given her the true intention, which in her old business often didn't match what was being said. Was he ... was he really suggesting something more...?

Blackheart's call came before she had a chance to figure it out. She held up a finger to Tachyon. "Hold that thought..." she said, answering the call.

"I have bad news and no time to sugar coat it. They are going to throw the book at your boyfriend. Anything connected to his powers is likely to get disappeared real soon, so if it isn't already stashed do it. You're free to go do what you have to do."

"That's a problem, Blackheart," Argent answered, then moved away so the team couldn't overhear the rest of the conversation. Knowing it was Blackheart, and not over the radio would be enough to let them know it was serious.

"When I was last there, the apartment had been trashed. I'd not be surprised if the neighbors called the police." She did not say who trashed it, nor anything about Saibot's situation. She could do nothing about Saibot, but she could control who got what was in the apartment. That kept her voice steady, even as she fudged the truth. "The door to his trophy room was closed, and I left it that way. I ..." she wondered if her late-night visit to Gravitas had been monitored, so she continued weaving half-truths. "... I was upset, teleported blindly and wound up getting a peptalk from Gravitas."

She didn't wait for Blackheart to make any comments. She knew her voice wouldn't give away the lie, and she was locked up too tightly for emotional leakage. Still, she stuck to verifiable facts. "Either way, if the police haven't found Garth's trophies and the Ring's Recharge Box, I'm still not able to touch the damn thing; it'd burn me like Shingure did. I'd need to take someone with me who could pick it up." Amusement and a slight challenge touched her voice. "Do you want to come with me, or shall I give Blast another magic-induced headache?"

Once she got Blackheart's answer, she'd inform the team what was going on. After this little crisis, then ... then she'd have to decide what to do if Tachyon was actually trying to flirt. Hell... she'd have to find a way through the shroud anyway, so she could link with him and track him like she did the rest of the team. Lose a boyfriend, and another starts making moves. I'm turning into Ember ... ... no. Ember would be after Blackheart.

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot blinked at Tachyon, not sure what to make of the guy. "Um, thanks, I guess. Well, nice to meet you." He watched the man talk with Argent, still trying to figure him out. He seemed nice enough, but given everything that had happened recently, he wondered if another shoe was about to drop.

Sure enough, it did, just not from Tachyon. He watched Argent react to the news of Saibot's recovery, as well as the sudden teleportations back and forth. A lot was happening, and for some reason, it felt like it was happening too fast. He shook his head and looked to the exit of the gym. "You know, at some point, I should really get registered. Especially now that I'm going to be a little more high profile than knocking out muggers and saving kids from oncoming traffic. Kinda hope I don't run into those guys from earlier though, I don't think I'd ever escape from the paperwork."

He looked at Argent and grinned, "Of course, I suppose that if I do get registered, someone will say I need a better outfit or something, though really, who doesn't like saving the world in jeans and a t-shirt?"

[Cynical Cat]

"Take whoever you're comfortable with," said Blackheart.

[LadyTevar]

"Take whoever you're comfortable with," said Blackheart.

A slight snort... or was that a snicker? "You, surprisingly," Lei said honestly. "Hotfoot might be able to touch it, but at some point someone needs to get the kid a real uniform. He's in jeans and a t-shirt."

[Cynical Cat]

"He signs up, then he gets tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear. Not he hangs around and then we give him stuff. If the box doesn't like you, it probably won't like me. Grab Hotfoot."

[LadyTevar]

That sounded like an order to her. "Yes sir," she replied, with just a touch of humor. "If you'll start his paperwork, I will have him and the box back in about 15 minutes. Do you want any Guardian Force Souveniors while I'm there?"

She didn't quite manage enough humor to hide the pain in the last comment. Hero-worship dies hard.

[Cynical Cat]

"No," he said. "I don't want his trophies. I'm sure he would want you to have them."

[LadyTevar]

There was a long silence after his offer. ".... I don't know if I want them either ..." she near-whispered, perhaps not even meaning that to be heard.

[Cynical Cat]

Christ. "I'm walking dead man with a fucking negative empathy field," Blackheart replied, "not a fucking relationship counselor. Mission first, agonize about your boyfriend second. Got it?"

[LadyTevar]

Argent winced at the sudden drill-sergent voice. "You always know just how to motivate a girl," she replied, not admitting that she needed that distraction right now. "Got it. I'll tell the rest of the team, and leave with Hotfoot now."

She hung up and turned to Mirage team, stepping to the middle. "That was Blackheart. He told me to inform everyone that Saibot is going to jail." Her voice was amazingly steady, her emotions tight. "Blackheart wants me to take Hotfoot and retrieve what we can from the apartment before things go to hell. We should be back in 15 minutes."

Not 'his apartment' or 'our apartment'. 'The apartment', as someone would normally refer to the place they kept their clothes and slept at night.

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot raised an eyebrow, at the order, wondering what could be gotten from Saibot's apartment that would be worth anything. Still, it was an order, after a fashion. "Okay, well, let's get on it. Don't want to waste any time I guess." He waved to Tachyon and smiled. "See you later man."

[LadyTevar]

Argent looked to Hotfoot, who was as impulsive as always. "First, a warning, Hotfoot," she said quietly, taking his arm to draw him aside. The touch allowed a bit of her emotions to leak out, showing him that she was not as calm as she looked. They were the same emotions from the night before, when she'd broken down and cried in his arms.

"I was at the apartment last night, before I met you and Gravitas," she said lowly, guiding him away from the rest of the team for a more private briefing. "The apartment is trashed, furniture thrown about and broken." Her touch sent him a brief surge of guilt, ruthlessly squashed, but no explaination for that guilt. "I did not stay, so it's possible the neighbors had called the police."

She stopped, looking up at him. "We need to retrieve the items in his Trophy Room, if the police haven't removed them, but most especially we need the Box that Saibot kept to recharge his Ring." There was definate emphasis on the capitols, as if she felt them worthy of titles.

She continued, "If there are policemen there, I plan to abuse rank as Ultima Agents to do this, and let Bowman and Blackheart cover the legalities. The trophies other than the box are going to my place. The Box comes here." Her emotions were unsteady again, as if she wasn't really wanting the trophies, but didn't want anyone else to have them either.

"I can't touch the Box ... it will bite me like Shingure's little spell did. Blast's held it, but it gave him a headache by trying to charge him up. You should be able to pick it up with no problems." She was far more confident of that fact.

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot nodded, "Yeah, okay I guess. So what are we waiting for?" He was a little uneasy with confronting the police over this, but they were orders, weren't they? "I'll pick up a few boxes and it'll be like we're helping him move into his dorm, right?"

[LadyTevar]

She gave him a sad smile. "Not quite. The Box you pick up is the size of a small jewelry box," she demonstrated by curling her hands, thumbs and index fingers touching in a rough circle. "The rest of the items are hanging on walls and on shelves, not in boxes unless the police have been gracious enough to provide them. It won't matter, I can still teleport them. They will unfortunately land in a lump when I reappear, however."

[Hotfoot]

"Well, so long as they're not too heat sensitive, I should be able to sort them well enough without spending too much time. Anyway, the sooner we do it, the sooner we get back, and I guess we want those things to end up in the wrong hands, right?" He shrugged, "But yeah, got it, go for the little jewelry box first."

[LadyTevar]

Argent shook her head firmly. "No heat. We're talking Trophies, Hotfoot. Pictures, papers, and ... well... you'll see," she sighed, elongating into dragon form. "Put up your shield, just enough they can't see your face as soon as we get there. Once we're back, Blackheart's going to have your registration started, and you get ten thousand dollars to play with."

---0----

The apartment they appeared in was not that bad. It had plenty of space, a little kitchenette set off from the living/dining room by a low counter, and two doors leading off to the sides. Plenty of floorspace, if it wasn't currently covered by the wreckage of what might have once been livingroom furniture.

Wood and fabric were scattered everywhere, shattered and crushed to near-recognizable pieces. Large dents were in the plaster walls, where objects had been thrown with force. In the kitchenette, it was clear that doors had been smashed off cabinets, as well as the refridgerator door dented and torn off the hinges. The smell of spilled beer and smashed vegetables hung in the air.

Argent returned in human form, looking around the wreckage with dark, troubled eyes.