Citizen_Stu

[ QUOTE ]
The shadow stood over Crystal's body. "What a waste. And you don't have the power to save her either. But I can save her. Given time, I can also give you the power to save her. You only need to tell me one thing: that you will be my 'Envy.'"

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack was still crying while holding onto Crystal's body. "I..I don't understand......." He said.

He looked down at her face again and gently removed the hair away from his face. He couldn't let her die. He didn't truly understand the offer and what this man wanted but at this point he didn't care. He just didn't want Crystal to be alright. He did not care what he was getting himself into or what would happen to him. He would do anything for her...no matter how miss guided.

He looked up. "I...I'll do it. Just....please....bring her back....please."

"Crystal, Crystal. Oh s##t. She isn't breathing." Jack shouted after he had scrambled over to her. He started to shake her. Tears were starting to roll down his face and landing on her cheek. "Come on Crystal breath. Please dam it breath."

He knew his own healing powers were too under developed to do any good but he tried anyway. They were both suddenly surrounded by green light. Jack grabbed his head in pain as the light faded. Coursing other people pain gave Jack relief but there was a flip side to it. Trying to heal people coursed him great pain, it felt like part of his own life was being taken away.

It was no good she was still not moving. Jack was rocking back and forth with Crystal in his arms. "Don't die. Please don't die. I'll do anything."

He didn't know what to do. At that point he wanted to do nothing less then to kill Paul. Jack moved to get up but then sat back down again, he could not leave Crystal. He looked up at Paul. "WHAT THE F##K ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU INSANE?" He screamed, it was all to much for him to take in.

[ QUOTE ]
The words left Paul's lips as barely a whisper, as his eyes... no longer under his control, turned and drained of all color but silver. They bored holes into Jack as the comm was taken over again by the electronic voice of a thousand plus one.

"We will not let the Master come to harm. Jack is a recognized threat."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack was still holding on to Paul's arm but stopped trying to pull him and just looked at him in confusion.

"What?" He asked.

[ QUOTE ]
"Targeting... Systems fire."

Paul yelled again and began a stream of curses. None of which escaped his lips. His arm raised with mechanical precision. His palms charged with plasma energy as a dull feral grin came over Paul's face.

"Goodbye threat." The mechanical voice stated.

[/ QUOTE ]

Before Jack could do anything the blast hit him. He lost his grip on Paul's arm and was sent hurtling back. He slammed into a wall and slumped down onto the floor. It didn't take him long to get up and into a crouching position like a cat about to pounce. He was pissed off.

[ QUOTE ]
"Target not destroyed. Initiating second attack."

[/ QUOTE ]

"You’re bloody losing it mate." Jack snarled.

Suddenly everything around him slowed down.

[ QUOTE ]
You are a very interesting subject, Jack. said a voice that seemed to come from all around the young man. You're actions say that you are a man with problems, yet you lash out at those who seek to help you. You have been subjected to much pain in you're life. Suddenly, the shadow of a man stepped into view.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack shook his head. "Great now I'm the one bloody losing it."

[ QUOTE ]
"Much of this pain is related to your unfulfilled desires. I can give you the power to get what you desire. All you need to do is sware alligiance to me and become my 'Envy.'"

[/ QUOTE ]

As he listened to the figures offer he started to realize he was not just having a delusion. Someone, somewhere was talking to him in his mind. For a moment he forgot about Paul's attack.

"Who the hell are you? What do you want?" He asked.

It was then in the slow-mo view around him that Jack suddenly saw Crystal stepping between him and Paul. He saw the shot.

"NNNOOOOOOO!" He roared as he jumped up and ran to push Crystal out of the way, hoping he got there in time. Everything seemed to stay in slow-mo until the last second when everything snapped back.

((OOC: Jack can still be tempted by the offer. He just could not stand by and watch Crystal get harmed. Syn could still talk to him while he is fighting Paul.))

Harris took off after Master Wonderful. He didn't need telling twice to leave. For most of the fight he had managed to stay out of the way. He had eventually figured out how to fire the armors energy weapons but his aim was terrible. Closing his eyes because he was nervous did not help.

Jack in the mean time was still trying to pull Paul along so they could leave but he would not budge.

"Dam it Paul. Move it otherwise I'm gonna bloddy knock you out and drag you there." He shouted.

[ QUOTE ]
"I'm fine, just wounded... need to back away from the battle."

"BULLS_IT!!" Paul roared. "Don't listen to that! It's the Nanites!"

~Master... you have not told anyone of us but Crystal. We are unknown, and we will save you. Why do you resist? Perhaps we should induce a coma and stimulate motor functions on our own.~

"GAH!!! HELL NO!!!" Paul fought every muscle in his body... commanded himself to stand before he heard the tear. He howled in pain and fell forward grabbing his leg.

~It is a slight muscle tear master. Continue to fight us and it will be much worse.~

"You're supposed to PROTECT me!"

~And we are, but we also have come to the conclusion that you do not wish to protect yourself. therefore we must take control by any means and make you safe so we BOTH may ensure survival.~

"DAMNITT! YOU'RE BACK TO CREEPY SCI-FI AGAIN!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack knew Crystal would not leave with out Paul. As much as he loathed it the only way to make sure Crystal was safe was to help Paul. Jack scanned the area and spotted Paul. He was acting very strange; he seemed to be struggling with something on the spot. Jack ran over to him.

"Paul you ja**[censored] we have to get out of here." He shouted as he grabbed Paul by the arm. He was still unaware of the nanits. With the noise of the battle he had only picked up the fake Paul voice. "Stop [Censored] about."

Jack pushed one of the med patches he had got from Macbeth in to Paul’s hands.

"Come on. Move it you [Censored]." Jack shouted.

[ QUOTE ]
"Go! Take Magni and go! We'll catch up to you later with Modi! Go!"

[/ QUOTE ]

"Like hell I'm going." Jack said to himself as he turned and ran back to help Crystal.

The zombie holding Jack by the foot started to swing him like a weapon at the other heroes. Luckily for Jack (and the others) the rampaging corpse missed. In between swings and desperately trying not to throw up Jack saw Paul running away from the battle.

"WE THE.....HELL ARE YOU......GOING?!" He shouted.

[ QUOTE ]
"NO!" Paul shouted and forced himself to stop. The pain was incredible as he fought every muscle in his body resulting in him skidding out of control into the back end of the ruined Black Line car.

"Stay Away!" He shouted to the others. "I... I can't control myself!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris still had his arm stretched out pointed at the zombie holding Jack, desperately hitting buttons on the panel. Suddenly there was a beep and something started to power up. Jack court sight of this and brought his arms across his face.

"AIM STRIGHT!!" He shouted.

Harris adjusted his aim just in time as the powerful sniper shot fired. The recoil knocked him back into a pile of rubble. The zombie roared in pain but it was still standing.....and still holding on to Jack. However in anger it now flung him away and looked around to see where the shot had come from but Harris had already scampered out of its view.

Jack on the other hand crashed into another reaper crouched over a corpse. He knocked the reaper back before it could inject the pile of rotting flesh. Both of them got to their feet at the same time. Instead of attacking Jack the reaper desperately tried to get back to the corpse and raised its arm to inject it.
Jack grabbed his arm just in time and punched him hard in the face with his free hand.......twice. The reaper was knocked out. Jack looked at the object in its hand.

His attention was suddenly broken by Master Wonderful.

[ QUOTE ]
"GO NOW!" the hero shouted. "I'll take care of these clowns and catch up with you! Time isn't on our side at this point, so don't even try arguing with me!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack looked back to the reaper. There were other syringes with the caps still on attached to its belt. The others were all busy and with out any of them seeing he grabbed four of the syringes and stuffed them into his jacket pocket. He got to his feet and started running after the others.

"Where is Crystal and Paul?" He shouted.

"Holy [censored]!" Jack shouted as the huge zombie got up again and rowed. It was deafening; even the reaper put his hands over his ears and stepped back.

What ever had just happened the usually slow moving zombie was now moving scarily fast. Before Jack could move it punched him to the ground and knocked the wind out of him.

He was dizzy as he felt a large hand rap around his foot and pull him into the air. Hanging upside down Jack was brought face to face with the re-animated zombie. Its eyes seemed to burn with rage and foam had formed around its mouth making its breath smell worse than normal.

Harris saw all this and was punching buttons on the arm of his suit like crazy. "How does this freaking thing work?" He shouted.

"Shoot it. [censored] shoot it." Jack shouted at him.

[ QUOTE ]
It was hard to see past the bears in the tunnel - but there were a lot of the Vahzilok. Crystal could tell this much. "This way!" She called back, just in case, somehow, someone had managed to miss the ferocious battle. "Over here! Vahzilok!"

Without looking back, she waded into the thick of battle.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Crystal. Wait" Jack shouted after her but it was too late, she had run into the fight.

Forgetting everything that had been on his mind in concern for her safety he ran after her. He ducked as one of the Vahz took a swing at him. He came back up and punched it hard. The blow had little effect as zombie swung at him again, this time the blow connected and sent him flying back.

Jack quickly jumped up again ignoring the pain in his back and targeted the zombie. There was a loud snapping sound in the air and his attacker suddenly grabbed its head in pain. Jack was starting to feel better.

It was then that he saw a reaper moving towards one of the fallen zombie with a syringe. It looked like he was planning to inject the non moving corpse with it. Jack went after him. He didn't think it was a good idea to let the reaper do what ever it was planning to do.

----

Harris suddenly realized he had no real way to attack the Vahz or defend himself. In a panic he started shouting, "What do I do? What do I do?"

Meanwhile in the upper levels of the sewer:

Harris had to admit he was surprised. He didn't think the two bears would be able to track anything in the sewers, the smell was foul. However as they followed the two creatures the signal on the tracking device did indeed seem to be getting stronger, if only a little.

He still felt the nervousness of going in to a dangerous situation. After all he was not a hero. However he was now starting to think of something that made him feel much worse. How would Amy react when he found her? She had been in a coma for six years and a lot had changed in that time. What if she didn't love him any more? He had changed so much over the few years.

He was not as healthy and slim as he had been and the stress had made him look older then six years would. But that was not what really worried him.

When his wife and he were together (before the trouble with Max) he had been such a happy and friendly man. Now he was bitter and twisted. Most people at the studio hated him. How would she feel about him now? What would he tell her about Max. That scared him more than anything.

----

Jack was walking behind Harris and was also deep in his own thoughts as he followed the others. The earlier conversation had given him a lot to think about. Crystal’s words replayed in his head.

[ QUOTE ]
"And remember the car thing over spring break - ? No, you probably don't remember. You told me afterwards you didn't."

[/ QUOTE ]

What had she meant? Jack could remember waking up in his car one morning out side the campus to find his front lights smashed and the bumper gone. He'd been out of it the night before on drugs and could not remember how it happened.

When Crystal had asked him what had happened he was too pissed off to make up an excuse and simply told her he "could not recall". Now she was talking like she might know what had happened. Had she been there? He could just about remember driving like crazy while "The Sex Pistols" bleared out of his speakers. However after that everything was a blank. What had happened?

In his anger he kicked a near by rock which landed in the water next to the others with a loud splash.

[ QUOTE ]
"Don't hold what people did to you as a child against the entire world or else your perspective will cause people to hate you, not because they fear mutants, but because the person who is behind those powers."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack simply laughed. "Right, Mr. Millionaire is telling me life is not as bad as I think. Maybe if I had a couple of butlers too everything would have been alright. Maybe if I had life handed to me on a silver plate everything would have been fine. Tell me Mr. Millionaire, if you believe that why do you hide your abilities from non-heroes?"

He laughed again.

"You say people hate me because of how I act. Tell me, why did they hate the friendly, playful, happy and innocent 8 year boy old I was? Hu? Can you tell me that? Why did they hate the small boy who liked nothing better then climbing trees and watching cartoons? I never used to be like this. People's hate made me like this."

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

[ QUOTE ]
"O.K. boys... Find Penny... and Enid..."

The Bears needed no real prompting as they plunged into the blackness of the wrecked sewer line below.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack banged his head on the side of the van one last time then got out. He knew this was not over by a long shot. He felt like he wanted to throw up. He desperately wanted to take something but he knew if they saw him doing it he would never hear the last of it. They would likely kick him off the mission. More then anything right now he wanted to punch some bad guys......to hurt something.....someone....anyone.

In the course of a short van ride everything had changed. His secret was out, Crystal had confessed her love for him but also her fear for what he was doing to himself. How was this going to change things between the two of them and Paul.....he didn't know. He couldn't think.

He didn't know what to do but for now he had to try not to think about it. That didn’t stop him from looking pissed off though.

[ QUOTE ]
Crystal put a timid hand on his arm. "Jack... don't you get it? You have people who are on your side. Me and Paul and Dr. Sanstad, we all love you. You are family to us. Everyone here is on your side. And it tears us apart - it tears me apart - to see you doing this to yourself. You're in constant pain and you're having blackouts. Jack - it doesn't have to be this way. For God's sakes... you have a problem. Let us help you. Please."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack closed his eyes and lightly banged the back of his head on the wall of the van a few times before he opened them again and speaking.

"The headaches and blackouts are because of my mutant abilities. You don't get it. I need something to help take the edge off them."

-----

Harris sat and listened as Dr Sanstad spoke to Jack and Crystal. He was starting to see a lot of his son in Jack. Max was the same way before he went crazy. There was the same arrogance, the same screw the world attitude and this worried Harris more then Jacks drug use or mutant abilities could.

[ QUOTE ]
"Showtime folks..." Erik grunted. He pocketed the papers from Crystal and smiled at Master Wonderful. "Hell of a setup you have getting vehicles and gadgets like this new earpeice. If whomever finances you ever needs a collaborator in biology give me a call."

He put the earpiece into place and tested out the mic. "O.K. then this is Doctor Sanstad. For speed you can call me MBM or Doc S. Who else is on this thing. I don't wanna jump when someone I don't know is on the comm."

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris waited for Sanstad to get out of the van before he spoke. His voice was quiet and uncertain. "Listen, Jack....I really think....."

"Shut the hell up Harris." Jack snapped with out looking at him. "Don't talk to me."

Harris was taken aback. He didn't know what to say. After a second he simply took one of the ear peaces and got out of the van as he put it in. "Harris here," he said in reply to Erik's request.

Still sitting in the van Jack took one of the devices and put it in his ear. However he did not test it. Instead he turned to Crystal.

"Car thing? I guess I still don't remember. What happened?" He said while trying to hold a weak smile. He dropped the smile when he saw it was not returned.

"*beep* You don't know what its like yet Crystal. People will fear and hate you for your abilities. You'll even start to fear yourself." He gave a nervous laugh. He was not crying but he was close to it. "I got the crap kicked out of me when I was a kid. My best friend turned on me when he found out what I was. Simply because his father told him he was not allowed to hang around with my kind. You'll start to understand Crystal, why I do what I do. The world hates us."

He banged his head on the wall of the van again but much harder this time.

[ QUOTE ]
"I love you but I never had the brass balls to be truthful and tell you that I knew you had a problem and I... I'm sorry. You deserve better than that. Maybe if I had said something earlier we wouldn't be having this talk now... maybe if I never found the courage to tell you I didn't really love you as much as you deserved to be loved... I dunno." She didn't look at him.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Crystal.....I......I" Jack stuttered.

Everything had suddenly gotten horribly out of Jacks control. He just looked at Crystal for a while, a look of horror on his face. He tried desperately to think up some way out of it, some way of explaining it all. Everything was suddenly so confusing. Had Crystal just told him she loved him? He didn't know if he had understood her right. He hoped he had but the horror of being found out stopped him from feeling any kind of happiness. He couldn't even remember the car thing she was talking about. He could remember something had happened but not what it was.

He looked to the Doc. Then he looked to Paul through the driver’s window (he still did not seem to know what was going on). Then he looked at Harris who was trying to do his best to look like he was not there. Then he looked at Crystal again and saw the look of sadness on her face.

"Cr@p," He shouted as he put his head in his hands. He gave up. There was no point trying to cover it up. His secret was out now. His hands were shaking.

[ QUOTE ]
"I'm going to take a wild stab and say that you take drugs to dull the pain of your mutation. I can understand that in ways you have no clue about. But I also know what those drugs are doing to your system on a biological level. I'm not worried about your mind Jack. I don't want your body falling apart on us. I want to help. That's all I ever wanted, and that's why I'm a teacher first and foremost, and then a licesened "metahuman." If we get out of this I want to show you ways to get rid of the pain without drugs... Things I have to do every day."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack tried to keep the look of worry off his face but his mind was racing.

"[censored]" He thought to himself. "The Doc knows. How the [censored] does he know. I didn't think anyone knew. I've been careful haven't I. [censored]. What if they know about the med lab brake ins. Oh man I'm [censored]. [censored], what is Crystal going to think of me now."

He gave a nervous laugh then spoke aloud. "Drugs? What are you talking about? I take Aspirin for the headaches, that’s it. I don't know what you are talking about."

He leaned back, folded his arms and tried to look like he found the whole idea absurdly funny. Normally he would have told the person who said that to him to go to hell but Jack could not do that to the Doc and not with Crystal sitting right next to him.

Strangely, for once in his life he found himself worried about what people thought of him. He sensed this conversation was not going to be as easy to get out of as he wanted.

[ QUOTE ]
She settled for putting one hand over her eyes.

[/ QUOTE ]

"What? What I say?" Jack said with a shrug. He was still feeling a little light headed from the pills he took back when Paul had woken up. they had taken the edge off his headache and he was showing no outward sign that he had taken them but he was not thinking with the full deck either. Any awareness of how insensitive he was being would be lost on him.

"Its not like we had a choice in taking the stuff. They forced it on us. I'm not saying I enjoyed it." Jack knew deep down he was lying to himself, he had enjoyed it in some ways.

"Look.....I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that.....Its just....Its been a log day." He said after a moment of silence. "And its not over yet."

[ QUOTE ]
"I am showing mutant tendencies. But really, nothing else."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack got the impression that Crystal felt uneasy talking about her mutant abilities. He put a supportive hand on her shoulder and tried to comfort her in his own clumsy way.

"Nothing else?" He said to her then turned to the Doc. "She's had a busy day and has come through it amazingly well. Her whole life is turned upside down. First discovering she is mutant, then being kidnapped and pumped full of drugs."

He realized too late after he said it that, "life turned upside down," was probably not the kind of phrases Crystal wanted to hear right now. Talking to a tutor about being pumped full of drugs was probably not a wise idea either.

He took his hand away from Crystal. "The Lost pum.....er...I mean.....injected us with that new drug. Its freaky stuff.......Gave my powers a real boost too but most of that burnt away with the drug."

[ QUOTE ]
Jacks greeting was suddenly cut off by the sight of what looked like two bears. They were growling at Master Wonderful but one of them turned to Jack. Jack stopped dead in his tracks and put his arms up.

Harris poked his head around the side of the van doors at the sound of the growling.

"Please tell me this is their way of saying a friendly hello." Jack said.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
"OK, guys, heel," she said to the bears, and the both lined up as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and followed as she went to talk to Dr. Sanstad.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Oh yes, that was really heroic." Harris said sarcastically at the sight Jack's reaction to the two bear once Crystal had calmed them down.

"I didn't see you doing anything." Jack said as he lowered his hands and put them into his jacket pockets. He followed Crystal to talk to the Dr Sanstad.

[ QUOTE ]
In spite of herself, Crystal smiled a bit when she heard that line. Jack could sometimes be extremely funny, and the quip was an instant classic. She suspected that, like it or not, Harris might indeed have a "superhero" name from now on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seeing Crystal smile made Jack happy. She had been through so much lately and looked like things were starting to get to her. Jack had picked up on the little signals; rubbing the temples, shaking hands, stuff like that.

"Please don't let her go through the crap I did." He thought to himself. "Please don't let her suffer in the way I have with the headaches and black outs or the mutant haters. I would give anything for her to just lead a normal happy life, anything" Jack had never set foot in a church and he had never asked god for anything but he was asking now.

[ QUOTE ]
The truck arrived less than a minute after Master Wonderful; they had made good time. As requested, it was a very large truck, and had room even for the bears.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack jumped out the back of the van. "Doc, how are......"

Jacks greeting was suddenly cut off by the sight of what looked like two bears. They were growling at Master Wonderful but one of them turned to Jack. Jack stopped dead in his tracks and put his arms up.

Harris poked his head around the side of the van doors at the sound of the growling.

"Please tell me this is their way of saying a friendly hello." Jack said.

[ QUOTE ]
He winked at Crystal and waved to Jack. Deep inside of his head however he could feel the thought well up... "Try to kill me huh? You'll have to CATCH me first you little Mother Fu... OH HEY! Mind readers... shut up Paul..."

[/ QUOTE ]

Jack was confused. He'd left the room first, how did Paul get down to the dock before him. He looked back as if he expected to see Paul there coming up behind them. Instead he just saw Harris dropping another bit of body armor.

He looked back to Paul. "I guess he can move a lot faster than I thought," he thought to himself.

Jack was still going to be as professional as he could and try to get on with Paul to keep Crystal happy (which was not easy) but seeing Paul grinning like crazy and waving to him like Jack had said nothing a short while ago took him by surprise. But he just figured Paul’s motives were much like his own. Deal with the job at hand, keep Crystal happy and put aside any problems they had with each other.......for now.

Jack did not return the wave. "How many more people are we waiting for?" He asked instead.

Harris finally court up with them. He almost had most of the body armor on but he had a look on his face like a man who did not know what he had just gotten himself into.

"So what do we call you now?" Jack asked him in a mocking tone. "Captain Reporter? Super Journalist? O....I know....Anchorman."

Jack had to vent his annoyance at someone, if not Paul. Harris said nothing. He just looked unhappily at the young mutant.

[ QUOTE ]
"We need to get to the front gates," Crystal rose, though her form was still in Paul's mind, glowering at Many as One. "They are putting together a group to go and rescue Mrs. Sanstad, I want to be in it."

[/ QUOTE ]

"You go ahead and tell them to wait for us. I'll help Paul get there." Jack suggested.

Cystal hesitated.

"Go on, we'll be fine." Jack said with a smile. He watched as Crystal slowly left the room.

"That mind reading thing is getting creepy." He said with a smile once he was sure Crystal was out of ear shot.

Then the smile was gone from his face. He didn't move to help Paul out of bed. He didn't even look at Paul as he talk.

"I'm still going to work with you to resolve this mess. However, your actions dragged Crystal into this whole thing and forced her mutant powers to manifest themselfs. If you had not been so cocky when facing that first group of Vahz it might have never happened and she could have still led a normal life."

Before Paul could ask how he knew about that first encounter Jack cut in again. "Crystal told me all about it. What she sees in you I'll never understand......... Next time someone is in danger. You might want to put your ego on hold."

Jack stood up and started moving towards the door. Paul was obviously going to have to make his own way down to the van. Jack stopped in the door way with his back to Paul. With out turning around he spoke again.

"Oh...and Paul." It sounded like an after thought. "If you ever put Crystal in danger like that again.....I'll kill you," and with that he left the room.

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

Harris was struggling to put on the body armor he had been given as he hurried down the corridor towards the van. He hopped on one foot as he tried to pull on a boot and hold the rest of the armor plus the tracking device in his arms.

Jack walked past him. "You've gone from hating heroes to being one have you now." Jack said in a pissed off mood with out looking back at Harris.

"I have more of a reason to be here then you." Harris shouted down the corridor after him.

((OOC: Palaquinn and myself agreed that Jack should start to argue with Paul more so the nanos start to see him as more of a threat.))

Jack:

[ QUOTE ]
~Jack is a threat Master, and we will protect you no matter what.~

[/ QUOTE ]

"Qwight a grip you got there for someone who just spent the last few hours out of it." Jack said as he left the group hug.

He was not aware of what was really happening under the surface. It was more the kind of comment someone would make after receiving a firm hand shake. He sat down on the end of the bed near Paul’s feet. Crystal was still holding Paul.

"So now that we are all here and awake again......what’s the plan? Personally I like the idea of going out there and hitting some bad guys." Jack said still trying to play nice. He would have words with Paul later when Crystal was not around.

Harris:

[ QUOTE ]
"You tell whomever you are with to get to 1515 South Claredon in Atlas Park. Tell them to get a truck and to get here now. We have waited long enough. Your wife is in danger, as is mine, and they are torturing Penny. It's time we taught these @$$holes that the dead should STAY dead..."

[/ QUOTE ]

"I'm on it." Harris put his hand over the phone. "Dr Sanstad needs picking up and he said bring a truck, a big one. Needs to hold 8 to 10 tons. Drive it down to 1515 South Claredon in Atlas Park and quick. We are wasting time."

This was the kind of thing he was use to. Shouting orders at other people. Of course this time he left out the swearing the demand would usually have included. He felt like he was back in his element.

Harris then took the device from SmallArms. This was not the kind of thing he was used to. The pressure of a TV network station he could take (usually by venting his anger at some poor underling) but having someone’s life in his hands......this was a new kind of pressure he did not really want.

"I wish you had told me you were going to take this thing apart before you did. Now we will never know what is happening to her" He said, missing the bigger picture.

[ QUOTE ]
He extended a hand, waiting for Harris to hand it over. "Come on, boy! Time's a wastin'!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris hesitated for a second then handed it over. "I want that back when you are done." He said then went back to the phone.

[ QUOTE ]
"Hey, Harris, you still got that radio that GG gave you?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris almost dropped the phone in fright. For a second he thought they had heard what he was saying.

"Hang on a second Sanstad." He said into the phone then turned to the others.

"I do." He took it out of his pocket and held it out. "But we already know where that base is. We just have to back track the way we escaped."

Although he was addressing the people in the room he was still holding the phone to his ear so Sanstad could hear him.

Harris:

[ QUOTE ]
There wasn't even any hold music - Em just handed Steven the phone.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Sanstad? You're awake, thank god." Harris quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening. They were not but Harris still lowered his voice anyway. "Sanstad listen, these guys are just standing around talking. Its a joke. Penny is still in danger. My wife and your family is still down there. We have to do something."

((OOC: I'm not trying to throw a spanner in the works. This is just Harris character. If no agrees with him he will wait.))

---------------------------------
Jack:

[ QUOTE ]
"You guys are my family," Crystal told them, looking from Paul to Jack. "Don't you ever forget that." She looked at Jack intently... then hugged both of them to herself. "I am so glad you guys are all right. I am so glad!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Paul was to busy looking at Crystal to see the look on Jacks face as he looked at him.

"Family don't put each other in danger," Jack thought to himself. He still blamed Paul for what had happened to Crystal.