Rescuing the rescuers

Lstar wrote
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She quickly decided she should warn who ever this was before they stumbled into the ambush wait only a few meters down the hall. “hello…………..?”

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Unix saw fire blossom from the hands of the figure as she called out to him. The next sound that hit her ears was the sound of drywall and tin giving way to semi solid fireballs. Unix realized her mistake this figure was no hero it was a dammed. The dammed couldn’t see her but was now blindly blazing away at the vent. It was only a matter of time before one of his fireballs landed a hit. The first one hit Unix’s left gauntlet and exploded. The next one hit her right shoulder. The armor on her shoulder began to give melt under the intense heat. Her gauntlet seemed to just absorb the fire that engulfed it.

“Oh bad” Unix said to herself seeing the gauntlet absorb the fire. Less than a second later a small rectangular square began to glow like a heating element on a toaster on Unix’s left fore arm. Unix struggled to find and unlock a small flush fitting lever on the forearm of her armor. A small flat glowing hot rectangle ejected from her armor. Unix grabbed the cell phone battery sized rectangle and threw it out of the vent. The rectangle hadn’t made it three meters before it exploded into thousands of small pieces. The concussion from the first explosion tossed Unix back against the other side of the vent. She found herself being drug along the vent like a rag doll behind a child running for an ice cream tuck. She could hear hundreds of smaller explosions as she tumbled thru the vent. She finally can to rest on the floor of the vent.

Unix’s first reaction was to free herself from the left gauntlet that still had the glowing imprint of a rectangle on it. As she freed herself of the gauntlet the extent of her injuries became apparent to her. Her whole hand and fore arm were badly burned and bleeding. The top of her forearm bore a bright red rectangular burn. All the sudden the pain set in. Unix grimaced but resisted the urge to grab the badly burned arm. She could feel the tears begin to flow down her face even thou she was fighting them. She took comfort as she looked to her right thru the her now completely messed up hair and saw Cocotte just before he ….

OOC:
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He wasn't sure, but he didn't think that she had touched the bottom of the vent while doing that. have to get her to show me how she did that


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Years of rock climbing

And for those that must know that rectangle was a powercell Unix is tech based hero. There is normally a feedback protection loop that prevents energy from flowing backwards into the cell but a encounter with freakshow (who want Unix for different reasons) damaged it on the way to this scene. So she bypassed it to restore usefulness to it. Normally this isn't a problem rarely is there enough energy in the outside environment to cause backward flow. Well fortunately Unix has two completely separate systems that work in parallel so Unix can still function she just can’t take the same strain she could if both systems were functioning.

Lstar wrote
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She took comfort as she looked to her right thru the her now completely messed up hair and saw Cocotte just before he ….

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Cocotte watched the hero clinging to the roof, and saw her start to fall, spinning in a somersault as she did so.

DId everyone take gymnastics but me in high school??

((I will use italics to reveal what he is thinking atthe time))

As she came out of the somersault, her feet extended and heading quite rapidly towards an unexpecting Hellion, he reached out his hand and with a mental twist, dropped a pool of darkess at their feet. It seemed to leach at their very soul and slow them down. It sprang into existance at the same moment as the unfortunate hellion had a rather unexpected meeting with a pair of smallish feet.

One down. Now to do something about those Lieutenants. That girl down their is probably pretty good, but is probably not up to dodging bullets yet

With another mental twist, Cocotte opened up a direct conduit to the darkness and attached it to the guy holding the sawed-off shotgun. After a few seconds, he and all of the 'bangers around him seemed somewhat distracted. Their movements more jerky and unco-ordinated, it was clear that they were now less of a threat, although still dangerous.

While all this was going on, he hears a large explosion behind him as well as through the communications system, and spares a quick look. Seeing Unix in obviously bad shape, he quickly alters his plan of attack.

Changing focus from the shotgun wielder to the one with the unmodified weapon, he unleashes another mental twist.If they don't know I am here now, the requirements for getting into the Hellions have dropped quite a ways. With a shudder, a cloud of inky darkness slowly crosses the distance between the shotgun-wielding thug and Cocotte. Hitting his body, he mentally twists again and transforms it into a comforting embrace. Won't do much to the hero below, she is pretty healthy, but it should help Unix a bit.

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As she came out of the somersault, her feet extended and heading quite rapidly towards an unexpecting Hellion, he reached out his hand and with a mental twist, dropped a pool of darkess at their feet. It seemed to leach at their very soul and slow them down. It sprang into existance at the same moment as the unfortunate hellion had a rather unexpected meeting with a pair of smallish feet.

One down. Now to do something about those Lieutenants. That girl down their is probably pretty good, but is probably not up to dodging bullets yet

With another mental twist, Cocotte opened up a direct conduit to the darkness and attached it to the guy holding the sawed-off shotgun. After a few seconds, he and all of the 'bangers around him seemed somewhat distracted. Their movements more jerky and unco-ordinated, it was clear that they were now less of a threat, although still dangerous.

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Constance couldn't pinpoint the origin, but inky pools and clouds of darkness began clinging at the feet of some of her foes, and enshrouding the one she'd been most concerned about - the one with the shotgun.

Her Master had said that in time, she could learn to dodge bullets, but she doubted that she was quite there yet. Nor was she eager to test it.

With unspoken thanks, just a minute nod in the direction from whence the blackness had come, she continued, laying into her assorted opponents with stunning kicks and blows, using spins and leaps to minimize their blows against her.

Fighting, real fighting, was very little like the dojo. It was exhausting and enervating, a dichotomy that somehow made sense.

Her unknown benefactor's help had made a difference. After several minutes, she stood shakily, spent, tendrils of hair dripping sweat, chest heaving, bruised but not broken. The same could not be said for her opponents.

(OOC: Thanks Cocotte!)

SteeleMagnolia wrote
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Her unknown benefactor's help had made a difference. After several minutes, she stood shakily, spent, tendrils of hair dripping sweat, chest heaving, bruised but not broken. The same could not be said for her opponents.


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“Thank you Cototte” rolled from Unix’s mouth as she felt some of the intense pain vanish. Unix wiped her hair back away from her face and reflected.

She couldn’t for the life of her figure out what the hellions wanted with this place. All she had to go on so far was some cryptic comment about a collar that might not even be related to these events. She also scolder herself for being a two bit moron. Calling out to an enemy boss while being hide in the shadows was just dumb. She thanked the almighty that she was still alive she knew that it had all been luck and had nothing to do with skill or strategy. On top of that she had left Cototte to fend for himself instead of following him. Unix was very displeased with herself but figured the past was the past and there was no point in crying over it.

Unix carefully dropped down from the vent using only her right hand and arm. Around her lay the remains of the ambush that Unix had seen before. Standing above defeated hellions was a small woman. She bore a look of tired accomplishment and the underlying emotion on her face made it clear that she was responsible the masses of defeated hellions lining the floor. Unix was about to say hello to her but recalled what happened last time she uttered those words to a stranger and instead just nodded in awe.

Unix looked around the room hoping to find one of the hellions still conscious but quickly realized that none were. “We should try to find out what they (hellions) were up to and we should try and do it quickly I don’t think we have much time before they come looking for what ever made all this noise.” Unix announced.

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Unix looked around the room hoping to find one of the hellions still conscious but quickly realized that none were. “We should try to find out what they (hellions) were up to and we should try and do it quickly I don’t think we have much time before they come looking for what ever made all this noise.” Unix announced.

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Constance nodded assent, willing to follow the Hero's lead. She had no idea what was going on and was probably the most inexperienced registered hero in the city. The laminate on her ID was practically still warm.

((OOC: I hope it’s still ok to join in))

Sam awoke with a surprise at the sound of a near by explosion and the smell of burning. His head jerked towards the noise. When the Hellions had attacked the building Sam had been locked in one of the large dog cages. With no super powers there was no way he could have fought them off but he had tried. When he had been thrown in to the cage he had hit his head and been knocked out cold.

When he awoke it was to find the cage door strangely open. He had no idea how it had happened. Maybe it had never been properly locked to start with. Carefully he looked up and down the long corridor before exiting the cage. He could not hear anything now above the barking of the dogs in the other cages.

He wanted nothing more then to leave the building and escape but he could not leave with others still trapped. He crept around the corridors and rooms towards where the sound of the explosion had come from.

Eventuly he came close to were he thought the explosion had come from. He looked around the corner to see a group of people (who looked like heroes) in another room at the end of a long corridor. He could show them where the others were and they could all get out but between him and the heroes was a group of three Hellions. They were slowly sneaking up on the heroes. Sam knew the heroes could look after themselves be he could not just stay there and do nothing. He had to warn them.

Sam jumped around from the corner and shouted out a warning to the heroes. The Hellions spun around to face Sam in their surprise. A look of puzzlement crossed their faces, momentarily forgetting the heroes.

The Hellions found themselves looking at a young Border Collie Dog that had just jumped out from around the corner. It kept its head low, barking and growling. It could not have been much more then 6 months old with white and black fur. Around its neck was a red collar with the name tag Sam.

steelemag wrote
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Constance nodded assent, willing to follow the Hero's lead. She had no idea what was going on and was probably the most inexperienced registered hero in the city. The laminate on her ID was practically still warm.

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Unix saw a small note pad lying on the floor it had the hellions logo on the front of it. Unix bent down and cleared a pack of half crushed cigarettes off of the notepad. Unix flipped thru it was the day-to-day ramblings of a hellion. One page in peculiar caught her attention; the photocopied picture of a dog collar was taped to the backside of on of the pages. Under the picture was some hydrographic chicken scratch that passed as some form of hellion handwriting.

Unix struggled to make out the words as best she could.
!Red!
the boos neetd neckless, big ham no [s]radation radition[/s] (hum Looks like in violation of UBB standards the strikeout command does not work so [s] is strike out) no light or we tko.
Lotz a props find it a lotz loot. !No open!
(citizen_stu wrote)
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The Hellions found themselves looking at a young Border Collie Dog that had just jumped out from around the corner. It kept its head low, barking and growling. It could not have been much more then 6 months old with white and black fur. Around its neck was a red collar with the name tag Sam.

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Unix’s thoughts were interrupted by a bark. “Canis lupus familiaris I have never seen one in real life” Unix announced as she looked up at the dog barking. Unix almost looked completely past the three hellions creeping up on them. Only the hellions one hundred and eighty degree turn toward the dog had given away their location to her.

They soon had more to worry about then a dog as Unix formed a small dark disc and tossed it into the middle of the group of three hellions. It reached the middle of the three men and expanded into a large dark cylinder momentarily engulfed the hellions then quickly faded away. All three hellions were now walking around as if they were drunk and blind. Unix then raised her arm and launched a bright beam striking the center hellion in the head he fell immediately. The other two hellions stumbled around as…..

EDIT monetarily -> momentarily

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They soon had more to worry about then a dog as Unix formed a small dark disc and tossed it into the middle of the group of three hellions. It reached the middle of the three men and expanded into a large dark cylinder monetarily engulfed the hellions then quickly faded away. All three hellions were now walking around as if they were drunk and blind. Unix then raised her arm and launched a bright beam striking the center hellion in the head he few immediately. The other two hellions stumbled around as…..

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...as Constance waded into the fray, providing support to Unix. One axe kick and a hammer fist later, the two remaining Hellions hit the ground.

Constance looked back at Unix and gave a thumbs-up.

steelemag wrote
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Constance looked back at Unix and gave a thumbs-up.


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Unix looked at the defeated hellions once again none of them where able to talk. Unix was disappointed she had hoped to get some information from one of them but she was not fool hearty enough to try and rouse one of them. She checked to see if any of them had notebooks like the one she found maybe with some legible handwriting. All she found was more black and white photocopies of the collar. It seemed that every hellion had at least a photocopy of the collar. Unix was now pretty sure that this is what the hellions were looking for. The question now was why? Unix turned her attention to the dog.

Unix walked up to the dog. “I am surprised all the books said they were pretty smart this one is really stupid. It tried to pick a fight with three hellions that were at least four times it’s size.” Unix said not making the connection between the barking and a warning. “It is young maybe it will get smarter as it gets older. If not it’s not going to last very long in Paragon City.” Unix knelt down and grabbed the dog’s paw. “It’s claws aren’t anywhere near as sharp as I thought they would be. But it does have a really cute face and eyes.” Unix knelt entranced by Sam’s big cute eyes. The sparkle of Sam’s name tag broke Unix’s trance she flipped open the hellion notepad and held it up to Sam’s collar. “I don’t think so the one in the picture doesn’t have the name tag attached to it and it a bit wider on the top than this one. Sam huh, No wonder you are so dumb your owner wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer either. He only put his first name on your tag? This city has a couple thousand people there must be at least a few hundred Sam’s. We should put it back in his cage if we can find it make sure it doesn’t get itself hurt.”

Unix looked back at the hero that had finished off the two hellions. Unix wondered to her self who was she? Why was she here? Cocotte hadn’t said anything to her this whole time maybe he knew her, or maybe not? It bothered Unix that she had fought with them and hadn’t said one word yet. Unix figured she most likely had something to hide and wondered what it was. Unix figured that she must not be a hellion because she had attacked some of them, so she was either a hero or a villain waiting for the right time to strike. Either way Unix figured they were safe until they found the collar. Unix also figured she would ask for a name if she refused to give a name it would be a sign that she might be a villain. Most hero’s had some form of public name or pen name that they would give up willingly.

Unix turned to the small hero and said “If you don’t mind me asking what is your name?”

OCC: gezz talk about fast reply 3 minutes i got up to get a glass of water and thought my post got eatten cause some elses name was on the last post section of the thread. Nice SteeleMagnolia.

Constance watched as Unix approached the dog, speaking of it. Really, she didn't think the dog was that bad, in fact it was kind of sweet. Maybe the reason it had been barking was it sensed that the Hellions were up to no good. Something about it was appealing, its eyes were bright, full of puppiness... she longed to pet it. Would it let her?

Once Unix had cleared the way, Constance approached the dog, fingers closed to her palm, outstretched to allow the dog a sniff. Then, gingerly, she scratched its ears.

Too bad she couldn't speak... dogs liked that.

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Unix turned to the small hero and said “If you don’t mind me asking what is your name?”

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Constance looked up from her kneeling position. Disentangling her fingers from the pup's fur, she drew a line across her throat, then crossed her hands over her lips and shaking her head.

Hopefully the woman would get the idea. They might not have the time for her to write a note.

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Unix knelt down and grabbed the dog’s paw. “It’s claws aren’t anywhere near as sharp as I thought they would be. But it does have a really cute face and eyes.”

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It must be a game. Other people that came to look at dogs liked to hold his paw, shake it and say hello. Usually it was the smaller people (children) who liked to do that. Sam liked them the most because they were usually more friendly then the big people.

Sam’s tail was wagging from side to side as he stretched out his head and sniffed Unix. He could not understand what she was saying; he could not understand what anyone said. People were so strange but he had learnt what some of the strange sounds they made meant.

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“I don’t think so the one in the picture doesn’t have the name tag attached to it and it a bit wider on the top than this one. Sam huh, No wonder you are so dumb your owner wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer either. He only put his first name on your tag? This city has a couple thousand people there must be at least a few hundred Sam’s. We should put it back in his cage if we can find it make sure it doesn’t get itself hurt.”

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He knew the sound ‘Sam’ because people said it around him a lot. They usually said it when they wanted him to do something. The only other sound he understood was ‘cage.’ He did not like that sound. It usually meant he was about to be out in the small room with bars. He barked once in objection but his tail kept wagging.

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Once Unix had cleared the way, Constance approached the dog, fingers closed to her palm, outstretched to allow the dog a sniff. Then, gingerly, she scratched its ears.

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Sam stretched out his head again and carefully sniffed Constance's hand. She smelt friendly to so he let her touch him. He liked it when people scratched him behind the ear. He moved his head slightly so she could find his favorite spot.

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Unix turned to the small hero and said “If you don’t mind me asking what is your name?”

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Constance looked up from her kneeling position. Disentangling her fingers from the pup's fur, she drew a line across her throat, then crossed her hands over her lips and shaking her head.

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Sam looked up at Constance and cocked his head to one side. His tail stopped wagging for a moment as he tried to figure out what was happening. Must be another game he thought and his tail started wagging again.

steelemagnolia wrote
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Constance looked up from her kneeling position. Disentangling her fingers from the pup's fur, she drew a line across her throat, then crossed her hands over her lips and shaking her head.

Hopefully the woman would get the idea. They might not have the time for her to write a note.

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Unix saw these motions and figured either she was going to kill her if she asked her name again or she was mute. Unix strained her mind to come up with pictures of from a book she read a long time ago. Slowly the images entered her head. Unix raised he right hand and held her index, middle, ring and pinky curled over while her thumb remained bent on the outside. Then shifted her hand into a fist. Unix then wedged her thumb in between her middle and ring finger. Unix continued to spell out “can you read this?” in American Sign Language. Unix’s gauntlet made it difficult to twist her fingers in the right way but she hoped the small woman would get the idea.

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Unix saw these motions and figured either she was going to kill her if she asked her name again or she was mute. Unix strained her mind to come up with pictures of from a book she read a long time ago. Slowly the images entered her head. Unix raised he right hand and held her index, middle, ring and pinky curled over while her thumb remained bent on the outside. Then shifted her hand into a fist. Unix then wedged her thumb in between her middle and ring finger. Unix continued to spell out “can you read this?” in American Sign Language. Unix’s gauntlet made it difficult to twist her fingers in the right way but she hoped the small woman would get the idea.

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Constance watched the other woman's hands... she knew sign language, at least a little! Great!

She nodded yes, and slowly signed, spelling her name, "My name is Constance. I am mute, but can hear."

stelemag wrote
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She nodded yes, and slowly signed, spelling her name, "My name is Constance. I am mute, but can hear."

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The flurry of hand movements that greeted Unix very nearly overwhelmed her. She had never used sign language and Constance was going quite fast by Unix’s standard. Unix’s face went blank for a few seconds as her mind played a mental game of wheel of fortune with the letters she missed. Unix managed to fill in the blanks and get the message that Constance had sent her. “Hi Constance my name is Unix and I am glad you are not a villain.” Unix really didn’t know what else to say it sounded kind of stupid after it came out of her mouth but she figured that it conveyed the message that she understood what had been signed to her.

Unix then peeked her head around the corner. The rest of the hallway looked clear and there were some open cages along the wall. Unix decided now was a good time to get Canis lupus familiaris back in its cage. Unix slid a gauntlet finger under Sam’s collar and led him to the first open cage.

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“Hi Constance my name is Unix and I am glad you are not a villain.”

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Constance blinked in surprise. A villain? Did she look like a villain?

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Unix then peeked her head around the corner. The rest of the hallway looked clear and there were some open cages along the wall. Unix decided now was a good time to get Canis lupus familiaris back in its cage. Unix slid a gauntlet finger under Sam’s collar and led him to the first open cage.

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Constance shook her head "no". The poor dog, Sam, didn't belong in a cage. Maybe she could take him home with her? Except, she didn't quite have a home yet, just a card for one of the city's hero apartments.

Constance knelt and opened her arms, gesturing for the dog to come to her, trying to get across to Unix that she didn't want to lock the poor thing up.

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Unix then peeked her head around the corner. The rest of the hallway looked clear and there were some open cages along the wall. Unix decided now was a good time to get Canis lupus familiaris back in its cage. Unix slid a gauntlet finger under Sam’s collar and led him to the first open cage.

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Sam let Unix take his by the collar. Maybe they were going for a walk he thought and wagged his tail. That was until he saw the small room with bars and stop dead in his tracks. He tried to stop himself from being dragged in but under Unix's strength his paws slipped along the floor. His claws could not dig into the tiles and he started to whimper.

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Constance knelt and opened her arms, gesturing for the dog to come to her, trying to get across to Unix that she didn't want to lock the poor thing up.

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Sam looked to the friendly girl who had scratched him behind the ear. Rather then trying to stop himself begin pulled into the cage by standing still he tried to move towards her.

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Sam looked to the friendly girl who had scratched him behind the ear. Rather then trying to stop himself begin pulled into the cage by standing still he tried to move towards her.

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Sam started with a sharp bark when there was a sudden thud in the hallway. Brushing himself off and rubbing his shoulder, Cocotte walked into the room.

"How *did* you get down without a ladder" he asked Unix.

With a smile that seemd at odds with the situation, he held out his hand to the young girl he helped earlier.

"Hi, I am Cocotte, glad I could help."

With his other hand, he fumbled in some pockets and grabbed two small bits of technology.

"Here, shove this one in your ear, and this one against your throat. It will allow you to hear and communicate with us. It has been developped for people who are much more active than I am, more along the lines of what you do, so shouldn't have any problems staying in. Don't break it, it is my last one and my hero's stipend doesn't cover the cost of replacing them. Do you have any idea what is going on here, and why the Hellions are interested in-"

With a start, he turned around and extended his arms. Darkness flowed from his body, envelopping the three heroes and the dog.

A hissing and clanking could be heard coming from the hallway, along with some muffled sounds.

Quickly indicating positions with his hands, the heroes waited.

((Sorry for disappearring, holidays and all.))

[ QUOTE ]
"Here, shove this one in your ear, and this one against your throat. It will allow you to hear and communicate with us. It has been developped for people who are much more active than I am, more along the lines of what you do, so shouldn't have any problems staying in. Don't break it, it is my last one and my hero's stipend doesn't cover the cost of replacing them. Do you have any idea what is going on here, and why the Hellions are interested in-"

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This must be the one who cast the darkness! Constance accepted the earpiece, inserting it and handing the throat mike back to Cocotte, shaking her head no.

Before he could respond or accept it, noise sounded in the hall and he enveloped them in a shroud of darkness... Trouble was coming.

She readied herself, concentrating on her senses of hearing, balance, and the movement of air currents. Blindfighting was the hardest of the disciplines to master.

Meanwhile, one floor up, the Damned stopped kicking the poor unconscious girl and cocked his head to the side. Very faintly, he heard the sound of fighting on the floor below.

With a scowl he headed for the stairs, hands already ignited and ready to burn more heroes.

A few seconds after he left the room, the girl's eyes snapped open. Slowly, she used the nearby window ledge to pull herself onto her feet and staggered a little.

Her ribs made a wet crunching sound as they slid back into place and knitted together at superhuman speed. After a moment, she felt fine - as if the beating had never happened.

She began to quietly follow the hellion - she heard voices below, and seemed to remember a dog barking. It simply wouldn't do to let the baddie get the drop on whoever was down the stairs.

The girl lept down the stairs, tagging the hellion on the side of the head with a bootheel on her way past. She made a snap-roll into the hallway and came up on her feet.

"Watch out!" she whipered, "there's another . . . oh dear . . ."

She looked around at the swirling dark mist that filled the hallway.

"Well, poo."


((hope you don't mind me "dropping in" - feel free to have me clobbered by whatever is coming down the hall, I tend to get better ))

SteelMagnolia wrote
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This must be the one who cast the darkness! Constance accepted the earpiece, inserting it and handing the throat mike back to Cocotte, shaking her head no.

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Curious, I will have to ask her about that later.

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She readied herself, concentrating on her senses of hearing, balance, and the movement of air currents. Blindfighting was the hardest of the disciplines to master.

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The heroes listened and waited. Two distinct sets of sounds could be heard.

The first was the one that set them off. It was hard to tell, exactly what it was, but it was definately coming closer, and it moved with a sense of purpose that implied it knew exactly where it was going. The second only recently started. Steps, moving down a nearby staircase that were interrupted all of a sudden.

Steel_Pixie wrote
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"Watch out!" she whipered, "there's another . . . oh dear . . ."

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The voice in the hall paused.

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She looked around at the swirling dark mist that filled the hallway.

"Well, poo."

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The silent heroes heard a tumbling sound. The sound a body would make falling down the stairs.

The swirling cloud moved forward and embraced her. A hand touched her arm as a voice whispered urgently.

"In here, be quiet."

((Don't worry, you aren't going to get clobbered (yet ) I am hoping that Curie's Dream will join us here. Give him a chance to join before we continue. I have sent him a PM))

MarsBar wrote:
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((Don't worry, you aren't going to get clobbered (yet ) I am hoping that Curie's Dream will join us here. Give him a chance to join before we continue. I have sent him a PM))

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((Just got a PM back from empty. HE was on vacation and is back. ))

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"In here, be quiet."

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Sam was becoming nervous in the strange black fog. He did not understand what was going on and a hand was still tightly holding on to his collar, stopping him from moving. He barked at the cloud hopping it would go away.

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"The first was the one that set them off. It was hard to tell, exactly what it was, but it was definately coming closer, and it moved with a sense of purpose that implied it knew exactly where it was going."


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O'Neill paused in the reception area, looking around quickly. The place was empty, and even messier than usual.

"Cleaning this up is going to make Tom even angrier than the St. Bernard incident" thought O'Neill, supressing the thought that Tom might not be in a condition to clean up anything.

"Alright", he muttered, "I hate these damn things, but it beats trying to see in this helmet".

Trying to remember the instructions he had been given a month ago, and cursing furiously when Dr. Nolan's cheerful recorded voice said to him "Eamon, We'll get to the help text REAL SOON" he managed to twitch his chin in the right manner to relace his outside view with a wireframe graphic of the building. On it glowed a bunch of radiation sources, some of which had tentative identifications next to them.

Useful ones. Like "Possible Dog". Of course, there was a bunch of other glowing dots....

"Uhm... corridor near the kennels.. something there.. just a ... blob ... and something looks like its.. dying on the stairs down". A constant stream of muttering issued quietly from the suits speakers, quiet enough to be barely audible over the hiss of hydraulics that was produced, interestingly enough, even when the suit was stationary.

"Riiiight then, lets go see". With surprising speed, the suit lumbered down the corridor. As he moved forward, O'Neill trigged the reserve power cells, putting all the LEDs in his helmet at red, and Nolan's cheerful voice said "150% capacity, you'll have about 2 minutes, Eamon".

"Two minutes, I'll probably be in bleedin' hospital. Why'd I have to wear the stupid suit? Bloody physicists." A twist of his chin brought up the outside view again, slightly green tinted as the vision enhancers activated.

O'Neill slid around the corner sideways, and stopped himself against the wall. Despite the hissing and jerky movements of the suit, there was no clumsyness. And saw, where he expected to see a group of living things.. A wall of shadow. And a dog barking, close.

"Aw, this looks less than good...". The suit's speakers faithfully transmitted his mutter.

"Right then, the warning". Yes, he need to warn them first, they had said in city hall. What number was the prerecorded warning again? The "I am Curie's Dream, a registered hero, please identify yourself" one? 56?

Suddenly Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" issued from the suits speakers.

Shortly afterwards, a voice, clearly under some strong emotion, tightly controlled, accompanied the music.

"Probably wasn't 56 then"

"Right then, whoever yez are. Come out quietly, or I'll make it be Abba instead. I'm sure there's some Abba on this iPod somewhere..."

[ QUOTE ]

The swirling cloud moved forward and embraced her. A hand touched her arm as a voice whispered urgently.

"In here, be quiet."


[/ QUOTE ]

"Eep!" the girl squeaked as the hand pulled her into the swirling cloud. She was about to protest further when she heard the clanking noises coming from both directions down the hallway. The noise to her right stopped, and she heard:

[ QUOTE ]

"Probably wasn't 56 then"

"Right then, whoever yez are. Come out quietly, or I'll make it be Abba instead. I'm sure there's some Abba on this iPod somewhere..."

[/ QUOTE ]

"Um . . . ah . . . um," the girl stammered sotto voce, "People call me Steel Pixie . . . um . . . can you play Tatu? I think they're really cool."

[ QUOTE ]

"Um . . . ah . . . um," the girl stammered sotto voce, "People call me Steel Pixie . . . um . . . can you play Tatu? I think they're really cool."

[/ QUOTE ]

The gentle whisper, in a young womans voice, came through the audio pick-ups.

Right thought O'Neill, I got a girl, and a dog.. All I need now are flying monkeys

"What's a Tatu?" O'Neill asked curiously. "and what's that big black fog thing, while you're at it?"

"You still need to come out where I can see you"