PART TWO
He had been waiting for at least two and a half hours now.
. . . Had she gotten lost somehow? She did seem to do that a lot, but for half an hour? Well, maybe, but wouldnt she have tried to contact him?
Of course! Hal pulled out his communicator. Even if she was lost, she surely would at least have brought her communicator. . . Essex? he said into the device.
<Beep beep BEEP> Were sorry, but the number you have dialed does not exist. Please try your call again.
. . . WHAT?!? Hal exclaimed, making people in the station around him jump. But. . .but I use that line all the time, it cant have changed. . .I guess her communicator could be broken, but I would think Dr. West would already have fixed it. . .unless. . .
And then he was gone again in a flash of light. An old man leaning against the wall sighed. Kids these days, always in a hurry.
* * * * * *
A green blur tore through the laboratory Dr. West maintained in Paragon City.
Where is everybody? Hal said frantically. Dr. West! Are you here? Hello? Isnt anybody. . .
The temperature suddenly seemed to drop slightly as a dark blue robot floated out of a corner. It sat with its legs crossed in midair, surrounded by a force field constantly.
Oh. . . Hallucinogen. . . what exactly. . . are you doing. . . here. . . might I ask. . .? the robot said, its voice a low, sluggish drone. It sounded as though it hadnt ever spoken before.
Deep Tide! Hal said, running at the android and colliding with its force field. Ow! Why do you always have that thing up?
Well. . . if it ever dropped. . . my personal aura. . . would likely. . . freeze everything solid, Deep Tide responded, so slowly that Hal winced every time he paused. It is for the protection. . . of others. . . not me. . .
Look, I dont care! Hal said impatiently. Have you seen Essex? Or Dr. West, or, well, ANYONE?
Dr. West. . . and the others. . . have all left. . . for the Rogue Isles, Deep Tide said, folding his hands as though in slow motion.
What?!? Hal exclaimed. But, did Essex. . .
She. . . did not go. . . she said. . . she was going to meet you. . . Dr. West. . . was worried. . . for her safety. . .
But she didnt ever arrive! Hal exclaimed. Where is she?
I assume. . . she would be. . . at the station. . . where she said. . . she would meet you, Deep Tide returned.
BUT SHE ISNT!!! Hal yelled at the top of his lungs. Dangit, cant you help at all?!?
I am sorry. . . Hallucinogen, Deep Tide said as he floated off. Im afraid. . . being helpful. . . is really. . . not my function.
You can say that again, Hallucinogen said, facepalming as he rushed back to the station. . .
((With thanks to Essex and Khell for permission to use their characters and proofreading. 
))
PART THREE
The old man was still leaning against the wall as Hallucinogen tore into the Talos Island station. The rest of the station, however, was empty.
Isnt there ANYONE here?!? Hal yelled frantically. Oh, uh, hello. . . he said, spotting the old man.
Hello, sonny, the man said. What are you
No time, no time! Hal said frantically. Have you seen a little android girl here? Please, tell me!
. . .Oh, yeah, the man said. Just before you got here, she left. She went thattaway. He pointed unhelpfully.
Thats her! Thanks! Hal yelled, running off in the direction the old man pointed.
But I didnt even. . . Ah well, the man sighed as Hal tore off into the distance. Guess theres only so many little android gals a city can hold, eh?
* * * * * *
I can sense her energy, Hallucinogen said as he ran up to an abandoned building. She went here. I just KNOW it.
Radiation poured from his body, hiding him from view. Anyone close enough to see him would be affected and hallucinate, so that they thought they hadnt seen anything.
Im coming, Essex, he said as he stepped carefully inside. . .
* * * * * *
So, Lord Nemesis has the little robot girl tied up inside then? said a cheerful, articulate voice as Hal crept through the entrance. Cant imagine what he wants her for. I thought. . .
Theres something here, said a cold, calculated voice that brimmed with sinister cunning. I do believe it is Hallucinogen.
Wha. . .? Hallucinogen?!? another voice said. Wh, Why would he come here? I heard he defeated Lord Nemesis himself in combat once, hes. . .
Honestly, sighed the cold voice. The whole POINT is to get Hallucinogen to come here. He wont care if its a trap if we have the girl.
So then, this was a plot of Nemesis! Hals eyes narrowed, and red flames leapt up in them. Why Essex? If they had just taken ANYTHING else. . .
Well, it didnt matter. The soldiers were right, of course. If Essex was in danger, he didnt care. . . and besides, the number of Nemesiss traps he had sprung. . . the masterminds greatest weakness was that his soldiers simply did not have the skill to match their leaders brilliance.
He, hes going to come here? Hes supposed to?!? the first soldier said, as Hallucinogen crept into the center of the room, unseen. We cant beat him! I heard he defeated Ghost Widow with only two other heroes to help him!
I heard. . .
Look, the cold voice said, and Hallucinogen saw now it was coming from one of the Fake Nemesis, Nemesiss suits of armor that acted on their own. Or at least he assumed it was a fake. There was no way to tell if the real Nemesis was inside or not, but it seemed unlikely that Nemesis would simply stride into an abandoned warehouse and risk his own destruction with a simple ambush. I am sure those stories are terribly exaggerated. And have you noticed Lord Nemesis and Ghost Widow being dead?
Well, Ghost Widow is already. . .
Silence.
And then the room was filled with blinding light.
Surprise, the Phantasm said, appearing as the light faded and sending the soldiers flying every which way. The Fake Nemesis seemed unimpressed, and did not budge.
Dispatch the Jaegers, it said coldly, taking a huge, ornate staff from its back. Have them sweep the entire room, he is here somewhere.
Specifically, here, said a voice from behind the Fake, and beams of light tore into the robots back, sending it to the ground.
Target acquired, said six voices in perfect synchronization, and flames and gunfire flew everywhere.
I hate Jaegers, Hal said as the Phantasm covered him, blasting the small bronze robots with waves of light.
A blast of force sent him flying into a wall. Lord Nemesis is not going to allow you to escape this time, Hallucinogen, the Fake Nemesis said as it raised its staff for another blast.
What does he WANT with me? Hal groaned, trying to get up, only to be sent flying again.
Honestly, the Phantasm said, flying at the Fake and blasting at it with light, but the robot had already deployed a force field, and the blasts all bounced off. Will the real Lord Nemesis please stand up? Sheesh.
Hallucinogen infused himself with radiation, and got to his feet. The Fake Nemesis was distracted now. His invisibility wouldnt work on a mindless robot, but it would have trouble seeing him if he was simply going ridiculously fast. In a flash of light, he was behind the Fake.
That is not your concern, the Fake said as it blasted the Phantasm with another swing of its staff. You will find out soon enough.
Suckers, the Phantasm said as it vanished, forced to reform by the Fake Nemesiss force blasts and more fire from the Jaegers, who had recovered and were advancing. . .
Well put, Hal said as a massive electromagnetic pulse swept through the room from his body. The robots sensors went wild, and they stood still, helpless. . .
And thats for wasting my time, Hallucinogen said as the Fake Nemesis went flying into the Jaegers from a blast of light, and subsequently exploded, taking all the Jaegers with it. Hallucinogen rushed off through the rest of the building, gasping for breath. That had worn him out. . . but he couldnt waste another second. After all, Essex. . .
* * * * * *
Was currently in a cave in Croatoa, healing Solid Shot with a wave of nanites, although she had almost missed.
Solid, Essex murmured, frowning worriedly. Are you sure Hal-chan is okay?
Oh, I wouldnt worry about him, the tall, armored security droid said as he mowed down a whole unit of Nemesis soldiers with a storm of gunfire. Hell be fiiiiiiine.
I cant help but worry, the pink-armored android said. Ive tried and tried to call him. . .
Must be something wrong with his communicator, Solid returned, shooting a soldier as it tried to escape. Anyway. If hes REALLY worried, hell just go to Dr Wests lab. Im sure someone there will be able to tell him where we are.
Okay. . . said Essex, clearly not convinced.
But you know what DOES bug me, Solid said, as a unit of Jaegers scuttled in, only to explode immediately as they were engulfed in a flamethrower. Why the heck does Nemesis want to take over Croatoa anyway? And Maxwell Christopher was acting REALLY strange. I swear, Ive been doing this for years, and there just ISNT any such thing as a TPS report.
He shrugged. Oh well. Lets just go find the leader. I cant wait to arrest him.
* * * * * *
Hallucinogen stepped into the last room in the building. In the middle, apparently tied to a chair, was a small figure. . .
Essex! Hallucinogen yelled as he ran up to the figure in the chair. . .
And two glowing red orbs appeared on either side, and slammed into his face. He crumpled, and fell to the floor, bleeding.
Pathetic, said the red and black android as she stood over him, the glow fading from its hands. Zealstorm walked forward, taking care to step on Hallucinogens hands and back as she walked over him. You are so very predictable, liebchen.
Hal could just hear a cold voice speaking from the shadows as his vision faded.
Take the money and go. Being in your presence disgusts me.
There was a rustling of papers. Is this all, Lord Nemesis? Zealstorm said coldly.
It is the amount we agreed on, the voice returned. You cannot simply. . .
I did not realize I would have to spare the fools life, said Zealstorm as everything went dark. At least a hundred more.
((No, I haven't completely abandoned this, told ya! ))
PART FOUR
Awaken, Hallucinogen.
He was in a dark room, the cold air disturbed regularly by gouts of steam. A face concealed by a metal mask was peering into his. . . if there even was a face behind it, or any of the masks of Lord Nemesis.
Hal tried to move his arms and legs, but they were restrained. Unsurprising.
What do you want with me? he said in cold fury, attempting to summon his Phantasm, but something was stopping it. It was as though there was some sort of seal trapping it inside. . .
Well, firstly, you may cease your futile efforts to escape, Nemesis replied. Well, perhaps it was not really him. But Hal was convinced this time. . . there was something about this Nemesis that sent chills down his spine with every word. I suppose you cannot see your forehead, can you.
. . . What about it? Hal said, glaring at Nemesis, and trying to concentrate his radiation into some sort of attack, but it felt like it was all being sucked out of him. . .
It bears a seal that acts upon your soul, Nemesis returned, surveying him impassively. A. . . gift from the Tsoo. Your spiritual strength you so foolishly rely on is now useless to you. And you are wondering how your radiation is being suppressed. It was not a question. Simple. That is indeed the reason you are here, Hallucinogen. You exude radiation constantly. And yet, it does not wear on you to do so. It strengthens you. Did you never wonder about this?
. . . Why would I? Hal muttered, trying to think of a form of escape he had not yet tried.
Why? Because you are curious, perhaps, Nemesis said, pacing back and forth before him. You thirst for knowledge, to understand the world that fails to understand you. For power, to show that world you are capable of making a difference. . .We are very much alike, Hallucinogen. There is much that we have in common, indeed.
. . . Are you going to answer my question? Hal muttered angrily.
Very well, Nemesis said. I am siphoning off the energy you emit. You see, you emit radiation as long as you are alive, and you will never die because it keeps you living. It is a paradox, and one which I can put to good use. Do you not realize, Hallucinogen, that you are a perpetual motion machine? The very first I have ever encountered.
. . . Im not a MACHINE! Hal yelled, the restraints shaking as he struggled with them, but they were hardly strained at all. What the hell are these things made of?!?
Well, it is only your spirit that gives you any significant physical strength at all, of course, Nemesis said, stopping to look at him again. But there is no sense in poor preparation when such a very elegant solution is possible. I am using the very energy you release to strengthen your restraints. However. . . you are simply attempting to buy time. There is little use in further conversation.
. . . Someone will find me, Hal growled as Nemesis turned to leave.
Of course they will, Nemesis answered as he approached a wall and part of it lifted to allow him to pass. Perhaps you will be rescued, reunited with your friends, and your precious mechanical angel. Keep that hope burning in your heart. You are little use to me without it.
And the door shut behind him, and Hallucinogen was alone.
((This is a story concerning my Hero character, Hallucinogen. Hopefully you will enjoy it somewhat. But please dont post comments in the thread until its over. I dont think it will take too long.))
PART ONE
The walls were white and spotless, the floor likewise. No windows lined the long, white hall, but it was not dark. There was no visible source of light, but light there was regardless.
Pictures lined the walls, most of a small boy, with wild yellow hair and a gas mask over his face, clouded in green haze, so that hardly any of his features could be discerned. At the end, however, was a picture of a little girl in pink armor, smiling. Her picture was set in an ornate frame, and was nearly twice the size of the other portraits.
And sitting on the floor was the boy who adorned so much of the walls. He sat lost in thought, ruffling his hair, his hand passing through his gas mask as he did so, for it was an illusion, as was the vast majority of his appearance.
Hallucinogen? said a muffled voice. Hallucinogen? Please pick up.
Hallucinogen sighed and pulled his communicator out of his pocket, although the pocket was obscured by his illusionary appearance, and thus it looked as though he had drawn it out of thin air. What is it, Moonscribe?
Ah, yes. Hello, Pharaoh, the voice said. Hallucinogen restrained another sigh. He was really growing tired of the heros use of bizarre honoraries. He honestly thought he did it primarily so no one would know if he forgot their name. Essex wanted to see you. She said she would be at the Talos Island station.
Essex? Hal said, brightening instantly. He hadnt heard from her for at least two days. He was beginning to worry something was wrong. . . but of course, she must simply have been busy. Silly, really, to worry at all. . . embarassing. . .she had to want some time to herself. . .
Okay, said Hal, sounding much more confident. Ill be there. . . when is she meeting me?
In about two hours, Moonscribe returned.
Ill be right there, said Hallucinogen. Although, Im embarassed that I even CAN be there on such short notice, honestly. . .
Oh, do not concern yourself with that, Pharaoh, said Moonscribe calmly. It is of little importance. . .
A note of hesitation crept into his voice.
What is it? Hal said, suddenly worried. If it had been anyone else. . . but Moonscribe was never worried. He was always calm and focused, unless something was really wrong. . .
Well, ah. . . Do be careful, Pharaoh.
What do you know? Hal said instantly. He knew what was going on now. Moonscribe knew far more than he let on, indeed far more than was actually possible for him to know. He had to know something he wasnt supposed to. . .
I did not say anything, Moonscribe said, immediately confirming Hals suspicions. I have told you everything I am supposed. . .I mean, everything I know.
Look, Moonscribe, I know perfectly well who you are! Hal said angrily. You dont need to keep secrets from me!
Hmm. You are a human. You are bound by the laws of this world, Pharaoh. Just because some of us can see beyond those boundaries. . . and know things we are not capable of knowing. . . just because we cheat, so to speak, Pharaoh, does not mean we have the right to share with you our ill-gotten gains. I am sorry, Pharaoh.
Dangit! Hal yelled into the communicator. Tell me! Please! What if its important?
Oh, I can assure you, Pharaoh, said Moonscribes voice, it is really of no importance.
The communicator turned off. Moonscribe had hung up. Without a moments hesitation, Hallucinogen ran down the hall and pushed into the wall at the end. It swung open like a door, and Hal rushed outside. Moonscribe claimed to be of no importance himself, as well, and he harbored the spirit of an ancient god. This was bad.