The Diary of Tabitha Guest
I still havent deleted the message from Suzi White. I thought that it was best to stay away - talking about Sarah can only make things worse. But things are worse. I called Rochelle to reminisce about Sarah. But she doesnt remember her at all. The memory of that funny, beautiful girl has been wiped from the mind of another person that loved her. I wish I knew who to be angry at. I wish I knew who to hate. Killing a young, vibrant spirit is an atrocity, but erasing her from everyone and everything is beyond evil.
I checked the Paragon Post this morning. The second Saturday of every month her daddy places that ad, asking Sarah to let her family know shes ok. But shes not ok. And that ad didnt appear today. I pray to the gods that those Watchmen have not contacted Eugene and Bettie.
Ive made new posters. Each time I get better, the magic is stronger. But each time more days have gone by, more people have forgotten Sarah. But as I keep telling myself We Must Never Forget! Mr. Hostetter said I seemed distracted today, that I should be careful not to let my work slip. Couldnt really tell him that running tests on those abominations that Crey Industries shipped back from Grandville arent at the top of my to do list. And on that subject, Im still no closer to finding what Dr. Symmian sent me here to retrieve. There are plenty of devices in the Crey labs, but none that look like a nautilus shell. Every day Im in these labs, Im afraid. Maybe what happened to Sarah should be a warning, I should walk away. But she just makes me more determined. She makes me stronger.
((Suzi White and any character that accompanies her to the meeting can talk to Tabitha Guest here.))
@Romanov
Nadja Romanov, Lily Pink, Little Death - The Cadre
Estoque, Bastinado, Spidermonkey, Chic Doyle - The Militia
Miss Teen, Dead Reckoner, Dee Dee Diablo, Kaneko
((Email sent to the Bunker with a journal entry attached))
Watchmen,
I am in St Martial following a suspect I believe could be involved in the Rivera incident.
I have just returned from a warehouse on the west side of the island. My intel was that a Tsoo leader called Bronze Leopard had been holed up in there for the last few days. Three people arrived at the warehouse early tonight. From their physical appearance, it is a fair assumption that they are super powered villains. Not an uncommon site here. Two were male; one was a mountain of a man with stone-like skin, the other seemed to be half man/half plant. The female, who seemed to take the lead, had a greenish tinge to her skin and wore a top hat.
I went in closer and watched the beginning of an exchange. On a table between Bronze Leopards men and the three villains was silver box, roughly the same size and shape as a keyboard. I really hate coincidences, they make me tetchy. I heard something and had to move position. I did not see who ended in possession of the box. The three villains left, I managed to take pictures but could not see if they had the box. I have decided to continue my surveillance of Bronze Leopard in the hope of following this formula to the source.
This island is heavily patrolled by Arachnos troops and they have been alerted to my presence when I have attempted to send a message from my Palm Pilot. I am sending this mail from Mama Wongs Food Shack. She is an old friend from Shanghai; unscrupulous and devious, but I trust her. Please do not attempt to question her about me; she will deny all knowledge of me and may kill you.
I am now going dark until I have the information I need. I have attached the last entry in my private journal to bring you up to speed on my current situation.
Do not follow me here; I will return.
Bastinado
Journal Entry - 04/13/07
Its been four days since we tracked down the Tsoo gang touting what they claimed was a human bomb formula. Suzi was right, it was too close to our own situation to ignore. In the heat of the fighting, one of the Tsoo leaders fell deeper into the cavern. I followed him down but there was no way of finding him in that maze of tunnels And when I saw that Burnie was in trouble I returned to the task at hand.
When we questioned the Tsoo we had captured they knew nothing about the formula. Less forceful questioning of their captive, Michael, was also a dead end.
That left two possibilities, PPD were wrong about the human bomb formula or the man who escaped was the only one in the know. This being Paragon, two of the Tsoo the Watchmen arrested were back out on the street 12 hours later. Unlucky for them. Three broken fingers and some fun with the electrical cord from a lamp later, and I had a name. Bronze Leopard.
For the next two nights I laid hurt on the Tsoo in Steel Canyon. I let the restraints off; found my dark place again. At the end of it they were only too willing to give up Bronze Leopard. Seemed hed boarded a boat from Independence Port to St Martial.
I figured the best way to go into the Islands was undercover. Dozens of refugees land on their shores every day and one more wouldnt be noticed. It was time to assimilate. Use those skills to be Mr Nobody. How to spend the night in a bar, walk down a street, and not have one person be able to give more than the vaguest of descriptions. Im always wearing a mask.
@Romanov
Nadja Romanov, Lily Pink, Little Death - The Cadre
Estoque, Bastinado, Spidermonkey, Chic Doyle - The Militia
Miss Teen, Dead Reckoner, Dee Dee Diablo, Kaneko
I've only recently joined the watchmen so I didnt know what to expect.
I have to say that what I learned about our 'gifts' isnt exactly a feel good film title for the year.
Although life isnt all bad, me and Battle Tank have gotten to know each other quite well... well... more than that.
I've asked for samples of the dark matter I can create to be taken and studied by friends to see whether or not Im in a stable condition, unfortunatly Doctor Ion turned up next to nothing although he did have a few nice and not so nice guesses.
So I asked Britanic, an apparent friend of the watchmen to take a sample to give to his 'associates' to see if they could turn anything else up.
I got the results today, better than I had expected.
The kheldian which was forced to fuse with me in the hyperion incident took the force of the chemical and died in my place I guess.
But it still makes me wonder was its sacrifice realy needed, too many people have fallen to this incident already and I dont want to see any more go.
I guess its a waiting game, time will tell.
So much have happened since my last entry.
Ive been analysing the Watchmens DNA and its not an easy reading!
We are definitely dying. Well most of us anyway. And Johnny Ember and myself are going soon. Very soon.
We have installed a huge tank in med-bay now that keeps Johnny on ice so to speak. He has to live in there until we figure out a way to stabilise ourselves.
Britanic gave me a chemical that he in turn got from a friend. It slows down the mitosis of cells. In itself it was ultimately useless, but I figured out a way to take those properties and create a new retrovirus that countered the effects the Hyperion-mutagenic-chemical (got to give it a proper name soon) have had on our DNA.
The result was both wondrous and horrible.
The retrovirus, tailored from the subjects unchanged DNA string, removes the changes in our genes. It will cure us from the effects of the Incident, leaving us free from the nova-curse but also from our powers.
The effects are so drastic and taxing to the system that it might just as well kill us. I dont know the odds yet, but the risk is unsatisfactory high.
I will continue to research a method to just increase our control over the changes, but I need some of that improved chemical that Ms Slash talked about.
And tonight it almost happened!
I was at Pocket D just to take my mind off of things and met Suzi with boyfriend and the Bay State Ranger.
Suddenly I felt it as if the temperature in the room plummeted down, but I soon realised it was me getting hotter. I was beginning to loose control.
I dashed out of the Pocket and went straight to the Bunker.
My clothes were a mere pile of dust when I finally turned on the dampening field Ive been working on. With the help of the field I managed to get my powers back under control, but it took the good part of the night.
From now on I will have a dose of tailored retrovirus with me at all times. Just to be sure.
I will not risk anyone elses life.
((This story is the conclusion of Safehouse Part One and takes place between the battles with Frostfire and Unlucky Pete))
Safehouse Part Two
Bastinado returned to the Barracuda. He fought the urge to slip behind the wheel and lose himself in roaring speed.
He popped the trunk. Inside, Johnny Ember was reading a Miss Teen comic book, carefully held in one of his large metallic gauntlets, by the light of a pen torch.
Im nearly done, he said without looking up.
Bastinado reached into the car, gripped Johnnys shoulders and yanked him out of the trunk. Johnny pushed back his baseball cap and looked around the corroding cavern of a warehouse.
You know, we had a little betting action of where you hung up your trenchcoat in the daytime, Bast. Most of us went for cave, haunted amusement part or maybe a tower
I dont think anyone had creepy, abandoned warehouse. Bastinado kept walking, leading him to the stairs. Youre not listening, are you?
I didnt bring you here for chit chat or to enjoy a few beers and a slice watching Friday Night Football, replied Bastinado flatly as he climbed the steps. I need some expert advice. And in the absence of an expert, youll have to do.
Bastinado, knocked on the door, which was still slightly ajar. Stanley, the gentleman I told you about his here.
The door slammed shut. Charging him a buck a gander are you? Come and see the freak!
Mr Splitkin, I remind you I am not a patient man and have access to a variety of gasses and drugs, said Bastinado, pushing open the door. He motioned Johnny to enter the room. His jaw dropped as he saw the bloated bulk of Stanley Splitkin hovering a few inches from the floor.
I feel sick, said Johnny.
Bastinados jaw tightened. Have some compassion, boy. Hes a victim of what happened at Rivera just like the rest of us.
Im not talking about Shamu there, I really feel sick. Well, not sick, just weird. I cant explain it.
Bastinado looked at Johnny. He need seem pale and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and upper lip.
Just run the tests, Mr Ember. Then Ill take you home.
Cool, I call the trunk, replied Johnny, a detectible weakness in his voice.
Bastinado left the room and walked through the fourth door on the landing that was his makeshift sleeping quarters. He sank into his bedroll and closed his eyes, he was used to catching moments of rest whenever the opportunity arose.
But he didnt get moments. His surrounding began to shake. The dull boom of an explosion rattled his brain as he felt the air get hotter and hotter. He ran onto the landing. Black smoke and curling flames were pouring from Stanley Splitkins room.
He got closer, the heat was intense. Through the smoke he could see the massive frame of Stanley being consumed by the ravenous flames. For a split second an image from old newsreel footage of the Hindenberg disaster passed his minds eye, before ran along the corridor to pick up a dusty fire extinguisher.
When he entered the room he saw Johnny Ember lying on the floor screaming in pain. The charred remains of his gauntlets were embedded in the walls and Mr Splitkins flesh, and flames were shooting from his arms like jets from a water cannon.
Bastinado turned the fire extinguisher in his hands and threw it at Johnny like a missile. It stuck him on the side of a head, knocking him unconscious instantly.
Although less fierce, the flames were still spewing from Johnnys arms. But when Bastinado looked closer, all that remained of Johnnys arms below the elbow was charred bone.
Bastinado grabbed Johnny. Suppressing the pain as the flames licked his body armour as well as the chilling screams from Stanley Splitkin. He dragged him into the landing.
Luckily, I prepared the guestroom in case you or Solar Flare ever went nova, he said to the unconscious Johnny before pushing him into the last room on the landing.
The door locked the instant he slammed it shut. He entered a sis digit code into a control panel on the wall. Watched through the reinforced window as Johnny regained consciousness. Watched as Johnny came to the realisation that the air was being sucked out of the room. Watched as Johnny pleaded with him from the other side of the soundproofed door. Finally, Johnny slumped to the floor again and the flames died down.
Bastinado took off his trenchcoat and returned to Stanleys room. He was still ablaze. Fat was dripping from Stanleys body creating flaming pools on the floor. Bastinado used his coat to beat the fire.
Stanley let out a noise, somewhere between a scream and a sigh. Every inch of his gigantic body had been severely burnt. Kill me.
Bastinado took the Colt .45 from his shoulder rig and aimed it at what used to be Stanley Splitkins face. He became afflicted by something that had never bothered him with any of his other kills. Hesitation. And in those seconds he watched as some of the charred flesh fell from Stanleys shoulder. Then new flesh and started to form over muscle and bone.
Your regenerative powers said Bastinado. Theyre phenomenal. Youre going to be ok.
Stanley groaned. At least give me something for the pain.
Bastinado crouched next to Stanley. Placed his hand on his head with something almost approaching tenderness, before smashing his head into the floor with enough force to put him out for the rest of the night.
He returned to the room where he had imprisoned Johnny Ember. Almost six minutes had passed. Not long enough to cause any permanent brain damage. He entered more numbers into the control panel, releasing a slow, steady stream of air into the room.
Watching for any signs of flames that would force him to remove the air for good.
Long enough to end the threat for good this time.
@Romanov
Nadja Romanov, Lily Pink, Little Death - The Cadre
Estoque, Bastinado, Spidermonkey, Chic Doyle - The Militia
Miss Teen, Dead Reckoner, Dee Dee Diablo, Kaneko