Boomtown Blues (( Open RP ))

"Why?" Acid leaned a little out the open driver's side window, regarding the heroine nonchalantly, "Is loitering a crime now...?"

A ripple in reality bubbled up behind the truck, refracting light in all directions. With a low boom, a figure shimmered through and into view. "Just get'rat the lorry, you fu*ing mug" said Pious, his voice growling from the back. He was no longer in torn clothes, but dressed in a red and blue sports lycra. "Games over punk!"

He Who Lies listened to the conversation carefully, taking in all the details. The three Dryads needed a little psychic girl in order to talk. The group appeared to have a rather unstable pecking order. And Tom sounded like a rather interesting (if poorly named) character.

'The catalyst is not here, within all liklihood. But the traces...' He Who Lies continued to think, 'This will be the very first move...And they are Dryads. Or they at least look like them. Even if not, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference...' A plan slowly came into being, threads of probability, uncertainty and forward preperation weaving together. 'My first task will be to locate this Tom figure. Ginger appears to have the most contact with him, so I'll simply follow her out.' He Who Lies thought, withdrawing back towards the entrance and silently proceeded to watch the group.

((Hey Tom was named after my Brother in Law... your right poor name.))

The Dryads were moving among the garden now touching the plants when they did fruit formed, flowers bloomed, or just the plant seemed to grow. In another part of the garden Blackdraft sat among a group of children as a guitar player started a simple song.

Ginger at the mean time went down the main hall then down to the Mall offices. Once she reached the office she called out "William we need to talk." The Librarian looking man looked up at her "Hmm Talk about what? Is there a problem?" "It's about Tom foreman he's not working as one of the heads we both know he's been trying to force us into becoming more isolated."

"yeah he been annoying but he was voted into office." Ginger snorted "Only by playing on peoples fear we haven't had anything attack us in a whole year and I think we need to have an election to get him impeached." William sighed "I need to think about it Ginger. But right now our supplies are low again, we need to contact the food banks see if they have enough to feed us all."

Dreg and Carl were down in the garage area chatting. Mostly catching up on there friendship.

"Stolen Rikti technology?" Acid grinned smugly in return, "Why, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking a-"

A sudden thump of thunder cut him off there, redirecting his attention to the new arrival. The benevolent warmth in the reptilian's face vanished in tandem with the man's words, narrowed eyes and a disappointed frown appearing in their place.

"You wanna run that by me again, Fruit Loop?" he grumbled back, jaw muscles keeping his teeth together while only his lips moved - a distinct mannerism of a Khelari when upset, "Because I don't take kindly to random yahoos comin' outta nowhere and insultin' me..."

He Who Lies patiently followed Ginger as she went about her way. He had time to kill, and as it turned out, he could use the time he spent following her to his advantage. He had spent the last few minutes examining her for details. Clothing, gait, physical traits, that sort of thing. He had just about seen all that he needed to, and was able to conclude that...

(Hey Rotton, if you could have some details about Ginger included in your next response, I would be much obliged.)

(( I think I made more characters for this tread then I ever made and most are just secondary or background characters.))

Ginger was small frame and how her skin hangs was once over weight but now she thin but no longer young. Thought she's not old either she's in her late 40s 48 to be exact her brown hair now has streaks of white and winkles have formed on her face.

Right now she was dressed in a blue outfit blue skirt blue jacket white shirt. The outfit just like the woman had seen better days and was showing it's age.

After talking with William over the business of running the place she left the office. She had a slight limp to her walk and she headed to what was once a tea shop. Now it was her home she entered and closed the door and settled down on a couch.

Tom at that time was entering the base in the north west corner when... The blade came to his neck and Drake Zorad stepped out of the shadows "Your trespassing".

"It's me Tom Foreman I need to speak to X right away." Tom swallowed and he felt the blade against his skin. "That's Anonymous X to you. Wait here." With that the stalker removed the blade and went into the base.

Tom looked around noting the other hired guards and even a few Drones. For the first time after he made the deal he was doubting himself.

Then Drake returned with the Cyborg Anonymous X. He looked at Tom "What is it I'm a very busy man." Tom tried to stare down the metal face mask but he couldn't "There a new comer a man calling himself Dreg he used to be a dweller but he was captured by the lost."

"And how does this affect us. We have full filled our part and took out that Frank so you can take his seat. Our deal is completele."

"Look Anonymous X you told me to give you news and this guy still has some mental powers." Anonymous lifted his robotic hand and cut Tom off as he looked at Drake. "Drake return to sanctuary with Tom check out this Dreg. We might be able to use him if his loyalties are for the human race. Being one of the Rikti pet Lost he might have information we can use."

"WAIT I Want him gone! He's an unknown." Anonymous made no move but from the darkness 6 laser sights locked onto Tom and the Battle Robots came forward the hum of there blasters powering up was heard. "NO... I... You can't!"

Anonymous looked at tom "You have no power here Tom I can do what I see fit. Lucky for you that means you live and return to your hole in the ground you think is your little private kingdom. Now take Drake with you and get going. This meeting is over." Then Anonymous and the droids return to the inner section of the base.

Drake looked at Tom "Lead on oh mighty King" there was a smirk on Drakes face. For him there was one thing worst then fools and that was fools with egos.

"With that pathetic excuse for a singularity?" Acid flicked a finger toward the thing in a dismissive fashion, "I'd like to see you try."

With both the heroes' attention now on the Khelari, his 'help' sprang into action. Barely noticeable to even the keenest of observers, a ripple in the air appeared over the tires the woman had driven her spikes into earlier. Just for a moment. The next, they were already gone - both the ripples as well as the spines. In fact, the tires were gone as well, but this was even harder to tell since the new ones looked virtually identical.

"So Miss," the reptilian turned to speak to the heroine again, apparently having chosen to completely ignore Pious' presence, "you were saying something about your spines in the tires? Mind pointing out exactly where...?"

And now all there was left to do was wait. He Who Lies scanned Ginger's room for details, belongings, furnishing, the works. (Description please.) He would then patiently wait for Ginger to leave, even if he had to wait all night. He was good at waiting.

'After all,' He thought, 'I waited for fifteen years. Fifteen long, cold and dark years. The Chambers and the Husks could just stand there listlessly for days on end while I hid beneath a nearby car or around a the corner in a dead-end alley. The Spirits would illuminate the darkness, and even if they could not see you, they could sense you. There was no choice but to run then, and that would start a cascade. Every single corpse, shaman, spirit and totem within a three block radius would chase after me. And when that happened, I had no choice but to hide and wait yet again. Run. Hide. Wait. Run. Hide. Wait...'

He Who Lies stared passively at his surroundings as time drifted by almost instantly for him.

'...Wait...'

The tires blew with thunderous report, flinging a few small bits of tread against the deck of the ferry. The bulk of the material stayed intact of course, but the truck nevertheless sagged spontaneously to one side a bit.

"Nice." Acid regarded the heroine with a somewhat disgusted expression, "You're gonna pay for that, right? Those tires aren't cheap, you know..."

The store now turned into Ginger's home was decorated in a simple country style. There was a couch to the left side wall that was white with yellow and red flowers. In front of that was a red wood coffee table with a slightly yellowed tablecloth. Ginger lit just a single table lamp that was on the only end table that was on the other side of the couch. Against the other wall was two bookshelves with various story books and a desk chair sitting in front of the shelves. As well as a fold up table set against the wall so when she needs it she can open it up with out taking to much space when not needed. She then went to the Kerosene set more in the middle of the room and lit it once she adjusted the flames she set a slightly battered looking tea pot on top. Then she headed to the back of the store/home.

He who lies would see her pass through a curtain separating the sleeping area from her living room. Her bedroom area was even more basic an one person bed with a colorful quilt on top no headboard. To the far wall was a dresser on top of that was a crate with bits of fabric and a sewing machine. Under the bed was other crates with other items she uses to make quilts. beyond that was the stores back room now storage and the store bathroom both without any personal touches.

Once the tea pot was hot she added some fresh peppermint she got from the Dryad garden.

Elsewhere in the complex Dreg and Carl were returning to the upper levels and heading to the Food court. Thought many of the stalls were now boarded up shut a few were still used to cook food but now it was more along the lines of a Soup kitchen for the poor. Both the two got today's meal a plate of spaghetti with ground sausage and a slice of garlic bread. "Things seem to be going well" Dreg said between bites.

"Aye that thanks to those three Plant people we calling them Dryads for lack of a better term. All three were once some scientists but were changed they won't say how or what they were working on but we think it has to do with those Devouring Earth monsters. But that's just gossip." Carl looked to the area where the Gardens were located. "Even if it was true they aren't Devouring Earths they been helping us by growing that garden and producing a lot of food."

Dreg drank from his glass of water. "But it's not enough where do the other supplies come from?" Carl shrugged "Mostly from the same place all homeless get it mostly donations, food banks, and a few of us have jobs but can't pay to get a place to live. But Tom wants to change that he's got some foolish idea we can service with out outside aid."

Dreg put down his fork and looked at Carl "you got to be nuts Sanctuary was never meant to be long term. We knew we needed to hide from the Rikti when we started this place but it was always planned that once things were clear we leave. True the plan was worst case if the rest of the world were destroyed but then it became a place to live till you can get a place on your own."

Carl laughed "Now now Dreg I'm not part of his lackeys the only reason I'm still here is because I know there is a Job to do and people to protect. I'm sure if Tom gets his way he would have all he needs to survive. Mainly because everyone else would leave."

In the Northwest Corner base Anonymous X was thinking about how to throw the heroes off the scent. "You called Master Anonymous?" Asked the henchman as he walked into the lab. "Yes I been thinking we need to get our hands on some Crey uniforms. Heroes are much like bloodhounds even if Acid throws them off the trail they would keep looking for clues. So lets set up a wild goose chase."

"wouldn't that be a Wild Crey chase sir?" Anonymous looked at the man surprised to here a bit of humor coming from the henchman "I guess so. It's logical Crey deny anything that gets blamed on them even if there is proof by the time the Heroes figure out that Crey truthfully isn't involved it be to late."

"yes Master Anonymous X I have Extraction team two do grab a few uniforms from Crey crewmen. They are in Brickstown already and were preparing to retrieve the next item."

Anonymous sat down as he thought "We need to steal something that isn't related to bomb tech. If the authorities get the idea someone stealing Bomb parts and not just Rikti tech it will throw off the plan."

The Henchman nodded "How about some of that new Rikti Armor that gear wasn't around during the first Rikti war and Crey lost all government contracts involving Rikti tech. It could be logical that Crey would want to study the new Rikti gear."

Once more Anonymous looked at the Henchman "Your sure your just a henchman you seemed smarter then most."

The man shrugged "I'm just a Henchman sir but you did asked Minion Agency in Rogue island for top scoring henchmen."

Nodding Anonymous answered "indeed thought the radio operator seems to have got one to many shocks in his life. Now get those Crey uniforms." The Henchman turned and walked out.

"That's a pretty serious accusation, my dear." Acid grinned to the heroine in a toothily seductive manner, "I hope you've got some proof to back that up."

He didn't really expect her to reply to that though, being gone the next instant, the soft clap of air rushing into a suddenly appeared vacuum the only telltale side-effect of his teleportation.

"And you." he told Pious, his destination having been the rear of the truck - more specifically, roughly three meters behind it, which strangely enough meant he wasn't physically blocking the hero in any way, "I really hope you've got a search warrant. Y'see, she's right. He's not mine. He's Cerosian. And Cerosians are pretty big on privacy. So, got a warrant to show me...?"

He Who Lies continued to wait, and he would stay as still as a statue and is immobile as a mountain until Ginger left, no matter how long it took.

"What the-?" the reptilian gave a start as Pious actually pulled his phone, his visage a mask of surprise and disbelief, "No. No, no, no, no, no. You're doing it all wrong. You're not supposed to do what I say."

Motioning a supporting gesture with a hand, he walked back toward the truck, "C'mere. Right over here on the X. Oh wait, no X. Nevermind. Okay fine, stay where you are. You, lady whose name I don't know, stand behind him. Yes, now. Back him up. Neither of you have any idea if a monster might jump outta there when ya lift that tarp, so you're supposed to be prepared."

He didn't seem to actually care though, flinging the flap that hid the truck bed's contents aside regardless of whether the heroine had actually moved or not. However, what he revealed was hardly a monster, the only contents of the bed being a single mechanoid; a type generally termed a 'protector bot'.

"What're you doing there?" Acid seemed surprised at this, questioning the machine, which didn't seem to be doing anything to provide answers aside from staring blankly back at the Khelari with its red-glowing lenses, "Where's my wolfman? Whaddaya mean 'day off'? Contract? What contract? I don't remember signing a contract. Why is nothing going according to plan today...?!"

With the evidence missing, Pious had no option but to agree with the heroine. He gave the reptilian a hard long look and reluctantly turned to leave.

"Hey, don't leave!" Acid exclaimed, digging a sharpie out of his pants' pockets and quickly drawing a few jagged lines on the robot's torso. Despite clearly intended to be a roaring beast's visage, it didn't come out to look even remotely threatening, especially as he stepped aside to allow view and indicated it, "See? He's menacing. He's menacing, right?"

If there had been any crickets around, they would've chirped.

"Okay, fine." the reptilian huffed, glaring sideways at the mechanoid and commanded, "You. Out."

The robot obeyed, jumping from the bed and onto the ferry deck.

"You're dismissed." the Khelari told it, "Meet me back in northwest Baumton."

With a click and a clack, the machine assumed a more straightened position, then ignited a pair of thrusters in the soles of its feet, preparing for takeoff. Realizing what he'd just done, Acid's eyes went wide.

"Wai-!" he tried to stop the mechanoid, but it was already too late. With a powerful lurch, it zoomed straight up, crashing right through the ceiling of the vehicle deck, and of course all the floors and ceilings that lay above before rocketing off into the sky.

"Right." the reptilian growled, looking grumpily at the hole, "Note to self: remember to program ceilings as objects to avoid. Fine. Back to business. Mr. Fruit Loop, I'm afraid you're going to have to die now..."