Supercape

GM The big Russian resisted the pull - and he was surprisingly strong, as well as heavy. "No no!" he said, more seriously "We got out now, I make Citizens Arrest on Omen, everything works out well, niet?" He used both hands to tug Omen back, his laugh failing as he realised Omen was just as strong, if not stronger. "Come, come" he said "no-body wants to burn alive, do they? saving of the own skin, as you say!" He looked around, seeing the bellowing smoke start to creep over the ceiling and out of the hole where Omen had busted into the building. "Saving of the skin, it good, yes?" he asked Omen, wrestling with the handcuffs.

You find some approproate shop! go post IC (I leave the fluff details to you!)

GM "A woman of many talents!" said a surprised Mr. Trowell. "You know, I simply must talk to your agent" he continued, slipping her his business card. A little later Trowell pulled up outside the Hotel Wilde, all gold paint and a somewhat vulgar, garish look compared to much of London, Earth Victoriana. He ushered Young Britannia inside, and had a quiet word with the receptionist, and manager, slipping them what looked like a couple of tickets to a show, and giving them a friendly smile. He strolled back to Young Brittania. "Room 210" he said "with a couple of official Vatican agents outside, apparently, and I don't think a couple of tickets to The fourty nymph's of arabia will do the trick on them, if I know anything. So, what's your plan?"

GM "You were informed correctly" said M, scrutinising Starlight without missing a beat. "The coin is your choice, as is whether you act under out patronage. This..." he said, waving a piece of paper "is an official statement rendering you the status of British Citizen and official" he continued. "It is yours, if you wish it, but I am under no illusion this why you came. You came, did you not, to stop bloodshed?" he asked, tapping the desk. "You may do that in any capacity you choose. And in any case" he smiled "we are hardly going to be able to stop you, are we? you are acting alone in Texas. What are we going to do? arrest you? declare war on your dimension? whilst I have no doubt you could do with the imposition of Cricket in your America, believe me, that is not on the governments agenda. What we desire is to stop a nastly little bloody war with nasty weapons in an unstable part of the world. And you are our best hope of sorting out this mess...." "As for infringing on the rights of others? all rights are relative, as I am sure you know. Do you have the right to murder? to steal? does a country have a right to war with another? does the end justify the means? could you kill one innocent to save ten? a hundred? a million?" He paused. "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't have the answer to these questions, but I can assure you I have to wrestle with these questions daily. At the end of the day, I can only try to navigate my way as best I can, and I expect no less of you, or any gentleman, or lady. How you interpret rights is up to you. Just do your best to uphold whatever principles you see fit to. From my understanding, and Lockwood's report, they are fine principles indeed..."

"So, anyone enlightened enough to tell me what that is...or was?" said Supercape as he swept down and landed. "Because I don't recognise it from my wildlife programme's that's for sure. Plus, the thing was riddled with energy. Very interesting. Emitting all sorts of funny wavelengths. Well, funny in that they don't belong coming out of the marrow of any known earth creature..." He turned to the maintenance worker. "Something about that energy, transformed this man. As if he was infected with it..." he scratched his head. "Anybodies guess, I suppose, but I think we should isolate this man until we know for sure!"

GM The Russian laughed. "I am good guy!" he said, with mock sincerity "see? I make citizens arrest!" he added, bringing up their padlocked arms. "We good guys, you snoopy mask are bad guy? don't be the sad? all works out well, niet?" He laughed again. The sprinkler system activated and showered them with water before, after only a few seconds, dribbling to a stop. "Oh ho ho!" said the Russian. "American water systems not so good eh?" he mocked "So sad no water. Why could that be...ho ho ho!" the man was almost hysterical with laughter, despite the smoke, being soaked, and the start of screams for help and fear...

GM "Greetings and salutations!" said M as the three heroes trundled one after the other into an elegant wood panelled room, with leather topped table complete with resplendid ink pot and quill. A silver tray with teapot and mugs also lay upon the table. M was a tall man, but rotund too. His hair was thinning but he had a certain dignity about him and was far from old. He looked perhaps late 40s., maybe 50. He was dressed in a fine dinner jacket. One thing was clear - his eyes fixed upon the heroes with intelligence and confidence. "That rapscallion Lockwood sent you here? no doubt made a hash of the whole thing. Probably didn't even offer you tea!" he moaned, pouring out four cups of tea and passing them around. "In any case, may I formally welcome you to our elegant dimension on behalf of his madgesty King Charles!" he bowed slightly, taking a sip of tea. "Our resources are at your disposal. For starters, I have organised our fastest Zepplin to take you to America. It will still take a day to get there, but we have laid on some hampers and beer for the journey. Anything else we can offer, is yours. " He sat down behind his desk, still holding his tea. "You have our thanks for looking into this mess. I thought Earth Colonial chaps like yourself would be the ideal to look into this mess in Texas. Your reputations are sterling, from what I hear. " He put his tea down and put quill to paper. "Now, this choice is yours. If yo wish to independently inquire into the disturbance, I have no objection - indeed, you have my thanks. But if you wish, you could temporarily be employed by us in an official capacity. Which may come in handy, and comes with a nominal fee, of course, 12 gold sterling coins. My only suggestion is that this a group decision..."

GM It happened almost in slow motion. The Russians thumb slowly closed down on the remote, to the applause of a ferocious explosion, and then another, and then another. "You think you are so the smart!" laughed the Man. "No so the smart now! We onto you, foolish American! dropping hints, we worry to obvious, you work it out, but no, you fell right into trap like fly into web hahaha!" The smoke and the screams could be heard in the distance. "Now, we have picture of you coming into building. And bomb go off just after. Omen of fire hahaha! Keep you off backs now, you behind bars, not us!"

For a bummer of a kicker, one hero point straight off! Omen - 2 HP - Unharmed

OOC for this thread!

Rene sat himself down with pen and paper, and scribbled a few words down. Despite the serious situation, he couldn't help but show some gleeful appreciation of the ancient books that Marcel had shown him. "I imagine ze Gallu is more active at night. Not inactive, but perhaps weakened, less alert, less powerful. Its eyes are everywhere, but perhaps they only see well in shadows, in places of evil, death, the places where we gently brush the underworld, you understand?" Rene wondered for a moment if Nick would no more. The Gallu was a demon however, not an undead. It only dragged people to the pallid realms. He gave the paper to Marceau, careful not to touch him. His mystic vitality, aside from giving him long years, also rendered him somewhat resilient to disease, but it was not, in his opinion, worth the risk. The paper had a few items on it - Vinegar, Rainwater, and, somewhat oddly, Sheep offal. "Pick up those on the way back" said Rene "I can do most of the work and set up here, but I will need those to finish the ritual..."

"It just so happens I have a direct portal to M's office..." replied Steam, leading the heroes out of the room and down some oak panelled corridors, all tastefully done up in a slightly quaint but stylish Victorian style. Along the way he pointed out various portraits and items of interest, including a picture of his somewhat gruff father, the copper pipe tubing for delivering packages throughout the mansion, and what could only be described as a steam powered analytical engine, as they entered his workshop - full of all manner of functional but odd tools, and the faint smell of oil. "Here we are" he said, opening up an iron and brass upright coffin. "It may not look like much, but it can transport you, one at a time..." he studied his employees "...or all three of you, at a push, to the Ministry of Extraordinary Affairs, London, Earth Victoriana. I understand M is anticipating your arrival..."

I'll wait for MZ to act (if she can) before posting?

GM The agent, hidden away, zooming in with his camera looked uncomfortable. "What if this Silhouette doesn't show?" he muttered "I mean, she is sneaky and cunning...if she knows we are onto this, and is avoiding us...then this Carrie..." His partner frowned, and took out his gun. "Goddamit! he swore in the same hushed town. This turning to $%^£!. I mean, I know we were meant to snatch and grab her, but...to let her get attacked by thugs...Damn fine situation this has turned out to be. I knew it smelled rotten, that blasted businessman..." He gulped. "Dammit, I shouldn't have had that beer..." he moaned as he switched the safety of his Glock.

Not sure how much of a rush we are in, but I guess Supercape feels taking his time for an hour and thus taking 20 on the knowledge check would be fair enough. Thats 30 on Knowledge (life sciences) then.

Supercape had barely set the two victims on the beds in the infirmary when he was alerted to Starlight and Quintessence arriving at the Lab. He briefly spoke into the intercom. "That's fine, Mr. Ferringo, they are both expected! scan them in a day pass for the upper levels - I am in the infirmary, level 11..." Mr. Ferringo, a pleasantly smiling security officer with arms as thick as tree trunks, distributed the two passes, after briefly scanning the two visitors biometric data. "Come in, come in!" said Supercape beckoning the two heroes in. "Welcome to the Lab. I have just settled the customers in, I am going to take a look at their blood samples now...I don't suppose either of you have any medical or related scientific training?" he asked, hopefully...

"Yes indeed" replied Supercape as they left the Simulation Suite. "Thanks for the offer but I don't want to stretch you any more. You pushed yourself to your limit today, and beyond, if you pardon the illogical statement. Still, it is suitably poetic". He took Glow to the automated lift and they made there way back to the ground floor. "In any case, I am sure Ironclad is happy to let her little contraptions do the heavy lifting. That's what they were built for, after all!" Taking back Glow's security visitors pass on the ground floor, he gave her a jaunty wave as she left. "Good luck at school" he said "It was a pleasure to meet you. Quite a remarkable gift you have there lady! use it well. You know what us quantum physicists say...its always nice to see Action at a Distance!" ~ Fin ~

GM Gauntlet crashed through the forest like a tank. As he got in deeper, he stopped briefly, as if sniffing the air, and carried on proceeding at a slightly slower pace, at a slightly different angle. "I can sense you..." it grinded. It turned back to look at Marcus following him. "Can you feel it too?" he asked "So, your puny little show of power has brought out the greater prize. Something trulywild. Something that deserves the Rune and can use it. Something to be chained!!!" A rustle in some undergrowth caught his attention. Briefly the scruffy head and filthy face of a girl, maybe 13 or so, and scrawny as anything, popped out. Her jaw opened a bit, and just for a second her eyes flared red. Then...she hissed, and sprang away.

Synth

"A handy little gift you have been blessed with" said Lord Steam, putting down his tea. "I leave its application to you, of course. Quite what is up in Earth Victoriana, Texas, I don't know. It is entirely possible what you have term a "Metahuman", or at least my dimensions equivalent, is behind the matter. But it is, at present, speculation and conjecture..." He stood up and brushed off a solitary breadcrumb that marred his jacket. "If you are all in agreement, and ready for an inter-dimensional trip, I think the time has come to introduce you to M...Any last questions? I won't be joining you, just directing you to his office. You have time to make any preparations you wish, of course, one thing I can say is that the clock is not ticking...as far as we know!"

Synth studied Jake quietly, wondering about what he was saying. She leaned over to Catalyst and spoke again in a deep, quiet voice. "What do you think? Sounds like he knows a lot of stuff. He can even pick up the FBI and CIA in his head? what is going on? do you think its a government conspiracy?" She paused, concerned. "I know this country is cruel with its treatment of the poor. But actually cleaning them off the streets...literally...that is horrible!" She clutched her ears and bent over, horrified by Jake's story that she completely believed.

Siphon - Unharmed - 4 Hero Points

GM "I hear things" said Jake, tapping his head. "All sorts of things, you know? The CIA, the FBI...I pick em up, in my head...world is a dangerous place..." He was sitting down, tapping his foot and generally being restless. He looked nervous. "Well, we all know that the guys that live on the street, they been going missing. Government behind it, I know they are. Anyway, I saw Old Karl get pinched. Four of them, there where, in gas masks, black gear, Man, it looked like they were fifth column Nazi's. They were professionals, you know. Didn't spot lucky me, lying down under some prize cardboard..." He coughed, a rather filthy cough, with a handful of sputum at the end. "Ahm a survivor. Always have been. Always will be. I know things, I do..." he trailed off briefly. "Can't say for sure where they took Old Karl. Looked like they were heading to the '66. You know? the abandoned rail signal station? Keeps you warm but plenty of rats their. Some of the stuff there still might work too, use to be plugged in, till the fuses blowed..."

"Pleased to meet you, Catalyst" replied Synth, slowly. "You can call me Synth..." she continued, debating if another name would be more appropriate. "I guess you have heard about the dissapearances?" she asked, looking at Catalyst directly. She couldn't read her. "This guy, Jake, he seems to know a bit..." she looked around at the other homeless. "Although he seems less than popular, I imagine it is the fear. They don't want to get rattled. " She moved a bit closer to Synth and lowered her voice. "DO you have anywhere else we can speak to him, to avoid a brawl?"

Synth easily caught up with Jake, and took a firm grip of his coat. "Take it easy, if there is something that you need to say, then say it..." she said, putting on an honest smile. "What are you doing, hanging around with us?" replied Jake, honestly surprised. He looked at Synth curiously. Pretty lady, in rags, in a soup kitchen? he muttered to himself, making no sound but moving his lips. "I'm ladling out the soup" replied Synth, honestly "and it looks like you could do with some. Here, come back to the kitchen, and don't mind that big guy, he is all mouth..." Synth took Mad Jake back to the Kitchen, and ran into Catalyst as she approached. "Coffee too?" she asked. The homeless, about a dozen of them, were eager for the coffee to wash down their soup with. Perhaps not so keen on the mace, as they made clear. Shank made his normal show of barging in before the others, using his elbows freely. "Dunno much" came one voice "I just know old Karl, he knew the streets like the back of his hand, and one day *poof* he went, leaving all his belongings, that old cart he had. He would never do that!" "Yeah and I saw you help yourself" sneered another. "Calm down, everybody..." said Synth as gently as she could "Has anyone here actually seen anything?" Jake muttered a bit under his breath. Synth held out her hand to Catalyst, as she knew humans did as a greeting. "Thanks for helping, its good to know somebody actually cares about what happens to these poor souls..."