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September 22, 2011 Wander, Midnight, Edge, Ace Danger, Bombshell, and Cannonade get a visit from that old-time Norse religion.

September 1, 2011 Jordan International Airport Freedom City International Terminal This is not why I joined UNISON thought Mark Lucas, keeping his annoyance off his face and a smile on it as he listened to his charge's complaints. "You have a UNISON escort because you're the daughter of a head of state of a UN-recognized nation," said Mark, feeling a little silly in his blue UNISON uniform. At least they hadn't made him wear the helmet on the plane. "and because Dr. Typhoon made the request personally." Princess Nina al-Darsah, the youngest daughter of Typhoon, the arch-nemesis of the Freedom League-turned-Middle-Eastern head of state, was about Mark's age. About to begin her first year as an FCU student, Nina was on her way back to Socotra for an urgent meeting with her father, who had requested not just a UNISON escort for his daughter but the most powerful agent in UNISON's employ. In fact, the man's exact words (as Mark had seen) had been "only the mightiest among your pitiful ranks is suitable to give security to the daughter of TYPHOON!" Pulled out of his camp on the Ivory Coast for this, Mark had spent the last day in the company of a gorgeous young woman with her father's tan skin, black hair, flashing eyes, and with the personality you'd expect from the daughter of one of the most absolute rulers on Earth. It hadn't been his favorite trip. "That's the third time I've made you tell me that, Agent Lucas," said al-Darsah with an amused smile as she folded her hands before her. They were sitting next to each other in the first-class cabin, Mark's uniform and her Socotran dress with its merger of Arab and Indian styles having gotten a lot of attention along the way. "You're very obedient. I was hoping an agent of the United Nations would have a little more gumption. But I suppose you'd have to be good at following orders to wear that uniform of yours." Oh, what the hell. If he was going to spend an entire transAtlantic flight next to this woman, the least Mark could do was try and make it interesting. What was the worst that could happen? "I'm good at all kinds of things, Princess," replied Mark with a warm smile as he turned on the charm. "And my job is to make sure you make it back to your father in one piece. And when we're done, if you'd like to see me out of uniform, I'd be happy to oblige you." He smiled, and actually got a blush from Nina, who'd evidently not expected that comeback. Out of high school and on his own, he'd only recently become aware of how good he was at flirting when he really put his mind to it. "In the meantime, though, the other passengers are arriving. Let's not give them any hint we're anything other than seatmates." They'd boarded the plane through a separate door for security, but since it was a regular commercial flight (Freedom City to Paris with a layover, and then to Socotra's big airport on the main island), the regular first class passengers were about to embark.

“I can explain--†Bombshell continued to be yanked back and forth in the cage of eldritch and telekinetic power. She went quiet, hoping not for the first time that she wouldn’t end up pulled apart like a Christmas cracker. “While I do appreciate your help tonight, I really would like to remind you that this is both my building and thus the matter should be in my hands.†The petite telepathic powerhouse known as Young Freedom’s Psyche was saying as she gave a gentle tug on Bombshell’s wrists, trying to get her away. “In your hands to let her go? She’s a well known felon!†The enigmatic Phantom responded in her eerie rumble, tugging on Bombshell’s feet until she was slowly flipped sideways. Not for the first time did Bombshell wish that Scarab was able to read her at least for a mental SOS. “Ladies, please,†Bombshell interjected and when they both looked her direction, she couldn’t help but say, “There is enough of me to go around.†Well, at least they were both glaring at her now. “Look,†Bombshell continued with a disarming smile. “I’m not here to steal your McGuffin. Whatever it is. Tech, it’s not my thing. I’d offer to let you try and do the brain scan, but well, that’s never as easy as it looks. The Scarab can vouch for me. I’m new leaf now! All squeaky clean and PG-13.†And now there was simply patent disbelief. Bombshell grunted as she was tugged from the telekinetic grip on her wrists - which she strongly suspected the teenager had let go rather than risk injury and found herself thrust up against a wall. “Little bit of a hypocrite aren’t you?†Bombshell asked the cowled mystic, “Don’t you run with the grim and gritty types? Compared to them, I really am silver-plated.†Phantom’s low growl was her only response as that barb hit its mark. Comparing broken limbs to borrowed goods was really apples to oranges but it did make it hard to throw stones at the ex-thief. “Phantom,†it was the high, clear voice of the teenager now, floating slightly behind Phantom, her expression disapproving. “Scarab vouches for her, isn’t that enough?†“Is it enough for you?†Phantom responded, those burning white eyes boring into Bombshell as she held her against the wall of one of AEGIS’s research facilities. “It would be enough for me.†Psyche replied unhesitatingly, her clear gaze meeting Bombshell’s with that same eerie all-knowing serenity that Scarab had sometimes but in the Scarab, that was balanced by the heavy weight of years and years. Those wise eyes in the smooth face of a child unnerved Bombshell more than the angry wrath of any dimensional guardian ever would. Her gaze skittered away from Psyche’s and around the room, looking for an exit even as she said, “The girl’s right. You’re a bit behind the times, I’m afraid. I saw the lightshow disturbance when I was swinging by and thought I’d take a peek in to make sure that it wasn’t anything weird. Weird-er, I should say. It is Freedom City.†“That ‘lightshow’ was an interdimensional disturbance... I suppose that was nothing to do with you either,†Phantom rumbled angrily, her grip not loosening even a little bit as the cloak and shadows around her flared out. “Ah, no?†“It wasn’t, Phantom. That was an experiment by one of my research and development team.†Psyche spoke up again, quiet and patient but now she had the mystic’s attention. “I’m sorry, if I had any idea it would have been remotely successful, I would have registered the experiment with the appropriate boards but as it was, it is an unrepeatable anomaly that will be keeping that team busy for quite some time. I am very sorry if you were disturbed by it.†“Unrepeatable anomaly?†Phantom muttered, turning her hooded head but her grip slackened enough that Bombshell gave one quick wriggle and dropped out of the eldritch bands holding her against the wall and quickly dropped behind a stack of crates in the corner to hide. “No, no thank you. No more hugs,†Bombshell said, waving her gloved hands slightly, “This has all been very engaging. Apologies to the teen wonder for intruding. Now, if its quite alright with you all, I’ll be on my way....†“Now, wait just a second, goldilocks...†Phantom started, pivoting in place before Psyche said softly, “That’s enough, I think.†She glided between the two women and held her hands out, turning towards Phantom first, “I realize that yours is a thankless job and I’m very sorry that you were pulled out of whatever activity that you were in the middle of tonight for something that turned out to be a false alarm but that is my fault, not this woman’s. If you’d like to take someone to task, you’re welcome to let me know just what I did wrong. Alphabetically or categorically, your preference. But I am not about to stand by and watch you harass someone who is entirely innocent. It doesn’t matter if she committed a crime ten years ago or just last week. She did nothing wrong tonight and it is not for you to judge.†Then she pivoted towards Bombshell and fixed her with that intense look, “You, however, should not take advantage of the fact that you are innocent, to see just how far you can push the envelope. You are, in fact, trespassing. With likely mingled good intentions and plain old curiosity, but you know full well what it looks like, especially with your past. False outrage and mock innocence is beneath you.†Psyche paused and then lowered her hands to her sides slowly, “I think, perhaps, it might be time for you both to leave. I appreciate the intentions of both of you in coming here but things are well in hand and neither of your formidable skills are needed tonight. It has been a pleasure. I think you both know the way out?†Bombshell and Phantom both blinked before Bombshell slanted a glance towards Phantom and offered, “Out of the mouths of babes?†“I still don’t like you.â€

October 15th "You dastardly fiend, what are you going to do to me?" Bombshell delivered the line with all the bored interest of a star practicing lines for a script she had no interest in performing in. It was, perhaps, a little out of place with the scene as she was currently strung up by her wrists and suspended over what she'd mentally termed 'the cauldron of goo'. She glanced down, arching one brow behind her mask and swinging her feet out of the way to watch the slowly bubbling sludge. "I'm not paying extra for a mud bath, you know. They're over rated. I have a much better secrete treatment to keep my skin looking fabulous." She caught some of the chanting to peg it as Greek-ish. Not in the figurative 'sounds Greek to me' but in the actual honest-to-Hercules Greek. "You know, I met Zeus once. Handsy fellow. Well, to be entirely forthright, he wasn't actually the gold-and-shining god at the time. He'd possessed a mortal man to do that thing he does. He does do it well, I have to admit." Bombshell wiggled her wrists a little, looking up at the bindings before her attention went back to the cultists. She smiled at them, a wicked flash of crimson red lips below her black mask. "Lucky for me, my little encounter was post the invention of the pill so I have only fond memories for my reminder. Do you happen to know if he's worked something out with Hestia since then to circumvent that? Dratted fertility gods. Give me a hedonist any day." The tumblers twitched in the manacles but the chanting was getting awfully loud now and Bombshell had some mild concerns that they were going to get to the big finale before she was ready to take her bow. "Dionysus now, I haven't met him but I'm sure I would like to. No maenads, however, I prefer my hedonism without that extra edge of madness. The ratty hair thing, I just can't pull it off." Ca-click. "Shall I give you my card... no?" Bombshell caught the shackles with her fingertips as they opened and swung her legs, enjoying the way that the chanting dissolved into squawks and protests as she tucked and tumbled her way to a tower of boxes. Crouching, she offered them a mocking salute. "Well, I'd love to see what all that was about, but I'm afraid it's just past my bed time. No, don't get up. I can let myself out. Thanks, by the way. You have, oooh, I'd guess two minutes before that little beacon I set off leads all my cape and cowled friends to your little hidey-hole. Ta!" And with a taunting laugh, the ex-thief was gone.

It was a solemn affair that was filling up Freedom Hall today, filled with the sort of mixed crowd that only a Freedom City gathering would engender. And this gathering was unusual even for Freedom City. There were a few Golden Agers left but those that were able to, were in attendance. Ace Danger, the newly redeemed Bombshell among others. Then there were also the heroes whose legacies stretched back to the era of the war who were here with relatives or on the behalf of relatives. Today, they celebrated the life time achievement on one of the Golden Age heroes on his hundredth birthday, the charming Spaniard El Fuego also known as Don Leon Montoya de Castille. Now, long since retired and with great grand children. Still the super-science that gave him his amazing abilities had helped preserve his body so he looked a remarkably fit seventy or so. Bombshell, aka Natalya Browning, like many of the veterans was in her dress uniform rather than black tie or costume. She wore the navy blues under a silver sash that stretched from her right shoulder down to her left hip, with several medals adorning the breast of the uniform. It wasn't about showing off. Actually, for the few who were able to read the blonde's body language under her careful facade, she was slightly uncomfortable in the outfit at this point in her life. However, showing up in anything less would have been disrespectful to a man she'd fought alongside so many years ago. The ceremony wasn't overly long and was much more informal than the appearance would suggest, with the old guard that remained going up to volunteer anecdotes and stories. In short order, the speeches were wrapped up and there was simply mingling and some dancing. The music, of course, was to the taste of the guest of honor, as after all - it was the celebration of his life.

Several of Freedom City's heroic types received a large invitation slid under their door around the middle of June; the cards appeared to be handmade either by someone in their late teens or perhaps merely addicted to clip art, glitter and caffeinated soft drinks. Some people did not get hard copies at all, due to Lynn's unfamiliarity with their current living arrangements, but she still made sure the word got around.

Natalya Browning, better known as the incomparable Bombshell, was still wondering how her erstwhile lover managed to talk her into things as she swung out across the city to the late-night meeting. She was still bemused by being on the side of the angels again as the Scarab put it, let alone going and talking to some newer heroes about 'mutual problems'. However, she'd agreed and so, here she was, swinging through the West End and looking for some address. It wasn't, of course, the actual head quarters, just a neutral meeting ground spot. Fortunately, she had a rather large amount of practice for finding buildings while no where near the street, so after a short search, Bombshell released the swing-line to flip through the air and perch on the edge of the roof. She stood up out of her crouch and stretched, stepping down onto the roof top proper.