GM Replies to Stalker:

It takes Mrs. Fitzpatrick a moment to answer you. "It's..., it's my, sniff, daughter. She's, sniff, she's been missing for days, and then this morning, the police came her to talk to me, asking all sorts of questions about who she was doing, and if she had a boyfriend. They won't tell me anything and I'm sacred, to death. Why won't they tell me anything?"

You notice a card on her desk with a phone number for ECPD's Major Crimes Unit on it. And wonder why they'd be investigating what would normally be a missing person case.

Actions?

The Cougar wrote on Jul 27^th, 2012 at 3:29pm:


You get a freebie on this one, as the rest of the team already has comm gear to speak with BSI.

GM to Diesel: You pull out of the shop, and ease into traffic. Since it's the middle of the day, you're making pretty good time, but it's still going to take you a minute to get to the BSi field office, and click on the radio to pass the time, while you think about everything that's happened to you since donning the suit. You can't help but thing you'll see Death Warrant (Originally named Nemesis, but I switched it up) again, and wonder exactly what his connection to the various organized crime families is. You also happen to hear a news report of another young girl going missing, last night, and her father pleads for any information about her possible whereabouts, before getting close to your final destination.

It'll take your roughly 20 minutes to make the drive, and find some place, out of sight to park. How do you want to make your actual approach to the building once you arrive?

GM to T-Bolt, and Power Chord:

As the two of you continue your conversation, a firm, polite voice calls out to you from below.

"Excuse me gentlemen, but if the two of you would be so kind as to come down here, it would be appreciated."

It's the voice of one of the BSI security personnel. You can tell by his frown on his brow, and his body language, that he's a bit upset.

Actions?

Thunderbolt is pulled out of his enthrallment {Power Chord DOES have a Charisma of 27!} by the firm authoritative voice from the BSI Officer - realizing his casual actions and attention may have alarmed none-too-few of the Agents assembled.

Shifting his gaze to the annoyed Agent he comments to Power Chord...

"..I'll leave this to you... Power Chord."

Thunderbolt follows Power Chord's lead...

dsumner wrote on Jul 28^th, 2012 at 1:45am:


"I'm sure it's nothing. Let me see if I can get some answers for you"He casually picks up the card and slides it into his shirt pocket. He walks over to the break area and brings her back some hot tea. "Now I need to get on patrol but I'll check into it as soon as my shift is over"
Later when he returns to the loft,he drops the card on Craig's desk. "See what you can get me on Ms Fitpatrick, and the detective on her case. I may have to visit the Major Crimes Unit" Craig begins his computer search, then stops as the words sink in.  "The ECPD Major Crimes Unit? Are you nuts?! Your good but that's just asking for trouble"He continues to do the search however.

The Machinist responded to Agent Woo’s instructions. “I was told I was to meet 2 people at BSI today. Are we sure this isn’t the second one? It is very much like Mr. Smith to withhold this kind of info.” He started to walk casually toward the front when Rampart suggested they split up. “Do I mind? Hell yeah I mind!”

Machinist quickly toggled his visor into combat mode. He linked up to the ATM cameras across the street of the BSI and the red light cameras on all the street corners. He sent a query to all the satellites schedules to see which ones, if any, would be focused on the street block that makes up the BSI offices. He linked up with any satellite which would have footage at their location in the last 5 minutes.

“Rampart, ’A situation outside, an unplanned visitor’ is not code for an attack. Power Chord, Jack, and myself were also unplanned visitors to BSI when we first showed up. BSI is not under attack at this moment. Agent Woo would not send us out the front door to a powers fight.  Power Chord is handling this. If he was in trouble he would have contacted Skyhawk and me.”

On the upper left most screens of his visor his search on the phrase BARCAP came back. It was the acronym for Barrier Combat Air Patrol.

He click for the definition of the term: One or more divisions or elements of fighter aircraft employed between a force and an objective area as a barrier across the probable direction of enemy attack. It is used as far from the force as control conditions permit, giving added protection against raids that use the most direct routes of approach. See also combat air patrol.

“Gawd, Rampart we are not going out there without the proper intel.” Then it hit him. Rampart wanted to get intel.“Jeez, how long ago was ‘back in the day’ really? We don’t have to leave the building to know what is going on. Please tell me you watched Star Trek Next Generation, otherwise I am about to freak you out.”

Machinist quickly linked up the projector he had earlier to his visor. He projected a 3-D display in front of both Rampart and himself. He quickly started pointing to the 16 different information screens in front of them.

•      “In quad a2 and a3 are the camera feeds from the ATM cameras across the street.”
•       “B4 is a composite splicing on the 3 red light cameras which cover the front entrances of the BSI offices.”
•       “In C2 is the twitter feed of ‘Who watches the Watchmen’”. Machinist explained to Rampart, “It is one of those conspiracy groups that believe the TV show X-Files was based on BSI activities. So they sit across the street from the different public BSI locations and tweet the activities outside the buildings on their cell phones.”
•      “Over here on D1 is WECN. Let’s see if our visitor has caused enough ruckus for Amber Green to be outside.”
•      “The screens labeled D3 and D4 was attempting to link into the BSI security surveillance cameras for the outside and lobby.”

Machinist studied the screens before him to try to determine what the heck Power Chord had gotten himself into.

At the same time he thought about prior statements made by Rampart.

•      “I never agreed to being ‘placed’ on your team. I think he forgets officially I’m a civilian now.”
•      “Let's fly out and give Skyhawk a hand."
•      "I'll take the side door and fly a BARCAP over the building."
•      “I'll keep an eye out for any other potential unplanned visitors.”

“For someone who isn’t part of the team and isn’t its leader, he sure gives a lot of orders. It is like he is still in the military” The Machinist thought. “I wonder what he and Mr Smith have cooked up together”.

Thunderbolt had just gestured to open the metal framed doors of the BSI building ... the wave of magnetic force setting off the security scanner machine's alarms when the BSI Agent intercepted them.  Following Power Chord's lead Thunderbolt landed next to him... none too little embarrassed at his own carelessness.

He had been just about to turn the security scanner machines off to end their incessant racket and was pointedly trying to ignore them ... when... he felt something change in the flow of circuits around him... it was odd... unlike anything he had ever felt before and only because he had just been about to seize control of the security scanner machines did he notice at all - the subtle tug... of some other control being exerted.

He was so perplexed wondering if he'd felt anything at all when his RONIN Cell Phone went off a gain.

{Uggg... why didn't I put that on silent!}

It was Diesel, {"I'm here, where do I need to go?"}

Not bothering to take the cell phone out of his pocket - electricity flashed in his eyes and he took control of the cell phone and spoke softly, {"Its a little dicey right now... come up to the front entrance non-threateningly like.  I'm talking with a Hero named Power Chord.. he knows the BSI Officials and is going to arrange a meeting for us, his team and BSI.  See you in a few..we'll wait.  Oh... and did you try to call Stalker?  I'm kinda.. involved right now... see you soon."}

Looking at the agent Thunderbolt clears his throat...

"{Ahem}, Officer?  My other Teammate has arrived.. I think you already know of him.. he's Diesel.. BIG guy in a metal suit with a Huge Freaking Hammer?  Could you tell your Agents he's not here for trouble either..."

Stepping over to Power Chord he waits for the Officer to get on his radio to inform his men.

Then he mutters to Power Chord, "Ah... Sir, not trying to alarm anyone but.. something ...weird just happened.. I think ...to the machines around us... be wary!?!  No, I don't know against or for what... its wierd... something happened... but I'm not sure just what."

With a muted sigh, Machinist activated the BSI communications channel he had used when they were on surveillance at ECU. “Rampart has left the building from a different location than directed, repeat, Rampart has left the building from a side location not the front location as directed. He is performing an aerial patrol. Please don’t shoot him down.”

“Agent Woo, Does the BSI squad know what Rampart looks like? Were they introduced? Oh, and I was wrong it appears he will fit right in with our team. Another act first, thinks later type”

Activating his com to the Protector Channel, “Power Chord there is another ‘Power’ in play. He has flight ability. Imagine Captain Air Force and you should be able to recognize him. His handle is Rampart. He is one of the individuals that BSI wanted us to meet. He has one of my comm. units.”

“Rampart, I don’t know what you have seen of Power Chord but he uses magic to prevent modern electronics from capturing his image correctly. He is wearing a cloak. It is like a heavy cape and hoodie combined.”

“Skyhawk when you meet with the locals keep Achilles out of sight. That way he can notify us if you encounter trouble.”

“Machinist out”

"Machinst, Rampart, relax son this isn't my first rodeo.

"Really? you sure are fooling me. Things have changed since 'Back in the Day' Pops. I am willing to bet this is the first time for you to fly a BARCRAP without sitting in a cockpit.

OOC: looking through the threads, I did not see any mention of when in the day these events were occurring so I'm sure Dom will correct me if I am wrong


Stalker left the loft just before sundown. Craig had spent the day going over intel on Dect. Jones and the Major Crimes Unit. He wasn't sure that Stalker's idea was a bright one. Since he had hacked cameras around ECPD,he had heard some radio chatter about a super outside the BSI building. On a lark he checks some camera's in the area.  Nothing that looks like Stalker,that's good.

"Agent Woo, I am heading out front alone. ETA 15 seconds"

Machinist walks through the lobby toward the front doors, wondering what he is going to find.

Power Chord smiles as Thunderbolt tells him about what he senses, at the same time hearing the Machinist in his ear...

Power Chord looks up into the sky, but doesn't see anyone.  Power Chord speaks into his bluetooth headset.  "Machinist, I don't see anyone.  There's a young man out here, he appears to have powers similar to yours, he seemed to sense you through the local devices.  Should be interesting."

"Rampart, eh?  I don't see anyone else out here but the BSI security detail," he transmits on the open channel.

GM Replies to Stalker: After a quick check, Craig is able to find out that Detective Nathan Jones, ECPD Major Crimes unit, is the lead investigator on the case, but MCU is being really tight lipped about what info they're releasing.

He's been able to get into the Coroner's reports, and from what he can determine, all the victims have been young females, between the ages of 16 and 22. All have been in good health, with no history of drugs or excessive alcohol usage. What he does find strange is that the Coroner's cause of death has been redacted from the report.

Thunderbolt gazed in wonder at Power Chord, {Machinist?  Power similar to yours...?  Intriguing!}

Thunderbolt interjected, "My Teammate Diesel has arrived and is approaching the BSI building from the front entrance... just keep anyone from being surprised.  Maybe we should wait for him to join us?"

Listening to the conversation between Power Chord and Machinist... well at least Power Chord's portion of it, he turns and looks skyward directly in the direction Rampart is approaching from; his Radar Senses giving fair warning...

Pointing for Power Chord's benefit, "Incoming!  There is a man shaped figure - in flight approaching from there... perhaps that's your 'Rampart'?"

Thinking, {Huh... there are more meta-humans here in Empire City than I guessed at!  But the teams... seem equivalent in number, though it seems Power Chord does not know this Rampart fella.  So... how organized are these guys really?}

GM Replies to Skyhawk: After completing your message back to the group at BSI, you swoop down and land directly in front of the local police station. You don't seem to attract much attention, which you think is a little strange. As you get closer to the ground, you comm signal, which was already a bit shaky, seems to get progressively worse, as does your link to Achilles.

As you enter the front door, an officer almost bumps into you. After introducing yourself to him, he stares at you blankly for a moment, he responds stating in a monotone voice. "Why don't you speak to the chief" as he points to a tall, middle age man, with salt and pepper black hair, sitting behind a desk. He then heads out the door. You also notice that the individual the officer pointed to never once looks up to acknowledge your presence during the entire conversation. 

Actions?

Skyhawk tells Achilles "Forward to the Machinist, Situation is getting weirder by the moment. I have a feeling that the Pod People have taken over. Something is off around here. Having a hard time with radio signal and link with Achilles. I will try and contact you soon regardless of any new information."
Walking over to the designated Officer, He will tell him about the missing ECU team.

Having not yet been excepted into the Protectors, regardless of 'Mr. Smith's' botched introduction, Rampart quietly leans against the wall in the corner watching Empire City's active players at work.