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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:25:39 GMT -5
[/img] The QuestionIssue #5: Welcome to the New World Order, Part 3: " The Double Edged Sword" Written by House Of Mystery with Ramon Villalobos Cover by Roy Flinchum Edited by Dr Dread and House Of Mystery[/center] |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:26:19 GMT -5
Area 15. Major Operations Lab 1: “What is it?” The scientist picks up the thin metal material and moves it around. “I mean, it’s supposed to contain radiation, but look at it, it’s just…” The other man takes it from the man's hand and gently places it back on the examination table. “It's just an unidentified element which formerly contained the essence of a member of the United States Air Force..” “True, true, but I don’t see why we should be concentrating our efforts of creating a new kind of soldier on an empty sack of skin.” “Look, Dan, there are twenty nine of the world’s greatest minds working on this project. Director Don--” “I realise what we’re trying to do! I realise what the Director wants us to do! I realise we’re trying to create a conduit for a consciousness, but really, with this? It’s empty skin! Nothing else to it!” “Maybe there is. The reason we’re in these cumbersome containment suits is because our sensors detect a low level of ambient radiation, but to the visual sensors, nothing, its got all the chemical characteristics of steel. But there’s something…” Dan Lyle puts his hand up, and then looks around. “Wait.” “What is it?” “Do you hear that?” “What?” “Like a… Like a ticking?” “No I… Wait… Yeah, I think I do…” He shakes his head. “It must be the Geiger counters. Ah, nothing to it. I’m going to go for a leak. Speak later.” Dan walks towards the decontamination chamber that leads out into the outside of the lab, and as he enters his code, his eyes widen. Nothing happens. “What’s up, Dan?” “I can’t… We’re… We’re locked in!” |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:26:50 GMT -5
From the ‘irrefutable’ mind of Vic Sage: The plan is simple. Bug talks to the computers, tells the cameras to ignore them. Vapor takes us through the walls till we get to the lower levels. Throughout this Bug transfers Cadmus files to a remote server off site, securing the electronic evidence that will be the first phase to secure the shut down of this government facility. Phase two will be physical evidence. If my theories are correct, and I hope to God they aren’t… There will be men, women and children, trapped in the labs between realities, and they will need rescuing. Vapor will secure their release; Bug and I will get out the hard way. By foot. Sounds easy. But then again, I’m an optimist. Nah, I’m kidding, I hate life.You know why I hate life? Because it’s not done anything for me recently. I’ve been on the road. I’ve saved lives. But me…? In the grand scheme of things, I’m a nobody. I’ve just written the most heart wrending thing on my computer, and now I’m done. “You ready, Vic?” Carrie Donahue pats down the jump suit she’s wearing. Vic Sage turns to her, distracted from his computer. “Hmm?” “Are you ready?” “Just writing something down to someone.” He smiles and turns off the computer. “Where’s Bug?” “The creepy guy is just making some last minute alterations to the Cadmus systems by long range…” “WHAT?” Vic spins around and storms out the room, and then grabs Bug by the shoulder, spinning him around in his chair. “What are you doing? If we get found out now, we’ll never get into the complex…” “Whoa, Q, don’t worry. I’m just fixing something for you.” “What? What do you mean?” “I mean, I don’t mind walking into sure death, I mean, that’s fine and dandy and always on my date planner… But I want a way to really piss off the government, y’know?” “Yeah, I guess, you crazy commie you…” “Yeah, ha. Sure.” Bug nods. “I’ve just wrote in a self destruct program into the complex’s hard drive. It’ll spread through the network till it really f’s with them down the line. You just gotta type it into any active keyboard or keypad and it’ll…” Vic interrupts, impatient with his new colleague. “It’ll…?” Bug sighs heavily. “It’ll release the anchor that holds the tesseract to our dimension. It’ll send Area 15 flying into oblivion.” “And that sounds… Kinky.” He nods slowly. “What’s the code then?” “It’s a number.” “Yeah, you’re drawing this on too much. Just spill man.” “42.” “42?” Vic feels a smile creep onto his face. “You’re kidding me.” “Nope. Just type 42 into the computers, and you’re screwed.” “Ah. So this would basically be suicide.” “Can you think of a better way to go than hurtling through the cosmos?” “How about a knife in the eye?” “Uh…” “Let’s go. Carrie is done, you’re dressed, let’s get moving.” |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:27:40 GMT -5
Area 15. The Lower Levels: “ I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!” She screams in protest, as he steps away from her, looking at the one glass that separates the interrogation room and the room where more men and women are watching. “I don’t… Know… A thing…” “Did you know that the only reason you’re able to see me is because the special lenses in the goggles you are wearing are tuned to the anti-frequency of this reality? Imagine our surprise, years ago, when we arrived here, all smiles and excitement, and we dig deep into the tesseract to find… The lower levels, a place no one can see their hand in front of their faces. Where all you see… Is black.” He taps the sunglasses he wears. “Unless you have a pair of these.” He pauses, and turns away from the glass. “You know what they call this place, Ms Moore? The technicians?” “N-No, sir…” He nods and smiles solemnly. “They call it Hell, Ms Moore. Hell. Now let’s go from the top.” He’s about to resume his questioning, but his aged and worn hand is suddenly holding a cellphone. “One moment.” |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:28:27 GMT -5
I’ve travelled the world, Africa, England, Norway, everywhere. But never before have I seen such amazing technology than what is on show here. I say on show, but y’know… It’s not. There is a vent between seconds that releases carbon dioxide from the tesseract, and oxygen is sucked in to make sure that the people inside can breathe normally. Sure there are oxygen tanks, but it seems that reviews have shown that normal air, from the outside, is better for the morale. So in emergencies, the vents are shut down, and the oxygen tanks are pumped, but normally, all is well. During the Apokolips War, the vents were wrecked by bombardment, and the men and women inside nearly suffocated before the tesseract could be opened. The schematics for Area 15 are being reviewed again in two months. The vent will be shut down, oxygen will be pumped in through tanks. Morale means nothing to these people. Results do. Carrie, Bug and I have some hard work ahead of us.
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:29:42 GMT -5
Area 15. Outside Major Operations Lab 1: “Nell was like, ‘ yeah, sure, you can have a couple of friends round for a beer’ but then when she saw the mess that Ken made by himself in the toilet… She actually grounded me.” “Must be a downer to have your wife be your boss and work in the lab you’re guarding, eh?” “Nah, we go on the same lunch--” The man looks down at his friend’s waist, and the beeper that has begun to beep. “You’re beeping.” “I realise I’m beeping.” “…Good.” The man laughs and shakes his head, turning to the reinforced door that separates him and his wife. “Sir.” The man’s friend presses his finger to the tiny black speaker in his ear, and then nods. “I’ve got the trigger right here.” He nods at the words. “But sir… The scientists are still inside.” “What’s he say, Trev?” Trevor Thomas places his hand over his microphone, and looks up to Greg Allerdyce. “He says that’s the idea…” “What?” “He wants us to detonate the countermeasure.” “WHAT? NOW? Doesn’t… My wife is in there, Trev! My wife is…” “Sir, Greg’s wife is in there. Agent Allerdyce.” Allerdyce struggles with the door handle, pulling, wrenching, trying to prise it open. He types into the door, but nothing happens. “ Help me open the door!” “Sir… You can’t…” Trevor Thomas goes as pale as a sheet. His hand moves over his holster as Greg Allerdyce struggles to enter the lab. “Sir I… My… My… Sorry Sir, yes Sir.” He fires one shot at the man’s head, and two at his chest, and Allerdyce goes down hard. Dead. “Taken… Taken care of Sir. Thank you Sir.” Wiping a tear from his eye, he flicks open the thin metal device he holds with his other hand, and then presses his thumb down on a glowing button. “I’ve just triggered the nuke beneath the lab.” There’s a rumble but then silence, the lab suddenly flooding with pressure and a nuclear wind that would tear apart any other construct, but Major Operations Lab 1 is built for bigger things. Bigger explosions. Bigger failures. “I’ll keep you posted, sir. Research team 2 is here.” A horde of scientists arrive, their instruments out, plugging into the outside of the room. It has begun. |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:31:44 GMT -5
Interlude One:
Midway City; Baatle Institue for the Criminally Deranged: His face contorts to an expression of bitter contempt, and he casually stuffs a half crushed potato chip into his mouth before beginning to speak. "I had an idea the other day..." "Oh yeah?" The taller and more ruggedly handsome man to his left looks up, trailing no less than a foot and a half behind him, brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of his face as he speaks. "Yeah, you know how they make like all chips out of corn or potato? Well I am going to find some other product I can make an addictive chip out of... Like rice.. Or pasta... Something that will turn the snack food industry on its head, something exciting and dangerous and brash." He folds up the empty chip bag and places it in his jacket pocket, and then wipes his greasy fingers down on his trouser legs. "Something sexy." "What about wheat?" The larger man picks small peices of lint off of his shoulder, distracted but still listening. "Uh, yeah, that too... So anyways-" "No, I mean, they have pretty much exausted the chip market, what can you really bring new to the table?" "What can I bring? What can I bring?! How about heart, Clev? What about, unbridled enthusiasm?" He rolls his eyes as he takes an identification badge out of his pocket and clips it to his tie. The large man realises where they are and copies his partner, taking a moment to clip his own badge to his jacket and grumbles at the mispelt 'Cleavangert' printed sloppily in bold letters. "What about 'heart'? Ever since I've known you, you have been nothing but emotionless and incredibly unenthusiastic in regards to every avenue of your life." Clevenger nods to the man who opens the door for them, and they enter a longer corridor than before. He looks shocked, dismayed, and answers without a hint of sarcasm. "Well... What about that one night stand three days ago... I left a note, how is that heartless?" "Bill, I picked you up from the motel. You showed me the note. It said: 'You're lucky I didn't charge you... - Bill.' how is that in the least bit romantic?" "Give me a break, I never said I was romantic, I said I wasn't heartless, if I was heartless, I would have charged her with no note." "You're a terrible human being, the chip business would never accept your rise into their prestiguous ranks. Look at H.W. Lay, he would have never done a thing like that." "Not true, I heard H.W. Lay was a cruel and heartless man who would do nasty things." Clevenger grimaces, and then nods, encouraging his partner to continue. "For instance...?" "Dammit Clev! For instance, he would like, clip his fingernails and just toss the clippings all over the place... And on to other people! And then he would sometimes stick his hands in other peoples drinks as he walked by them in restaraunts and he would just laugh menacingly and stroke his chin, does that sound like an honest man to you?" "How can you sleep at night?" "Vodka, you know that." He says slamming his tie against a barred window waiting for the man behind it to press a button to open the automated door. Slowly the thick steel door opens up leading into a dark hallway lined with dimly lit cells. "After you my lady." "Why do you do that, you know I hate when people hold doors open for me." "Well, a) I am not holding any doors and b) I am a gentleman, Clev. Don't you know that's what we gentleman do, we are not like H.W. Lay, we dont pretend to hold doors open for old people and then slam it on them as they walk by." :End Interlude |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:34:44 GMT -5
Area 15. The Lower Levels: The Director flicks close his cellphone. “Sorry about that. Just had to fire someone.” “…S’fine.” “Ok, sure, where was I don’t like what’s going on in the world.” He pours himself a glass of water and places the jug beside him. “With these people flying around, it’s just downright un-American. They should be licensed. Trained. Like me. Like us. I mean, I was a trouble maker in the past, sure, but now, look at me! I’m running one of the Governments biggest science institutions… In another dimension!” He scratches his white moustache and then moves his arms outwards. “But no, President Lord let’s them run wild. He’s changing his mind, sure, he’s coming round to the right way of thinking, but it’s too little too late, I think.” He takes a sip and then smiles. “Do you want a drink?” She nods. “Yes, thank you…” “Sure.” He pours her a glass and then passes it to her. “Now don’t get me wrong. This whole thing with you, me… Hell…” he smiles as he says the word. “It’s nothing personal. I would like nothing more to be back in Metropolis checking out my old friend Jim Harper, or maybe in my old la-- in my old office, but I get dragged around the country, the world, you know that? My job is that of making sure we are in control.” “Of A-America?” He looks at her for a moment, as if to say, ‘Excuse me?’, but then shakes his head. “No. America is my home, but I’m not talking about us ruling the world. I mean, we get enough crap in the media because of our foreign policies and environmental stuff, but no. I’m not saying that my job is to make sure that America is in control of the world. I’m saying that my job is to make sure that humanity is going to survive the next evolutional step up the ladder. Aliens are falling from the sky like clockwork, did you know that? We’ve imprisoned a God beneath the Nevada desert. An alien calling himself a man is a national treasure and we have… Amazons. An entire island of Amazons… Just… Sitting there, on their mythical isle, trained for war and doing nothing.” He shrugs. “We used to know more, but our representative was… Injured. Unfortunate accident that.” Claudette takes another sip from her drink and bites her lip. “Why are you telling me this?” “Because I think you’ve betrayed the human race Claudette Moore. I have reason to believe that you have betrayed the Cadmus Project for a bit of fun in a motel at the end of the strip. You have nearly undone all that we have hoped to do here, you’ve nearly KILLED the human race. Global genocide because you wanted a bit of sex ‘cause you were feeling lonely. How the HELL are we going to win the WAR if you can’t keep your panties up? It’s people like YOU that make my life hard.” She cowers as he stands above her, his fist clenched. “And I’m telling you all this… Because…” His eyes darken. “You aren’t getting out of this place alive.” |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:35:17 GMT -5
“Who are you?” The two guards raise their rifles at us. “ID please.”
“We’re here to review your genetic imprint system.” I hand him the key card I hold. Using Bug’s know how, as soon as that card is entered into the system, a virus will spread like wild fire, delivering a payload into the mainframe that’ll make sure the card will work wherever we use it. Obviously changing the name on the card from Claudette Walsh to George Kaplan was a bit risqué, but to indulge my love of… “Everything alright there?” Shut up. Got to concentrate on what I’m here for.
“Sure Mr Kaplan.” The man nods and smiles as he swipes the card and a loud buzz fills our ears. “All seems in order.” I step through the door as it flickers open and then suddenly the air tastes old and the light is different. I’m in. The door closes behind me, leaving the two men looking at each other.
The two men look at each other as technician walks inside. “Weird guy. Why’d he say we’re here to fix the…?”
“Guy’s doing his job, let him have his eccentricities.”
“Sure. If he got his personal pronouns right…”
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:36:38 GMT -5
Area 15. The Lower Levels: The man smiles and sips his drink. “It’s nothing personal, I assure you. But you allowed your key card to fall into the hands of a known felon…” “Known… Known felon?” “Did you know that every time you step through the threshold of Area 23 and Area 15 you are doused in tiny nano-machines? Little robots that do nothing but record information. Now we don’t look at every person’s ‘footage’ but when people lose ID, when people are missing, we pull up that footage. A security measure. They’re not deadly, they won’t kill you, they’re harmless.” He smiles reassuringly. “Don’t worry.” “Everyone… Everyone has these?” She shakes her head, confused. “I don’t…” “Cadmus is a major branch of one of the most important government groups. This is Cadmus 1, there are seven other Cadmus facilities around America, and I’m in charge here. We’re allowed to take measures like that. It’s all in your secrecy contract. The fine print that you didn’t see. We’re here to save the world, Ms Moore. We’re here to save the world.” “Known felon though… I don’t know… Any felons…” The man sighs heavily. “You aren’t catching on. You’re a smart woman, Ms Moore, smart enough to get a job at the most prestigious black ops government instillation in existence, smart enough to know you should get out of your abusive marriage, but stupid enough to get into it in the first place. Stupid enough to get married so early. Love is so fickle, don’t you think?” “H-How dare you..?” “I own you, Ms Moore. Your life is in my hands.” He nods slowly. “Allow me to continue. Also, stupid enough to have a drunken fling two nights ago with someone you just met in a bar, who wooed you with three compliments, who got in your pants within five. Stupid enough to leave your key card in your handbag, stupid enough to forget you had it that night…” Her eyes widen, information hitting her like a sledgehammer. “ Victor Zsasz…” |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:37:29 GMT -5
It’s a simple act of finding a dark corner and opening my case, and then the strange gas surrounds me, and then reforms, Bug and Vapor standing in the stolen work uniforms. Bug leans against the wall, his hand exposed and the faint outline of something pulsing beneath his skin. I don’t press about it, but I note it.
“I am never. Ever. Being transformed into a gas again and being kept in a freaking suitcase.”
Vapor arches an eyebrow. “You’re not the one who’s going to have to transform God knows how many into a gas and guide them out of this place. Don’t complain Bug, else I’ll tell Blue Beetle about your shtick.”
“Fine, fine…” Bug turns to Vic, and then looks around. “What you thinking, boss?”
“I’m thinking this is too easy. I mean, look around. This place is massive. There are tentacles of reality wrapped around the city of Las Vegas and no one knew. Think of the good the government could have done with this and instead…”
“They build a lab. A massive big ol’ lab that reeks of pure evil, alright Q, we get it. Now what?” Bug coughs slighlty, looks at his hand, and then grimaces.
“Do you see those men in the black suits? Their sunglasses look different. The lenses… I dunno. Something about them.” As if on cue three of the security men head down the long dark corridor to the elevator and press the button calling it up. “And I’m thinking we should follow them. They look like they have a bit of importance about them.” Bug and Vic are about to walk down the corridor, sleeves pulled up, aggression high, when Vapor shakes her head and walks in front of them, approaching the three security guards first.
“Excuse me?” Vapor taps the lead man on the shoulder, and they all turn. “Can you direct me to the genetic imprint software?”
Bug leans over to Vic and whispers in his ear. “Their glasses aren’t glasses. There’s a computer chip in them, I can hear them talking. They allow them to see in Hell… Whatever that means…”
Vic looks at his friend and sees a trickle of blood falling from inside his ear, but before he can ask him what’s wrong, one of the trio of suits spins around as soon as Bug finishes speaking. “You say something?”
Bug puts his hands up, smiling. “No, no, not me. Why? What you heard?”
“Doesn’t he look familiar?” The middle man nods and nudges the third man on the end of their line. “Like we’ve been briefed on him…”
Vic turns to Bug, his eyes widen. “What the hell you done man? You done something major to the big ol’ DEO that's got them briefed up on you? God, I hire the worst help!”
“I heard him talking to you punk.” The man taps his ear. “Implants. I’m going to have to ask you to put your hands on your--” He pauses, and sniffs the air, and then his eyes flutter beneath his glasses and all three of them collapse.
Vic looks around, confused. "What just happened?”
Vapor smiles and wiggles her fingers as they reform from her gaseous form. “Just tickled their minds with a potent mix of pheromones. Unconsciousness by way of sex. Men are so susceptible. Let’s drag ‘em into the lift and strip them naked.”
Vic shakes his head. “Excuse me?”
“For their… Clothes, obviously. We’ll be able to travel around discretely dressed as them… I don’t just strip guys naked for fun, y’know?”
Bug looks to Vic as the red haired vigilante smiles. “Could have fooled me. Come on, let’s do it.”
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:38:36 GMT -5
Area 15. The Lower Levels: “No, not Zsasz. Szasz. There’s a subtle difference, but it’s there.” He smiles and takes out a dossier. “He’s a journalist. You let your key card fall into the hands of a journalist.” “W-What?” “He never loved you, did he Ms Moore? And all you ever wanted was to be loved…” He smiles sympathetically. “But don’t worry. He’s not a journalist anymore. He wasn’t using your gullibility to get back into the tabloids. No. He was going to expose many things. Cadmus’ new project being one of them.” He takes a breath, and sips his drink. "He told you what he was, straight up, honest…” Her eyes widen some more, remembering what he had said to her, but not understanding. “ Unlicensed trouble shooter… A man without a face…” “60 years of my life wasted to all this. He’s what I hate, Ms Moore. Victor Szasz is a superhero. And he’s worse than the others, you know why?” Her whole body shaking, she screams at him, so angry at all of this. “ Why? WHY THEN?” “He’s a vigilante. He killed an old man... Well. We think he did. We caught it on camera but we never found a body... Sorry, what was I saying? Right. And he also assaulted two DEO agents, put one in hospital and made the other one a bit more mouthy.” “What?” “I don’t very much like those two, Faraday goes on and on about their ineptitude, but never fires them. They're a tight knit bunch them DEO agents. Oh, don’t worry, they’re part of a different department.” The man puts his drink down and then walks around the room some more. |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:41:01 GMT -5
Interlude Two:
Midway City; Baatle Institue for the Criminally Deranged: "So where on the doll did the bad man touch you?" "What are you talking about, no one touched me." "That's understandable sir, we all suffer from bouts of denial. Wouldnt you say that's understandable, Agent Clev?" "That's totally understandable Agent Nodell. Wouldn't you say that's understandable..." Travis Clevenger looks at the man in the cell and then rummages through the clipboard holding his notes. "I'm sorry what was your name?" "Huh?" "I'm asking you a question. That's what we are here for. I'm Agent Travis Clevenger and this is my esteemed colleague Agent Bill Nodell. Oh, you know what, nevermind, got it here." He points to the piece of paper with the former police officer's name on it. Bill nods. "Russell Smith. Former police officer of Gotham City, former police officer of Midway City. Currently incarcerated for... Wow." Nodell's eyes open wide. "Yes, 'wow'. For rape, torture, murder and... Shenanigans." "Shenanigans indeed, Bill." "Umm... So, do you like the view in that room of yours Russy?" Nodell says, putting on a pair of dark sunglasses, "I've gotta say, all the light in here is giving me a headache." " Who are you?" The man on the bed sitting crosslegged asks monotonously, looking in between the two agents at a blank space on the wall. "I think we already said, sir. Ok, well me, I'm the walrus... or wait was that - " "Do you know this man?" Clevenger says pulling out a picture of a blank faced man from his coat pocket and holding it against the window. The man's top lip twitches. "Him? No, never seen that face before in my life." "Well, well, well... Did you hear that Clev? He's never seen that face in his life, weird since you said on a report that a man with no face was the one responsible for the severe lacerations on your throat and bruising around your eye." Russell Smith looks confused as the man speaks. "I never said that." "How embarrasing, I go out on a limb and now I have to admit that I never studied your case file... Well, here goes..." He takes a deep breath. "I never studied your case file but the fact is you are here, rotting away like some kind of perverted buddah in a ten foot cell while he's out there yuckin' it up, God knows where. So why not cooperate with us and we can help you help us even things out." "Yes, I remember him." "Okay. Well now that we got that out of the way, let's move on to new business. Did he leave any kind of indication or make any remarks as to where he might be riding off to next?" Nodell asks, taking out a pad of paper from his back pocket ready to jog down notes. "No." The man slowly shaking his head looking away from the two men. "No?" Nodell asks before committing to put pen to paper. "No." Clevenger says answering his partners question. "Oh." Nodell says putting the issue to rest. "Oh?" Clevenger says waiting for the man to expand. "No." Russel reaffirms whilst blankly staring at the brick wall. "Oh." Clevenger says quickly looking at Nodell. "So..." Nodell says tapping his access pass before he puts his pen in his front pocket of his jacket and his note pad in his back pants pocket in unison. "No." The man says staring intently at the blank space. "Wonderful I think this interview is over, you have been a collosal failure to us, Russy." Clevenger says, stuffing the blurry photograph into his pocket and walks back down the narrow hall. "Aren't you going to help me get out of here?" Nodell takes a cigarette out of his pocket, and looks to Clevenger who rolls his eyes as he takes out a lighter. The dishevelled agent turns as he puts the lit cigarette to his face. "£$%^ you." :End Interlude |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:42:33 GMT -5
“Holy God.” My eyes widen. I tilt the glasses down my nose and everything vanishes. Pure darkness around the fringes of the lens, and then, pulled back up… Fully visible. “Something is wrong with our perceptions. We’re being affected by whatever’s here…” I grimace. “I wish we had a telepath, we’d know more about this place.”
“You got one better, Q.” Bug smiles, and then clenches his fists. We’re wearing the suits of the men who we knocked out, and Vapor turned them to mist and hid them in the elevator shaft. “You got yourself a technopath. Humanity as it is, is flawed… But machines… Oo-la-la…” He smiles and then he wiggles his fingers. “Wow.”
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:47:13 GMT -5
“You might be guessing why there’s not a bullet in your brain right now. I know I can’t get anything more out of you. But do you want to know what this is all about?”
"What is it Bug?” His eyes widen as I look over to him, and I hear a commotion coming towards us. “Damn, Vapor, find what we’re here for, go mist and go fast…”
“Want to know the big ol’ secret that’s lying beneath the surface of this very moment?”
“Will do boss, you stay safe now, alright?” She smiles and then vanishes, transforming into pure, undetectable air. An amazing sight to behold.
“Now, what is it Bug?”
“I told you before Ms Moore, Nano-machines latch onto everything that passes the threshold...”
“Voices… In my head… Q... Over you… Over everything…”
"Voices? What do you mean Bug? WHAT'S GOING ON?"
“Little machines, recording everything that occurs here. Seeing through peoples eyes. Experiencing what the carrier experiences.”
“Q… Q… They’re inside you… And my proximity to you... Means they've spread... To me…”
“So we’re always aware of who comes in and out. Who vanishes for seconds and then reappears. Who goes to the toilet, who has a quickie with a technician thinking no one knows, who sneaks in with a man in a suitcase made of gas...”
Bug grabs Vic by the arm, gripping him so tight that his compatriot's arm burns with the pain. “They know we’re here!” Vic realises then and there... The pain doesn't matter. They're in Hell.
The Director smiles. “Victor Szasz and his associate were dead even before they reached this place.”
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:53:23 GMT -5
Interlude Three:
Midway City; Baatle Institue for the Criminally Deranged: "I hate following this guy, if we were there it might be interesting but really going back and reliving his incredible adventures through the various people he comes into contact with is the most mind numbling boring thing ever. Faraday is a bastard for ever putting us up to this assignment." "Yeah, this is why they never put this kind of thing in movies... I mean even if it is about two incredibly suave secret agents like you and I, they still have the decency to cover the other stuff, but when you have to track the guy down its really going to get monotonous." "Seriously, why do we put up with this?" Clevenger says as he takes the bag of chips out of his pocket and stuffs a chip into his mouth, "You know, I coulda been a chip mogul? Yep, true story, I had all my ducks lined up in a row and was just about ready to buy a rake for all the money that was going to start coming in but you know how it is, its all politics in the 'biz." Nodell looks at his partner, bitter contempt on his face. " Oh." " Oh?!? Is that all you have to say to me? I just opened a part the Pandora's Box that is my lurid past, and all you have to say to that is oh?!" "I told you I kinda thought about making a new chip like... No more than an hour ago, and you pull this? How do you expect me to respond to that? I thought we were really bonding Clev, I really thought we were and now I see how much you value my friendship, it's fine though, I guess these wounds will heal... somehow..." "Oh." Clev says smiling and offering him a chip from the packet. "You really can hurt peoples feelings." Nodell says snatching the bag away from him and throwing it out window. "I hope you learned something from this." "Yep, next time I'll say so." "Ha. Oh. Funny stuff." Nodell takes a long drag from his cigarette and then jumps as his cell phone starts to vibrate. "God damn. You were supposed to be the one with the technical skills. I never give anyone my number so you'd think they'd call you, you know?" He picks it up, and then a smile forms on his lips. "Special Agent Andrea LaVerne! To what do I owe this pleasure?" He pauses for a moment, and nods. "Ah. Sure." He hands the mobile to Clevenger. "You've ran out of battery. It's for you." "Thanks." Clevenger takes the cell and puts it to his ear. "Hey Andy. Oh you liked it? Yeah, thought you might. Oh? You did? Where?" He nods and snatches the notepad out of Nodell's pocket. "Las Vegas? You're sure?" He nods slowly, scribbling a location down on the pad. "Thanks. Speak when I get back... Yeah... I will..." "Give me that!" Nodell snatches the phone back and hangs up. "I can take business, but please do not flirt on my cell! I mean... Come on! I'm going to have to buy a new one. This is soiled goods. What did Andy want? And come on, Andy? She got some gender assignment issues?" "She's got a friend who works for Cadmus labs Las Vegas. A technician. She called her last night, and mentioned someone that might be of interest to us." "Zsa Zsa Gabor? Because I tell you, that was only a phase..." "No. Got us a hot lead, o-partner-o-mine... Victor Szasz is in Las Vegas." Nodell rummages through his pocket and takes out the keys to the black car they were driving, and begins to pick up the pace as he heads for the car park. "And we're only a three hour drive away." Clevenger nods as he picks up the pace, following his partner. "Let's roll." :End Interlude |
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:53:59 GMT -5
"What?!” We spin around as a group of men in black armour turn the corner, weapons raised. “Bug, do something!”
“I… AAAAAHHH!” He collapses in a heap, his body electrified, something happening beneath his skin. I see blood pour from his orifices, his eyes red as his blood vessels burst. “Ah… Ah…. Ahhhh…”
I turn to the armoured guards. “Jesus… What did you do?” I raise my hands, my fists clenched. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”
The monotomous drone of their voices scratch against my mind, and their weapons are still raised up to me, levelled at my body, ready to fire. “Subject two neutralized. Subject three unaccounted for, Subject one enroute.”
“Try it…” I leap into action, slamming my elbow into the red slits across their helmets, and then slamming the lead man’s weapon down, firing a hole in the floor.
Two men stumble back. “He wasn’t supposed to have combat abilities.”
“Always possible.”
The first man nods. “Always a variable.”
“A variable? This isn’t a variable you sonofabitch!” I kick the second man’s gun into his chest, causing his finger to spasm across the trigger, blasting a hole into the ceiling and causing metal to fall down on top of him. I’m about to punch the third man in the face when a loud noise fills my ear and my everything goes black. “Sonofa… Sonof…” I collapse, noise fading out and the darkness welcoming me. We were screwed from the beginning. I should have spoken to Bruce when I saw him. Preoccupied with other things. Perspective…
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:54:30 GMT -5
The Director puts his finger to his ear and then smiles, nodding as a voice whispering to him confirms what he wanted to know. “He’s been taken care of.”
Claudette Moore stands. “What do you mean? What did you do to him?”
He shrugs. “Why would you care, you’re not his girlfriend, you’re just a pawn. And we know all about pawns in this business.”
“You can’t go around killing pe--”
The gunshot is silenced. She doesn’t finish the sentence. She falls to the ground, her eyes wide, her mouth agape, blood trickling from the wound in the middle of her forehead.
“Prepare interrogation room two for the two prisoners. This is going to get interesting.”
“Yes, Director Donovan.”
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Post by HoM on Feb 7, 2007 15:54:49 GMT -5
TO BE CONTINUED IN TWO WEEKS TIME! [/i][/center] |
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Post by mockingbird on Aug 9, 2011 14:39:34 GMT -5
To let us know what you think of this issue, please visit the letters page here!
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