Heroes: Shadows over Millenium

[SirNitram]

Gravitas glanced to Blackheart. "Think you can keep these off the books?" He asked simply. "After meeting our 'colleagues', I think we need a backup." Another glance at the flashdrive. "...Thank you, Saibot." The unspoken part was simple.

Thanks for trusting me.

[Cynical Cat]

"Keep what off the books?" said Blackheart.

[LadyTevar]

((Once again, anything in <> is in Chinese, except for those I actually know the translations to. ))

Sunrise, and the man known to many as Zufu, or Grandfather, was taking his breakfast privately, as was his wont each day. It was a soothing ritual to him, something that he found more comforting as he aged.

This morning he felt more than saw when he was joined. "<Is that you,> Chi-lung?"

Silver eyes, with a faint black slit appeared inside the closest shadow, and Lei's voice rose softly from within. "<Yes, I am here, Grandfather. I have need of answers.>"

"<You are very blunt today, unlike your normal self>" the old man noted. "<Will you not join me for breakfast?>"

"<No, Grandfather, I may not stay. I need answers, about those called> Freak Legion." The English word stood out glaringly from the subtle cant of their second language.

"<Why do you need this, she-dragon? What interest are they to you?>"

"<None. But to those I now work for, much.>" Lei's soft voice did not change in volume, but remained perfectly calm and flat. She did not plead, nor cajole. She flatly asked. "<Can you get this information for me?>"

Zufu was silent several moments, as if judging her request. "<I cannot tell you more than what those you work for already know. But I can tell you what they are purchasing with the money they have gained. Perhaps, that would be enough.>"

The silver eyes lower, then rise, as if bowing to him. "<I will pay the price you ask for this information.>"

"<The price is simple, she-dragon.>" Zufu answered. "<Sit with me, eat with me, as the information is gathered.>"

Now it was the dragon's turn for silence. "<Are you sure, Grandfather? Is that all that you ask?>"

Zufu nodded, pressing a stud on the table and issuing quiet orders to those outside. Lei heard confirmation of those orders given, and Zufu looked back to the silver eyes in shadow. "<You have heard. They will bring me the information you require within the hour.>"

"<Then... I join you, Grandfather.>" The shadow bulged, as Lei slipped out from within.

"<She-Dragon..... what has happened to you?>"

[Dark Silver]

"Don't mention it..." he said flatly, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's not everything I have, just what I could fit on the stick. And mostly information on the Rings. I'm still the only one who knows where their hidden though, figured you would know enough that with the data, we could work on fixing the limitations."

[SirNitram]

The flashdrive vanished into a pocket. Gravitas nodded. "This is why I like working with professionals." He said simply, and didn't speak further on the subject. He nodded to the paper. "Registration protests have begun. When the first incidents of violence hit, you will see, within a few weeks, those who can bypass detection by assuming a baseline form will begin infiltration. They will power-up, as it were, as the violence begins, and wreck havoc."

Gravitas shrugged. "Or so goes my prediction. In the meantime, let's talk Freak Legion."

[Agent Fisher]

Ryan spoke up. "I've read reports on them, like to use chemical agents for cover. When we go after them, we need some form of chem warfare gear, gas masks and suits. Don't want a mind fucking like you guys had at, what was it?" He looked through some sheets of paper. "Ah, here it is, at Binary Corp. Building."

[LadyTevar]

Gravitas shrugged. "Or so goes my prediction. In the meantime, let's talk Freak Legion."

"Indeed. Let us talk of them." The calm voice spoke from a shadow on the wall, the silver eyes flickering into being. "I have spent my morning gaining what information I could, from sources Blackheart should ignore just as he has Saibot's files."

The silver eyes were different. Once solid silver, now there was a faint trace of a slit pupil, like a touch of tarish upon the gleaming metal. A tendril reached out and laid a memory stick and a file on the table in front of them. "Here are what has been stolen by them over the past year, and what they purchased with the money they obtained from the sales." The voice remained calmly collected as the shadows spoke. "Some food. Medical supplies. Diapers. Furniture."

At some point, someone may figure out just what is weirder than the tarnished-looking eyes. There was no emotion behind the shadow's words.

[Dark Silver]

"They've also purchased heavy hardware, weapons, components to make advanced tech. Including what they stole from the Alpha Building, and the tech they purchased off the black market, they could be producing anything."


"And frankly....despite whatever else thier buying..they've hurt people with their raids, innocent people who had nothing to do with the big picture."

Of course, Saibot was happy to see Argent, despite how he was talking, he was also concerned by the different look she had....

"They're up to something, they need to be put down. Freakshow himself, sure ain't no saint, he has a rapsheet half a mile long, including multiple homicides."

[SirNitram]

Gravitas was thinking hard. Then, after a moment, spoke. "What kind of furniture?" He asked simply. "Because a group of meta criminals does not up and start collaborating on the baby bills just because." Another pause.

"Wait a damn minute... What's the origin of Freak Legion's powers?"

[Cynical Cat]

"They're settling in," said Blackheart. "That changes things. They'll be around if we put them on the back burner. Which makes the demon makers more of a priority."

[Dark Silver]

"Genetic mutation, as far as I know. My sources tell me that most of them aren't the kinds of people you would see in polite society....people so traumatized by their powers..they can't or won't live with the 'norms'."

"Freakshow himself, born and breed meta, espouses the rightful power of his cause, how he was born from a long line of powerful Metahumans, and intends to show the average man exactly what it feels like to be oppressed, he's insane, and needs to be put down."

[SirNitram]

Gravitas nodded gently. "Pardon me.. Forgot that the idea of Metas reproducing here was commonplace." He said after a moment, pinching his nose. "We'll need an absurd amount of firepower to crack Raising Cain. Manpower too, not to mention a shockwave clause, because even we might fall if they've got the facilities to bind the big nasties from down below."

[B4UTRUST]

"Sir, the report concerning our agents has just come in sir. They've been detained at Ultima."
"Let me guess, Mirage team."
The young man flipped through the pages of the report. "Yes sir."
"I think it's time we kept a closer eye on our dear Mirage team. This Ghost they have on roster, how does he compare to the rest?"
"Rather underpowered in comparison to most of them. But still very potentitally useful to them if he's used right."
"Indeed. I believe he would benefit from a small enhancement. Something to close the gap a bit, so to speak. See to it. Pass the order down the line."
"Of course, sir."

---------------

Ryan's comm chirped.
"Agent Ryan, report to Agent Bowman's office immediately."

[Agent Fisher]

Ryan perked his head up. He stood from the table. "I'll be back in a bit. Don't go storming off to get the Freaks without me." He left the room and made his way to Bowman's office.

He knocked on the door and poked his head in. "You wanted to see me, sir?" He inquired.

[Cynical Cat]

"Shockwave clause?" asked Blackheart. "I'm not familiar with the term, though the context is suggestive."

[SirNitram]

"Picked it up the one time I worked with.. Call them the analogue to Ultima in my world." Gravitas replied. "They instituted one for all missions any of me or my friends went on them with. If things go south, use overwhelming firepower to level everyone involved. I beleive the standard was a nuke, but then again, the Olympians weren't exactly low-powered." He rolled his shoulders.

"In short, if we go down, the situation must be contained, or neutralized. If necessary, by ensuring any potential host dies of radiation poisoning before approaching the former site."

[Cynical Cat]

"This is the wrong organization for really heavy weapons," said Blackheart. "Given how it seems to be leaking like a seeve and has members of other alphabet agencies using it as shopping center, I really can't say the Fed made a bad call about that."

[B4UTRUST]

Bowman looked up from his computer screen towards the door.
"Ah, yes. Agent Ryan, come in, have a seat. There's a matter that's been brought to my attention that I need to discuss with you."

[Agent Fisher]

Ryan had been in combat, he had been ambushed. After awhile, one almost got a sixth sense about ambushes. And right now, his sixth sense was going off. "Yes, sir." He sat in the chair across the desk.

[B4UTRUST]

"After a careful evaluation of Team Mirage and it's personel, we have come to a conclusion concerning you. Your abilities, while providing a much needed skillset to this otherwise very straightforward strongman group, are how shall we say.. lacking. You, in the view of the evaluation team, are more a liability then an asset currently. You simply aren't tough enough to deal with the assignments being presented to this particular unit.

"However, in light of your years of service, and more importantly, this team's lack of other skillsets aside from skullbashing, we are prepared to 'assist' you.

"What we're offering, and please remember this is an offer and not mandatory, though I must inform you that if you do not take this offer it will seriously affect your eligability to remain assigned to this unit, is a form of enhancement. It is a serious medical procedure, have no doubt. But, we can augment your body. Synthetic muscle replacement, increase your reaction time by modifying your nervous system and the speed at which your synaptic processes respond. We can even modify your eyes.

"With these 'upgrades' you should be able to preform your duties to your optimum potentital.

"Again, this is a volunteer offer. But remember that your continued service with this unit is dependent upon you taking this offer."

[Agent Fisher]

Ryan nodded. "I understand Sir. My team is currently have a strategy session. Could I rejoin them and afterwards give you my answer?"

[B4UTRUST]

"You have till close of business today for the decision. After that, paperwork will start to remove you from your current position."

[Agent Fisher]

Ryan stood. "Understood. I'll be back with my answer before then." He left the room and returned to the meeting room with the rest of the team.

[B4UTRUST]

"Excellent. Well then, return to your teammates. Please remember to report back before the end of the day."

[Cynical Cat]

"So," said Blackheart, "the question is whether or not we have the muscle to hit Raising Caine. We have the authentic replica decoder rings as a boost, so the question is whether or not we have enough muscle for the job. And before Argent gets all mushy over the Freakshow, remember they have bodies to their names. Not many, but it will grow."