Thriller The Reckoning

Laura Changte
Lobby of the Mansfield Data Center

Laura saw Anna suddenly appear and the man behind the pillar collapse, as he was obviously shot. He gasped in pain and then was gone, appearing next to the door. He screamed out in pain as he hit the floor on his shot knee and began to spasm. Sweat was covering his face and his veins began to show.

Laura did not hesitate and put one well aimed shot to his head. Before he fully collapsed another two hit his chest from behind. He was dead.

With a smile she looked at Laura. "I assume you took care of the two outside?"

The girl had done good for her first battle. Exceptional actually. All three attackers had perished without Anna even suffering a scratch.

"Good work." Laura smiled. This was a war and she had just found her perfect weapon to fight it.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @RachelTyrell

 

Anna Talbott
L.A. Mansfield facility, Lobby

Anna looked at the dead man for a moment. It was over. They were all dead now. Adrenaline faded from her system and for a moment she fought not to throw up.

Finally she regained her strengths and gave Laura a sad smile. "I killed them, as you said I'd have to. I ... have never killed anybody before."

The hollowness of this realization was devastating. She had entered a new world now. One she would certainly not post on Instagram on.

"I ... saw something at one of them ... some kind of exhaustion effect. It seemed rather bad, if not lethal. Is that normal? Is there something I should know about? I feel nothing like this when I use my powers." She gave it some thought. "Not yet."

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @SirakRomar

 

Matt Andrews
Las Vegas, car

Matt looked up from the report and his thoughts kept circling around what CDC was doing. This was a quarantine zone. A secret quarantine. The Black Doctor had arrived in the US.

He had to speak to the President. This was a cover up someone had authorized.

For now he turned his attention to the Professor. "Not so sure anymore. This is turning into a threat for the nation. This could be worse than the war on terror. Americans tend not to change Presidents when the country is in an existential crisis. Didn't do it after 9/11." He folded his hands.

"But tell me what protocols do you doubt? We do background checks, we do screening, vetting, keep them under surveillance. To me it almost appeared as if the man knew how to pass our protocols. I have not got the final report, but I bet the man kept calm for months. I bet he was a perfect steady and safe and sound candidate. He knew exactly what we were looking for and he delivered." Matt sighed. "Which brings up the question who could give him such information."

Matt shrugged. "Any ideas?" He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Changte was a target. The Director died actually. Kawin maybe? His situation must be frustrating and he is not an US citizen. Right?" Of course it wasn't Kawin. The man relied too much on their medical services.

Tag: @HanSolo29

 

_____________________________

Lobby of the Mansfield Data Center, Los Angeles

Anna felt it. It was more intense then anything before. Time. Space. Someone was manipulating it and whoever it was, he was powerful and what he did was profound.

As she slowed time instinctively she saw the dust particles beginning to move ... all into one direction. The blood on the ground began to slowly crawl. The bodies slowly moved as if dragged to the center of the building by an invisible hand. It all happened slowly, but considering how much she had slowed time now ... it actually had to happen incredibly fast. Even Anna felt a pull, like gravity building up ...

TAG: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell

 

ooc: Obviously a combined between @RachelTyrell, @DarkLordoftheFins and myself

Anna Talbott & Laura Changte
L.A. Mansfield facility

Anna saw the blood move and felt the pull herself. It was still happening so fast except she had slowed time ... she realized it all had to be nano-seconds in which this took place. What happened? What on earth happened that laws of physics suddenly did not apply anymore!

Panic spread inside her soul. What was that? But something in the back of her head jumped alive and knew that she would end ... die ... if she did not act now.

NOW!

She took Laura out of the slowed time and grabbed her, pushing the woman out of the lobby. "Fast! Out!" She yelled.

Laura almost stumbled taken by surprise as she saw what was going on around her. She knew who this was. ALPHA. He was here. She ran. Together with Anna she ran for her life and ripped the glass door open a moment before it shattered ... almost in real time also the world was in slow motion. The glass shards made their way to the invisible center.

They broke free as they reached the pavement and Anna stumbled and fell. Laura took out her gun, looking around on the battlefield ... and then she saw it.

The whole building collapsed ... no it imploded. Concrete shattered like melting ice and turned to dust. No sound escaped the scenery as if sound itself was absorbed.

Anna looked at lying on the floor and then at Laura. Behind Laura was a man with blonde hair and feverish blue eyes. Smiling at the building, wearing a long coat. "Run." Anna said and pushed Laura away. "Run away!"

Time was still slowed down, but this ... man might not need more than a thought to kill her. Laura looked at Anna and then followed her gaze.

There he was. She recognized him from the Falludscha files. Simon. Alpha. So he was here. She knew bullets could not hurt him. Not when he was prepared for them. And the man looked back at them and then grabbed into his pocket, getting out cigarettes. He was not slowed down by Anna, or at least not as much as the surrounding. Laura dived behind a car and stayed there. Hiding.

Anna understood and got up slowly, grabbing a stone as she prepared.

"Stop it." Anna yelled at him.

"I can't." He simply answered and spread his arms. "You must be Anna. I was so hoping to meet you here." He said and lowered his arms again.

Anna did not hesitate but threw the stone at him, accelerating it to super-sonic speed. It vanished just a meter in front of him and he lighted his cigarette.

"You need to try harder if you wanna kill me. But I am not here today to find out who of us two kills who." Alpha replied cooly, hissing out smoke.

"Why are you here today?" Anna asked in return, wondering what her next move would be, how to protect against his power.

"I wanted to meet the girl with these extra-ordinary powers. I wanted to see myself what you can do."

"Oh you seen nothing yet." Anna hissed and knew she was bluffing.

Simon laughed at the comment. "Sure of that." He only replied. "They must be so proud of their new toy. So very proud." He lay his head aside.

"I am here to help. Help them stop ..." ... you?

Simon raised his hands. "I know. I know. For good and the fatherland. Those glorious rotten United States of America. Halleluja." He mocked her and looked at the building that was now no longer there. The cloud of dust spread in slow motion.

"How do you do that? Why are you not ..." Anna felt stupid asking ...

"Space and time. Folded and molded, forged and bent. You cannot touch my domain of power. Everyone else might be affected, but I ... am in my own bubble of space and time." He raised his brows. "Interesting how quickly we get used to power and how shocking it is once they take it away from you, is it?" Simon threw his cigarette to the ground.

Laura resisted the urge to stand up and fire at the man or at least talk. But she was certain Anna could not protect her if she did.

Anna kept her breath for a moment and then nodded. "Impressive. But I can ... do more."

Simon nodded. "Oh you are just beginning, I know. The next time we meet one of us will die, Anna. But you knew that did you?"

He put his hands into his pockets.

"See you soon, kiddo." With this word he simply vanished. He was just gone.


Anna stood there and did not believe what had just happened. They had won and the man had taken their victory from them as if they were children.

"Who is Alpha?" She asked without looking at Laura. She still watched the spot the man had stood as if it would reveal him soon again.

"Alpha is the first of the Gifted. The most powerful one, except maybe LEGO. He is certainly the most dangerous man alive." Laura gasped and slowly came up from her cover.

"No kidding." Anna only replied. She had seen the man and she had seen ... pure evil.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @SirakRomar

 

Ground Zero - Former Mansfield Data Center, Los Angeles

The army arrived swiftly and soon afterwards the civil services. They took surprisingly long, actually.

"Seems like a flu hit the city. They seem to be low on men. Brought guys from three counties here." Col. Webber explained, an older serious man with short gray hair who was responsible for what they had dubbed "Operation Cerberus", the investigation and cover-up of the biggest terror attack since 9/11. A building in L.A. with 200 employees gone. PR and the NSA were preparing the story of the bomb and the statement etc., but the true investigation was lead by Laura Changte and had a whole different direction.

"As you predicted we found the substance in the two attackers bodies. High concentration, higher than your guy in D.C. your Doctor says. Oh and they have obviously no ID, but all three are ex-military, as their tattoos tell us. So we will soon know who they were.

They were walking through the tent they had put up to gather evidence after the perimeter was secured. Before Laura lay a plastic bag with a hotel key in it. Old fashioned metal key, not a modern keycard. The little plastic shield attached said 'Santa Monica Marina Inn'. Room 21.

"Guessed you might wanna follow that one all by yourself." The Colonel sighed. He knew Laura, not specifically her ... but he knew spooks.


Anna was treated for the minor cuts she had suffered in the fight outside. An army doctor treated her. "I understand you were a civilian recently? Your first combat?" The man was young, maybe thirty and smiled at her. "You have taken human life, I am responsible for your physical well-being, but I can get you a councilor if you need one. Don't take this lightly." He gave her a smile that was more sympathy than humor.

TAG: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell

 

ooc: TSG asked me to post this ... combined again.

Maria Liang
Hong Kong, The Cellar

Maria reacted instantly and rammed her elbow and head into the attacker from behind and turned drawing her gun. Two bullets ripped into the chest of the young Chinese man. Another with a steel pipe appeared in the corner of her eyes before the first one even collapsed. Maria had no time to adjust her feet and simply turned the gun and fired. She hit his ear and screaming he stumbled back.

The triumph was short lived as she felt something hit her right leg and her body collapsed. She fired two uncontrolled shots hearing screams as she randomly hit two followers and then adrenaline gave way to fear and pain as Akira was suddenly above her and stepped with her heel on Maria's arm. She let go of the gun and saw the death head make up above turn into a bizarre grin as Akira smiled down at her.

"He has seen something that has value in you, American. So I guess he will need to come and get ya." Akira raised her boot and hammered it down into Maria's face. Everything faded to black.



Her consciousness returned through the veil of pain. Her arms were tight up above her and her feet did barely touch the ground. She was hanging from the ceiling and tasted blood on her lips. Amy the Geisha stood before her and the moment she opened her eyes from the dark of the room appeared Akira. Her heart was pounding.

"What are you afraid of?" Akira whispered. "You will die in two days. I told you. I am never wrong." Akira grinned. She pushed Any aside and her face came so close to Maria's they almost touched. For a moment it almost looked as if the woman would kiss her. "What happens in those two days is another thing." Akira whispered.

"Do your worst." Maria replied. "But if I were you I would let me go. If I don't report every two hours ..."

"Psssht." Akira put her finger on Maria's lips. "Don't lie." She calmly said. "Don't you lie to me little Maria." Akira looked at her.

"This world is dying. Maria. I see the people and they all die. Everyone. Everywhere. On TV, in the streets. Death comes for all of them. The Black Doctor. The coughing death. This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper." She smiled.

"T.S. Eliot." Maria said.

"An educated killer you are." Akira smiled.

"I am not ... a killer." Maria felt the need to cough, but fought the urge successfully. Yet, she knew the triumph would be temporary. It was cold down here yet she felt as if she was burning.

"Not so sure my friend you killed back there would agree. Oh you were so fast." Akira grinned again. "You know how you die?" Akira asked. "You wanna know?"

Maria stared at the woman. "My educated guess would be multiple organ failure and coughing." Maria said, feeling her restraints were too tight to escape them.

"He will kill you." Akira whispered to her ear. Maria stared at the woman. Was it true? Would LEGO kill her? It would probably mean she failed.

"What do you want from me?" Maria asked. Trying to regain control of the situation.

"He kills you, so he needs to come." Akira winked. "Here."

Maria nodded. The plan was not that convincing considering Sebastian's powers. But Maria looked at Amy. Then she nodded.

"I won't run then. I want the same as you." She said and as if it was an answer Akira drew her gun. She had taken it. Calmly she put it against Maria's head.

"If I pull the trigger you would die. A bullet would rip your brain apart and end you. Yet, I know I won't shoot you. Free will. Or unfree will? Is there anything left to do but watch the rotten flesh of mankind come to an end? He knew this would happen. He painted his warnings all over the city. He did nothing about it, except letting us know." Akira finally stepped back and tossed the silenced Glock to the ground.

Maria finally had to cough. A violent cough shook her and she felt her arms stretch painfully under it.

"How will you die?" Maria asked Akira then. Akira shrugged. "I don't know." The woman answered and turned to leave. He steps echoed in the dark as Maria remained with Amy in the cellar.

The girl stared at her. She just stood there and stared.

"Have you ever seen his power? What he can do? If I were you I would either let me go or prepare to die."

The girl shook her head. "I cannot die. I cannot change. My body is frozen in this state, frozen in this dress, this make up. I will be here when all is gone. Forever." Amy smiled. "Maybe this is far worse than what awaits the rest of you."

Maria felt another coughing come up. She simply nodded at the girl's words.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Anna Talbott
L.A. Mansfield facility ruins

Anna felt the hollowness of the act. She had ended two lives and watched a third man die.

But the feeling was only a torturing background noise compared to her scary encounter with Alpha. The man had scared her. The confidence. The easiness with which he brought destruction and death. How would they stop such a vile creature? How could she fight him?

"Thanks Doctor. Once our mission is done I will see someone. I appreciate your concern." She patiently waited until her was done and then kept on sitting there and waiting. Laura would probably know where to go next. Because she had no idea what to do now. Should they hunt Alpha? How? Where was he? Even if they tracked him down, what could they do?

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @SirakRomar

 

Warehouse, Nevada

The Sheriff looked at Jane and then he laughed. "They will die? Really? That is your threat?" Shaking his head he turned and walked over to the warehouse. Ambrose gave Jane a look and then covered her as they approached.

The Sheriff, now moving his exhausted body with the energy of an angry man pushed the door open and revealed the warehouse.

The smell was the first thing Jane would recognize. Death. Death in large quantities. The smell you picked up in Ruanda around mass graves. Then she saw it. Beds. Improvised beds. And on the beds coughing and crying, suffering, swearing people. Children, old people, young people, a deputy ... fever in their eyes, the blood they had thrown up on their faces. Some lay still. Some where dead. A single nurse between them, coughing herself as she turned.

"You really think they care?" The Sheriff asked. "But think about killing them. Infected they spread the illness, wasn't that the point?"

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422


Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

Chad had a rough idea of the mission, Kawin shared with him some of the finer details along the way. When they arrived at Monroe Airfield near Vegas, they were surprised though. A "dark field" they called it. Abandoned airfields used to move around people with a certain discretion. They were empty and in the midst of nowhere. This one wasn't. It was in the midst of nowhere. But it was far from abandoned.

It was actually sprawling with activity. A whole city of tents was there. Black SUVs, ambulances, soldiers ...

"This is not national guard." Chad said as the door of their plane opened. He made his way down the gangway and allowed Kawin to take his time. Two soldiers down the stairs actually blocked his way. Chad was visibly irritated. Kawin, who had a little more time as he faced his old nemesis the stairs again saw that there was actually a second landing field not far away. Black Hawks and Apache Helicopters were parked there. Around twenty each.

"Sorry, Sir you got to leave. This is a quarantine zone." The Lieutenant welcomed Chad with a serious face.

"We are TARC and ..." He produced some official document from his jacket and showed it to the soldier. "... hate to ruin your day guys, but this is our permission and that down there is the signature of the Vice President of the United States of America." He smiled and put his sunglasses on.

The soldier was surprisingly unimpressed and produced his own paper, that looked surprisingly similiar.

"Hate to ruin your day, Agents. But this is the quarantine order and I hope you know whose seal this is." He said and Chad took it. He turned to Kawin in disbelief. "The President authorized this."

Tag: @Mitth_Fisto


Motorcade, Nevada

Cale looked at Matt and then nodded.

"You know what, you might be right. This is not a university, this is a federal agency. That man had to have inside knowledge or something would have popped up." The Professor leaned back and sighed. When Kawin was mentioned he shook his head.

"Because of his power and the danger it poses he is the best watched of all Gifted. No. Not him." Cale said and looked out.

"Mr. Vice President, there is another explanation." He bit his fist and then turned his head to look at Matt. "They could have another Ayshe. Our enemy." He raised his brows. "Is it just me or should we pray we got a mole?"

Tag: @LordTroepfchen

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

It had quickly become apparent that Chad had a rough idea of the mission, so Kawin did his best to fill in some of the finer points that he was working off of during the flight down. Nice thing about little jets, they were very comfortable and talking with the pilot was easy from his plush chair. So it was with the talk and possibly a tiny nap later, although honestly he was just resting his eyes, they arrived at the Monroe Airfield near Vegas, an outpost of nothing beyond the rim of Sin Cities glow. Or so it was supposed to be, instead it looked like a scene from an black army movie where one is preparing for an invasion.

Looking out his window he could see a whole city of tents was there. Black SUVs, ambulances, soldiers ...

"This is not national guard." Chad said as the door of their plane opened.

Nodding his head Kawin quirked a brow, "I would say we either have a new Alien Invasion movie or we got bad intel." He made his way down the gangway and allowed Kawin to take his time. The man was considerate that way and he had to truly be thankful for it, after all standing was its own mini-mission most days with unlocking the knee supports, pushing up, relocking them, getting canes and everything else ready that he wanted to take with him, check the setting to semi-move for walking. . .and then walk by using barely there nerves and muscle groups to shift yourself around in a manner wholly unnatural to the average person. Good news was his core had never looked better.

When he got to the door, polio crutches shifting and helping to drag his body in their way he saw the immediate impediment, two soldiers down the stairs actually blocked his way. Chad was visibly irritated. Kawin, who had a little more time as he faced his old nemesis the stairs again saw that there was actually a second landing field not far away. Black Hawks and Apache Helicopters were parked there. Around twenty each. So, one for invasion movie or else war. Fabulous, this wasn't even really his nation, he just worked here.

"Sorry, Sir you got to leave. This is a quarantine zone." The Lieutenant welcomed Chad with a serious face.

"We are TARC and ..." He produced some official document from his jacket and showed it to the soldier. "... hate to ruin your day guys, but this is our permission and that down there is the signature of the Vice President of the United States of America." He smiled and put his sunglasses on.

The soldier was surprisingly unimpressed and produced his own paper, that looked surprisingly similiar. Kawin was already fighting his way down the stairs when this apparently started to go worse.

"Hate to ruin your day, Agents. But this is the quarantine order and I hope you know whose seal this is." He said and Chad took it. He turned to Kawin in disbelief. "The President authorized this."

"Wonderful." He huffed out as he took another step. "Now, how about we have your commander call and check, because I am fairly certain we are on the list of allowed penetrators of this little. . .quarantine zone. Most likely you men were here or on your way when we were, both of us have a mission here. Fairly certain yours is if mine fails." Kawin stated with a smile at the last as he paused on the steps and leaned on the little railing whilst pushing his glasses up from where they were sliding down his already perspiring nose. Desert heat might be dry, but at the moment from stepping out of an air conditioned plane he was sweating faster than the air was drying.


Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins , @HanSolo29

 

IC: Jane
Wesco, Nevada

"They will die? Really? That is your threat?" She shared a look with Ambrose. Just what was going on here. They didn't seem worried about death, it looked like the Sheriff had given up. Something felt wrong. She kept her weapon up and followed the old man into the warehouse. She smelt it before she saw it. Sickness, suffering...death, it wasn't the scent of one person dying it was many. It brought her in the mind of places she'd been before. Killing fields, mass graves, massacres, things she'd come across and participated in. This looked like a ramshackle ICU, with people in various states of sickness and one nurse tending to them all.

"You really think they care?" The man asked, "But think about killing them. Infected they spread the illness, wasn't that the point?"

Jane kept her distance, turning her gaze first to the sheriff and then to Ambrose. She didn't want to get too close, these people were sick, with something that was spreading. She didn't want to be a vector. Gritting her teeth she turned away. Pressing a hand into Ambrose's chest.

"You know anything about this?" She asked her voice low and almost threatening.

TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins @HanSolo29

 

Laura Changte
Ground Zero Base Camp

Laura looked at the plastic card.

"You guessed right. Get me Ms. Talbott and get me a car and then I need a med team and a swat in case things turn out funny." Laura shrugged.

"Oh and there should be a nerdy scientist with a few guards from Mansfield who should have survived. I need him. Locate him."

These guys were too obvious at laying traps or they got arrogant. Powers often made Gifted arrogant. The keycard was probably not on their mind when they attacked and felt invincible.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @RachelTyrell

 

Warehouse, Nevada

Ambrose looked at her and sighed. "It is a bit complicated. We knew about this. But it's the Government hiding it, not us. Instead of doing something they seem to care more about public opinion and allow it to spread." He kept his voice down. "We still got a job to do, you are aware of that. Are you? You wanna discuss this with the Boss? Get it over with and I make sure you get your talk."

The Sheriff had clearly given up, he had just passed his perfect moment to act. Draw, run or call in more police. Instead he had these tired eyes almost begging this to be over.

"Can I say goodbye to my wife and kid before you do your job?" He asked and wiped tears from his eyes.

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422


Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

The Lieutenant looked at both of them. Foster his name-tag said. Finally he sighed.

"Okay, that piece of paper is good enough to let you in. It won't be good enough to get you out again, you get that, do you? Quarantine zone means nothing goes out!"

Chad sighed and looked at Kawin. It was the Canadians call, obviously. He was in charge of this mission.

Tag: @Mitth_Fisto


Santa Monica Marina Inn, Los Angeles

Room 21 was on the upper floor of a cheap tourist motel not even close to the Marina it had in it's name. Except a German couple leaving for the beach there seemed to be few people around.

If they cared to risk a look through the window - which Anna could probably take without a risk of being discovered - they saw a man in his early forties inside, packing two suitcases in a hurry. His gun, a F92 Beretta, was lying on the bed. The man was tense and in good shape, his head shaved and wearing Jeans and a blue shirt. He would have looked like any ordinary man, would he not be packing what looked like a mobile medical station into a huge black suitcase.

TAG: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell

 

Anna Talbott
Motel, Santa Monica

Anna had been happy to get out of these tents and away from the ruins. Yet, she was tense her next mission would lead her to even more bloodshed. At least a break would be good to adjust to the transition from an Instagram influencer to a superhero Government Black Operations Agent hunting super-powered terrorists.

She had the feeling that break was over now. She could not blame Laura though. They were under an incredible time pressure. Alpha would not take a break, so how could they?

At the Motel she followed Laura's lead and took a "time-out" as she called it now to lurk into the room, describing exactly what she saw inside. She left time slowed down, only releasing Laura from it.

"Go ahead, he won't see you coming." She said and pointed at the door.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @SirakRomar

 

IC: Jane
Wesco, Nevada

"It is a bit complicated." Ambrose started giving Jane a cold glare. "We knew about this. But it's the Government hiding it, not us. Instead of doing something they seem to care more about public opinion and allow it to spread." His voice was quiet almost a whisper. "We still got a job to do, you are aware of that. Are you? You wanna discuss this with the Boss? Get it over with and I make sure you get your talk."

Jane gave him her own harsh glare.

"I know what we are here to do." she snapped, "I just don't like walking into a plague house without prior warning." She turned pistol still in her hands, looking the Sheriff tears in his eyes.

"Can I say goodbye to my wife and kid before you do your job?" He asked, the last request of a dead man.

"Go ahead." she answered bringing her weapon up. This was the only kindness she would give him. Once he had said his goodbyes, she would do what she was asked to do. Kill the Sheriff. The Freelancer was giving him the one thing that had always been taken away from her. A chance to say goodbye. She didn't get that with her parents, her uncle but, she would give it to a man she was going to kill. They can be allowed that, a little mercy before their life ended. She went back and forth on killing everyone else. They were already dying, a bullet would be more humane than leaving them to die from this illness. They also had seen her face, Ambrose's face. They couldn't be left alive.

She didn't feel joy at this prospect, she didn't feel alive killing so many defenseless people. This was part of her job, and she was a professional, professionals do their job.

TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

It was definitely a surprise, to hear it put in so certain terms. He made a show of inspecting the mans name tag, not that it would actually do him any good. The verdict was final, if he took this action he was going to be stuck, the only good news was he should still have cell signal incase anyone needed him to die. Speaking of. . .

"Chad, stay with the plane and call it in. See if nothing has changed." He stepped aside on the stairs to the let him through. "Foster, I am going to need some form of communications device so I can keep in touch or reachable at all times with our command due to a sensitive package I am supposed to activate if requested. With the quarantine I am sure cells aren't going to work. I don't foresee my mission having changed, but I do want to verify and be available at all times for that order while in the field."

He was nodding heavily through what he was saying, thinking it through he was wondering if he really needed to breach the quarantine. If it was what he was scared it was, he wasn't even sure his target was alive for him to need to do anything. Then again if she was. . .who was to say she would of stayed? Not to mention he was not gun-happy or keen on finding out the theories on his death causing an infinite time loop out of his hands.

Closing his eyes he tried to focus on the future while he waited, tried to see just a bit ahead. Get a feel for what was coming. It might be tiring, but that was what the wheelchair and motorized cars were for.

TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Laura Changte
Marina Motel, Room 21

Laura felt the loneliness. She could trust nobody but Anna, who she could rule out as a traitor. But for all her power she was untrained in these things. Investigation was not something you picked up from a YouTube video.

At the motel the powers were most useful again. Laura smiled as Anna offered a save entry. Every SWAT should have an Anna.

She took out her gun, fired the silenced gun at the door to ease the surface tension and gave it a powerful kick. The door slammed open in slow motion and Laura dived into the room and put her gun to the man's head. She waited for time to resume it's normal pace.

"You probably got a lot of questions about this. But ask yourself one. Do you wanna live or do you want to die?" Laura asked and grabbed the gun from the bed, handing it to Anna. "If you want to keep breathing, I got a few questions." She added calmly.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @RachelTyrell

 

Matt Andrews
Las Vegas, car

Matt looked at Cale and gave the idea some thought. They did not know how the Gifted developed their powers, but if they now got mass produced by someone ... would there not have to be a Clairvoyant among them sooner or later? They had some at TARC also none even close to Ayshe's abilities.

"If that is the case, if someone even close to her abilities has developed ... we probably have not a chance." He said. Then he smirked. "Also I doubt it. The operation was impressive, but not perfect. They clearly did not foresee the arrival of Ms. Talbott."

He leaned back. The Motorcade was still moving. "What should be our next steps, Professor? You are my scientific advisor, give me some advise."

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Maria Liang
Hong Kong, The Cellar

Maria fought against the cough as if there were only a limited number of coughs before he existence ended.

Then she turned to Amy. "It doesn't have to be like this. You know that do you? HE can change it. If anyone can do it then him. But I can't make him do it, if you keep me trapped here. I mean what are you hoping to gain? Trapping him? That is impossible. You know that. Killing him? Why? Because he abandoned you? That is a blame game, that is beneath you!"

"I hope he kills me. Maybe he can?" Amy said directly.

Maria looked at her and finally lost her fight and coughed. Blood tripped down her chin. Amy stepped closer and wiped her face clean, without the fear of infection.

"Probably he would. If you were not a band of psychopaths. Seriously look at you and your end-times-cult here? What do you think he thinks of that, hm?" Maria felt cold suddenly.

Amy gave her a long look. "We are the result of the world he allowed to come to pass." She said.

"Dammit, stop being the lapdog of Akira and think for yourself! LEGO did not release this virus. He did not do any of this. He just watched and I would make a guess and say he did not like what he saw and therefore did not consider you worth saving. The idea crossed your mind? If he sees the future he saw this and what do you think he saw? Humanity was worth saving?"

Amy looked at her and lowered her eyes then. She knew what Maria was talking about. Maria coughed again and this time at least there was no blood.

"Release me and let me go. I promise I will talk to him about your problem. He might listen to me." Maria asked and tried to lean forward, but found her limbs were not strong enough in her position.

"Akira would hunt you down." Amy said.

"Let me handle Akira. I think she got a question I gotta give her an answer to." Maria smirked.

"She is my friend." Amy said.

"No she isn't. I can see that you are afraid of her. I guess friendship is not what it's used to be in this world. Is it?" Maria had actually few friends left and none she would ever see again.

Amy gave her a long look and then she nodded and stepped to Maria. "You will ask him?" She demanded to know.

"You got my word." Maria replied and meant it.

Amy grabbed above and opened the hook holding Maria. She collapsed to the floor and coughed. Then slowly she crawled over to her silenced gun Akira had tossed away and took it up with her still restrained hands. She took out a needle and quickly cracked the lock to get her hands free. Useful skills Adrian had given her.

Looking up at Amy she smiled with gratitude. "Thank you." She said and looked around.

Amy silently pointed her into the direction of metal stairs at the end of the cellar.

With a nod Maria gave herself a moment to allow blood float back into her limbs and then got up and moved to the stairs as silently as possible.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Warehouse, Nevada

Ambrose obviously felt an equal lack of joy about this. He took out his gun and left the Sheriff to Jane as he stepped inside the warehouse. He kept his distance to the ill, as he began to aim and shoot. Even silenced his Glock made a terrible hissing sound as it took out one patient after another. Only one tried to get up to escape. Most of them even seemed to welcome the end of their suffering.

The Sheriff knelt next to his wife and kissed her hand. Then he turned to his daughter, who was obviously already pretty far gone ... he kissed the palm of her head and finally got up. He slowly walked back to Jane and nodded. He shrugged for a second in fear as he heard one of the dying scream, before Ambrose finished him for good.

"Ready." He finally said, making sure his wife wouldn't see him.

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422


Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

The Lieutenant nodded. "Certainly." He just replied and turned to one of the two soldiers.

"Get the Gentlemen an encrypted sat-phone and a car and let them through. Also give them passports, so they don't get shot at the first roadblock." He said it with a certain tone. Disapproval. Not of Kawin and Chad, but the Mission he was given.

"Is it the Black Doctor?" Chad asked before the man left. He turned and looked at both. "That is classified." He simply said and then gave them a revealing nod.

Chad turned to Kawin while the soldiers organized their equipment. "This will be a Deadzone pretty soon. Sparely populated area, but I saw what it did to Hong Kong on TV." He sighed. "We need to be careful."

He felt obviously uncomfortable. "You know what I gotta do if you get infected?" He then asked Kawin. Indeed Chad was the only Gifted in existence who could prevent Kawin from using his power. It was his power, surprising those of other Gifted. Chad was basically the only person in TARC who could kill Kawin. Suddenly that was an awfully convenient coincidence.

Tag: @Mitth_Fisto



Santa Monica Marina Inn, Los Angeles

The man did not move except slowly raising his hands.

"I know exactly who you are. TARC." He just said. "I won't tell you a thing. You got the wrong guy ..." He slowly turned his head so he could see Laura. "Changte is it? You were on our list, actually."

Anna saw the equipment before her and several sheets of paper clipped to a board. Blood tests hade obviously been made. Heartbeats were monitored. On the end of the sheets a remark had given each of the "subjects" a "greenlight" for the operation and detailed then the "apparent abilities". One could stop time for a period of several seconds, one had show the power to teleport and the third was able to speed up time by the factor 2. The abilities were classified into categories and leveled. All three were classified as Level 2 Gifted.

The final line was a life expectancy ratio which all three had 85% for "moderate application" and 22% for "intense application".

The man looked at Anna and the papers and bit his lip.

TAG: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell


Motorcade, Nevada

Cale gave this some though, looked at Matt and then nodded.

"We need better intel. This group did not come from nowhere. They knew about the Gifted, so who told them? How do they find them? Who leads them?" Came sighed. "This seems not to be so much of a scientific problem. It seems to be a matter of national security. We cannot go public with it, but we need to have an operational force to handle it. Get one on place."

All these things had already been arranged without Cale's knowledge of course.

The Motorcade suddenly changed directions. They were going off the road. Somewhere outside Vegas they were directing the six armored cars towards a motel. Benjamin, one of Phoenix detail opened the door to Matt's car the moment it stopped.

"Mr. Vice President, Phoenix is not well, we need to rearrange the schedule. A team of Doctors is on it's way." He said seriously. "Please follow me, alone." He said and Cale smirked.

"What is wrong with the President?" He asked and the man looked at him and then at Matt.

"A man coughed blood at him and he shows signs of fever and coughing. Probably just a cold." The man said, breaking protocol. It showed how concerned he truly was. A cold did not spread so quickly.

Tag: @LordTroepfchen

 

IC: Jane
Wesco, Nevada

Jane was unfazed by Ambrose's systematic execution of the patients keeping his distance. The hiss of the silenced pistol added a staccato backing rhythm to the Sheriff saying goodbye to his wife and daughter. This was what had to be done, to keep the quarantine, and protect their identities. The older man kissed his wife's hand, kissed his daughter's head and made his way over to a darkened corner. Ambrose didn't let up even as a man gasped in fear.

Jane attached her own suppressor ice running in her veins. This was the job, no more, no less. This was what she was hired to do. In a cold practiced movement she pointed her weapon at the base of the sheriff's head. It would be quick.

Taking a breath, time slowed around her, the shells from Ambrose's pistol tumbled slowly through the air, his bullets twisting as if through molasses. Two pulls of the trigger and her own 9mm bullets were sent on their way to end her target. Methodically, with a cold grey eyed gaze she did the same to his wife and daughter, two bullets through the head, they wouldn't feel and thing. They would all die within moments of each other. Poetic in way.

Letting out another breath her bullets hit their targets, her shells rattling against the concrete floor. The job was done. Time to return to base. She returned her weapon to it's holster and collected her brass. Old habits die hard.

"Ready to go?" She asked her partner calm like two colleagues leaving work for the day.

TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Monroe Airfield, near Las Vegas

His requests didn't seem to settle well with the soldier in front of him. But if there was one thing he had become accustomed to at TARC it was military types having an issue with him having authority. The bit about not being happy, well you try working customer service at a major corporation and something like that look barely registers. Luckily the soldier seemed amenable to his demands.

"Get the Gentlemen an encrypted sat-phone and a car and let them through. Also give them passports, so they don't get shot at the first roadblock." He said it with disapproval in his tone.

"Is it the Black Doctor?" Chad asked before the man left. He turned and looked at both. "That is classified." He simply said and then gave them a revealing nod.

Crap. Crap on a lettuce bun, he wished he could of sent his Ex instead of having to be here. Then again she wasn't gifted and would likely die more easily. Stifling the smile that thought brought he looked at Chad who had turned to him while the soldiers organized their equipment. "This will be a Deadzone pretty soon. Sparely populated area, but I saw what it did to Hong Kong on TV." He sighed. "We need to be careful."

Kawin nodded, and then Chad addressed the Elephant in the room. "You know what I gotta do if you get infected?" He then asked Kawin. Chad was, well Chad was the answer to the problem of him ending existence in a death loop. Once that problem had been brought up he was surprised they didn't have Chad sleep in the same room with him at all times to be on the safe side. Life still had to happen though, and in a way Chad was the keeper that kept him out of trouble. "Probably why they had you come." he replied with a smile. "Just remember, not until all hope is lost. Give me two resets if you can, a chance before. . ."

There was one issue he didn't voice, what if Chad got infected first? Chad was his silver bullet to kill himself and save the world. If Chad went first. . .Kawin shuddered at that thought.

TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Anna Talbott
Motel, Santa Monica

Anna picked up the papers and looked at them. These men had seemingly been subjects in some experiment they were not necessary expected to survive. Had they been given these powers? Was it what she seen with her attacker what they considered an intense application? Had their use of their power killed those men?

"You create them. That is why they are all so perfectly trained. You give the terrorists powers, but they are killed by them eventually?"

She looked at Laura. Then back at the man.

"How many Gifted did you create that way?"

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @SirakRomar

 

Laura Changte
Marina Motel, Room 21

Laura was almost proud of Anna and how quickly she had come to the right conclusion.

"And how many are still alive?" Laura added her own question. Then she sighed. "Oh I forgot you wanna take these secrets to your grave, right?"

She stepped back, lowered her gun and fired into the man's left knee.

"Maybe you reconsider. Because I assure you I am a bloody amateur at interrogations. Very bloody." She smiled at the man. Interrogation was about intimidation. This guy was no soldier and he also was not brace enough to do anything about being captured.

"We got medics on standby. The quicker you break, the better are you chances to ever walk again. Really your choice." She calmly said and aimed at the second knee.

He would talk. The question was how much would be left of him by that point in time?

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins, @RachelTyrell

 

Warehouse, Nevada

Ambrose looked at their work and then nodded. "Guess it is time you meet the General." He remarked and walked over to their car holding up his mobile. "At least he seems to think so."

Ambrose took the driver seat again and without looking back he took the direct route back to Black Rock. As they arrived there Jane was lead underground. They did not go back to the research department this time. Instead they took a hard right at the entrance and entered another part of the facility. The operations center probably, improvised but stuffed with satellite enabled computers and screens showing maps. One of them showed the area between Black Rock an Nevada and hundreds ... probably thousands of red points spreading from a town call Enterprise throughout the area. A large black circle was drawn there and it was labeled QZone.

Two dozen men were working there, all wearing black overalls and obviously trained by the military.

On three TVs they had news channels running. A terror attack in L.A. destroying a building was what they all reported about. A bomb had destroyed a European research center. Even on look from a helicopter revealed to Jane the ruin of the building was not the result of a bomb. It had imploded instead of exploded. The journalists did not have her expertise though.

Malcolm was standing in front of one of these monitors and smiled as he turned. "Nice how they cover it up." He said to his team and everybody was amused. Ambrose ignored all this.

"This way." He simply said and lead Jane to an office at the end of the room. He knocked and the red light at the door switched to green.

The room revealed was an anachronism in this facility. It could have been an office in the pentagon. A large wooden desk, books, two large monitors with CNN and Fox News on them, both muted and showing Los Angeles.

Behind the desk sat a man Jane would recognize. General a.d. John Taylor. Wearing an unmarked uniform the former member of the National Security Council stood up as Jane entered. Ambrose stayed outside.

"Jane, finally we meet face to face." He offered her his hand and firm handshake. "I can't say how pleased I was to hear we secured your services. Especially after what you did for me in New York, I had always hoped to express my gratitude. And my belated condolences for your loss. Men like your uncle Owen, they are just not made nowadays. But I am sure you got questions."

https://cdn.moviestillsdb.com/sm/d0b8aa85f4e30d215ab7d100c4e1a320/outbreak.jpg

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422


Airfield and Enterprise, Nevada

Chad gave Kawin a long serious look. "I will wait as long as I can." He said and nodded. It was obviously a thought he felt highly uncomfortable with.

The car, a black SUV, arrived with the required equipment in it. Chad took the driver seat and waited patiently for Kawin to get in. They left the improvised base and quickly spotted the signs of Enterprise, Nevada. A small town right in the center of the newly created quarantine zone.

"How can this not be on the news? Why would we cover a health risk of this scope up?" Chad thought out loud. Then he shook of his thoughts.

"So I got the feeling our target will have been active. I suggest we go after missing person cases." Chad was an ex-cop and thought like one.

But as they drove past the empty looking town it was a diner catching Kawin's attention. Someone had sprayed something on it in black and white and Kawin would recognize of TARC's favorite street artist. It was a LEGO.

Too far too make out details, Kawin would probably recognize the style anywhere.

Tag: @Mitth_Fisto



Santa Monica Marina Inn, Los Angeles

The man gasped in pain and rolled on the floor. He was clearly not trained to withstand pain, aside Laura took aim again.

"No please. Please not." He begged. "Fifty seven, but early ones burned out too quickly. We are still working on it. Maybe 25 alive. Please. Please I will tell you what I know! But you must get me somewhere save, somewhere where he can't find me. I did not wanted to do this. I was working for the Government. I thought this was a shadow job ... when I found out what they did I was too deep in. They would never have let me go."

He tried to sit up but a shattered knee hurt with every move so he settled for lying on the floor.

TAG: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell