[hr][hr][center][img]http://i.imgur.com/WQzsvwp.png[/img]
[sub][i][b]“God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is hopeless.”[/b][/i]
C H E S T E R  N I M I T Z[/sub][/center]
[hr][hr][center][sub][b][color=gold]B R O T H E R H O O D[/color] / [color=green]G E O M A N C Y[/color][/b][/sub][/center]
[b]S T A R  C I T Y  -  U N I T E D  S T A T E S[/b]

[INDENT]Carol’s mind had remained on the prospect of the possible connection between The Brotherhood of Mutants and Geomancer since she had left the doors of Big Belly Burger, the grease-slathered cheeseburger sating her hunger enough so she could clearly think about what was the [i]game[/i] here in Star City. Reading his dossier in-between her calorie-inducing dinner, Carol had a lot to think about as she and Jessica prepared to continue their investigation. In what she knew, any connection between the Brotherhood and Geomancer had to be a loose one at best considering how this guy acted in previous cities. The Brotherhood wanted a statement of [i]liberty[/i] whereas Geomancer’s motives had only suggested [i]anarchy[/i]. He had shown up in other cities around the world, some without any real mutant crisis or opposition to either regal in dangerous behavior for his own entertainment or to fill his own pocket. The dossier Jessica had given to her had told her that plain as day— this was a mercenary who only cared about himself, and a [i]non-mutant[/i] one at that.

The Brotherhood didn’t traditionally work with “non-mutant terrorists who were out for themselves” as far as she knew, so [i]if[/i] it was true then the Brotherhood’s leadership was so different from the one Magneto established; the ideology before the whole White House incident was more or less gone… or maybe, just maybe, whoever was the new “big cheese” was gaming whoever they could use for their benefit.

[color=gold][i]Whatever it is, I don’t like it.[/i][/color]

As the two superheroines walked through the streets of Star City as the evening dusk started to set in, they could visibly see the changes in the neighborhood— the bleakness of inner city poverty was present even here in Star City; a fact they could blatantly see as deteriorating buildings, half-burnt down structures, senseless graffiti, and large stripes of ‘CONDEMNED’ sprawled across many businesses and homes. Carol crossed her arms as she frowned.

[color=gold][b]“And I thought Boston was bad. This is like… Detroit, or Hub, or [i]Gotham[/i].” [/b][/color]

[color=AE322D][b]“Star City has it the worst out of the tri-cities, but crime blooms in poverty and this is the result.”[/b][/color]

Carol nodded. There would be no need for people like them or others if poverty and inner city turmoil didn’t exist— but hadn’t Green Arrow done pretty well with setting a standard here and inspired people to pick themselves out of the gutter? But maybe people didn’t [i]want[/i] to crawl out of the gutter. Carol looked down at a pothole filled with water— her muddy reflection looking back at her. She remembered something Amanda Waller said to her a few years ago, back when she was new to SHIELD. 

[color=gold][i]Why would people bother to pick themselves up when it is easier to stay at the bottom. It’d take a miracle to inspire those kind of people.[/i][/color]

[color=AE322D][b]“Carol?”[/b][/color]

Carol blinked, snapping back to reality. [b][color=gold]“Right. So where does the trail start?”[/color][/b]

[color=AE322D][b]“SHIELD intel suggest he’s been working relatively close to our location— organizing with the local street gangs, taking advantage of a power vacuum, racking up a lot of money from his operations here. Normally Geomancer would’ve booked it with the laundered money by now… but nothing tells us that he has left.”[/b][/color]

[b][color=gold]“So he's building up to something.”[/color][/b]

Jess nodded, [color=AE322D][b]“Yeah, I thin—”[/b][/color]

The clicking of assault weapons and hum of energy weapons cut the woman out— Carol and Jessica’s eyes narrowing as they stopped in place as the group of criminals stepped out of the shadows; the two heroines attempting to count their enemies and looking around for any civillians that could be caught in the collateral damage before they made any move to bring them down.

[b][color=gold]“I think he found [i]us[/i] before we found him.”[/color][/b]

[color=AE322D][b]“Gee, what made you think that?”[/b][/color]

Carol smirked, but before she could state a comment the silhouette of a man walking down the street towards them become clear as day— a flash of light off his goggles.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/SSiGiuG.png[/img][/center]

[color=8882be][b]“Hello ladies.”[/b][/color]

[color=8882be][b]“Welcome to Star City. Though I guess you could call it just one of my many… [i]geocities[/i]. I was not expecting either of you, certainly. I'm afraid you're quite early for the show, but I don't recall selling tickets... tsk tsk tsk. Shame.”[/b][/color] 

Carol's brows narrowed. [color=gold][b]“What’s your game, Geomancer?”[/b][/color]

[color=8882be][b]“My game? Ha. Well, Captain Marvel, you’ll find out in a few minutes. But first we get to see if Green Arrow is paying attention. It [i]is[/i] almost in time for the eleven o’clock news… and boy, have I sent a message. It’s almost… [i]earth-shattering[/i]. This is going to take the mutant panic to a whole new level. Aren't you excited? I know I am.”[/b][/color]

Carol felt a swelling in her throat— what the hell was he planning?

[color=8882be][b]“But I suppose you can get a teaser for being my little VIP’s.”[/b][/color] Geomancer let out a hearty yet disturbed laugh as he motioned to the city around him. [color=8882be][b]“What do you think a magnitude [i]fifteen[/i] earthquake would do to Star City?”[/b][/color]

[color=AE322D][b]“You're [i]insane[/i]!”[/b][/color]

[color=8882be][b]“In the membrane, Spider-Woman. Ha. Ha. Hahaha. Hahahahahaha!”[/b][/color][/INDENT]