[IC] Crisis: Mars! [Full unless you're Brilliant]

[Sep]

Ryan, and Cassie just nodded at everything said before Ryan picked up his sister in his arms before running again. Once again the slowest, his new body form not exactly designed for speed. The woman who had become younger however was seemingly enjoying all the benefits that re-gained youth had to offer. A couple of times Cassie weakly mentioned the Watcher, whoever this guy was however he decided to leave it to the others to worry about. He had to focus on running right now. Breathing in, and out. Arms as pendulums as one foot fall was followed by another, his solid stone form shaking the ground slightly. Climbing up onto the street they darted around buildings, Ryan being extra careful.

It was one thing to see people skulking around in this district, in fact it was to be expected. Though someone made of stone in torn clothes would likely draw attention and right now any form of attention was bad attention. When they got to the door she tried and failed to open it. Putting down Cassie he just grunted as he pushed her a side. "Here." He moved and pulled it open with little effort.

"Any booby traps or can we go inside now?"

[twave]

"It's safe." Stepping inside she glanced around. "Excuse the mess. I haven't been able to do any spring cleaning in a few years." going in further she shoved some papers off one of the chair there. This place had been left to sit for almost five decades but nothing had changed. The air was stuffy so she went over to a panel and started up the rebreather. As the others stepped in they would find a room filled with old tech.



The place definitely was not selected for the amenities. A chair and a mattress were there for rest. That was something that they will need to address. Everywhere else was either a table or workbench. Off to one side was a metal door that had been welded shut. Moving things around Edith stopped and looked up at a board on the wall. On it were notes, musings of a broken mind, pictures of buildings, people, corporations, and lines connecting them all.

Yeah, Edith had forgotten the state she'd left this place in. If they didn't think she was crazy before they probably did now. Sighing she started pulling out pins and dismantling the madness she created in her mind. "It may not look like much but this location is safe. There are conduits above us that throw out a lot of interference. If we plan to stay any amount of time then we'll need to get some more bedding. Cassie needs it more so she gets the mattress for now."

Getting here may actually have been the easy part. Because now they had to survive on their own, or at least until whomever has been helping them pops up again. "There's another space through that door. I'll cut it open soon so we have more room." Tired of looking at the craziness she stuffed in in a drawer and stepped away. Looking at all the stuff strewn about even she wasn't quite sure what she was working on. "Damn." Finally looking at the others she tried to read their reactions.

[Peaceless]

The physicist followed into the hideout, still feeling elated. It almost seemed this was his calling - and Edith's room sealed the deal. He deeply breathed in the smell of inorganic dust, burnt electronics and machine oil as his eyes took the room in.

"This is... perfect." He finally said. He approached a crate on the floor and lifted a strange cyllindrical contraption with wires sticking out of it. Halfway out of the crate the thing opened from below and began to spill its electromechanical guts - but Chris somehow caught it all halfway before it scattered on the floor.

"I am pretty sure that with the stuff here, I can recreate a crappy bootleg version of some of the equipment I left in the USF clinic." He said thoughtfully. After picking a corner for himself in the room, he patted his numerous pockets and withdrew a digital thermometer, a flashlight, his mobile phone and a fancy military-issue multitool. Done marking his territory with these tools, He approached the red giant.

"Give me your hand for a moment, I want to test something." He extended an open palm towards Ryan.

[Greatmar2]

The expressionless guy introduced himself as Chris, meanwhile the stone man didn't seem to acknowledge Renat. But as Renat listened to the rock man, he realised there was a whole side to this mutant thing he hadn't really thought about before. Since he had discovered his power, he had been so focused on being upset by it and wishing it away. He'd heard of mutants on the news pretty often, but never actually given them much thought. There were some people that had more reason to hate their abilities than him. And at least his was hidden and did not bother him as long as he did not, consciously or unconsciously, trigger anything. It would be hard, since he'd normally be daydreaming regularly or imagining something he was making a picture of, but he'd survive... hopefully.

Lost in his thoughts, he did not notice Cassie stirring. He got a small fright when Cassie suddenly woke. He was a tad offended and confused that she did not recognise, after she had jumped in front of a shock net for him, but he put it down to her having just woken from some sort of teleport-induced energy-deprivation. And the stone man, Ryan it seemed, did not seem to be paying too much attention to anything - even his sister's request for a phone.

Chris, however, brought Renat's train of thought back to where it was before, but this track was headed in a slightly different direction. Yes, these abilities were a pain, but Chris had a point. They had them, so they might as well use them. Cassie can teleport, that saved me from the net and helped them escape a bunker prison. Chris can read people's bodies like a book, which could help immensely in healthcare. Ryan is probably super strong and or durable, being made of rock. Edith can do weird stuff... Probably something useful. And I can... uh... escape stun cuffs... Renat realised he had yet to find something useful he could do.

Again zoning out, Renat caught only the tail end of what Edith had begun to say to him. Why would she need to restart her life, she's only a teenager... Edith continued to echo his earlier thoughts of the U.S.F. trying to shove 'abnormals' under the carpet, but she then reminded them that they needed to get a move on. Renat then followed the others, his usual quiet self.

When they entered Edith's hideout, Renat felt an impulse to touch and figure out how everything worked. Instead he restrained himself, going and standing near the corner closest to the door and avoiding touching anything. The amount of dust meant this place must have been abandoned for years. Decades, maybe. Yet it still had a slightly cosy feel to it. He chuckled softly, thinking of how - when he a lot younger, - he'd often pretended he had a secret base, plotting the downfall of mean kids. First those on Mars would fall, then all on Earth and the moon too. He had never acted out his plans, unfortunately. They probably would not have gotten far anyway.

[twave]

Edith took a seat in the chair and leaned forward to rest a moment. While this was all exhilarating it was also quite terrifying. Figuring out how to survive would be the next big task. Rising back up her hair had fallen over into her face and she had to pull it back. In the past she had kept it rather short so it didn't get in the way. Come to think of it even further in the past she preferred it long like this. Chris' mention of rebuilding some of the equipment reminded her of some information she wanted. "Chris. I know that we weren't able to get a copy of the data. But do you recall if the brain scan showed any significant neurological damage?" She had to know. If whatever happened cured her then she might actually have a shot at being, well, normal. Or normal aside from being a freak of nature. Socially normal might better categorize it.

Looking at everyone here they all looked pretty worn out in some fashion. Getting up again she want over to Cassie who was on the mattress. "How are you feeling? You pushed yourself pretty hard getting us out of there. Thank you." Her hair got in the way again and she spun around. Hairbands were not something readily available so she just grabbed a piece of wire. Gathering her hair back she twisted the wire around to hold the white strands in a pony tail. Note to self, get a mirror for this place.

[Sep]

Cassie was just kinda sprawled out on the bed, exhausted. She then sat up as the other women came closer. "I am feeling, like I could sleep for a week and a half, on any planet." She used her hands to keep her torso propped up as the rest of her was still lying down. "Also it's no problem. I guess we're all in the same boat, or so I've heard." She shrugged. "I'd offer to help you kit this place out with some newer tech or update some of your old stuff, though I'm quite happy where I am-" She then noticed the kid (The one the Watcher sent her to see earlier) standing in the corner.

"Hey Kid, we don't bite-" she looked at Edith. "-Well I don't bite." She patted the mattress beside the two of them. "Take a load off, it's been a long day."

---

Ryan just stood near the door after pulling it closed, he was almost tempted to go break the welded door himself. However he felt it wa sbetter not to, too much noise would gather attention and right now that was one of the worst things they could do. They had to keep quiet for now, let the U.S.F run their hunt dry before they even thought about sticking their heads out. He turned to Chris, who seemed overjoyed as off late. "Just don't make the autopsy machine-" THen was the request for his hand.

"Why? What do you want my hand for?"

[Peaceless]

Chris turned his head to Edith. "Brain damage... No,that's... That's a very complicated test, unless the damage is extensive, and I would've felt it when I..." Chris fell silent suddenly. He didn't tell her, did he? "When I examined you, before the scan. I used my ability to see if you're in danger. If your brain signals were severely distorted, I would've detected it. Higher resolution required the sort of equipment I had there."

When he turned back to Ryan, he felt a need to select his words very carefully. There was a wide variety of explanations he could give Ryan that would prevent experimentation on him forever, with or without him also attacking Chris for even suggesting it.

"I want to see if you are healthy and that there are no destructive processes in your body due to this crystallization." He finally said. Technically this wasn't a lie - but in all honesty, the large man seemed fine, and any violent transformation was probably behind him already. Ryan narrowed his eyes with visible suspicion, and slowly raised his hand, palm down, so it was obvious he did not want to cooperate. Chris noticed this, and wondered if being a woman would make this easier. He stepped closer, his hand on Ryan's forearm.

Searching for surface signals... none detected. Adjusting sensitivity... Changing to active mode... Chris raised his eyes at Ryan's face, who in turn tilted his head. A high-current surge of information made the scientist hiss and reel back. He carefully renewed contact a few moments later. There was no neural information flowing through Ryan's body - when he wasn't moving. Chris pushed against his arm and after Ryan realized he wasn't trying to topple him and moved it slightly, the high-current signals returned. Chris wiggled Ryan's arm back and forth a few times, then sighed and stepped back.

"I can't read your body." he finally said. "This is what I assume would happen to humans if their body stops being a collection of cells and becomes a... solid." He cringed inwardly at his inability to foresee this. "But - with enough experimentation time I am sure I will be able to adjust -" While saying this, Chris noticed Ryan's leer and took a step away from him. "Look, just think about it, okay. With the stuff I can do with my own body, yours might be a whole world of undiscovered phenomena."

[Greatmar2]

"Hey Kid," the teleporting lady called to Renat, "we don't bite-" She then briefly looked at Edith, causing Renat to glance at her as well. "-Well I don't bite." She then patted the mattress beside her, giving Renat an indication of what she wanted. "Take a load off, it's been a long day."

Renat smiled briefly, mainly at the fact that Edith had been the friendliest to him so far. He said "Thank you," and swung his backpack down onto the floor beside him before sitting down on the mattress. He realised now that the robots had not payed much attention to it at all. Maybe that fancy X4 did a scan of it and detected nothing threatening inside. He himself had in fact forgotten it was on his back in all the excitement, but that wasn't too uncommon since it might as well be glued to his back the amount of time he spent carrying it around.

While the scientist was busy playing with Ryan's arm and hand, Renat sat in awkward silence for a couple moments. He then voiced a question in hope of starting up conversation with the other two members of the impromptu team, though directed at Cassie the others may have something to contribute. "So, who is this Watcher guy you mentioned, ma'am?"

[Sep]

Cassie turned to the kid. "Oh right, yeah I forgot you haven't met him yet." She yawned, covering her mouth with her left hand. "He's the one that led me to you, and Ryan and helped me figure out how to use my powers. Don't ask me for his real name, as I don't know it. I've never actually met him. He's always called me except when he first began to contact me via using screens and holo-panels. He seems to be everyone it's... weird. Though he knows things, and seems to have my best interests and yours at heart, he's the man with a plan." She smirked slightly at that. "So once we've rested I think we should contact him and if you guys don't want to, I'll go contact him myself."

---

Ryan put his arm down. "I'm fine with it being undiscovered right now, thanks." He then listened in to the conversation between the kid and his sister. "I think I know what you're talking about. The Map appeared and I was told I wasn't alone by a strange man on a screen. So I'm in for calling this guy."

[twave]

Admittedly Edith was not keen on the idea that someone was always watching them. Could he see them here now? There weren't any cameras in the place for a reason. And the location was pretty well shielded from the outside thanks to the power conduits around them. "If you want to contact him then you'll been to step out. First because your phone won't work well down here. But also because I don't want you leading him here. He may have helped us out but we have no idea of his motives." Ironic words given she lead people to do horrible things in the past herself. But it was something learned from experience.

On a slightly lighter note Edith looked at Chris. "So you're saying that you didn't detect any neurological damage from either you ability or the instruments." She was more repeating the information than asking. Smiling slightly the teen nodded to herself. "That's great news." For a moment she looked like she might shed a tear but shook it off. "Okay, so we're safe. We can go try and contact this Watcher guy. But we also need to figure out how we're going to live down here if it comes to that."

[Peaceless]

Chris wanted to protest against Eith's inaccurate perception of the difference between failing to measure something and it not existing, but decided against it. She was releived and it was just as well. Besides, the next time he sets up this kind of experiment, he will be able to look for it actively.

"Well, if this Watcher brought us, at least some of us, together, maybe he has a plan." He offered. "And if this line of thought fails, Cassie can always teleport supplies in here, as an immediate solution. Since we're being actively hunted, it's only fair we take from our hunters."

He looked around the room. "I can try set up a working monitor if that's this Watcher's way of contacting you."

[Greatmar2]

Renat was interested to find out more about this Watcher, he didn't like it that there was this mysterious person - well - watching them. The person may be keeping his identity secret for his own protection, but it still made Renat suspicious. He usually did his best to avoid people who were hiding something. The Watcher could easily hide more serious things with the distraction, if you can call it that, of hiding his identity. Edith and Chris were right, they needed to find out more, but it seemed that Cassie probably did not know too much more about The Watcher but it was still worth asking some questions she may know. "Do you know if the Watcher also has an ability, is an abnormal himself and that may be how he watches us," he asked Cassie, "or merely someone skilled at technology and hacking, able to get into U.S.F. and other surveillance systems?"

[Sep]

Ryan just stood silent, this wasn't really his thing. It was Cassie however that spoke up. "I don't know if he's powered or if he's just a really good hacker. It could be a mix off both however-" this she directed at Edith. "He's helped us through tough times without his own life being endangered that I think makes him trustworthy, at least until he does something really stupid. Though you're secret lair if you don't want to contact him in here that's no problem. We can always contact him somewhere else. Though I'd say contacting him is no more dangerous than Chris using his personal phone, which the U.S.F probably have on-record."

She shrugged as she looked around at the others. "We're all in this together, and I don't think we should split up but this guy helped bring us together and seems to know what's going on, at least to some degree. I'd say that's worth checking out, at least until we come up with a better plan."

[Peaceless]

Chris thoughtfully picked up his phone and examined it. It was a simple model, with a beautifully rendered 3D wallpaper of a strange shape which he knew was one of the molecules in beer. He thought it was pretty clever. While he didn't remember giving the USF his personal number, it wouldn't really stop them from getting it, would it? Shrugging, he began taking the battery apart.

"Alright, let's go contact this person before we proceed." he finally said while making his way to the entrance.

[twave]

After a few moments of thought Edith nodded. If there was a good time to make a call right now would probably be it. At least the U.S.F. would be busy trying to figure out what happened and would likely not yet be scouring any communication signals. Plus they wouldn't know which part of the city to look for them. "Alright let's contacts this Watcher. But we're not staying out long." Going to the door she paused a moment before someone else opened it for her. "Note to self, oil the rails."

She lead them down a corridor to where the signal should go through. Turning back to Cassie she held her hand out as if to tell her to continue. The teen did not look particularly confident in reaching out to someone she knew nothing about.

[Sep]

Cassie was wanting to take the lead anyway, besides they weren't going that far. Only far enough away that there would be a strong signal. The industrial sector was plagued with signal issues, which didn't make a lot of sense however such was life. She held up her phone, on loud speaker and dialed. "I've been waiting for your call." A rich, old english sounding accent spoke from the other end of the phone. The video played up, nothing more than a sollohuette of a man visible as it became a hologram. Still no features could be taken from the image. "I've been, exhausted-""I'd think so Cassandra. I did tell you not to push yourself too hard, the last thing we want is for another meta to end up in a body bag."

Cassie just nodded her head in this, while it piqued Ryans interest. There were more and some had been killed? Though that bit wasn't surprising, given the treatment they had recieved. "Anyway, I see you have made friends with Edith, Renat and surprisingly Chris." The hologram turned slightly to where Chris stood. "I will admit, you were the unknown in the equation. I wasn't quite sure what way you'd turn, thankfully General Lorne seems to have pushed you upon the right path. At least the right path from our stand point. Though let us not get caught up in semantics."

The Watcher paused for a moment. "I presume you're held up in one of Ediths old hidey holes? I'm only guessing as I wasn't able to trace you myself and I'm picking up your signal from the industrial sector. Very clever, probably the right thing to be doing right now. Though I presume there are questions your new friends wish to ask, so speak your minds."

[Greatmar2]

Renat followed the others out of the dusty room. Everyone seemed to agree as to the need to contact the Watcher, so he did not comment. When they stepped outside, he realised that time had passed since school had finished. He hadn't been paying much attention to the time at all while they were being chased. Now, though the sun would not have been easily visible above the towering industrial sector skyline, the sky was nearing the reds of sunset.

When contact with the mysterious Watcher was finally made, something that struck Renat was that the man still refused to let his face be seen. Despite what they had been through, the man insisted on remaining a shadowy silhouette. At the very least he isn't scrambling his voice. Or maybe he is, but by putting on a fake accent. From the history I know, that accent started losing popularity in England centuries ago.

The Watcher then offered for the group to ask questions they'd like to. Before Renat could stop himself, thinking he should have been polite and waited for the adults first, he blurted the question that had been bugging him for a while, "What are your motives?" After a brief pause, he thought he might as well get in his other questions while he had the opportunity, "What is your involvement in 'metas', as you put them? How do you keep track of us and do things like you did with that map? And is any chance I could just go back to my normal life?" He could have continued, but Renat thought it might be best to let the man answer - lest some questions get missed or skipped - and to not hog all the attention.

[Sep]

The watcher turned to look at Renat. He just sat and watched him. He didn't respond to the questions immediately he let the boy get it all off his chest. Then he got it in before he let anyone else hop in. "My motives, are to assist you. Assisting you will assist me, and it will assist everyone else on Mars. There are many problems and Mars will be the solution to the way forward. My involvement with the metas is the same as before, if I assist you it assists me. That's what the plan is anyway, if you wish to walk out on me it i syour choice but if you do I shall no longer be off any assistance. Though let us not yet resort to such drastic measures."

He then turned to the other questions, all the while he was visibly looking between the different people in the group. "In terms of how I keep track of you, and interact with the map and TV systems... a magician never reveals all his secrets. As I doubt you will ever reveal all of your secrets I would rather not divulge my greatest secret, quite yet. In regards to your last question I feel Chris having the most open mind would agree with me on this. You are not normal, not by any current definitions anyway. By proxy you can never have a normal life, at least by any current standards. You are all so much more, and you are the way foward."

[Peaceless]

"Yes, we are." The scientist said quietly, perhaps more to himself than the Watcher. He turned to Renat. "We are all in this together, and we will help you, and eachother, find a new place in this world. Don't worry." Somehow the pinpoint pauses in this short speech managed to convey Chris's meaning. Indeed, the boy's concerns were not particular to him - it was just that the others could go with the flow easier, trying as hard as they could to keep their heads above the water without asking if they can, in fact, stop drowning.

His eyes moved to the hologram. "Watcher." He started, moving closer. "What is known about this anomaly. Is it contagious. Singular to a certain area." He grunted with annoyance, exasperated with his voice's monotone. "Is it destructive to the host. Can it be enhanced or dampened. Who is the top researcher on the field."

[Sep]

Cassie had been through all this before, so resided herself to simply being the one holding the phone. The image of the Watcher now turned to Chris. "You were the first, beside your assistant of whom the U.S.F called in to study the anomalies as you call them. SO you are probably the closest to an expert they have right now. However there is a specialist being brought in from Earth despite the quarantine, who should be here in a couple of days. A Doctor Tiberius Smith, if you have heard off him. Bit of a big shot in the scientific community." The hologram just shrugged. "However whether or not he will be capable of making heads or tails of this is still an unknown. I doubt it as even I have struggled to find a common thread between everyone who has gained these abilities."


"However, as of yet they do not appear to be contagious. Either that or as it reacts differently to everyone, giving you all different abilities perhaps it just affects other people in no way at all. There is no way to be certain at this stage-" There was a loud klaxon that sounded three times in the distance. "-However it appears that the U.S.F are bringing in Martial Law, if you have any more questions ask them now before our time is cut short. However if that is all you have to ask do not worry, I will have more for you in a couple of days I am currently pulling upon a thread that can help us but cannot reveal more until I am done with it."