Starring:
Summary: A Raid, a Radio, Cops and Terrorists. Just another day in the future's Big Apple.
Dark Future Date: July 28, 2009
Blue Lights, Big City
Times Square, New York
Blue flashes light up the dim of the streets near times square; the low chatter of cops on radios, the pounding of boot on pavement a counterpoint to the rumble of engines and the shouts of men.
Two Homeland Security HUM-Vees are pulled up in front of a broken theatre near the Square proper; two men stand outside while lights bob crazily up the building. One woman, at the ground floor, is dragged out by her hair, crying.
Got a radio? If you do, there's good reason to be listening: "that's right, children of the night - there's a bunch of wolves hunting square sheep. Heads down and eyes open - you know what the little pigs did. Sources say that Broadway's not clear - running the great wide way is probably a good way to get your great wide rear shot." Underneath it is the low sway of "Signs" .. "Signs, signs, everywhere are signs, cloggin' up the scenery, breakin' my mind…"
—-
A twenty-something brunette is standing near the broadcaster as she speaks on the radio, listening in silence so as not to interrupt her. Her eyes watch whatever can be seen there intently. A visible grimace forms as the woman is dragged out by the hair, but here she is without much in the way of weapons and backup. It isn't a good time to make a stand and defend her, a fact which has Jane antsy. The anger starts to build, she wants to scream and knock out a building wall or two for release.
—-
The broadcaster - Midnight McAlister, yes indeedy - wears an earpiece and a box on her belt that both look /very/ homebrew, the box host to a rubber aerial that belies its obvious purpose. Two floors up, in offices above a burned out storefront, the DJ reaches up to mute the transmission, looking up to Jane. "C'mon. We stay here, they'll pinpoint it. Got caught twice for not paying attention to time - one of the kids said there's a bridge between this building and the next one up the block."
And she stands, smoothly, tired and dirty - already on the move, heading out of the office, ostensibly for the stairwell down the hall.
—-
Hopefully Jane doesn't want to knock out the walls of that building. That building right over there, where Octavia Cutler is standing. She watches silently from the near shadows as Homeland Security hauls someone out by the hair, her eyes twitching this way and that to study the scene.
A few moments after the beginning of the broadcast, several dark suited individuals rush up to Octavia. One, a rather gangly young man, presents her with a large scale PDA and a digital pen. Octavia quickly peruses whatever is displayed while taking the steaming cup of coffee from the female assistant at her other side. She sips quietly before signing the PDA.
"Make sure Technologies Sector 3 receives a copy of that and the original commission statement. I don't want… Foul ups."
"Yes, Doctor. Should I have Security step up patrols around Sector 3?"
"No."
"But…"
"You heard The Doctor. Now, off with you."
"Yes, ma'am."
—-
She doesn't hesitate, moving to follow Ali at a brisk pace with her longer legs. It's entirely possible she may even outdistance the blonde broadcaster. Eyes are alert on the area ahead of her as they move, Jane keeps herself ready to loose one of her potent screams should the need arise. In these two years between prewar times and now, her ability has been honed and expanded. The anger remains, mixed with sadness, over what she just witnessed. To think a former ally is responsible for such actions, a person she once trusted implicitly…
—-
The pair head up the stairs, two at a time in Ali's case with the effort of keeping up - and she speaks as she goes, the radio letting the world hear it, "Why did the chicken cross the road? To figure out what happened to habeas corpus. Got the wrong genome? Do not pass Go, do not collect your two hundred and change. Gotta adjust for inflation. But it doesn't mean that missing a chromosome means that you're stupid. Keep your heads, kiddos - and watch the sky. Don't trust the suits, and don't trust the news - if you want to live, pay attention to the details."
Again, the music picks up, the voice dropping out, Ali looking to Jane. "I have /got/ to start working out."
—-
Octavia continues to stand by, tacitly watching Homeland Security while drinking what is probably some sort of half-caf decaff cafe frappaccino mocha latte espresso or something similarly insane and difficult to pronounce. Her eyes flick from person to person, studying this or that person until she loses interest.
Meanwhile her apparent personal assistant, the female one, stands by like a dowdy secretary… Or a very dour, unintimidating bodyguard. It may well be difficult to tell due to the world stage. In any event, Homeland Security is not paying either of them any attention.
—-
Silence is kept when Ali speaks into the device she's carrying. Her pace doesn't let up much, even given Ali is taking the stairs two at a shot and commenting on her need to work out. Jane glances over her shoulder and playfully remarks "Just grow longer legs, chica. Where to next?" A quiet pause is spent mulling over Claudine's visit earlier in the day. "She has an interesting talent. Freedom agents would find her useful. Very useful, if she's being straight."
—-
"I don't trust anybody who dives right to blackmail - " Bang - the roof door opens, and Jane and Ali are out on it, moving at a jog toward a pair of rickety boards that span the gulf to the next building over - what used to be Virgin Records, in fact.
The square below is a thing of flashing blue lights and Homeland Security humm-vees - there's a raid going on, in a rotting theatre just off the main square. The DJ and the Musician are making their way across the roof of a nearby building, the former wearing an odd headset and belt rig, the latter looking protective.
Observing the scene is the Doctor, Olivia, an assistant with her where they are firmly out of the way, in an alley at an easy distance from the goon squad that either hasn't seen them or is ignoring them.
For someone with a radio, the pirate station run by the resistance movement is transitioning from "Signs" to another protest song: "War. Huh. Good gawd ya'll."
—-
"Trust is a precious commodity," Jane agrees. "But sometimes risks are necessary. None of us are nice girls anymore. Haven't been since the world became this pocket version of Hell." She pauses as the door opens and she climbs through, speaking again as they begin making their way across to the next roof. "There's one Company guy I'd like to meet, though, with a rifle and sniper scope. That bastard who steals memories. He needs to be dead yesterday."
—-
There's something about the way things are now that always breeds a feeling of being watched. Sometimes it's just a feeling… but this time, it's quite accurate. Portia doesn't tend to go out much without being invisible. Mostly, she just watches. She waits and sees what happens. But this time, there are some familiar faces. The teen follows a little closer, closer than she normally would. To watch.
—-
Ali leads the way, taking a deep breath to work her way across the boards; she and Jane are crossing a makeshift bridge from a former business to what used to be the Virgin Records store, on the side of Times Square. "I don't find myself all that inclined to trust /anybody/ who claims Company, good or bad. Not anymore. I just.. don't put anything past 'em."
—-
She lets the subject of Claudine Salonga drop as she makes her way across toward the used to be Virgin Records roof. Jane resolves to send word of the contact to other persons she knows of and do some research before speaking of her to Ali again. For the moment, also, she's concentrating on the whole not falling to the street below necessity. Because the fall would be easy. The sudden stop at the end, that would suck beyond measure.
—-
A new voice, familiar to some present - or it would have been, two years of stress ago - pipes up from the direction of one of the Humvees. "Was that really necessary?" "Aww, c'mon, she—"
At that point, George's voice turns abruptly sharp. "/No/. No, it wasn't. You there, stick to the wrists! You'll thank me for it later. And /you/, make sure they do! Need I remind you that shit rolls uphill?" The goons look annoyed at this, one of them flipping the bird as soon as his attention turns elsewhere.
—-
The ground rumbles around the humvees as the raid is continuing. A certain terrakinetic isnt exactly happy, and considering she listens to the radio for a source of information, she's here to stop it. The earth shakes a little, just in the surrounding area around it for now…
—-
With the other two headed across the rooftops, Portia moves to follow. She is, notably, still invisible to the world, but that doesn't mean she's entirely undetectable. Especially because the teen isn't perfect at disguising noise as she follows Jane and Ali. They might even be able to tell someone's following if they're paying enough attention. Her gaze, however, flickers over as she hears a voice. Odd.. that's familar.
That's Doctor Sandra Octavia Cutler to you, McAlister. She doesn't know who this 'Olivia' is or, at least, may not be aware that Olivia is the middle name of her assistant. Octavia folds her arms across her chest as she watches the ground beneath the humvees rumble and shudder under the force of terrakinetic rage. Not that Octavia knows that's what it is at the moment, but she can still watch the special effects with an impressed expression.
—-
Hitting the far side of the boards.. Ali nearly trips, stumbling to end up standing on the roof, hands on knees, panting, and looking back. "Have I mentioned hating height's t.." And then there's rumbling. And Ali? Ali sways - dropping to a crouch to adjust that earpiece… and she speaks into the transmitter, a short time delay costing yet more precious seconds.
"ABSOLUTELY NOTH.." The singer wails, to be cut off - "Hey, hey hey! Good lyrics may shake the world, but when a main's about to blow, you vacate, if you're wise. Time to run, children - and if the boys in blue are giving a listen? Petal and metal meeting may save you some taxpayer dollars. Wisdom comes with age - you should think about gettin' older."
May not know what's going on… but it's an opportunity, and she /takes/ it.
—-
The rage of an angry terrakinetic can soon be see. As the earth continues to rumble, sharp shards of rock spike up around the van. It's too late for the boys in blue as walls of earth surround the vehicle, holding it in place. Soon, more walls or at least what could be seen as jagged spikes raise up where the boys in blue are..it's pretty gory if one is impaled…feel free to use your imagination at this point..
—-
Moving carefully, staying upright, Jane follows after the broadcaster. She doesn't look down, except to keep track of the boards and place her feet right upon them. She steps off gingerly to the roof they just reached and stays silent, to not interrupt Ali's transmission. She glances down at the square below at the sounds of rumbling, then the earthen effects around the vehicle. A wince comes to her face as she tries to spot the source of what caused it. But, then again, she's got a pretty good idea anyway. She's only come across two people who make that kind of thing happen, and one said just today she's a resister. Then, of course, there are sounds on the boards behind her. Jane turns and focuses back on the boards, her mouth aimed at a spot likely to fall within the height of a person there and emits a single ultrasonic tone. It isn't one that would cause damage or make someone pass out, but it is enough to echo-locate and detect someone or something being there.
—-
George makes a sour face. "Dammit," he mutters under his breath. Then, out loud: "You heard her, guys, let's--" Aaaaaaand that would be a concrete stalagmite impaling the engine block. "--scratch that. Red team, hoof it, clear a path! Green team, get the detainees out and walking!"
The hazard of slinging around major property damage in a hostage situation.
The guy pulling the hair is slow to go along, until George grabs /him/ by the scruff of the neck and pushes him along. The rest of the crew starts piling out of the ruined van, along with the humans.
—-
Octavia lifts her coffee cup and takes a long sip. The Doctor looks to 'Olivia' and nods once, curtly, before she returns to sipping her still steaming coffee. For the moment, she does not seem terribly perturbed by the violent terrain upheavals wracking Homeland Security.
"If you would like, Doctor Cutler feels it may be an opportune time to field test CCC's Project Silverback Contingency."
Olivia stands off to the side, speaking sweetly into her walkie-talkie to Homeland Security. She's being very diplomatic about this, but then that's what Octavia pays her for, isn't it? Well that and the coffee. Good lord, you should try this coffee. Olivia makes, seriously, /THE BEST/ coffee ever.
—-
Ali frowns, ending transmission - letting the song come back up - to look to Jane. "We gotta /move/. you okay?" And she looks back… then up to the singer. "… how hosed are we?"
Down in the trucks.. there aren't many detainees, yet. Just three - the woman, a young boy, and a old man with a bit of a limp… not exactly the fastest trio. But the security guys from the building are pulling back; lights bob crazily as they pound down the stairs for the street.
—-
With the car out of commission, the earthquake continues. There isnt a large fault in New York City, is there? Who knows..the earthquake is still making everything shake, though..if anyone tries to pay real close attention, the earth just under the woman, theyoung boy and the old man..isnt shaking. How..odd.
—-
With the ground shaking and Ali and Jane looking a little panicked, Portia moves forward. Sure, Jane can probably tell there's someone there now, but it doesn't matter. She looks to the two. She's invisible, but her voice is still audible for the two. "I can get us out."
—-
She's staring straight ahead at the spot she just echo-located and heard a return signature telling her something or someone was there unseen, and the fact of it being unseen translates to probably a person. Jane seems about ready to loose another, much more potent ultrasonic tone and destroy the boards to perhaps send that person falling to the street, as she starts to say "Declare… oh. Portia, is that you?" Her feet begin to move toward the nearest way off this roof.
—-
Olivia and Octavia exchange glances before Octavia disdainfully takes the radio from her assistant. She exchanges it for her steaming coffee cup and frowns at the back of George's head before she clicks on the transmit button.
"I am Doctor Octavia Cutler. I and my company have a government contract to provide your group with newer and better weapons in your directives. Project Silverback is our latest innovation, I believe it may prove useful in your current predicament. I am offering it freely to assist you. Do you want assistance?"
—-
If this is the chaos she was hoping would happen, Claudine certainly isnt doing anything about it. There's a reason why that the ground beneath the slow moving trio isnt shaking, is because the young Filipina is underneath them in her own makeshift tunnel, creating the effects. Of course, only ultrasonics would detect someone there, but there's at least one person with that capability. As such, more stalagmites rise from the ground, impaling and destroying those working for the government. She's had a bad day, and she's taking it out on them..
—-
"Fine - but we gotta /go/." Ali stumbles and moves - heading for the roof access after Jane - yanking it open and starting down. "I don't wanna be near those hummers after /this/."
The scene on the street is chaotic - two hummers, one impaled through the engine block by a concrete spike that seems to have grown up from the street. Boys In Blue (black, really) and riot gear are shepherding three detainees up the street slowly, while a handful more pound out of a nearby ruined theatre to join them.
Ali, the invisible Portia, and Jane are on a roof a block over, trying to get down the ladder, while Octavia and her assistant are a block a slightly different direction, observers in the shadows.
—-
George turns toward Octavia one more time. "That explains nothing. /No/." He motions some more people around a corner, then waves down the squaddies bringing up the rear. "Let the rabble go. Find the eye of the storm!" The squaddies nod, two of them pulling out gear boxes and twisting dials, while the other two just take off at a fast walk, looking alert.
—-
"What would you like me to say, Dear Agent? That it is a highly classified, semi-experimental end result not unlike the fabled 'Super Soldier' program that so many comic book nerds and conspiracy theory fools claim the government is working toward? It is Progress. It is a new sort of evolution in the war on terror."
Octavia directs a stern, smoldering gaze on George. Olivia takes three steps back and five steps to the left of Octavia… Is she… Is she getting out of the way?
—-
This. This is the part he -hates- the most. Being the latter day Gestapo. Because Felix the Not Living Up To His Supposedly Lucky Name is there in SWAT gear, though his is emblazoned FBI in big letters, attempting to make it look like he is up with what's going on….and mostly succeeding in being somewhat useless and ineffectual.
—-
Whatever's going on, Portia's tagging along so she doesn't have to worry about Ali and Jane if she leaves them. "Yes." She replies in response to Jane's questioning if that's her. "If we get down to somewhere we can run, I can get us cover." She's following after them.
—-
As she descends the ladder with InvisiPortia following after, Jane quickly asks "I'm making a guess here, if you touch both of us we'll be invisible too, right? I knew a girl once who passed through walls, told me she could do that with others in contact with her. Think we're going to need that on the street once we're able to." She isn't disputing Ali's statement about needing to be on the move. It's obvious, and she's moving.
—-
The building continues to shake - though, notably, far less than those endure near the center of the disturbance. And Ali? Ali's almost sliding down the banister, making the best tracks she can. "What sucks.." *pant* "is that I've only got one more song queued. I hope Gene's payin' attention."
She does, too - War gives way to, of all things, "Stop, Children, what's that sooound, everybody look what's gooooin' dowwwnnn…"
—-
Underneath the ground at the epicenter, a young woman raises her arms, directing the motion of the waves of earth, wrinkling her nose a little as a sheen of sweat starts forming on her brow. Suddenly, a large explosion opens up a way to her little tunnel and several of the goons start going towards her. She looks young, maybe only sixteen or seventeen years of age, but that's because she's Asian and they always look young. They think she's probably easy pray and try to go for me, but get smited by a mighty wave of earth, pinning them to the walls of the tunnel. She's got to move and lets the earth swallow those above her, letting the man, woman and child go into the tunnel.
"Follow me if you want to live.."
Claudine's always wanted to say that and she starts digging the tunnels further underground..
—-
George leans up against a wall. This is /not/ his day. Still, it could be wors— no, better not to finish that thought.
One of the HS guys in back snaps a couple of photos; his partner steps forward, only to have George hold him back. "And let her collapse the tunnel on top of you? Fall back, you've done all you can for now… we'll need to gear up for this one."
—-
His power really isn't a counter to hers. But Felix's mutes the force of the blows of earth enough that it's not like being smashed with a tsunami of soil - most of it simply collapses around him. So the rest of the guys with George are treated to the spectacle of one of those apparently smashed into the walls of the tunnel scrambling back out in a fall of earth. Felix collapses to his hands and knees in front of what remains of the squad. His first coherent comment is, "For the love of God, Montresor."
—-
"You would be correct. Just hope they don't have sonar like you or any sort of heat sensors. They're the only things I've found, aside from being invisible yourself, that can see through it." Portia looks around as she quickly follows after Jane and Ali. "Just be careful."
—-
Octavia folds her arms across her chest as, apparently, she overhears George's withdrawal order. She hisses something unkind, presumably about George, to Olivia before she whirls around and starts storming away. Olivia follows at a safe distance.
—-
Down. Down.. then out, on the block /away/ from the ruined hummers and the growing tunnels; Ali shakes her head. "M'.. going to.. " Out of breath indeed. "have to rest .. a sec." She leans against a lightpost, in fact. "I need to eat … breakfast before doing this … stuff. Or something."
—-
Soon as Jane hits a spot where they can pull it off, she takes a position near Ali, but far enough away that Portia can get between them and take her hand. It's held out for the purpose, she seems eager to become invisible under the teen's power and lessen the risk of being spotted, even though they now have some distance on the carnage. Her features are grim, the anger in her eyes seems more pronounced now. It's hard to tell is this is from what they witnessed, the presence of a sixteen year old in all of it, or both.
—-
Soon as Jane hits a spot where they can pull it off, she takes a position near Ali, but far enough away that Portia can get between them and take her hand. It's held out for the purpose, she seems eager to become invisible under the teen's power and lessen the risk of being spotted, even though they now have some distance on the carnage. Her features are grim, the anger in her eyes seems more pronounced now. It's hard to tell is this is from what they witnessed, the presence of a sixteen year old in all of it, or both.
—-
The trio does decide to follow the young Filipina. They dont know who she is, but it seems she saved them from being taken from the camps. Looking towards those that would follow her, Claudine glares at them with righteous anger and fury in her eyes. As such, she creates a wall separating her and those she's seeking to save from the guards by creating a wall while raising her arms in the air and moving them in an arc. This raising wall seals the hole she made from up above, and she does what she can to harden it. However, this whole experience has weakened the young woman as she starts coughing up blood and her muscles start to spasm uncontrollably, trembling the entire time. "There are premade tunnels underneath the city! Follow them and you'll find someone to take you to safety!" she yells as she falls to her knees, still coughing up blood.
—-
George spares Octavia a glance as she and her assistant head off. Good, he thinks to himself, she isn't just going to deploy the Whatever It Is anyway. Two ham-fisted displays of power (counting the hair-pulling goon from earlier) is enough for one day, thank you. Unaware that the gal on the radio is right nearby, he heads off after the HS guys, one of whom is radioing back to base as he goes. "All right, we're coming back in. --Empty-handed. Complications. Debrief on arrival, right." He looks and sounds a few different shades of annoyed, and why wouldn't he?
—-
It's only a moment before Portia slips between the two. The teen, blue-tipped hair and all, is quite visible now for Jane and Ali, but to the rest of the world? They're quite invisible. "Should be good now. You okay?" Her gaze shifts to Ali with concern, and perhaps a weak smile.
—-
The DJ nods, once. "Will be. Just out of… /blue?/" Friendly and wry, "Kiddo - you should have gone with the purple. Seriously. So your color." And she squeezes the girl's hand. "One sec.."
And she broadcasts, as the song comes to an end, "A hornet's nest that was - you saw it, you felt it, you heard it. And the big bad security guys go home frustrated. Keep your heads down, kittens - it's going to be a long night of pissed off people. We'll be back, with the real news and the real story - keep listening, and we'll be here."
With that, Ali turns off the transmitter, one handed. "Les' get out of here while we still can, right?"
—-
"Actually, sir, that's not as solid as it looks," Felix notes, glancing back at the rest of the departing government goons. And then down at his belt, with a speculative expression. Most of the grenades there are merely gas, or flashbangs. But there're a couple with the real stuff. He's already leaning forward to scratch out a little hole in the fall left by Claudine's efforts. "I'll bet….." Just what the world needs. Improvised demolitions.
—-
"Run!" she screams to the others and she does what she can to close off the path leading to the trio as she's still coughing up blood. Hopefully the three can make it to the rendeveuz (sp?) point, but she's out of it right now. Too much energy wasted on wanton destruction. She's on her period! She got a little bit carried away! Claudine remains on her knees, though her eyes widen at the scratching of the hole through her defenses.
—-
Moving away as one part of an invisible trio, Jane looks Portia over slowly to see if she's hurt in any way. The blue tips don't faze her, maybe she's seen it before. "Interesting timing," she remarks. It seems very much as if she's going to scold the girl for being in the middle of all that, to say she should be someplace safe. But in the recollection of all that's gone on in the last two years, she realizes Desiree's daughter has likely seen and survived worse, and begins to wonder… Is she really still a girl, despite what the law says? And a decision is made, which causes the sadness and anger to escalate some, reflected in her words. "It just isn't right, Portia. You've had to become a woman too soon." Her mouth stays open and she's drawing in a deep breath. Those that know her can recognize this as the start to one of her devastating screams, and may wish to quickly calm her before she takes out a wall.
—-
George stops and looks to Felix, narrowing his eyes at that wall of rock. Here he'd assumed that the little troublemaker would keep on going. But— that faint little voice. She /is/ still in there. Holding up a flattened hand in a standard wait-a-minute-and-be-quiet stance, he then exchanges words with the Homeland Security squad leader. In short order, some not-so-improvised demolitions are applied to the wall, with knockout gas at the ready to back it up.
—-
McAlister's head /snaps/ up at Jane - and.. she speaks. Soft. Reassuring - coaxing. "Jane. No. Not now. We'll get caught. Ssshhh. It's not worth it - wait until we get back, alright?" One might get the sense this has been done before. "We're not clear - and if you blow another set of crystals, Gene's going to kill you."
—-
There is a voice behind the wall, because, she exhausted her own power. She can barely move. Claudine struggles, knowing the inevitable, and as the demolitions are in order, it booms and shatters the earth, falling to the ground. There's the girl. A young woman, looking like she's in her mid to late teens with a severely bloody nose, barely fazed by the blast of earth….
—-
Felix gets out of the way. It may be something of an open secret that he's evolved, at least among the government enforcers, but just standing there and taking an explosion in the teeth doesn't have much point. So he withdraws just far enough to be out of range, before joining the rest of the HS guys in charging forward the moment's it's safe - he's already got his cuffs out.
—-
The teen looks like she's quite uninjured, her gaze going back to Jane for a long moment before answering Ali. "Couldn't get purple." She murmurs. And Jane is still studied before a small nod is given. "No, it's not right. But I'd rather not lose another someone I know." She state, agreeing with Ali on the 'letsnotfuckuphere' front.
—-
Ali's instruction takes hold, and Jane's mouth closes with neither an audible sound emerging nor the evidence she screamed being witnessed. Nothing in the area is damaged, and thus the two with her can safely conclude her rage has bee contained. In a much less destructive fashion, actually one not all destructive, she mourns the fact she so recently stated.
—-
Emulating Felix's example - he can't take a blast to the face, anyway, in a pinch he might find some unusual form of cover at the last minute - George stands well away from the rigged-up wall, stepping forward only after the target is down and in restraints. "Now listen," he calls out to her, "believe it or not, I'm probably the best friend you've got right now. So… knock it off with making the earth move, would you?"
—-
McAlister nods, once - … and lets go of Portia's hand. "I'll catch up at the zoo - I gotta make a stop" And.. she heads down a side alley - "Don't get caught, huh?"
—-
The young woman nods as she continues coughing up blood. She's not in any condition to fight, at least not with her powers and she doesnt think she can take bullets, even if she is a competent hand to hand combatant. "I couldnt let you take them.." Claudine says softly…
—-
That's fine. Felix and the rest of the HS guys have her ziptied neatly, with a minimum of fuss. Felix himself has lapsed back into sullen silence - there is a notable lack of Claudine being read her Miranda rights. Apparently such things are now forgotten.