2008-07-12: Phase One

Starring:

Niki_icon.gif Novak_icon.gif DL_icon.gif

Special Guest Star: Paula

Guest Starring: Dr. Livitz

Summary: Pinehearst is struck dark as Niki and D.L. go about things their own way when it comes to revenge.

Date It Happened: July 12th, 2008

Phase One


Pinehearst Research

Fort Lee, NJ

Even Pinehearst isn't bustling at the darkest hour. Right here, right now, there aren't many employees wandering the halls, busy in offices, or hunched over a microscope. But there are always some; those who stick around either out of passion for their projects — Pinehearst, after all, wants to make the future better, brighter, right? — or out of forced orders from on high. And there are always those on guard.

The halls are dimmed this late. All the main offices and the lobby aren't in operation. "At Pinehearst, we believe that people are the answer," an LCD screen in the vast lobby devoid of anyone but a pair of security guards sounds off optimistically on a low volume female voice. No one is listening. //"And the key to our future is the power of human diversity. That's why we're committed to finding sustainable solutions for today's toughest challeng— " Zzzzzap. The screen shuts off.

From the top floor offices to the spacious lobby, from the state-of-the-art laboratories, the warehouse to the basement, every light, every computer, and every piece of electronic equipment in the massive research building suddenly shuts off… including the security systems. Even the lights outside illuminating the walkway and the giant double helix signifying all things Pinehearst fizzles out without warning.

  • * *

With nothing to light their faces but the headlights shining forward from the unfamiliar Hotspur rental van they drive, Niki looks over at D.L. from the passenger seat. A ghostly blue light illuminates the front seats more; its source is the cell phone in her hand as she receives a text message. She looks to D.L. again, pale face all serious — but there's hope in there. They're together again. And they're going to end this thing once and for all … their way. She lays a hand on his arm. Bonnie & Clyde.

Novak Garbaldi sits in a chair at his computer. He is ostensibly trying to stare the formula into submission, forcing it to complete itself through force of will. Or through mathematics and chemistry. One of the two. In his mind, he can see various ways the formula could be completed. It's a gift, to be able to put the pieces of a puzzle together without all the pieces. But this is a very complicated puzzle.

He takes a moment away from his work to sit back in his office chair and turn to look at a drawer of his desk. He can feel it calling him. Nagging at him. A magnetic pull of the drawer's contents. He turns his chair, puts his hand on the drawer's handle, and hesitates. Then he pulls it open. Inside is a shiny new revolver.

Novak takes it out of the drawer, and looks it over, feeling the cold metal as only he can. He can feel the inner workings of the firearm as he tilts it and moves it around. He can smell the gunpowder, and the gunpolish, and the metal itself. He can hear the pieces within working together mechanically, clicking and turning.

Sighing, Novak wonders whether it's worth it. Is the Thanatos drug really a solution? If the world, and the universe, will someday end, will his attempts to wipe out all life on Earth really matter? Won't it happen on its own? He could just let people continue with their meaningless existences. But that isn't the point is it? Novak knows the real reason he wants to end it all is entirely selfish. He can remember all the pain and suffering he has experienced, all that he has witnessed inflicted on other human beings BY other human beings. While his memory is not eidetic, when it comes to pain, he can remember all too well. People are sick. And they make Novak sick. The reason he wants Thanatos to work, is because he wants to end his own suffering. And yet…

Novak lifts the revolver in his hand, and checks to make sure it's loaded. '…Yet, there is an easier way, is there not?' he thinks. Then he puts the barrel of the gun slowly to the side of his head. 'Maybe Elisabetha can live a little while longer this way,' he decides. He gathers his willpower, feeling his heart starting to beat faster despite his decision. Clenching his eyes shut, and holding his mouth closed tight, he starts to pull on the trigger… The hammer pulls back…

And then the lights and everything else go out. Novak opens his eyes after a few seconds, releasing his finger on the trigger slowly, and then blinking several times in confusion. He doesn't hear any electric humming anywhere in the building. No buzzing of light bulbs, not whirring of computer fans, and no vibrations of people walking felt through the floor. Lowering the revolver, Novak lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. There are backup generators for this sort of thing. Something is wrong.

Despite knowing that it is all, in the end, meaningless, he finds himself unable to resist investigating. So he gets up from his chair, and moves to open his office door. It has an electronic lock. Hm. Seems he is stuck in here. Or is he? He points his revolver at the door's lock, and fires once. The loud BLAM makes him reel backwards, clutching his hands to his ears in agony as he grits his teeth. But the lock is broken now. After taking a moment to shake his head and try to clear the ringing from his ears, Novak forces the door the rest of the way open by slamming his shoulder into it, and then advances into the hall, looking up and down it in the darkness. The building isn't empty. He can hear and feel other people still here. Many of them just as unhappy about the situation as himself. Hm.

Novak starts heading for the stairs at a sedate pace. He takes the gun with him.

Paula is waiting around in one of the mini-kitchens, microwaving some deli macaroni and cheese she brought for lunch, and didn't have the chance to eat. The red-head wound up having to go out and 'recruit' volunteers for testing the formula on. She wasn't privy to the details. It wasn't her department. She was one of the 'go-fer's or some of the 'muscle' for Pinehearst. She just went out and punched things mostly. Not that most of the homeless people needed that sort of convincing. Offer them a hot meal, and some cash, and they came willingly.

Paula was less the pleased with this practice, but as far as she knew, the experiments being performed weren't illegal. Inhumane? Maybe. Lethal? Occasionally. But with the consent forms signed by the 'volunteers' there wasn't anything the authorities could do about it on legal grounds alone. But she knew well enough that that didn't change the fact that the government could and would intervene on grounds of 'national security'. Paula would prefer they didn't though. There was so much good that could come from the work being done here. She didn't want to see it go to waste.

Though lost in thought as she leans on the counter, she still notices when the lights go out, and the microwave shuts off. Paula straightens her back, as she glances from side to side, leans back, and then begins heading for the hallway. She draws an automatic pistol from inside her coat as she does so. Others in the area — though few — seem to be confused and distressed, rather than scared. Still… It wasn't Paula's job to be complacent. She goes looking for the source of this problem.

Clyde, aka D.L. Hawkins, is doing that thing where he's looking over at Bonnie. Mostly because he's not sure if this is such a good idea anymore. But then, looking in Niki's eyes? It brings the idea right back to the forefront of being the best idea to ever be an idea that was idea'd. Or something like that.

The Hotspur rental van has been parked, stashed or otherwise out of the view of the public eye. And the particular hand-holding that D.L. is doing with his wife could have something to do with the reason why they are no longer on the outside of Pinehearst. In fact, they are, just inside the walls of this oh-so-not-evil facility of doom. He smiles, just a little bit, at Niki before speaking with a hushed tone, "Phase One. Complete." Oy, the pun. "Your show now, baby." She's the one with the plan. He's the one with the… whatever part's not the plan.

And they're in. Main level. It's been a while since Niki's been back in this building, and she doesn't look too pleased to be here now — but whatever she's feeling, it's trumped by a whole helluva lot of determination on that face of hers. She's focused. As far as she's concerned right this moment, this is what has to happen. If it weren't for the pale blonde of her hair and skin, Niki would have no trouble blending into the dark: black skinny jeans and boots, a dark red halter top with a short black leather jacket overtop despite the warmth of the summer. "Let's go. We just gotta move down," she says in a hurried hush to D.L. She chances a few steps ahead — far enough to look down a hall that leads the wide open lobby. Let's not go there. There's security flurrying around there. "Okay, stairs… stairs— " Bingo! There's a door right behind D.L.; Niki moves past to ease it open quietly, ready to rush down. To the level she knows has particular labs. She never lets go of D.L.'s hand. Just incase.

Novak makes his way down the stairs calmly, but at a faster than average pace. Plenty of other people, once they stop panicking, will get the same idea as him, and start heading downstairs. He'd prefer to avoid the rush. At one of the balconies two levels up from the lobby, he pauses to look around. He has put away his revolver in a pocket, since he doesn't want to have security think he's an intruder. Though the I.D. badge on his jacket should be enough to show he's not. An odd noise comes to Novak's ears suddenly, sounding sort of like… Well, he's not sure. He has never heard it before. Sort of electrical mixed with the muffling effect of being underwater? It is odd whatever it is.

Then he hears 'Phase One complete', nearly whispered. Other speech follows, also quiet. The bespectacled man turns away from where he had been going, and heads for a different set of stairs, leading around and down to the main level. Because there is no good reason for anyone to be lurking around in the dark and whispering about phases when everyone else in the building is extremely upset and stumbling around in the dark, purposelessly and gracelessly, like drunken pregnant cows.

A door opens slowly somewhere below him. It is very quiet. It is mostly the chance in air pressure that signifies that a previously closed portal is now not-closed. He pauses with his foot ready to land on a stair. Should he be confronting these two alone? Or should he try to find some security guards? He has to maintain a rational assessment of his capabilities, even if holding a gun gives one a sense of power, and makes them feel the way that God must feel when He is holding a gun.

From the sounds, there is some security in a nearby hallway on the lobby floor. They are scurrying around trying to figure out what is going on. If Novak is correct, and not just acting on the paranoia he has cultivated over the years, then things could be very dangerous for Pinehearst right now. The more people who know the threat, the better off they'll all be. So he finishes his step onto the stairs, and swiftly makes his way down them, to alert the nearby guards to be on the look-out.

Paula makes her way steadily through the hallways of the sub-level laboratory area. Anyone she encounters — though there are not a great many of them — she tells, "Stay calm, make your way towards the nearest stairwell, and exit the building in an orderly fashion. Travel in pairs or as a group whenever possible." Yes, there is more than one stairwell. Because if there was only one, then that would be a fire-hazard. One way to get out of an underground level? No other openings or means of escape? The Fire Marshal would have kicked Arthur's ass and then refused to certify the building safe for business use or habitation.

Eventually, the red-head completes a basic sweep of one side of the labs, and finds no signs of intruders. There are other security personnel on-duty to finish the rest of the floor. Hmmm… Then a door opens above Paula, at the top of a nearby stairwell. She turns her head to look up, and then quietly moves out of line-of-sight from the door. It's dark down here, but better not to take chances. Pressing her back, in a black coat, to the wall she waits for someone to ask 'Everyone okay down there?' or 'Hello?' or give some other sign they belong here and are looking for others. Because that would be a reason not to point a gun at them and/or shoot them with said gun.

D.L.'s fingers squeeze onto Niki's as they are in the stairwell. It's dark. And when one can't see in the dark, one is extra careful. And that means not making any noise. Or any more noise. Oh and it also means staying phased. Which is what he does to both himself and Niki. Keeping the grip as tight as he can, in Phase Mode, which is kind of an oxymoron, D.L. follows along with Niki to make sure that they get to those stairs in a fast and orderly fashion. He just gives Niki the 'go ahead' nod, in case she's worried about anything. Nothing to be worried about. The D.L. is here.

All but one of the security guards in the lobby stay by the main doors; the other meets Novak, nodding to the man once recognizing the ID badge. He lifts his comm to alert his comrades, but… static? That's odd. Almost impossibly so. The guard takes the initiative to call to his comrades at the door. "Start evacuating anyone who comes through. We might have a Level A Security Breech on our hands, people."

A few lab coats jog out, urged by Paula and other go-getting personnel.

Meanwhile, further downstairs—

It may be dark, but the layout seems to match up. It feels right. Or wrong, as the case may be, 'cause it is not a happy place. Yes, Niki knows she's seen that corridor before— been through it— but as her fast, long strides start to lead them there, she too takes extra precautions and slows down. She gives her husband a concerned look and seems to take a deep breath in. Worried? Yes, like about how they can't see around the corner. Brave Face: On as she and D.L., the untouchable, move without sound through out of the threshold and into the hall where Paula hides.

Novak nods to the guards. As he stands there, looking towards the doors, prepared to exit the building and get to safety, because he is not a combatant, something occurs to him. He could have just killed himself upstairs. There was no logical reason for him to go looking for answers, or to then try to save Pinehearst and the people here by alerting security. If none of it matters, after all, wouldn't it be logical to not even bother? Yet he did. It seems that life still has its hooks into him — forcing him to react to base human instincts and emotions. 'Have I lost my focus on what is important? Is this really all I am? A slave to impulses and curiosities, like the rest of them?'

Breathing out through his nose, Novak decides now is not the time for deep philosophical thinking. He chooses instead to inspect the door that was opened before. Heading towards it, he spies some stairs leading down into a corridor. And that noise is coming from down there… That staticky noise that he has never heard before. Is someone with an ability down there?

He pauses, knowing full well that if it comes down to a fight, he will lose. Yet, once again, curiousity tugs at him. "Well, if I'm going to die anyway…" he mumbles to himself quietly, though it sounds plenty loud in his own ears. He then starts to descend the stairs, cautiously, and eventually will reach the corridor that D.L. and Niki are in. Assuming no one turns around, he will be behind them.—Oh, but then they're darting out of the corridor and into the hall, so maybe not. Either way, he'd be aware that other people are just ahead of him, though the noises their bodies are making in their phased state is unusual and disconcerting.

Paula waits and breathes slow and measured, eyes watching the corridor exit, at the base of the stairs. She can't see around the corner, but she thinks she can hear someone coming down the stairs. Sounds like a man's footsteps, in loafers.

Niki and D.L. are sneaky-sneaking their way through the halls, nearly silent thanks to phasing (unless it doesn't work that way), whereas Novak is not. So she is a bit surprised when they come around the corner. She thought they were still on the stairs. Paula swivels on one heel, wheeling out into a slightly spread-legged stance, stable and suitable for firing from. She keeps her gun level, with the hand holding it, and uses her other hand to support the firing hand. She yells, "Stop right there!" when she spots the pale blonde and the tall black man. She flicks her eyes along these two for signs of weapons, so she knows whether there is a threat in that department or not, and then only once she is sure they aren't armed, does she look for I.D. badges. She maintains a healthy distance between them and herself at all times. Moving in close to look for badges would be dumb, since she can see just as well from back here.

Okay, so maybe it's dark, and hard to see anything at all, but there's enough light coming down the stairs from the moon outside to at least see whether the shiny I.D. badges are present or not. She is unaware that Novak is coming down right behind these two intruders. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she asks bluntly, assuming no one spazzes out or throws a grenade at her or anything.

This pair is definitely missing ID badges. You know what else they're missing? Common sense. At least that's what it looks like. Niki stops long enough to line up side-by-side with D.L. in the hall and look at Paula with some surprise. Surprise is short-lived. After a look to D.L. for reassurance, Niki stares down the woman with the gun, jaw hardset, blue eyes determined (and braced for what they're about to attempt) in the dark. "You're seeing things," she snaps back coolly to Paula's orders.

And then Niki and D.L. walk straight at her. Through her, if she doesn't move. Ghosts. "You might wanna look into that before you go crazy," the blonde adds before they head straight for the wall to the left.

Novak comes down the stairs just in time to see Niki and D.L., and to hear Paula tell them to stop where they are, and demand their identities. So these two are probably not supposed to be here. What's even more odd is how they look to his eyes. Like a bunch of squiggling dots, jerking and dancing about in a hazey sort of way… Like television static. It's a 'barely-there' effect. Even with his senses he can't tell right away what's wrong with how they look, just that something is off. But after a few seconds… 'Are they altering the composition of their bodies? Or… Just their energy state?' he wonders, and then walks up behind the intruders. Spotting Paula, and recognizing her, he stays back, so that he doesn't get in the way of whatever is happening here.

As Niki doesn't answer correctly, and she and D.L. start to advance on her, she does not just stand there and gawk. The reaction to people walking towards her when she has a gun on them is to fire. She gives one warning, "Stop!" and then she fires right at Niki's chest. Twice. She could go for wounding shots, rather than lethal ones, but she doesn't know these people, they aren't responding to warnings, and shooting intruders is hardly the worst thing she has done for Pinehearst.

Of course, the bullets most likely go right through Niki… And who is standing behind her? Why, Novak is! Sucks.

Now that was a weird sensation, but Niki will take being shot while phased over actually being shot any day of the week if she had to pick one. She's only half aware that there's a man behind them now too and whats going on in the hall. She's in a hurry. Phaaaase on through the wall.

The gunshot draws more security to this particular corridor, at least one female guard with a flashlight and taser jogging to the scene from another stairwell.

Lab equipment and more lab equipment, burry shapes in what's almost pitch dark behind these closed walls. Now that they're alone (for now), Niki lets go of D.L. long enough to fish out a tiny flashlight from her jacket to shine ahead. "This isn't the right place," she decides. "It's further down. There's big secure doors from like, every angle. Shouldn't be more than— three, four rooms further." Running. Running is a good idea to get there faster.

Novak is still hurting from his own gun going off upstairs. Another one going off agonizes him again, but before he has time to react to the sound, he is stumbling backwards looking as though his right side just exploded. A small explosion, but there's blood everywhere. He cries out in pain, and from all the overwhelming sensations accompanying being shot. The torn skin, the loss of blood, the destroys capillaries, the feeling of a hole being where there should be no hole… Sometimes enhanced senses is not a blessing.

He falls back against the wall, and then slides down to the floor, holding one hand over his injury, as though that would somehow make the pain go away. At least he can apply pressure to stem the tide of blood. He is not going anywhere for now, too overwhelmed by extreme sensations to do anything requiring higher thought.

Paula curses when her bullets go through Niki and hit Novak, just as the blonde and D.L. hurry past and through a wall. When another guard shows up, Paula puts her gun away and points at Novak, as she says, "Get one of our medical staff down here to take care of him, and call an ambulance. If the phones don't work, then have someone run out and find one." She then turns to the wall that the two 'ghosts' went through. There is a weird squishing noise as flesh parts and moves aside for something sharp emerging from inside Paula's body. Her sleeves are torn open, and gradually blades of white bone, sharp and dense, protrude from her forearms.

And then…

Behind D.L. and Niki the wall they just came through produces a tearing noise. (Probably not making Novak feel any better.) A moment later the noise is repeated more swiftly and suddenly as two bone spikes stab through the wall, and then move in opposite directions, cutting through the barrier, and then starting to move downwards as they carve out an opening that can be pushed inwards to allow Paula to pass through and come after the two intruders. It will be a few more seconds before that opening is made, but with how sharp those blades are, not even most walls are going to hold up for long. So…

Yes. Running is a good idea.

The security guard, late to the scene, is bewildered. But logical. And logic shows that Paula just shot Novak. She points her taser at the former, but follows that authoritative voice and is soon scurrying off.

Staff — what staff there is at this hour — are efficient at Pinehearst. Those that aren't trapped behind electronic locks waste no time in getting out and getting where they need to be. It happens to be the female guard and a doctor who returns for Novak a few moments later. Their mission is straight and to the point: lift him up and get him out. Dangerous, with a wound like that? Maybe. Do they have much of a choice? Maybe not.

D.L. is still holding onto Niki's hand as tight as possible. They are doing this thing where they are running through walls of rooms to get to the room where they need to be in order to get done what they need to get done. There's some kind of wonderful that D.L.'s trying to make happen at this moment, by pouring on the speed. So long as he can get them through these rooms as fast as possible. Shadowcat Style, Son!

Holding onto D.L. again, Niki looks over her shoulder as they speed through the rooms — for all the good it does in the dark. What the hell is that noise? Not a happy sound. Someone's following them.

One room, two, three… as the one room bleeds into the next, everything suddenly feels more vast. "Hold up," she says, coming to a halt after they phase into the last room. Niki lets go long enough to let flashlight's beam shine. "Oh my God…" Niki breathes. "I didn't know… there were so many."

The light hops over table after metal table of bodies. People, strapped down. Some are hooked up to IVs. Some are awake. Some aren't. Most of them are dishevelled. The light shines in the face of one man whose features are horribly disfigured. In all, there's about a dozen men and women.

And it looks like Dr. Livitz has made his way back from sunny California too. He's standing beside a subject who, every so often, surges with self-contained electricity and lights up the large room.

"Take care of the doctor. I'll get the people out." D.L. is already letting go of the hand of his wife and moving off towards the first table. And immediately, he's not going to be waiting for Niki to do whatever she has to do to get rid of the Good Bad Doctor. He's yanking at cords and pulling out IVs and things like that, in an attempt to get these people out of here. Oh and there may be a couple of slaps against faces to wake them up.

"You two…" The doctor is slowly the pair — or maybe just one of them, but the wary glare behind his spectacles doesn't pick and choose. He backs away from the man who seems to be over-charging (careful, D.L.!).

Niki wastes no time. She strides straight for Dr. Livitz, her hand lashing out to grab him by the throat. Any person involved in this business of torturing people with tests deserves the rough treatment. She shoves him along on his tiptoes until he slams into another security door. The blonde kicks it open and keeps going into a room with the main computer system. "Get out," she tells him flatly. This guy must know a lot, to be in here— he must know everything about the formula and everything Pinehearst is working on. Jessica, if she cared, would have killed him. But Niki… she pushes the aging doctor down to the floor. "Just leave and don't look back at any of this. You're done."

"SECURITY! OPEN UP!" voices yell in the hall, banging on doors.

Oh, D.L. is not going for the crazy person that's doing too much electricity at the moment. He's just getting the others out of the way. Or at least… well, when they get them all together. "Baby? You okay?" is tossed over his shoulder towards Niki. Just to make sure he doesn't have to go up in that other room and kill that doctor dude. In fact, he's focused on the fact that, well, the rest of the 'test subjects' are in a pile together on the floor. "I got one I can't get to." Is also said, while D.L. is looking over the others. Protective Watch.

Dr. Livitz sprawls on the floor, curling up and struggling to right himself.

"I'm good!" Niki calls back, which probably encourages the security guards outside to pound that door harder. She reaches into her jacket for her cell phone, pressing a few buttons and eyeing the room around her warily. This is where everything could go wrong if they're not fast enough.

The backup generator comes on.

"Thanks Micah," Niki murmurs under her breath, striding straight past the computer she once watched Gene hack in order to slam down on the fire alarm by that pounding door. The shrill noise fills the air. A little pre-emptive bit of fairness— even for Pinehearst. Niki runs back into the other room with D.L., taking stock of everything in the new glow of lights: D.L., subjects on the floor, sparking guy over there. It's two big, glass containers in the corner, set upon their own pedestal that she hones in on; one is filled with vaguely red fluid, the other cloudy purple. Most importantly, they both say FLAMMABLE and DANGER: COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.

With one giant shove, she sends them both hurling to the hard floor in a enormous shatter.

"We can't save everyone." D.L. states, nodding towards Niki, before he starts ushering up people and moving off towards the far wall. Away from the flammable substances… even though they are spreading all over the floor by now. He, well, is trying to make sure he finds the right spot. Which could very well be right here. "Get the van. Get clear. I'll meet you." Apparently, D.L. and Niki have some kind of rendezvous spot that they worked out before hand. Hopefully, anyway. And that's when D.L. plants his hand on the wall, closes his eyes and focuses. A few moments later, the wall becomes intangible.

Niki moves to the middle of the room, surrounded by metal exam tables, now empty save for one. The high voltage test subject. She locks with D.L.'s eyes for a moment. Probably a moment too long, given how fast they now have to move. "Be careful." Because they have to split up. Niki tears her gaze away from D.L. and goes about lifting the less conscious of the people off the floor, one on each side of her, ushering the others toward… The wall. "Come on, it's okay, we're going to get you out've here. Follow me, just move, you'll be okay."

Those who are awake (and waking up) shuffle to help Niki and drag their fellow experiments toward the wall.

Niki steps straight through the suddenly intangible wall into who-knows-where with most of the others. She has to come back for the rest, all but one. And then she's gone from sight for good.

Which, naturally, is exactly when the shouting security guards bust into the room adjacent to the lab.

D.L. holds onto the wall… until Niki is all the way gone. "Love you." is the last thing he says, hoping she hears it, before he releases and the wall becomes solid again. When security shows up, he holds his hands up and takes a couple of steps towards the table with the electrical dude. "What happens to a security guard when he's struck by lighting?" is said in his best Halle Berry voice, just to give the guards a reason to get worried. And when they hesitate, two things happen.

1) D.L.'s left hand reaches down to grab hold of the electric guy's ankle. D.L.'s lips quirk in pain. Shocking.

2) D.L.'s right hand comes up with a match, striking it against the table and creating the flame. In that same motion, the match is dropped… right into the flammable and combustible chemicals.

Boom.

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