Stalked through HQ

The Director and Gwyn Pryce, the parahuman formerly known as Killhand, walk at a brisk pace to the Informations department of the PRT building. They're moving too quickly for Gwyn to grasp the architecture or layout of the building, and she's too emotionally distraught to pay attention.
3:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> Behind her, two capes fall in line - a young, quiet girl who's only a scant few inches shorter than Gwyn, in a black bodysuit with crimson lines swirling about her arms and legs, and a short boy with a near full-body costume, a dart pistol at his hip and a bandolier of grenades slung across his shoulder.
4:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> They enter a large room, one wall covered in an array of several monitors -- each one is displaying CCTV footage of the highways in Cleveland, being calibrated to display the stretches of road that the car chase is happening in. Gwyn can see Malcolm's vehicle -- a shitty, beaten-up old Pontiac -- dart through, a Blackjack vehicle in pursuit, and a
4:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> respectable squadron of drones besides.
4:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We've got an eye on his position," Spencer says. "Feral should be arriving shortly." ||
4:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> ** Lt. Spencer
4:03 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:04 PM <Mega|Mendez> That should be an interesting entrance, already. "Jetstream and Feral know what's awaiting them?" I ask him.||
4:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Feral has the gist of it -- Jetstream doesn't. She's not getting anywhere close to them, though, so it shouldn't be an issue." ||
4:05 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:06 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I look down at my hands and try to give a small smile. "I wish I were meeting everyone under better circumstances. But I'm very glad you're all helping me out."||
4:06 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:08 PM <Mega|Mendez> I nod, at both. "Good," I tell Lt. Spencer. I then turn to miss Pryce. "He knows he's in good hands, I take it?"||
4:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> ...
4:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> Lt. Spencer offers a phone jack to Gwyn. "Hook this up, if you would? We'll be able to speak to him directly, among other things."
4:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Aaaand there's Jetstream," he says, glancing at his watch. "Fast as always."
4:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> Spencer seems to be tracking her via Feral's equipment, as she's not on-screen, but after a moment you can see the former Protectorate swoop low - barely feet above the highway traffic, a barely-visible blur on the cheap surveillance cameras.
4:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> The drones, ahead of the vehicle and pursuing Malcolm, have no opportunity to retaliate, and she edges closer and closer to the speeding Blackjack car, all in fractions of a second. ||
4:11 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:12 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "All right." I say to Spencer, plugging in the phone with shaking hands. "Jetstream used to be Protectorate, right? What happened?" I'm trying to do everything I can to get my mind off of things. I feel useless just sitting here and watching.||
4:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> ...
4:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> Spencer doesn't respond -- most eyes in the room are focused on Jetstream and Feral's approach.
4:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> "She's awfully lo--"
4:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 2h6+3
4:14 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [4] (4) +3 = 7
4:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:14 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [4] +1 = 5
4:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:14 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [5] +1 = 6
4:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> Despite the Blackjack driver's concerted attempts to swerve out of the way, Jetstream dives even lower, the roof of most vehicles a handspan away.
4:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> All of a sudden, there's a shatter of glass, the trunk window of the car shattered, and Jetstream banks upwards, now divested of her payload.
4:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> Within the car, a glass-mangled Feral's wounds begin closing up, while the other occupants begin to panic. ||
4:16 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:17 PM <Mega|Mendez> I have to admit, I'm fascinated. Usually, I spend most of this time preparing for the aftermath, but there is a certain thrill in watching it unfold.
4:18 PM <Mega|Mendez> "Shot in the chest," I answer miss Pryce belatedly. "She survived, but didn't feel like she could function in the Protectorate anymore. She joined the People instead."||
4:19 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:20 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Ouch." I say, frowning. "Mal... Mal, how are you holding up?" I haven't heard from him for a few minutes now, and I'm nervous and worried. I'm also ridiculously curious about the two capes that followed them in here. Were they Wards? ||
4:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:22 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [3] +1 = 4
4:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:22 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [1] +1 = 2
4:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6
4:22 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [1] = 1
4:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> "For now," he says, sounding terse and distracted. "These drones don't fuckin' quit."
4:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6-1
4:23 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [5] -1 = 4
4:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:23 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [2] +1 = 3
4:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> Against all odds, Feral manages to claw her way to the front of Blackjack's car, leaning into the steering wheel enough that it swerves to the left, its metal scraping against the concrete median of the highway. ||
4:25 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:26 PM <Mega|Mendez> I can't help but grin at that. Still, there are things I have to do other than enjoy myself. "Let him focus on driving, miss Pryce."||
4:26 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:28 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I. I'm sorry." I pause and turn to the other two capes as I try to take slow and deep breaths. "I should have introduced myself. I'm..." How do I introduce myself now? I'm not... Killhand? But I'm not really Cwn Annwn yet. "Gwyn. Call me Gwyn. For now."||
4:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc roll))
4:29 PM <Saff|Gwyn> $roll 1d6-1
4:29 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Gwyn [6] -1 = 5
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> The shorter boy sticks out his hand. "Knuckleball," he says, though he sounds a little embarrassed. Not so fond of the cape name, perhaps.
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> The girl, too, speaks quietly - shy, by Gywn's best guess. "Embody."
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> She knows very little about them -- Cleveland's spotlight hasn't shone on its Wards, historically speaking. ||
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> -||
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6-1
4:30 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [3] -1 = 2
4:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+3
4:30 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [6] +3 = 9
4:31 PM <•Antioch|GM> Mortal Lock, being sick of this shit, grabs Feral and hurls her bodily out of the driver-side window, and she hits the road, rolling and tumbling, bones snapping and re-healing.
4:31 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:31 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [2] +1 = 3
4:31 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1
4:31 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [5] +1 = 6
4:32 PM <•Antioch|GM> One of the rear-seat passengers is adroit enough to snatch the munition Feral primed and hurl it out of the car -- the foam grenade detonates just as it exits the window, gunking up much of the car's exterior.
4:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> As the mixture thickens and grows more viscous, chunks are torn off as the car attempts to maintain its speed. ||
4:35 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:36 PM <Mega|Mendez> I'm long past the point of wincing at Feral's injuries. Instead, I'm taking in as much of the scene as possible, waiting for the others to get involved.||
4:37 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "It's nice to meet you." I say to the Wards, then look back over at the screens. "This is crazy. This is so crazy." I just... I hope Malcolm comes out all right. "And you all do this... on a regular basis?"||
4:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> ...
4:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "The last car chase the Protectorate was involved with was chasing you and Coldhand, actually," Spencer replies coldly.
4:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
4:40 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> -||
4:41 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ((Oop)
4:41 PM <•Antioch|GM> The squad vehicle gains on the slowing Blackjack car, one of the squaddies successfully shooting out one of the tires. ||
4:41 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:42 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I... I guess you're right." I frown, trying to even remember what happened that night. Was that before or after the kidney? Damn. I never thought I would actually miss Coldhand. "I'm willing to work with you though. Follow orders. I want to do better."||
4:42 PM <Mega|Mendez> ...
4:43 PM <Mega|Mendez> "Focus," I admonish Lt. Spencer. "We have a job to do here."||
4:44 PM soulpelt|nap → soulpelt|
4:51 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ...
4:53 PM <Saff|Gwyn> He doesn't  want me here. Great. Great, shit fuck. "Director, is there any way I could change into something more comfortable?" My costume... my old costume now... it's covered in blood and gunk and I'd just like a pair of sweatpants. "I don't mean to distract I just... It's hard to handle everything when I'm still covered in bits of Feral's guts."||
4:55 PM ⇐ Mega|Mendez quit (Peter@net-psjdbd.direct-adsl.nl) Connection closed
4:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> One of the other information men wave the Director over, then the two leave the room together in to short order.
4:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Sorry," she says, much as an afterthought, "I'll send someone over to take care of it."
4:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> It's clear that whatever has come up is urgent.
4:59 PM <•Antioch|GM> On the screen, you can see Gigawatt pseudo-surfing atop one of Valiant's constructs, hands crackling with electricity, drawing closer to Blackjack's vehicle. ||
5:00 PM <Saff|Gwyn> Oh god. Not electricity. That makes my whole body hurt just looking at. "Fucking Mortal Lock..." I mumble, standing up from my seat to pace.||
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5:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> Knuckleball taps you on the shoulder.
5:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hey, I think the guys on the console have it covered," he says. "Do you want to take a walk, try and calm down a little?" ||
5:08 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I... Yeah. I think that would be nice." I say, nodding slowly. "Sorry I'm such a mess. It's been a wild and crazy night." ||
5:18 PM → Ilidirim joined (Ilidirim@net-hashdv.md.comcast.net)
5:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> "C'mon, let's... walk and talk." There's a pause before he says it, like the phrase needed consideration.
5:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I dunno if I can answer all of your questions, but I can try to field at least a few of them." ||
5:21 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I laugh a little bit, though it comes out forced. "All right. I don't know if I have many questions yet. This is all happening so fast. And I know... I know most of you might not trust me just yet." I shake my head slightly. "What's it like here? An average day. From you, no bullshit."||
5:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Not much goes on for us, at least," Knuckleball admits. "After Auswahlen came through town, the Wards have kind of been put on the back burner. Schools getting closed, Youth Guard limiting our patrol hours, that type of thing."
5:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We study, train, do some patrols downtown, or near the university." ||
5:31 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Ah. That's... I mean. You're kids. Getting killed in duty sounds like it would be shitty." I shrug. "This town really isn't safe for anyone. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"||
5:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Sixteen," the two of them reply, nearly in unison.
5:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Jinx," Embody says, though it sounds more perfunctory than playful.
5:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
5:37 PM <Saff|Gwyn> Three years younger than me. I can't even imagine being in their place. "Wow. Shit." I shake my head a little, then give them a small smile. "You both seemed to handle this better than I did, though. I feel like a massive failure compared to both of you." I still feel gross and grimy, but at this point I don't think I'll score any clean clothes. "I'm on your
5:37 PM <Saff|Gwyn> side now though."||
5:42 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc roll))
5:42 PM <Saff|Gwyn> $roll 1d6-1
5:42 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Gwyn [6] -1 = 5
5:43 PM <•Antioch|GM> She can't see the doubt on Knuckleball's face, though she gets the feeling he doesn't buy it completely. Nothing she's done has helped that notion, and Spencer's comment a few minutes ago may have changed his perspective somewhat.
5:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hope so," he says briefly, and leaves it at that. ||
5:51 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I get it. They don't trust me, and I mean. I understand. "I don't mean to be rude, but it has been a rough night." I frown for a fraction of a second, before trying to keep myself from thinking about all the bad things happening. "Is there a place I could freshen up in? Or get a cup of coffee? I'd like to just talk with Dr. Phan for a while."||
5:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> Knuckleball nods, pointing down the hall at a PRT lackey bearing a change of clothing. "I can show you where to change. Shower, too, if you need, though Embody would have to keep an eye on you."
5:54 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Sorry," he adds. ||
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5:55 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I'm used to being babysat at this point. At least I know that you two won't murder me while I'm making toast." That... That was funnier in my head. Fuck. "I am looking forward to being on the team." I give an awkward nod before walking towards the door, my hands starting to shake once again. What's been going on? Did they stop Blackjack? Is Malcolm alive or
5:55 PM <Saff|Gwyn> dead? Ugh.||
6:04 PM <•Antioch|GM> You take the clothes and head into the changing room, and Embody follows you.
6:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> She takes,  her
6:06 PM <•Antioch|GM> She feels somewhat aware of the Ward's eyes on her -- not in the way Malcolm might've ogled her, but another, similar sort of scrutiny.
6:06 PM <•Antioch|GM> It's uncomfortable -- she feels self-conscious. ||
6:07 PM ThalAI → pinged
6:13 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I understand the protocol behind this but." I pause. "But if you're uncomfortable I..." To be fair I'm uncomfortable too. She's sixteen and I'm attempting to get naked with her standing there. "I'm sorry. "
6:13 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ||
6:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc))
6:13 PM ⇐ Camtist quit (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com) Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
6:16 PM <Saff|Gwyn> $roll 1d6-1
6:16 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Gwyn [2] -1 = 1
6:16 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ((First bad soc roll of the night))
6:18 PM → JustLurking joined (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net)
6:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I'm alright," she says, almost idly, eyes still examining Gwyn with an odd sort of attention that isn't focused on her body whatsoever. ||
6:24 PM pinged → ThalAI
6:25 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Okay. " I look over to the shower and frown. "You don't have to follow me into the shower, right?"||
6:25 PM <•Antioch|GM> She shakes her head. "Nah. Go ahead." ||
6:29 PM <Saff|Gwyn> Good. Didn't need that awkwardness. I nod quickly and hop in, a frown on my face. I'm trying my hardest to not just break down and fucking cry right now. I'm being kept in the dark and I'm being followed by a sixteen year old kid and I don't even get to stay in my own bed. I get as clean as I can as quickly as I can and hop out, blotting my face with the
6:29 PM <Saff|Gwyn> towel. "Sorry you're stuck with me right now."||
6:32 PM <•Antioch|GM> "It's fine," she says, her attention more focused on the mangled costume Gwyn removed.
6:32 PM <•Antioch|GM> After a moment's thought, she adds, "I don't mind." ||
6:34 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I've asked you a lot of questions," I say as I squeegee a bunch of water out of my hair, "Do you have any for me?" I look over at her, then down at the clothes that I have been given. It's probably nothing special, but it's better than nothing. I don't need to repeat my Player One stunt. ||
6:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> She pauses for a moment, thinking.
6:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I guess I'll ask what you asked me... what was it like, being a villain?" ||
6:43 PM <Saff|Gwyn> Wow that.... That hit hard. I stop for a moment, pulling on whatever shirt is in the pile and frown. "It's... You meet a lot of people. And they're not really good people but you come to like things about them. One of my men. His name was Dave. He had this shitty band and he kept trying to get me to go to his gigs. And there was Travis, who could put away
6:43 PM <Saff|Gwyn> Taco Bell like I've never seen anyone do before." I pause for a moment as I pull on the rest of my clothes and shrug. "But it also sucks. Waking up every morning wondering if someone's going to shoot you in the head because you're not useful anymore. I was scared of all of my powered teammates. Doesn't take much to get them to turn on you." I should know.||
6:50 PM <•Antioch|GM> She nods. "Why did you start?" ||
6:52 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Look, kid." I sit down on the floor criss-cross applesauce and sigh. "When you have a power like I do, people talk. People say things about you, make you feel really shitty. I dropped out of college. I was homeless. I didn't think that the protectorate would want me. Wink offered to help. And I thought it was as good as I would get." I shrug, then look up
6:52 PM <Saff|Gwyn> at her. "I guess that sounds like an excuse. I don't know about you, or your powers, or how you got them... but you ended up here. Which means you had someone that probably guided you on the right path. I didn't have that."||
6:55 PM <•Antioch|GM> She frowns somewhat, at that.
6:55 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Dunno that's true. My power eats blood. 's fueled by it."
6:55 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Think I could be where you are, if things turned out differently."
6:56 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Big difference was I reached out for help, I think." ||
6:58 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Heh. Like a vampire?" I say, raising one eyebrow. "Guess I'm not too far off. I'm halfway to werewolf. Though my bark is a lot worse than my bite, I think." Wow, I sound like a lame old person. "I didn't get to reach out. I didn't think that I should, when most of the people I went to school with thought I was a freak. My roommate would actively run away
6:58 PM <Saff|Gwyn> from me. People crossed the street to avoid me."||
7:04 PM ⇐ ThalAI quit (ThalAI@net-stg.hv9.246.50.IP) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
7:04 PM <•Antioch|GM> Embody's brow furrows beneath her mask at the vampire comment, but her face returns to normal.
7:04 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Guess I had the option of turning my power off, yeah." ||
7:07 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Yeah. I don't want to play the life olympics, but it sucked. Being a villain helped. And I liked it, for the most part. But... I can't keep living like that." I run a hand through my damp hair, finger combing the black locks, then sigh. "This isn't because 'whoops, I got caught.' Valiant. Valiant spoke to me. And he felt sincere. I don't want to disappoint
7:07 PM <Saff|Gwyn> him."||
7:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I don't know him that well, but I can get that vibe from him, yeah."
7:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Lives up to the name well enough, I guess." ||
7:18 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "It felt like the right thing to do. But now... I've put someone I care about in danger by doing this. So I'm sitting here and talking to you but on the inside I feel like I'm going to lose it." Wow, I need to stop word vomiting everywhere.  "I'm trying really hard to hold it together right now, Embody." The floor is uncomfortable, so I push myself to a
7:18 PM <Saff|Gwyn> stand and look down at my smokey hands. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm on psychiatric hold for a bit. Can we see if they... If they got him?"||
7:19 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You said you wanted some coffee, right? We can get that first," she suggests. ||
7:21 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Yeah. Coffee sounds nice." I nod as we start to walk. "So you said your power runs on blood... forgive me if I'm prying, but what exactly do you do?"||
7:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc))
7:22 PM <Saff|Gwyn> $roll 1d6-1
7:22 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Gwyn [6] -1 = 5
7:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> She pauses, considering what to say -- or whether she feels comfortable divulging it to Gwyn. After a moment's hesitation, she speaks.
7:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Fuels my Breaker states. The more blood I have, the stronger or longer-lasting my transformations." ||
7:26 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Breaker. Okay. Cool." I nod, biting down on my thumbnail. Thankfully I managed to get all the blood out from under it. I didn't need to accidentally taste Feral's blood. Again. "Anything else I need to know about this place?"||
7:27 PM <•Antioch|GM> "That's... pretty broad," she says, as the two walk towards the promise of coffee. Knuckleball falls into line behind them, staying back, not intruding. "Could you narrow it down, maybe?" ||
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7:31 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Like. Who shouldn't I bother? Where's the best place to just be quiet? Is the food in the cafeteria any good?" I shrug, trying and reaching for anything I could ask. "I just want a feel for the place, if I'm going to be here."||
7:32 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hmm. Dunno, on the first one. I don't bother anyone. You'll probably have your own room. Caf food is solid." ||
7:34 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "All right. Thanks. You're making this... Not as completely frightening." I'm still scared shitless though. "So... Coffee?"||
7:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> "On the subject of caf food," she says, "here we are."
7:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> It's around 5 or 6 in the evening. A handful of people are present, but not many.
7:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> She gestures towards a kiosk seemingly dedicated solely to coffee. "Anything else you want?" ||
7:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Not really. I'm not really hungry right now." I'm too nervous, considering Malcolm could be a smear on the pavement by now and no one is giving me any answers. "Just coffee." Shit shit shit. I'd like to just. I want answers. Maybe I should just mentally tally up a list of things I'm going to have to spill to Phan about.||
7:41 PM Thaliaway → Thalia
7:41 PM <•Antioch|GM> An awkward silence lingers for a moment, while the three of you stand there.
7:41 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Uh... you want to fix the coffee yourself, or would you like me to?" ||
7:44 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I got it." I mumble, filling a cup with black coffee. It's warm and it smells halfway decent, so I don't bother with cream and sugar. I'm getting more and more antsy by the moment, and I'm pretty sure it's showing. "Have there been any updates on the team they sent out?" I blow on the surface of the coffee before taking a few sips, not giving a shit and a
7:44 PM <Saff|Gwyn> half if I burn everything in my mouth.||
7:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> Though the coffee is scalding, the brew isn't particularly acrid.
7:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Probably," Knuckleball says. "We can go check." ||
7:50 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Thank you." My heart is still racing, and it's probably not being helped by the fact that I'm practically shotgunning this cup of coffee. It's... It's actually pretty good. Way better than the McCafe swill Mal and I have been drinking. I really hope he's okay. And the others too. I'd really hate it if someone was fucking up because of my problems.||
7:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> Gwyn follows Knuckleball and Embody back to Lt. Spencer's room, where the man in charge himself is waiting outside.
7:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Welcome back," he says, sounding somewhat apologetic. "You're wanting an update, I'm guessing?" ||
7:54 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Yes, sir." I say. All the anxiety is flooding back. Sweaty palms, racing heart, weak legs, pounding head... "Please... Please tell me everything went okay."||
7:57 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We arrested Mortal Lock and Gutshot," he says, nodding, before realizing that's likely not what Gwyn's looking for.
7:57 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Malcolm and Gigawatt got hurt -- not badly," he interjects, reassuringly, "and they're en route to the hospital for some treatment. Everything's fine." ||
7:58 PM → Megafire joined (Peter@net-psjdbd.direct-adsl.nl)
7:59 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "He's hurt?" Fuck, fuck fuck SHIT. "And Gigawatt? Fuck. Okay. Shit. Um. Sir." That's when another thing hits me. "Fuck, I forgot to mention. Wink's in a coma."||
8:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc))
8:05 PM <Saff|Gwyn> $roll 1d6-1
8:05 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Gwyn [2] -1 = 1
8:06 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We gathered as much from other intelligence," Spencer replies. "Don't worry. They're in good hands, they'll be fine." ||
8:06 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I know I have to be like. Followed to the showers and stuff but. Is there any chance I can see him?" Or get my phone back. Right. "Please."||
8:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We'll have him out of the hospital soon," he says. There's a pause, as if he's thinking about his words. "TGK's looking after him, he'll be out in no time." ||
8:13 PM <Saff|Gwyn> The Good King's got him? Honestly, I don't feel really great about that. He fucking hates Blackjack and until like five minutes ago, Mal was a part of Blackjack. "I... I you sure I can't see him? I... I don't mean to defy you, sir. I understand that I'm at a highly disadvantageous position right now, but... You know what... Actually, can I just be escorted
8:13 PM <Saff|Gwyn> to see Dr. Phan?" I bite my lip, hoping that I haven't overstepped at all. Spencer doesn't seem to really like me, and I don't want to fuck it up any further.||
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8:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> He nods. "She's been waiting for you, in the case that you'd need to see her." ||
8:26 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I do. While everyone has been relatively welcoming, it's still... I'm still overwhelmed." I peer over to the console and frown I can ask about the phone later. "Can I get someone to direct me to her office?"||
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8:27 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We got you," Knuckleball says. "We all had to go on the reg, for a while, back with the whole Auswahlen thing going on. Could prolly walk there blindfolded."
8:28 PM <•Antioch|GM> He sounds more casual than he was during his first impression. Phan's office isn't far. ||
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8:30 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Cool, thanks." I take one last sip of my coffee before tossing it in the nearest trashcan and following Knuckleball. Auswahlen. They really wrecked a lot of things. Did the Protectorate really send their wards out against them? I probably would have chickened out. Bunch of mutant types running around... I'm no different from them, right?||
8:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> Gwyn and the two Wards enter Phan's office after knocking -- the psychiatrist has been waiting, so it seems. ||
8:35 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Dr. Phan." I say as I step in, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. "I... I'm ready to talk."||
8:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> She nods. "Sit down," she says. "What's on your mind?" ||
8:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> What ISN'T on my mind right now. "They got Malcolm. He's... He's in the hospital but Lt. Spencer said he'd be okay... I guess right now I'm just overwhelmed. This is the biggest change in my life since I got these stupid powers. I just feel... I feel a lot of things." I shrug a bit and finally take a seat. "I'm sorry I broke down like that before. I. I don't
8:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> do that on the job" Most of the time, anyway.||
8:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "It's fine to be overwhelmed," she says. "I'd be more concerned if you weren't breaking down, given the situation."
8:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Let's try to break this down into more manageable components, shall we?" ||
8:45 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I guess in a way you're right. Um. I don't know. I've known for a while that Blackjack hasn't been happy with me but... Tonight was eye opening I guess. And I never thought I'd end up here... being a hero. Doctor, I mean look at me. I'm a freak."||
8:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> She shakes her head. "I, personally, don't think so. I'll admit the public, as a whole, has a prejudice against capes that modify their physical form, but there are plenty of heroes that fit that bill."
8:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Whether, hmm, Weld, for example, is a freak or not, I think you'd call him a good person, no?"
8:54 PM <•Antioch|GM> Gwyn vaguely recalls the metal-skinned cape from a recently popularized internet meme.
8:54 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
8:57 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I mean. I would say he's a good person, yes. But." I bow my head. "But he at least looks kind of cool, you know. But I guess... Yeah, I guess he was probably in a similar situation, and he didn't take the path that I did."||
8:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> "For what it's worth," Embody chimes in, "your power looks pretty cool." ||
8:59 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I didn't even know she was still in there. "It's a good way to cut vegetables I guess. Well. Bagels. I haven't cut vegetables. Wait. Shit. Bagels." Duck Queen. "Fuck, shit. Ugh."||
9:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> Phan raises an eyebrow at the mention of bagels, but doesn't press it.
9:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Another reason not to worry about your power's appearance - you've got an excellent PR team on your side now." ||
9:03 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I guess. Some of the things. The notes Sorensen showed me were pretty cool." I swallow and sigh "I also feel guilty. My men. They're probably all going to be slaughtered. "
9:03 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ||
9:07 PM Firlz → Firlz|Emp, ColdGold → ColdGold|GM
9:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I was told Mortal Luck and Gutshot were just arrested. With the situation in Cleveland, it may well be that Blackjack will have more pressing matters to attend to." ||
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9:17 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "But Wink and Doubledown... Royal Flush too. And when Wink wakes up he's going to try to kill me." I stop and shake my head. "I'm very grateful for my position here. I'm going to do my damnedest to be a good hero."
9:17 PM <Saff|Gwyn> ||
9:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You've got the Protectorate and PRT at your back, now." ||
9:25 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I know." I frown for a moment, playing with my fingers because I have nothing else to really do with my hands. "There's another thing... That I'm worried about."||
9:26 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Go on...?" ||
9:32 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I have done bad things. And I know the public is going to get the story that Wink made me do it but... Some of it I liked doing, Doctor. And I'm scared I'll screw up and let everyone down and land myself in a holding cell drugged to next Tuesday." I look back up at Dr. Phan, trying so hard to keep it together.  "I know I can talk to you, and Valiant said he
9:32 PM <Saff|Gwyn> would be a shoulder for me to lean on but. What if I do screw up?"||
9:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Well, it depends on what you have in mind, when you're talking about screwing up." ||
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9:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Is what I say here confidential?" I ask, looking up at the doctor with a frown. "That's a stupid question, I'm sorry. I. After Nachzehrer and Silver Bullet attacked my base... Put Coldhand into a coma. I got so angry that I killed one of my subordinates. And I didn't care. I was so angry and I wanted to hurt him, wanted to hurt more people." I push my hair
9:39 PM <Saff|Gwyn> off of my face, wincing at it still being damp. "That's the only person I killed. But that's why I'm afraid. Because the rest of the team is so good and I... I did that."||
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9:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I think Valiant would have something to say about that."
9:49 PM <•Antioch|GM> "A maxim, of sorts. Nobody's a good person by default, but if you have an idea of what a good person is... you can hold yourself to it, to that ideal."
9:49 PM <•Antioch|GM> She grimaces. "Think I paraphrased that a lot." ||
9:52 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Valiant?" He did mention something about being in my shoes but... "I guess I can do that. I... I think Valiant seems like a good guy. I hope he and I can be friends." Even though I slashed his legs. "I really am putting my all into this, Doctor. I'll do whatever I'm told. I think this is the best place for me right now."||
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9:56 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I'm glad to hear it. Any other concerns I might be able to address?" ||
10:00 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "No. Not at the moment. Unless you have any questions for me I think... I think I just want to throw myself into this. Mortal Lock and Gutshot were captured. Malcolm is safe. If I didn't think I was too anxious to sleep, I'd just go crash right now."||
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10:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> She nods. "Sorenson had some notes for you, stuff regarding the costume and PR, issues to touch upon at the press conference tomorrow. I'll chat with you tomorrow, make sure you're in a better state of mind, good to speak for a crowd."
10:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Seems like a good step forward, throwing yourself in, to use your words." ||
10:14 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "It's the best way to do it, I think. Remind myself that these are the people I need to trust. And that I can trust them. None of them will shoot me in the head because I messed up." I try to give a small smile. "This'll be a good thing, I think. I just need to believe in myself."||
10:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> Phan smiles at those words, looking far less concerned than she was minutes ago.
10:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> "And there'll be more people than just you sharing that belief." ||
10:18 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "I just need to psych myself into switching mentalities. My first instinct... I need to remind myself not to be scared of them. But I guess that's where you come in." I shrug and pull my knees up to my chest. "Shit. Um. Do you know if I can get my cell phone?"||
10:19 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Yes, of course. The people at Informations should be done with it by now, I'm sure." ||
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10:21 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Okay. I just... If we're done, I'd like to get it." I need to respond to Duck Queen. Need to tell her to be careful. And maybe tomorrow I should suck it up and call my parents. Christmas is fast approaching. No time like now to make amends. "Is there anything you can give me to help me sleep?"||
10:26 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Mmm, I can, but I'd prefer you not make a habit of it. I'll arrange for a night's dose to be delivered to your room." ||
10:29 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Not planning to. It's just a crazy day. I. Thank you for everything, Doctor." I nod once more, then walk over to the door. Got to get my phone and find wherever my room is. Heh. I haven't had my own room since before college. Though, will someone be sitting in the room with me? Weird. "Embody? Knuckleball? I need you for one more errand before bed."||
10:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Sure, what's up?" ||
10:31 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Just need to get my phone and find my room. Nothing crazy. Again, I'm really sorry that you have to babysit." ||
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10:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((gah sorry))
10:54 PM <•Antioch|GM> "It's no problem," Knuckleball says. " 's what we're here to do, in part. Glad you're feeling better." ||
10:56 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I nod, and start following the wards. It's weird. They're only three years younger than me. We could have been in high school at the same time. Could have been friends even. But now it's... weird. I guess I'm still incredibly young too though. "What time is it, anyway?"||
10:57 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Seven fifteen, give or take. Not actually that late." ||
11:00 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Really? It feels like I've been awake for days." I frown a little, then look down the hall. "Phone, and then my room..." This time I'm just mumbling to myself.||
11:07 PM <•Antioch|GM> The trip down to Intel is quick, and the man outside -- no longer Spencer -- hands Gwyn her phone as she passes by. ||
11:08 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Thanks." I mumble before flipping through. Checking messages, emails. But I really want to send a message to Duck Queen.
11:09 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "Lay low. Mortal Lock and Gutshot in custody. Wink in coma. DD still on loose. Watch news tomorrow. Be careful. -Gwyn."||
11:12 PM <•Antioch|GM> No immediate response is forthcoming, but Gwyn feels a weight lifted from the chest as she manages to warn the enigmatic Tinker. ||
11:14 PM <Saff|Gwyn> "All right. Now that that's settled..." I take a deep breath. "I think I'm going to retire for the night." I just need the kiddos to show me where my room is. Room. This is still so weird.||
11:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> Gwyn is shown up to her room -- in the Wards quarters, rather than the Protectorate, for some reason. So that the two can keep an eye on her? Space reasons? No idea.
11:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> In any case, two sealed tabs of sleeping pills, a bottle of water, and a change of clothes awaits her on the dresser. ||
11:21 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I swipe the pills and the water off of the dresser and plop down on the bed, taking a moment to breathe in my new surroundings. I pop the pills and scroll through my phone again. I doubt Mal has his phone, or that he's okay enough to answer but... I send him a text apologizing again and telling him that I care. I don't... I don't know if I'm overstepping my
11:21 PM <Saff|Gwyn> boundaries. I'm not his girlfriend, technically. Maybe if things blow over we can finally have the talk.
11:22 PM <Saff|Gwyn> I decide to fuck around on the PHO forums until I fall asleep on top of the covers.||
11:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> There's barely any opportunity for Gwyn to clean any relevant information before the medicine kicks in -- in tandem with the exhaustion of the hectic day, the text of the forums blurs together, and she's incapable of keeping her eyes open.
11:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> Sprawled out atop the covers of the bed, she falls asleep far faster than she has, as of late.
11:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||||
11:30 PM Saff|Gwyn → Saff