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Post by UrbanBlue on Mar 7, 2021 11:15:29 GMT -5
"Well, the patient is by all accounts a marvelous specimen. We have high hopes of recovery as his immune system as well as the rest of him seems to work at what we call a 'hyper' rate. I could build my entire career if I could somehow reverse engineer the process. Most disease could be wiped out in a matter of days or weeks. we may be on the verge of a look into the future of dare I say, an immortal man?"
With that McCoy took a deep breath before his face could turn blue.
"However, it is the dimension that we rescued him from that I find troubling. Apparently it follows its own internal logic, but we aren't entirely certain of the 'rules' so to speak. By jove I would love to explore it some more if we were to somehow make it safe. What other manner of beings may lurk there, I wonder?"
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Post by phencerx on Mar 7, 2021 12:08:17 GMT -5
Peter leaned against the wall for support after coming out of the "reality" forced upon him by Jamie. Now he had more questions than when he and Elizabeth first entered this asylum. Still though, now was not the time to fall apart. He shakes his head and slaps himself across the fact to try and bring his senses back.
That's when he notices the doctors and orderlies. All of them with looks of terror on their faces. Peter was certain that each of them had succumbed to Jamie's reality shaping abilities before and were looking to shut the unstable man down with a quickness. He then turns his attention to Elizabeth, kneeling by her brother's side. For a moment, it looks as though he's holding a nose in his hand. "Great, childhood pranks now," Peter mutters under his breath. The next thing he sees is both Jamie and Elizabeth go limp. He prepares himself for another reality altering experience, but after a moment with no change, he realizes this is a family trip the two have gone on on.
Turning his attention back to the staff, he sees them inching closer and closer, and sees the man with the syringe ready to strike. Normally Peter would try to diffuse the situation with a modicum of tact, but right now he was still rather miffed at the previous experience. With that his right hand begins to burn as his hot knives protrude from his fingertips. With his left hand, he reaches into the chest pocket of his jacket and pulls out his MI-13 badge.
"Look here you sodding twats. I've filled more than my fair share of these cells with your current inmates so you know I'm really not one to be trifled with. The lady came to see her brother for answers, and that's just what's going to happen. I can slice and dice each and everyone of you without a second thought, and I'll have to do is fill out a single form and it would be like it never happened. For all purposes, I'm your boss here today, and what I say is back the bloody hell off.......until I tell you different."
================================= HEALTH: 4 ENERGY: 9/9
Action 1: Hot Knives 5 Action 2: 2 stones into defending Elizabeth
MODIFIERS: Reflexive Dodge 3 Weapons expert (MI-6 training)
EQUIPMENT: Twin Pistols +3 Throwing Knives +1 Trench Knife +2 Tactical chest armor +1
HEALTH: 4 ENERGY: 2/9 REGENERATION: 3/panel (1/panel if not in sunlight for over 24 hours)
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Post by Black Sam on Mar 8, 2021 14:04:16 GMT -5
Azazel – Count Dragoș, rather – let himself into the manor and homed in on Miss Frost. Her mind was like an inpenatratable fortress to his second sight, but he could make out the others in the room with her, Pryde, Dr. McCoy, and...the man he was looking for. Interesting. He knocked and entered, eager to get in on whatever action they were plotting...
"Hello," he greeted them, giving a cursory knock at the doorway. "I hope I am not interrupting..."
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Post by mcr on Mar 8, 2021 15:36:30 GMT -5
-- Elsewhere --
========================================================== -- At Death's Door --
Elizabeth feels the strange surge of power wash over her, as if finding life anew. At first it tingles, and reaching for the sword in Death's hand the feeling grows stronger. Her body tenses and begins to convulse as a current rips through her, interspliced with Jamie's memories from an earlier time. She sees her brother strapped to a bed, fighting vainly against the weight of a handful of orderlies. A nurse holds his head in place, inserting a rubber guard into his mouth. Betsy can feel the taste in her mouth, as her mind melds with Jamie's. Cranking a nob, a doctor soothes:
"Just relax Jamie."
*FLASH*
A strobe of light blinds her and her body jumps, shuddering, her back arching at an almost inhuman angle. She bites down hard almost shattering her teeth and chewing through her tongue.
*FLASH*
"This is for your own good Jamie."
Sweat drips down her face, and she squeezes her eyes shut as another burst of electricity surges through her body.
*FLASH*.
Opening her eyes for a brief surreal moment, she sees a projection of light materializing and hardening into a solid mass, a human body with sparks jumping out of it standing over the body of her parents, before the vision is replaced by the hospital and the inside of Jamie's cell. ============================================================= -- At the Asylum --
The hospital staff make no movement to interfere with Wisdom or the Braddock siblings, though guards have now arrived on scene to ensure general order among the other patients and contain the situation. Keeping one eye on the growing number of potential threats and the other on Jamie's cell, he sees Betsy and Jamie begin to convulse in an apparent seizure. The EKG monitor hooked to Jamie begins to beep rapidly before flatlining, and he crumples to his bed, while Betsy falls awkwardly, like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut.
The pain of sharing Jamie's memories still lingers, but unlike her brother she remains conscious, back in the real world. The nurse holding the syringe sets it down on a tray, pleading with Peter:
"Please, they need help." ============================================================= -- At the Manor --
Erik nods in understanding:
"Thank you Doctor."
Hearing the Count knock at the door, he turned to answer:
"No, I suppose not. I take it you were a part of the rescue efforts as well, Mister...?"
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Post by Black Sam on Mar 8, 2021 22:09:11 GMT -5
"I am Azazel," he inclines his head, "and you are Eric Lensher. Yes, I was recruited to assist. I was hoping we'd have a chance to speak..."
He beams a toothy smile at the others.
"Privately."
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Post by mcr on Mar 8, 2021 22:21:46 GMT -5
Erik raises an eyebrow, mildly surprised that the Count knows his name:
"Miss Frost, Miss Pryde, Doctor, please excuse me."
He follows Azazel out of earshot momentarily.
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Post by Gris on Mar 9, 2021 5:16:59 GMT -5
Pryde nodded to Azazel's claim of being part of the rescue operation, even if the ones involved were misguided about who were they rescuing, not to mention that the results had been... uneven. She frowned as soon as he smiled though, what the hell did he want with Erik? "That was odd" Kate remarked in her head, not sure if she should use the opportunity to push Pryde away from Erik or not. "Maybe it's a good thing" she just mused.
"Doubt so, can't trust that smile" Pryde mused back. "We don't know anyone in here, and besides the harmless looking Doctor McCoy and perhaps Elizabeth, I'm not prone to trust the rest either" she added. "At least with Erik we have common ground, and even if you think he's dangerous, at least he's honest with his emotions" Pryde finished. There was an 'unlike me' left unsaid at the end, not even sharing the idea with Kate. Sure, the old woman probably knew how this whole deal had rattled her, leaving Pryde adrift, but she wasn't going to admit it.
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Post by Black Sam on Mar 9, 2021 11:35:44 GMT -5
He swept his gaze across the others in the room, briefly noting Frost's interest and Pryde's judging stare. He'd have to deal with them later. As soon as they turned the corner, Azazel extended his hand, as if in greeting.
"I need a moment of your trust," he said to Eric. "It's okay – I am friend."
His words and actions were calculated to challenge Eric's ego. He'd had plenty of time to absorb the the dossier while following Major Preobrazhensky, and after only a few moments in Eric Lensherr's presense he'd already taken the man's measure. Being the adopted son of a Great Man himself, Azazel knew greatness when he saw it, and Eric Lensherr had the hand of destiny upon him. He knew a man like this would only ever imbue portions of his trust in his closest allies, so Azazel played to his ego to gain the audience he desired.
After Eric's moment of judgement, the two vanished in a BAMF of flames, reappearing more than three thousand miles away. The world went from a chilly British evening where they'd been, to a temperate American afternoon. They stood on a wide ledge near the spire of the tallest building in the world, the Empire State Building, looking down over sprawling city, well above the oblivious people on the observation deck. Azazel no longer wore the false face of a nobleman, but the crimson visage of his true self.
He stepped back to minimize the threat and held out the KGB file. Originally he'd planned to follow through on the Committee's plan for Lensherr and improvise later, but not anymore.
"Forgive the abruptness. There are spies and psychics in that place, and this requires confidence," he explained, casting his voice above the wind while Eric looked at the KGB dossier. "Even Miss Frost cannot easily spy on us here. I have been approached by...former associates, men who think I still belong to them. I never belong to them, but this brings opportunity. There is a thing they wish for me to steal from the Americans' Nazi pets, after which I would frame you. I think they are small-minded fools and their plan belies their weakness. You and I have something in common – my Father said that my skin was stained with the blood of all the Natsisty I killed. You and I will be friends, yes? I help you, you help me..."
********************
HEALTH: 4/4 ENERGY: 18/18
ACTION ONE: 6 stones into Teleportation to relocate them to New York City ACTION TWO: 3 stones into Social Skills to win Eric over (relevant specialties: body language; manipulation)
ATTACK: (conditional; see below) DEFENSE: 3 (RD) PRESCIENT DEFENSE: if Eric goes on the offensive, he wil shift stones from Social Skills to Teleportation, 1 to position himself for attack – shifting the other 2 stones to Tail Action (usable after stones are allocated) to attack (3 stones, AP) - not intending to seriously fight or harm Magneto, but in case he wants a comic book style clash of misundertsanding beore coming to terms...we can de-escalate later! Just a precaution. :-) MODIFIERS: Enhanced Vision (see in darkness); Healing Factor (heal 1w stone/hour); Limited Prescience (shift stones allocated to other actions into Teleportation after other stones are revealed); Metal Defense 4; Reflexive Dodge 3
HEALTH: 4/4 ENERGY: 9/18 REGENERATION: 7
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Post by mcr on Mar 9, 2021 13:08:16 GMT -5
Erik takes a beat as he finds himself overlooking the City:
"That's quite a useful trick!"
He shouts over the winds.
Thumbing through the dossier, careful to keep the pages from being ripped out:
"I suppose you know all about me, then. Makes me wonder how long the Soviets have had their eyes on me! On any of us! Charles and I thought there were only a handful but ..."
He continues to read:
"Seems there are more and more of us each day. Truly the next step in evolution! And your Miss Frost is building herself quite a collective!"
He pauses:
"I know this man."
He says, pointing to a black silhouette with an X over the face, indicating a lack of a photo.
"Not personally, but I've heard the stories. Nasty piece of business, but they all are. I have no love for the Nazis, and I am glad you presented me with the truth. I did not know so many were hidden here. I found a few in Argentina, some holdovers in Germany. But just goes to show that when there is something to be gained, people will do and forgive anything, no matter how disgusting."
He spits over the edge:
"Are there any men of principles left?"
He shakes his head:
"I may have some ideas of how we can find him. I'd like to bring Miss Pryde along, show her our mettle - she seems like she could use the morale boost. And if you have a team, well, I won't say no to extra hands. What are you proposing?"
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Post by OurLadyWar on Mar 9, 2021 22:09:45 GMT -5
From the ecstasy of unknown power to the white hot pain of electric shock, the figure standing over her parents was there and gone again, much like the vision coming to an end. Her mouth tore open, releasing something like a gasp and a scream all mixed together. She could taste blood in mouth, pain across her tongue and through her gums. Her body was aching, but she was not sure why, she just remembered convulsing under Jamie's skin. Had she had a seizure back in the real world? Tears peeled down the sides of her face as she shuddered and cast her gaze wildly about for -- "Peter...!"
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Post by phencerx on Mar 10, 2021 11:10:12 GMT -5
Peter rushes over to Elizabeth and kneels down to help hold her up on the ground. "It's alright girl. I'm here. You're safe." He knew that she was willing to do anything to find the answers she was looking for, but he had to wonder if he made a mistake in bringing her here. The normally strong and unflappable woman from what he had seen was now crumpled on the ground in a pool of her own tears.
Looking over to the doctors he simply nods and points his head to Jamie giving them the ok to go resuscitate him. Still holding Elizabeth in his arms, he looks to the nurse. The only one of the barbarous lot who had shown any signs of compassion. "You. Come over here and give her the once over."
Peter gently lifts Elizabeth up to a sitting position and softly speaks to her. "I hope you got the answers you were looking for luv, because I don't know if you could survive that trip again." Looking to the doctor that seems to be in charge, "And you, I know you have your special cases here, but I think it's high time for an audit of your practices."
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Post by Black Sam on Mar 10, 2021 14:30:13 GMT -5
"The Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti believes it is too dangerous for the Americans to have this device and want it for themselves," Azazel replied, visibly relaxing a little. "I say it is too dangerous for either of them to have – first they develop the ability to protect themselves from psychics. Next they will devise a way to entrap me, or block...whatever it is you do. These developments are preliminary attacks on our kind and should be dealt with in like manner. I propose that we take this power for ourselves, and eliminate their ability to proceed further in undesirable directions. Even among friends such as Miss Frost, it is good to balance the power, so to speak."
Azazel raised a questioning eyebrow at Eric. His boldness was a risk, but he did not judge Eric Lensherr to be risk adverse.
"As for Miss Pryde..." He shrugged. "I only work with her one time. She does not trust. There are others – I can gather them if you with an audiance, but if you are looking for a team to execute this plan they will require refinement. Do you want to go back to Essex now?"
If Eric consents, Azazel will return them to the lobby of the manor.
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Post by mcr on Mar 10, 2021 20:24:58 GMT -5
-- At the Asylum --
Finally receiving permission, the hospital staff rush into the cell, rolling heavy carts and squeezing past and around Peter to tend to their charges. The guards disperse, content that no one seems to be escalating towards any obvious violence. It is a din of coordinated chaos while one team rushes to restart Jamie's heart, a pair of medics tend to Elizabeth.
One shines a light in Elizabeth's eyes, asking her questions to test her mental faculties and awareness. The other straps a heart monitor to her arm, holding Elizabeth's joints and neck, testing their mobility and to see if she has suffered any obvious injuries. She can almost hear the worry on their faces, expressing inaudible yet palpable concern that Jamie had somehow overcome his sedation to cause ... whatever had happened.
His own heart monitor begins pulsing, and the other medical team is able to resuscitate him. They all breathe a collective sigh of relief.
The attending physician answers Peter:
"Perhaps it's best if the Lady Braddock were to ... limit her visits in the future?"
Although wording it as a question, it seems much more of a demand. Although he dares not say so, Elizabeth can almost hear him think that this would not have happened but for her agitating her brother by their visit and pushing Jamie to his limits. ================================================================== -- At the Manor --
Azazel and Erik return in a puff of smoke, one of the house servants knocking over a metal sculpture with a loud clang that rings throughout the foyer in startled shock at their sudden arrival. She quickly rushes off to get Emma, and the two of them are able to rejoin the others without further fanfare.
As they approach, Emma turns to McCoy and Kate with unease on her face:
"I believe Erik means to make a declaration of war. Whatever is about to happen, please do not let it come to that?"
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Post by OurLadyWar on Mar 11, 2021 9:33:00 GMT -5
Elizabeth's attention snapped steely and cold to the physician. Her daze and tears were suddenly replaced with an angry flush to her cheeks and a deadly flash in her eyes. "Limit? I barely see him as it is. You dope him up and charge him full of enough electricity to power Big Ben. Jamie has something to say and I will find out what that is." She pushed to her feet and looked over her shoulder at her Jamie. "Mark my words," she muttered more to herself than anyone else in the room as she took careful steps to her brother's side. "I promise," she cleared hair from his face and kissed his brow, "I will bring us all home. Soon."
She straightened and that practiced poise and stoic mask slipped back over her again. With a graceful step, she turned back to Peter. "When you're ready... we should probably see if anymore answers lie in Essex."
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Post by phencerx on Mar 11, 2021 15:16:46 GMT -5
As Elizabeth steels herself and tears into the physician, Peter can help but be impressed and give a little smirk. "The lass has fire in her," he thinks to himself. Seeing her come back so strong eased his nerves, and more importantly, his conscience, as he had feared the recent events might have been to much for her.
"You heard the lady. Take good care of that one, because you can be certain we'll be back." As Peter passes the head physician, he grabs him by the arm and pulls him in close to whisper in his ear. "And don't think this is over. You're methods border on barbarism. You'd best clean your act up before my next visit, or it'll be off to the bloody gallows with you."
He motions to Elizabeth, "Spot on luv. I've been wanting to have a chat with that white tart anyway. How about you let me drive so you can rest up on the trip over?"
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