Sebastian climbed up the stairs to his small apartment in on Aparo Way in Charltonburg. He had just gotten home from a road trip with some of his friends in the LMB. He had more luggage than what he left with because he used his “expert bargaining skills” to pick up some nice souvenirs. Sebastian opened up the door to find the house exactly as he had left it. He instinctively placed the suitcases on the table and went into the kitchen to get something to eat. He discovered an empty refrigerator and cupboards. It was at the moment he remembered his conversation with Urraca.
“It is awfully nice of you to let me stay in your house for a couple of days. I was going to book a hotel but this is excellent,” Urraca said.
“I understand, it is not everyday your sorority is in town for the weekend,” Sebastian answered. Urraca smiled. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” Sebastian thought to himself, I guess I’m eating out again,
Sebastian drove up to a familiar place: Bullseye’s Restaurant. He had eaten their and catered food to the Office of Security from their more times than he could count. It was a small place that had plenty of cheap and good food. A television was on and a businesswoman named Isabel was advertising milkshakes to a Keyes Communications reporter when the broadcast paused and then was shut off. One the waitresses changed the channel to a rerun of a sports championship.
Sebastian was about to eat the tapioca pudding he ordered when the he got a call. That is odd; I do not have any meetings scheduled for today. If it is Mr. Yule again I am changing brokerage firms. He was surprised that it was someone important (Really don’t know who to place here because of the Dark Oval stuff).
“Question Lad; please report to Keyes Communication headquarters. There is a hostage situation and you are the only member available at the moment,” (Person) ordered.
“You forget I am not listed on the Office of Security rolls,” Sebastian reminded them.
“Consider yourself reactivated as of now. We will discuss rank further as recent events have changed our structure a bit,” (Person) confirmed.
“Yes, sir,” He said.
Sebastian paid the bill and left the restaurant as quick as possible. He knew the location all too well because it was right across the street from his property. Question Lad and the leading police officer exchanged briefing information and the LMBer was invited to look into the surveillance van.
“This has reached a critical stage. There are rumors that the head criminal has superpowers and that he has already killed someone,” The police officer said, “Please find a way in and see if you can stall him to give my men enough time to storm the building.”
Question Lad used the blue print information from the police to examine weak points in the building. There were two side-entrances, but these were being patrolled by guns-for-hire. He used a stylus to locate the only possible entrance, which happened to be at least eight stories up. It made sense because the owner was Vryggian (Gate’s race) and had many enemies in the entertainment industry.
Question Lad used a zip-line to reach the penthouse. He then hacked into the office and proceeded through the top floor of the building. Question Lad found it a bit odd that the criminal had not used this floor until he discovered the elevator.
Inside the elevator were office workers thrown together in a pile. Their bodies were a strange shade of grey. Question Lad checked was able to determine that they were not dead, just asleep. The criminal had not used ordinary chloroform but has an unusual power.Question Lad radioed this update to the police, who advised him scale down the stairs cautiously.
Question Lad scaled down a flight of stairs and encountered two guns-for-hire at the bottom of the staircase. A display of upper-cuts made short work of them and Question Lad proceeded to the lobby, where the hostage taker was said to be. The sound of bullets mysteriously faded and the entire building was cloaked in an eerie silence. It ended when a man wearing a white shirt and black pants waved a dagger.
“As cold as ice,” He shouted. Question Lad looked and saw as some of the hostages began to shiver. This criminal was able to bring the cliché to life.
Question Lad said, “If you would please surrender I can escort you to a member of the Charltonburg Police Department and they can read you your rights.”
The criminal laughed, “Well if it isn’t Question Lad! I have heard about you from Tyrian. You don’t look so tough. Unfortunately this is personal and the girl must die by my own hands! Dead as a door—“He looked to see that Question Lad was talking to the police.
“This is not the time to question your options,” The criminal said as he waved the dagger again. Question Lad moved quickly and was able to kick the dagger out of his opponent’s hands. The police swarmed in and arrested the criminal the press would dub Cliché Kid, and the hostages were questioned before going to see the paramedics.
Question Lad decided to go home after that experience. He typed up a report for the Office of Security before checking his messages. There were four messages:
- LMB: Meeting Tomorrow at 7 P. M - LMB Private Conference at 9 P.M - Pool and Foosball??? - Cooking ~~~ A Emily/Sebastian Section Dedicated to Invisible Brainiac who likes this romantic pairing.
The next day was a busy one for Sebastian. He spent the first four hours doing paperwork for his mining company. Then he had a lunch meeting with several of his executives. He was a bit surprised that Exxnihil had decided to take a sick day. That was not like him at all. The rest of the day was uneventful and he arrived home. He was about to watch some television when the doorbell rang.
He opened the door and Emily greeted him. Her long blonde hair appeared to shimmer against her pink dress.
"You said you wanted me to teach you how to cook?" Emily said.
"Umm...that was..." Sebastian was lost as to how to phrase this. He wanted to say it was just a joke.
Before he could answer, Emily asked, "Which way is the kitchen?" He gestured towards the kitchen and she walked inside. Emily was already looking in the refrigerator, newly restocked. She frowned a little at the contents.
"What do you know how to cook?" Emily asked.
"Rice, beans, coffee, and toast," Sebastian replied.
"We will start with omelets then," Emily said. They set to work mixing the ingredients and frying them in a pan. Sebastian was pleased when the result looked good. Emily served the results on green plates Sebastian had bought on Earth. She took a bite of the omelet and tried to hide her emotions. He got eggshell in the omelet. But I can't tell him that or it would hurt his feelings. I hope he doesn't ask how it is.
"How does it taste?" Sebastian asked.
"Good," Emily lied. She quickly changed the subject, "I am glad you are back on the Office of Security rolls. Things have changed a bit and I do not know where they are going."
"I guess we'll find out at the meeting tonight," Sebastian said. He really didn't care about other peoples opinions.
"Do you think maybe Friday we could do something together?" Emily asked.
"I...think we should get going. It is a forty mile drive to Legionopolis," Sebastian said.
Emily rolled her eyes, "You chose to move here. You knew it would be long commute."
"It is a closer commute to my actual business. I could have moved even farther away from Legionopolis; I have visited Bayville. It's twenty miles from here and has beautiful mansions and private academies. There is a place called Claremont Park which has beautiful sunsets," Sebastian explained. He then looked at the clock and again suggested they leave, and Emily agreed to this. Night had fallen and O'Neil Highway was virtually deserted. As they passed the Moore Forest Preserve Emily could of sworn she saw a bright yellow flash.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Nice work, Emily. There's not a single wasted word, the imagery is vivid, and the cliffhanger is very effective. Your characters are very engaging, and I am concerned about what will happen to them in the next installment.
posted
~~~ Emily and Sebastian walked into the meeting. A large number of LMBers were assembled, many of whom they only recognized from files. He found it a bit strange that Abin Quank was there but neither Everyday Girl or Sam Pureheart were present. Sebastian noticed Rockhopper Lad and Fanfic Lady sitting near one end of the table. They were the last to arrive and took seats at the other end of the table.
The first thirty minutes was uneventful. The leaders talked about budgets, statistics, and estimates for future super-villain crime rates. The second thirty minutes were slightly more interesting because the LMB was asking for suggestions for reorganizing the team.
"All members of the LMB should be required to live close to the headquarters, " One member suggested.
"How close?" Rockhopper Lad asked.
"Twenty-five miles or less," The member reaffirmed.
"Why does the distance matter? Most of us can fly," Lash Lad argued.
"I agree with Lash Lad," Question Lad said.
"Question Lad, you know you cannot fly. Would it not be more convenient for you to live in Legionopolis?" Fanfic Lady asked.
Question Lad said, "I prefer to live in Charltonburg. I like some distance between my identities. Besides, in the past didn't most heroes live in different cities?"
Rockhopper Lad said, "Yes, but it is important--"
"Question Lad has a point," Nightcrawler said. Everyone turned to look at the Founding Member. "It might be better to have our members spread out. It makes tactical sense."
Abin Quank argued, "Most of our threats are external."
Emily felt herself standing up, "Only if you ignore the crime."
"Which should be handled by the police," Lash Lad commented. "But we are straying off subject. I motion we agree to postpone this debate until the next meeting."
"I second that motion," Emily agreed. Rockhopper Lad took a vote and a majority agreed to postpone the debate until the next meeting. The next hour was dominated by ideas of restructuring the team dynamics. There was a hint of whether or not the Office of Security would be dissolved, but Fanfic Lady glanced at Question Lad and stopped the debate.
"Is there something I should know?" Question Lad whispered to Emily.
"The Charltonburg Police Department has strongly defended the Office of Security. I think it is because of you," Emily whispered back.
"We will now start individual conferences. You will be randomly assigned a time slot to meet with Fanfic Lady and myself," Rockhopper Lad said.
Emily happened to get the first time slot. She walked into the office and sat down in the chair. The two leaders sat across from her, Fanfic Lady with a clipboard in hand and Rockhopper Lad glancing at monitors.
"So how are things for Emily lately?" Rockhopper Lad asked.
"Good," She replied.
"How do you feel about the Office of Security?" Fanfic Lady asked.
"It is wonderful. I get along fine with everybody," Emily smiled. Fanfic Lady knew she was lying but let Rockhopper Lad comment.
"We are a bit concerned about your family," Rockhopper Lad said. Emily felt her muscles tense. Please let it not be about my cousins. What have they done now?
"Our intelligence also indicates Mr. Mind may be on this planet. Do you know where he is?" Rockhopper Lad asked.
"No, and I would have arrived as Red Arrow if I had known this topic would be brought up," Emily Sivana stated. Her father spent time in prison for homicide, and she was being vilified simply for trying to prevent that sort of thing from happening.
"That is all. Thank you," Fanfic Lady said.
"Question Lad, please come in," Rockhopper Lad said. The young man was a little confused because he was not listed as next to interview. He wanted to point this out, but a gust of wind shut the office door close.
"Funny, the weather report said nothing about the wind," Question Lad said. He was trying to be humorous and charismatic. It was clear by the leaders blank expressions it was not working very well.
"We have a lot to discuss with you," Rockhopper Lad said. "The reports say you have to learn more about team work. However, they also say you put in enormous amounts of time into the Office of Security which means you are committed. I really don't know what to say to you."
"I am more than capable of participating in team activities. I just would rather work with a few people I can trust than many people I do not know," Question Lad explained.
Fanfic Lady asked, "What about your relationship with Emily Sivana?"
"We are only friends," He insisted. "If it was serious I would report it to Human Resources which is the practice at my mining company."
Fanfic Lady and Rockhoppr Lad looked at each other. They were not sure what, if any protocol existed dealing with relationships inside the LMB. This caused an awkward pause which was interrupted by Question Lad.
"What would you like to see from me?" He asked.
"We are thinking of splitting the LMB into groups based on expertise," Rockhopper Lad began to say. "We are considering making one branch of the Office of Security what you would call a 'Street-level Division' dedicated to domestic super-villain activity," He said. "What do you think of the idea?"
"If it means the budget remains the same and it is fully-staffed I would agree to it on a temporary basis," Question Lad answered.
"Why only temporary?" Fanfic Lady asked.
"It is something that would need to be reviewed," Question Lad answered.
"Of course," Fanfic Lady said. "You always surprise us, Sebastian. Everything is fine here! You may leave now." Question Lad gently closed the door behind him and prepared to go home. ~~~ Moore Forest Preserve
The signs explicitly say that no one is permitted to be here after sunset, yet three young people are hiking along the seldom used path to the swamp. They were sent on a mission to take a picture of a zombie that lives in the swamp. One of them carried a flashlight, while the other two climbed over a wooden fence into the tall grasses.
On the other side of the swamp, another trespasser was walking. Her clothes, if one could make them out in the darkness, were black and blue. Her hair was curly, and she looked like she was not from around here. She stopped to observe the young men.
"Oh Great and powerful Solomon Grundy please arise from the swamp!" One of them implored.
The other one said, "It is not Monday yet. He has to be born on a Monday."
"What? Do you mean we have to wait another hour?" The third young man asked. The three of them quarreled amongst themselves, and the young woman continued to watch them from afar. She was distracted by a sound from the tree above her, which was that of a bird struggling with it's prey.
The young man with the flashlight took a step back and accidentally tripped on a tree branch. He fell, and as he broke his fall and slowly rose up he had discovered it. In front of him was grey mass laying in the swamp. They had found the body of Solomon Grundy. The young man dropped the flashlight and began taking photographs. The other two young men had followed him. One of them picked up the flashlight to examine the corpse and found something he considered more valuable. It was hard to make out the shape or material but he knew it was valuable.
It was at the moment the three young men saw a flash of yellow light.
"Please don't kill us Solomon Grundy!" He asked.
The voice laughed, "Tell me, what are you afraid of?"
"What?" The one taking photographs asked in shock.
"What do you fear?" The yellow light began to prick at the flesh of the three young men who did not know what to do or where to run.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Sebastian woke up in the middle of the night to a noise outside of his apartment. He pushed the drapes aside, glanced outside the window, and discovered it was one of his colleagues in the super-hero business. The name will go unsaid because he asked Sebastian to hold his identity in confidence. The person looked badly beaten and looked ready to collapse. Sebastian let him into the kitchen and decided to boil a pot of water.
"Coffee?" Sebastian asked.
The other person shrugged, "Anything is fine. After the way Solomon Grundy beat me--"
"Solomon Grundy is just a myth people came up with to keep people from trespassing in Moore Forest Preserve late at night," Sebastian said.
"He is very real. I have photographs from three of his victims," The person said. He slowly took out a camera and some pictures. Sebastian looked surprised and a bit concerned because this could be valuable evidence.
"You should have gone to the police," The person said.
"I did. They said the pictures were of a sculpture and they were following another lead," The person explained. Sebastian agreed to look at the photographs, and the police were right they were highly blurry. However, he saw a strange yellow flash of light. The forest preserve had a few lights along the entrance and perimeter but was normally pitched black that late at night.
"You can stay here tonight," Sebastian said.
"Thank you," The person. "By the way, it was nice to see you an Emily at the meeting last night. How are things going?"
"I don't understand that question," He said. Sebastian regretted the pun seconds after he said it because the guest started to laugh.
"You will understand soon enough," The other person smiled. ~~~ Spectrum City
Emily smiled as she drove into this "city". The town had applied for city status ever since it came to existence, but did not have the population to support their name. It took it's name after the landmarks that made up it's tourism industry. There was Green Mountain, Violet Lake, Indigo Campgrounds,etc. It was a bit odd to be here in the off-season, but Emily had a good reason to be here.
She was going to help the LMB investigate a case of theft from the Cultural Museum. The museum requested she come in plain clothes so she would not to disturb the media. This was fine with her because it would be easier to get answers from the locals this way. The town was not used to super-heroes outside of the media.
"It is nice to meet you...Ms.Sivana is it?" The Tamaraan curator asked. She nodded in agreement and he introduced himself and led her to the exhibits.
"Are you familiar with Korugarian relics?" He asked. They passed a Manhunter robot by the entrance of the exhibit.
"No, I want to be a chemist," She replied. They made there way into a gallery which contained a number of relics from ancient Korugarian civilization.
"This is an exhibit which holds relics from three thousand years of Korugarian civilization. Our most prized collections contain relics from the days of the Green Lantern Corps," He said. They made their way into a room which held many bright objects. One that caught her eye was a red ring, but the curator pointed her towards a yellow ring.
"It is not the real ring, it is hard quartz. The same is true of the lantern. The real ones were stolen a couple of days ago," He explained.
"Did you look at the surveillance tapes?" She asked.
"They were replaced by the criminal. The guards were found tied in a closet by their ankles," He answered. It was at that moment that they heard the hum of a motor. Emily looked to see the Manhunter robot come alive.
Object Target: Page of Book of Parallax
Emily asked, "Is it supposed to come alive?"
The curator answered, "No!" He turned to run behind a large urn. Emily felt a bit helpless without any weapons around, but she decided to kick the robot. This proved the be a mistake as the robot fired blasts at her. She ducked, the blast broke a display case, and the robot continued to follow it's programming. Emily grabbed one of the weapons from the display case and prayed it would do something. It was a strange little box which had many buttons, but instinct instructed her to press the small red button on the side.
B O O M
The robot was gutted and collapsed onto the floor. The curator slowly got up from behind the urn and looked gratefully at Emily. She was happy it was destroyed, and perhaps by looking at it's programming they could determine who was responsible for the thefts.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Question Lad stood at the entrance of Moore Forest Preserve. Office of Security credentials allowed him to enter the place after dark. The park officials seemed a little hesitant but said nothing because recent events had left the place with an air of suspicion. There had long been rumors of things that lived in there, but most of them were not believed by the people of Charltonburg. Many people jogged, biked, and had fun in the forest preserve during the day and could not imagine what could happen at night.
Question Lad traced the path of the three young men. He took the route towards the swamp and looked out into it. The swamp was quiet save for the sound of toads and the wind swaying the plants. Question Lad shined a flashlight at a tree and a snake came down from it and ran past him. He was looking for something, anything, that the police could have missed.
Question Lad shined his flashlight against the water, hoping against hope for any shard of evidence. He leaned forward to peer past the algae, completely unaware of the creature behind him. Question Lad felt a tug at his back and turned his head to see a vampire bat. He waited until the creature grew frustrated and flew away.
Question Lad looked up at the sky to see a crescent moon. It was getting a little late and he was becoming convinced that his colleague may have been exhausted from the fight with Grundy. Perhaps the police were right to follow their current leads. His attention was startled by the sound of footsteps. He shined his flashlight towards that direction, but he could see nothing but a yellow flash of light. Question Lad had no choice but to duck behind a tree. The yellow light faded as quickly as it came, but the person had left footprints.
Sebastian started to follow the tracks when he got a phone call from the Fanfic Lady.
"We need your help on a case. Today Emily fought a rogue robot in a museum that is connected to a theft in the same place. We have decided to put together a special force to fight this threat. Please report to the office as soon as possible," She explained. ~~~
It was a quick drive on the O'Neil Highway at this time of night. Today's rush hour had entered into history and only a few cars could be seen on the road. Question Lad enjoyed this sort of commute and was glad he switched to night shifts for LMB duty. As a child he always enjoyed reading those old stories about crime-fighters.
He walked into the Office of Security, which looked the same despite Emily's statements to the contrary. He turned to the kitchen and saw her as Red Arrow. She did not turn to acknowledge him and simply kept stirring the pot of...something red.
He asked, "Where is everyone else?"
"They are waiting in the meeting room. You got here ten minutes early and Fanfic Lady is not here yet," She said.
"Who is currently waiting?" Question Lad asked.
"I really don't know," She said. A bit of the red liquid spilled over the pot as she was stirring it vigorously. Red Arrow shook her head as she placed the lid over it.
"Is that why you are cooking?" He asked.
Red Arrow was going to say something when Fanfic Lady entered the room. She glanced at Red Arrow and Question Lad, then towards the stove. Fanfic Lady looked through the lid and mumbled something under her breath.
"This looks good," Fanfic Lady said. Red Arrow nodded and Fanfic Lady left as quickly as she came. Question Lad was relieved and offered to help Red Arrow serve. She was grateful for the help, and together they entered the meeting room.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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A young man lingered in the halls of his apartment building. His neighbors were friendly ordinary people who would never suspect how extraordinary he was. They liked him and did not question what he did for a living. They had their own problems and were not quick to pry for details of his life. He left the building and entered the chilly air of Charltonburg. Winter was going to arrive but no snow could be seen on the ground.
He was up unusually early. He had to go all the way to the edge of town and meet some important people. Tyrian only had one blurry photograph as a reference and suspected this person would not show up. However, this person was too important to be questioned in public. If word got out how he truly felt, Violetta would destroy him.
He took a bus to the edge of town. Tyrian read news feeds about a theft in Spectrum City but thought nothing of it. His business only operated there during the tourist season. He got off the bus and walked towards the Ditko River. Two figures stood near a monument to a tragic boating accident that took place in the river.
"Good day," One of them said to Tyrian.
"Hello," Tyrian replied. He took out his photograph and looked at it closely. It was a perfect match.
"I am Mr.Cross. I am representing Mr.Gunn of Daotine. My associate is Mr.Bowe, who is a accountant. We are looking into the medicinal properties of plants that only grow on climates such as those on Legion World," He explained.
"I understand. I will direct you to your appointment," Tyrian said. They needed to get to their destination as soon as possible. The group walked towards a warehouse, and after a little talk with the guards they were able to enter the building. Tyrian guided them into a narrow hallway which was protected by a series of locks. When they entered this underworld, both of the guests were filled with wonder.
It was like something out of a fantasy novel: rows of plants growing underground by artificial lighting. They were being worked on by individuals who were not allowed to dress modestly for fear of theft. Tyrian knew that they were all desperate individuals eager to make any money possible.
"Soma?" Mr. Bowe asked.
Tyrian smiled, "Some of it is, but we have things far more enticing than mere soma." He led the guests to a passage that led to a door with high security locks. Tyrian opened the door to reveal vast quantities of mushrooms growing within the room. It looked as if the root systems were in-tangled in the walls floor. Only the ceiling and a small path was free of the fungus.
"We have seen these before," The representative remarked drily. Tyrian locked the door back up and tried to think of where to take them next. He led them down a staircase. There was a dog guarding this door that looked very fierce. Tyrian petted the dog before entering the room. It was filled with dazed looking employees wearing masks and long work gowns, as they worked with what looked to be some form of liquid.
"We have seen something similar on Dromo," Mr. Bowe remarked.
"We came here for unique plants that can only be found on Legion World," The representative commented.
Tyrian quickly thought, "Sir, please wait one moment." He walked over to where the boxes of samples were kept. He glanced for anything that was remotely related to Legion World. His eyes finally met a small vial that said "Flower- Moore Swamp- 2991". He took it off the shelf and presented it to the representatives.
"This is more like it," Mr. Bowe said.
Mr. Bowe asked, "How many flowers can you harvest in a month?"
"We can negotiate that on a later date. Can we agree that it is a deal?" Tyrian asked.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Ren Zhen watched as Fanfic Lady led two young people into the conference room. One of them was a young lady with blond hair. The other one was a young man with dark hair and tanned skin, though he could not tell what planet or race this young man belonged to, but he chose to sit next to him. All he knew was that Legion World residents from different branches were going to work together to find and defeat a super-villain.
"Thank you for your patience. I have called you all here today because of a series of events in a museum. I have asked for each of you to come here because of specific skills you each possess. When your name is called, please stand up and tell a little about yourselves," She explained. "You may start, Ren Zhen."
He stood up, "My name is Ren Zhen. I was born in Baidu, Legion World. I represent the Tourism Bureau," He explained. Fanfic Lady nodded and he sat down.
The young man stood up, "Are we going by codenames or regular names?"
Fanfic Lady replied, "Be open, Sebastian."
"Then my name is Sebastian Sage. I was born on Salvador, in the Nasger system. I own a mineral company. I guess I represent private businesses..." He shrugged.
The young lady beside him stood up next, "My name is Emily Sivana. If I represent anything than it may be science. I am a chemistry major," She explained. Emily seemed a little uneasy speaking in front of strangers, and quickly sat down.
A male Daotinian in a grey uniform stood up next. His eyes were slightly higher than everyone else present because Daotinians evolved from amphibians. This Daotinians' skin color was black and blue. He stated, "My name is Hrrit Darte. I was employee at Keyes Communications, but now am the LMB's press secretary." A male wearing a dark trench coat was the last to speak. His hands and face seemed insect-like.
"My name is Selk of Dormo. I don't think I represent anybody but myself," He said. "I think you recruited me because I am strong."
Fanfic Lady admitted, "That is true, you each have powers and skills that are highly useful. Emily is a scientist and accomplished archer who--"
Her words were interrupted by a siren. The dispatch operators reported that a fire was spreading throughout a section of Legionopolis filled with warehouses. The police suspected arson, but requested special presence because of what they had found inside the building. ~~~~ Charred Warehouses "It is rather peculiar," Sebastian said. "Three people burnt beyond the point of identification except for jewelry that identifies them as Verde Gang members."
"The police think it is connected to Charltonburg's mafia," Emily replied.
"I reported on a couple of Charltonburg mafia trials," Hrrit recalled. "This does not seem like their style."
Selk commented, "Maybe they got an outsider to do the work for them?"
"That does not seem like their style either. It takes a lot for those organizations to trust their own members, let alone outsiders," Sebastian said.
Ren Zhen asked, "Did the police notice the strange yellow marks on the wall?"
Emily said, "They do not know what to make of them. The police can't say for sure if they are connected to the crime."
Ren Zhen asked, "Sebastian's good with technology, right?"
"I am pretty good with computers," He agreed.
"Then I want you to compare these images to those in Legion World's databases," Ren Zhen said. Sebastian nodded and left the group in order to do research. No sooner than he left than a sudden sound startle the group. Emily pulled an arrow from her quiver and was ready to shoot, only for them to discover it was a stray dog. The group decided to look at the police's evidence to see if it could aid their own lead. ~~~~ Tyrian Interlude
One of Violetta's aids threw a tablet onto his desk. The boss simply looked down at the tablet and then up at the aid. He resisted his urge to shake his head, and instead stood up calmly.
"What is the problem?" Violetta asked.
"The police belief we were responsible for those murders! We can't have this on our heads," The aid said.
"Are we responsible for these murders?" Violetta asked.
"Umm...no...I did not order any murders," The aid mumbled.
"I actually do not mind this publicity. The Verde Gang have been active our profits for months," Violetta said.
"But what about the public?" The aid asked.
Violetta waved the issue away, "The public does not care about inter-gang warfare as long as nobody innocent gets hurt."
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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The group of five was assembled around the table. Sebastian believed a link had been discovered between the crimes committed in Spectrum City and the arson in Legionopolis. The yellow marks on the walls of the warehouse were pieces of an ancient symbol for fear. This same symbol was on a ring taken from the museum.
Hrrit asked, "Do you think it could be multiple gangsters?"
"What would gangsters want with a Yellow Power Ring?" Emily asked in return.
"They could be planning to sell these items on the black market," Hrrit suggested.
"What is a Yellow Power Ring?" Selk asked.
"It is similar to the ring Abin Quank wears," Hrrit answered.
"How did you know that?" Emily asked in surprise.
"I found it on the Internet," Hrrit flatly replied. The conversation paused as the siren rang loudly across the room. The dispatcher reported that there was a burglary at a mansion involving robots. It was a very unusual crime and the police suspected super-villain involvement.
The group split into one group of two and one group of three. Emily, Hrrit and Sebastian decided to look for the family inside. Selk and Ren Zhen were powerful enough to fight the robots. Ren Zhen used his control over gravity send a robot crashing hard into the ground. When the second robot began dodging him, he lowered the gravitational pull on that object and used it as a weapon. Selk had super-strength and was able to keep the entrance-ways safe.
Emily, Hrrit and Sebastian decided to split up once they entered the house. Hrrit's telepathy would allow them to remain in communication with one another while Emily searched the ground floor, and Sebastian searched the basement. Hrrit decided to look in the back yard.
Emily was surprised with how clean the house looked. It looked as if a maid had just cleaned the house hours ago. She wandered into the kitchen and marveled at the lack of blood stains, except for one conspicuous mark on the garage door step. She communicated to Hrrit she was entering the garage and began a thorough search for any remains.
Sebastian walked downstairs and saw a nicely furnished basement. He walked into a hallway and entered the first door to the right. It was a room filled with games and a few odd tools. There were posters on the wall of music bands. One corner of a poster was suspiciously raised, and Sebastian looked and discovered that it was a handle. He opened the handle, expecting a closet, and instead found an extensive storage space.
Many antiques lined the walls and filled display cases. However, the three central cases were empty. The glass was not broken at all. Sebastian took out his Omnicom and found out that all these display cases had been hacked into. He took photographs and forwarded his findings to Hrrit, who told him to join Emily in the garage.
Sebastian walked into the garage to find Emily shining a flashlight throughout the dimly lit garage. He wondered why she had not opened the garage door to get more light. He was about to open the garage door when Emily pointed the flashlight at the attic door.
She said, "I am going to investigate up there." Emily opened the attic door, which triggered a hidden switch. They heard a motor start and the room was filling up with carbon monoxide. Sebastian thought of trying the entrance, but it was locked shut. Emily was very afraid and sent thoughts frantically to Hrrit.
Hrrit sent messages to Ren Zhen and Selk to help the two escape. They quickly rushed to the garage, but argued as to what course of action would be best to take. Ren Zhen was trying to force the lock open, but Selk thought they should just bring down the door.
Hrrit thought, Now is not the time to argue! Do something soon! This caused head pain in both the sentients outside, but Selk shook it off quickly. He crashed the door open to find Sebastian and Emily nearly passed out from the carbon monoxide. Selk grabbed both of them and ran out of the garage building.
"They are going to need a doctor," He said to Ren Zhen.
"I will take them back to LMB Headquarters," Hrrit said. Ren Zhen and Selk were surprised at the speed in which he arrived, but were happy he had showed up. Hrrit felt responsible for what just happened and believed the two left behind could investigate on their own.
After those three had left, Selk and Ren Zhen stood outside the house and wondered what to do next.
Selk said, "Hrrit said the only place they had not investigated was the attic. We shouldn't go through the garage because there might be more triggers."
Ren Zhen nodded, "I can use my gravity powers to bring us to the attic window. Then you can use your power to get us inside."
The two entered the small attic, which smelled like moth balls. There were cans of pesticide that must have been here for years. Most of the items were holiday decorations. The two walked cautiously towards summer decorations to discover four bodies tied together.
A sign was taped above the bodies. Below the yellow symbol of fear was written, "Too Late." ~~~ LMB Headquarters
Sebastian opened his eyes to find he was in the hospital section. The sterile environment was a bit of a surprise to him. The earliest thing he could remember was being in a garage with Emily and wanting her to open the door. He sat up in bed as a nurse walked in.
"Don't exert yourself," The nurse said.
Sebastian asked, "When can I leave?"
The nurse said,"You are going to stay here for a couple of days for observation. If it was not for the timely efforts of Hrrit we doubt you and Emily would have--"
"Emily? Where is she?" He asked.
"I cannot tell you that," The nurse replied. "Please just relax. Normal visiting hours will begin soon and I am sure your friends will visit you." ~~~ A police car was patrolling the perimeter of Moore Forest Preserve every night this week. This made it difficult for Tyrian to collect the samples he needed. He needed to exit off the highway and hike past the reservoir to reach the interior of Moore Forest Preserve.
The Tyrian carried a couple of firearms. He knew all about the strange deaths and disappearances in Moore Forest Preserve. He was glad it was not a Monday and prayed he would not have to deal with Solomon Grundy. He remembered the headlines a few years back about that girl from Celephais Asylum who was found dismembered near the entrance.
He walked through vegetation and towards the spot where the flowers grew. Most of them were dead and dying, which is why he brought a shovel. It was hard to dig out the seeds at this time of year, but his superiors said the bonuses were worth it. He dug out ten seeds and placed them each in a vial.
The screech of an hour startled him, and Tyrian dropped one of the vials. It shattered on a decaying log, which caused Tyrian to frown. He dug out five more seeds and was about to call it a day when he heard footsteps. The Tyrian turned towards the sound and saw a woman approaching him. He gritted his teeth because he did not want to be interrupted. There were deadlines to make, so he decided to take action.
He pointed his gun at the woman, but it was yanked away from him by a flash of yellow light. The Tyrian turned on his pheromone powers and began to run as fast as he could. He grabbed the vials and shovel as he left and did not stop until he reached the edge of the Moore Forest Preserve. I think I am going to call in sick tomorrow, He thought as he got back in the car and drove away.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Emily was released from the LMB Headquarters medical facility after a period of observation. Fanfic Lady told her that she would return to active duty in twelve hours. This gave her a bit of hope because there was not much for her to do. Most relatives were busy with the end of the semester, due to being scientists or science majors. It was on those days she was glad her degree was on hold. This line of work may be more dangerous, but at least it is more consistent.
She looked in the mirror and stared at her reflection. Emily had put her hair up in a bun and wore a purple bow. Her dress was dark green, her stockings were black, and so were her shoes. She hoped Sebastian would like it.
She hailed a taxi and promptly taken to a new restaurant. Sebastian had invited her to this dinner. He said it was pretty important, and she believed it because he usually did not like expensive food. It was one of the things that made her realize he was new money. She doubted his memories of earning it himself, however, and believed he inherited it all from his father.
Maybe it is for the best he doesn't remember his family, she thought. Emily walked into the restaurant and saw Sebastian sitting on a table near the center of the room. He was dressed in a nice suit with a green and silver tie.
Sebastian nodded when he saw her, "Please sit down."
Emily sat down, "What is it that you wanted to discuss?"
"I...I have been thinking about our relationship. I think we should do more together," He said.
"Do more what?" Emily asked. The waitress came and asked for drink orders. Sebastian ordered water while Emily ordered cherry cola.
"I am tired of being just friends," He said.
"You were the one who said we were just friends," Emily pointed out. She was curious as to why he was bringing up this subject again. The waitress promptly brought them their drinks and asked if they wanted any appetizers. Sebastian asked Emily what she wanted, and she ordered oysters Rockefeller.
"That was before we almost died together in that garage," Sebastian said. "Do not tell me you did not enjoy holding hands."
Emily sighed, "I was really afraid. We acted on impulse. It does not mean anything." She thought Sebastian looked hurt. It was always difficult to tell with men, but the pause seemed to confirm he was hurt by her comment.
"Would you have done it with anyone else?" He asked. The waitress reappeared with the appetizer and took their meal orders.
"No," Emily answered. "I guess that means something...that it is something more than friendship."
"Then let's make it more than friendship," Sebastian suggested.
"Yes, I want it to be more than friendship. But what about all those rumors about you and Sam Pureheart?" Emily asked.
Sebastian replied,"They are completely unfounded. There is only room in my heart for one person, and that it you." They then chatted about what they were going to do next, and soon the conversation turned to small talk. Emily was afraid that she would bore him by talking about her family, but Sebastian remained attentive. He had only distant memories of family and enjoyed the idea of being a part of one.
The rest of the meal was very good. Sebastian Sage was a gentleman and insisted on paying for everything, despite Emily's protests that they split the bill. The two of them left the restaurant in good spirits. It was raining outside, so Emily decided to take out her umbrella. They walked together under the umbrella to Sebastian's car. ~~~ Spectrum City Selk did not understand how so many people could be connected to one museum. The police had a number of suspects, but many were ruled out by alibis. The nature of Yellow Power Ring made them more than happy to hand over the cases to the LMB. Selk didn't know if they were actually in the LMB or if he was simply there because Fanfic Lady saw him on television one time.
Ren Zhen had talked to the curators extensively one they arrived. He was preparing an exhibit to substitute for the current one which had valuable objects. Spectrum City depended on tourism for it's existence and any bad press could hurt business. Selk didn't know much about the town except that he liked its Tamaraan Buffet. The group of three sat in this buffet and discussed the current plan.
Hrrit said, "We are hoping that moving the objects will drive our suspect out of hiding."
"That makes sense. What do we do if they do not come out of hiding?" Selk asked.
"We wait for the next lead," Hrrit said.
Ren Zhen rejoined the group. He told them that the artifacts were being moved off-planet, except for a piece of manuscript. This was going to be moved to the National Museum in Legionopolis. The high security of this facility would ensure its safety from the reach of criminals.
"That is all well and good, but shouldn't we be tracking someone?" Selk asked.
"We have to be patient. I am sure an opportunity will come soon enough," Hrrit replied. As he finished this sentence, the TV showed a news report from Moore Forest Preserve. Several bodies had been found with strange etchings in their backs. The news reports said they were members of local gangs.
"Charltonburg Police Department officials state that the LMB has been requested and reassure citizens that the culprit will be found," The news reporter said.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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Abandoned Fort, West of Charltonburg "Banned," The woman read. The security codes were no longer working as she had hoped. The off-duty guards were not very helpful and would be food for the worms. They would not even be worth a Thaler on the market, she mused to herself. Her opponents had left her with little choice but to come out in the open.
She remembered the distant Ikgaline worlds she came from. They are in the area known to humans as Cassopeia, very far away. She did not even know Legionworld existed until she was banished here for her actions.
"It was undeserved, I served Bayer faithfully!" She said to nobody in particular. The robots and computers did not understand emotion and kept to their assigned tasks.
Scanning for blueprints of museum completed, proceed with printing?, The computer stated.
"Delete the blueprints. Search for the blueprints of the main square," She ordered. ~~~ LMB Headquarters
"I don't think we have enough protection around the artifacts," Hrrit said. The six people were gathered around the conference table. There had been no news for days, and an eery calm had entered into this case.
"It is adequate," Ren Zhen said in defense of his department.
"What if she is a telepath, then your guards are defenseless!" Hrrit said.
"And what if she has magnetism? These concerns are highly unfounded," Ren Zhen said.
"Yes, what if she doesn't attack the museum?" Sebastian thought aloud. The two men arguing looked at each other and then back at Sebastian. It was something neither of them had considered.
Fanfic Lady said, "That does not make sense. After all, the artifacts were there and the culprit wants the artifacts. Why would he or she attack somewhere else?"
The room fell silent until a staff member knocked, saying there was urgent news. They turned on the screen to see a huge yellow bubble over Staton Square. ~~~ "...they refuse to negotiate?" The woman thinks aloud. "Ikgalines are always willing to negotiate."
One of the hostages answers, "Of course not. The LMB will defeat you."
"Where I come from, men like you work in the mines until you collapse. I can't wait to have all your souls!" She said.
Ring detects figure behind you: Question Lad of the LMB. She turns to see a young, unarmed man staring directly at her.
"You have gained your reason. Is it time to negotiate?" She said.
"We do not negotiate. However, I want to know why you decided to murder all those people," He explained.
The woman paused in thought before letting out a laugh. "I do not have to answer to you. Question Lad, you will soon kneel down before me."
"Did you forget that we are floating in the air, and not on the ground?" Question Lad remarked. He was using LMB technology to hover the air in order to stall for time. Ren Zhen has manipulated gravity under the bubble in order to create a way for the people to escape with the help of Selk's strength. Hrrit was shielding their actions from the power ring, which was no easy task.
"I hold the power. I can compress the bubble and end all of their lives," She said.
"Prove it," Question Lad replied.
The woman smiled, "You will be my example then."
She released the bubble and attempted to encase Question Lad, but he was able to get out of the way quickly enough for Red Arrow to aim some well-placed arrows. ~~~ Moore Forest Preserve, Morning
The forest preserve was covered with a thin layer of snow. Sebastian was happy that case finally solved. It was now up for a judge and jury to decide her fate. He was now free to pursue new cases.
Emily said, "Wait up!"
She walked slowly through the snow. Her white coat almost blended in with the scenery, and Sebastian thought she looked like a goddess. Emily paused to take a picture of a rabbit that had paused to nibble on a plant. The animal ran off, and Emily turned to Sebastian.
"Do you know anything about Ikgalines?" She asked.
Sebastian nodded, "They occasionally enter Raltveech territory. Some say they search for water, others say they search for slaves. She was banished from Bayer, one of their many communities,"
"Which is why they refuse to extradite," Emily said. "I hope we can forget her and forget the places she has come from. This was a difficult case."
Sebastian said, "The important thing is we are together."
The End
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I love the chemistry between Red Arrow and Question Lad!
