<> <> <> <> <> * Leopoldo has a megaphone! Yay! Now what the fsk to do with it... * Rochelle watches Leo and picks at her peeling skin. She looks like she's waiting for him to do something. Imagine that. * Threnody is standing there, looking at the store in a combination of curiosity and fear. * Kirby is now known as Vera * Ian is standing back a ways, thinking, and looking quite worried. * Chamelaeon sets mode: +v Vera * Leopoldo takes a big breath and puts the phone up to his mouth, flicking it on and talking through it. "Trish, Laura? You there?" * Katherine is standing there with a frown on her face. Now she's pacing slightly, and looks like she's casing the joint, so to speak. <> * Vera shoves her hands in her pockets and looks at the store carefully, making no move for a good long while. Then, suddenly... * Vera pulls out a cigarette and starts to smoke. * Leopoldo mutters to himself, waiting for a response... He talks through the megaphone again. "I know you're there. What are you trying to do?" * Threnody frowns, and closes his eyes again, trying to keep tabs on their reactions (or the hostages) but not actually doing any pushing. <> * Demetreia continues looking confused, worried, and possibly even a little scared. * Leopoldo eyes it, trying to tell if it's one of them. He looks fairly worried about the situation as a whole, though. His skin's a nice black by this point.] * Rochelle watches. * Ian looks on cautiously. * Fitzroy looks distracted.. he's connected to his TSM machine like usual. <> (Are we going to check out the apartment?) (I think we're giving time for this to shake out.) * Leopoldo sighs. * Threnody glances at Leo for a moment, then shuts his eyes again and takes a slow breath out. * Katherine chuckles faintly to herself, murmuring, "At least the girl's got brains." Yeah. Wonder if they can tell who he is. * Ian nods. * Leopoldo frowns. Doubt talking to them is gonna do any good. What's next? * Rochelle shakes her head. * Katherine hrms, and turns back to the group. "Well, I take back my opinion on it being unassailable... but I'd rather leave that until last." * Ian nods. "I don't think we can do that." * Rochelle shrugs. She's looking at the bodies littering the front again. * Threnody speaks without opening his eyes. "You have to handle these things carefully." * Demetreia looks at Thren. I still think we should look for causes. Check out their house, and... * Threnody furrows his brow, then opens his eyes and looks at Leo. "You're... they're aware that you're different, somehow. They're responding." Thren, you said their minds are.. slippery or something? What does that mean? * Ian nods in agreement with Kat. * Threnody blinks and turns to look at Roy. "It's like... it's like trying to fit a puzzle together with the entire thing submerged in marmalade," he finishes lamely. "I know that's not very helpful." (Gawd, you reused my lame metaphor.) (It's all I have!) * Fitzroy raises an eyebrow. "hmm.. Hey, do we know who the hostages are?" (Your metaphors are lame!) * Leopoldo gulps. He's looking a bit more troubled than before. * Vera waits, and smokes. * Katherine frowns, and says, "Leo, someone mentioned your parents, right? We've got to do something, we might as well try them, and the house. Retraceing steps and all that." I mean, unless we're all going to stand here and wait for them to come out. * Threnody frowns a bit, then nods. "I agree. I don't think there's anything we can do without more information." * Rochelle scratches at the back of her head. "Maybe something's going on anyway." 2d6-5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (2d6-5) and gets 2. * Leopoldo blinks, comming out of the trance. He looks around and steels himself as he turns to the rest of the group. "I... What was your idea?" * Ian nods. "I have a feeling we'll find something..." * Katherine looks right at Leo. "We go and check up on where your sisters were, and their parents. Might find out some reasons. Better than standing here waiting." Y-yeah. I think I know what might have done this. Let's get going quickly. * Threnody blinks at Leo a moment, then nods. "Whenever you're ready." Where are we goin', then? * Katherine elbows Leo. Hard. "Wake up." I know the way to Leo's place actually.. Looked it and the hospital up. Yeah? What? * Leopoldo doesn't react that much. Elbowing him doesn't do too much. "I hope I know where my house is... But where's the hospital they're at?" (You don't say much... much.) (I'm trying to get responses from a GM. ^^;) Eh... Hospital? What's that got to do with anything? * Threnody looks at Vera. "That's where his parents are." I don't know, my parents are there. * Ian nods. Ah. * Leopoldo starts walking to his parent's house at a quick pace. So, we gonna get going and figure out how to fix it? Those hostages aren't gonna stay alive forever. Yes. * Ian follows Leo. * Katherine follows. She looks like she's thinking hard. No ear-smoke yet, though. * Rochelle walks after him. * Threnody follows, looking a little calmer now that Leo's found a pair. * Demetreia follows Leo, looking back at the scene with a disturbed expression. They're at Mercy General. I know how to get there. * Vera follows. She doesn't need ear-smoke; she's got cigarette smoke. Okay. We'll go if we don't find anything out from the house. Sounds like a plan. <> * Ian raises an eyebrow. "Nice place!" <> * Rochelle looks it over. * Leopoldo walks in like he's done so many times before. "Thanks. Try not to break anything..." * Threnody can't help but laugh at that. "I somehow think a Leo-proof house is safe from us." * Demetreia follows carefully. * Katherine smirks. * Rochelle blinks. "Sure." She goes in, too. * Vera follows. "Will do." * Fitzroy nods and follows. <> (Obvious exits: N, E, Up) * Vera -> look decor * Threnody folds his arms behind him and looks around curiously. (There is no decor here!) * Ian has headed in, and is openly admiring the decor. (Damn lack of add_items.) * Leopoldo heads to the right down the hallway. ( Vera -> get all decor ) * Rochelle > follow leo (Leo -> Slay Vera.) * Vera follows Leo (since she can't interact with the decor). * Katherine will not follow Leo, instead looking elsewhere. > follow <> * Leopoldo heads up the stairs! (Which are probably reinforced by steel by now...) * Ian follows Leo up the stairs, still admiring the house. <> <> * Katherine is looking around downstairs, herself. Not that she'll find anything, without any decor. What are we looking for, Leo? * Vera looks around upstairs, because she already tried the decor. * Leopoldo heads into Trish's room first, searching frantically but carefully. "I'm not completly sure. Drugs are the only thing that could do that kind of thing to them..." * Demetreia searches inobtrusively. Somehow. Uh, do you want us to look around? I mean, look through your sisters' stuff and all. * Threnody is also downstairs, and looking around trying not to touch anything. "I wish I were a psychometrist. How much easier this would be." Why do you say that? * Ian raises an eyebrow. "Hmm..." * Ian is peering very carefully at everything, though not touching without Leo's approval. <> 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Threnody (2d6+1) and gets 7. (HOO. Just made it, too. ^___^) What else could it be? There aren't any other 24s on this colony besides us and a few others... And those are the only two things that I can think of that'd do it. (Well, provided it's a Mind roll, anyway) 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Demetreia (2d6-1) and gets 8. How about a 24 outside the colony? * Ian nods. "That makes sense..." Someone who wants to get at us, maybe? (Nope) 2d6+3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katherine (2d6+3) and gets 7. (KAT MAKE YOUR ROLL) (Just got it.) What, you think we're bounty now or what? Is there anyone from the Concordat left? Did we get them all? How should I know? But isn't it a little too convenient that the day after the Concordat fell, your sisters went insane? * Rochelle doesn't get an answer from Leo, and so opens the door to Laura's room and looks in. * Threnody blinks and stops next to a table, a few steps from Katherine, and looks down with furrowed brow. Yeah, but I don't give a damn about how convenient it is. My sisters are going crazy and we need to stop it! Yeah, well if you're looking for the cause, randomly hoping to find drugs isn't going to do any good. <> 2d6+4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Leopoldo (2d6+4) and gets 11. * Katherine peers at the table as well, and picks up a piece of paper from it. "Unfinished writing. Go figure." (Pfah! No.) 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Vera (2d6+2) and gets 6. ( Doh. Not quite ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ian (2d6) and gets 7. * Threnody nods, looking over (well, around) Kat's shoulder at it. "Everything's fine. Life is good... and then suddenly cut off." He reaches down and picks up the pen. (If it's Mind, I made it.) * Leopoldo gets into Vera's face at that comment. And boy is he big when he's in your face... "You have a better idea?" 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (2d6+2) and gets 8. * Rochelle glances at all the pink... and frill... and wrinkles her nose just a little. "Sorry, Leo, but I kinda doubt drugs are the reason, too." She goes in and starts looking around, trying not to break anything. (miss) * Ian blinks. "Hey, what's that?" * Katherine filps it back and forth, looking on the back for anything else. "Sorta ironic." * Vera doesn't flinch. "No. I have no idea how to deal with a situation like this. But you're panicking, and that's NOT going to help." * Demetreia walks up to Thren and Kat to see what's going on. * Ian takes a few steps and looks down between the mattress and the bedspring. * Threnody shakes his head and stands up, turning the pen over in his hand. "Not irony... it means something interrupted. It was sudden enough to make her drop her pen in the middle of a letter." * Leopoldo stomps his foot on the ground, noticably shaking the house, but (thankfully) the house IS Leoproof, so nothing breaks. * Katherine shrugs. "I think it's ironic. Writing about how things are fine just before things get so completely... uh, not." * Ian pulls out a small, metal case from where he's been looking. "This looks odd." * Leopoldo takes a breath. "What have you got Ian?" * Threnody mms. "Maybe 'not just irony', then..." ( It's mutagen! ) * Ian hands it to Leo. "I'm not sure." * Rochelle looks in drawers, and pockets, and under the bed, and generally tears the room apart. But she doesn't break anything. So there. * Vera looks around Ian at Leo. "Hmm... No idea." * Leopoldo takes it and looks at it strangely, sitting down and opening it. <> * Demetreia shudders at Thren's description. * Ian raises an eyebrow. * Katherine nods. 'Anabolic Steriods'.... What's anabolic mean? Makes you metabolize faster... Used by atheletes in the early 20th century to increase muscle mass. (I AM IDJOT) * Ian nods. "It's part of the metabolism. But I'd think they'd be more clearly labelled...aren't there tons of different chemicals?" * Threnody looks at the letter again. "ATCops have to undergo psyche evaluations, don't they? And they'd certainly test her for 24 powers first..." (*kills Ian for revealing the GM's lack of knowledge of substance abuse*) (GOOGLE. Stupid wombat!) (They're 30ccs per pill of PLotdevicium.) I have no clue. (WOMBAT VERY BUSILY HANDLING LOTS OF MSG) I... It doesn't cause insanity, though... Normally... But they might not even really be what the label says. (Lots of MSG? What, a big bowl of ramen?) * Rochelle , meanwhile, ignores the lot of you and is demolishing Laura's closet. Pink. Jesus. (Laura is the pink princess.) (She is. >_<) They can have side effects, but...not like that. (Cham, do your own damn /msging from now on. c.c;) Yeah. It just doesn't make sense... I'd think so, but I've never been an ATCop. * Threnody frowns. "Well... perhaps she hadn't reached that stage yet." * Leopoldo closes the case and goes into Laura's room. * Rochelle pulls out a couple containers, puts them on the desk with the pink pencil/pen holders, and opens them up. She eyes the buttons and polished rocks, rubs at the back of her head, then goes back to destroying the closet. "Hey Leo." * Katherine eyes the letter. "24 powers, sure. Psych profile probably. Maybe she was just about to enlist, or whatever it is when you join the cops." (And he takes the case with him too.) * Vera follows. "Wonder if Roy's any good with chemicals?" (He's GREAT whenhe's sto... I mean, me too!) * Ian follows Leo. "Hmm..." Find anything? * Threnody glances at the letter again, then shakes his head and keeps looking around. I found out she likes pink. Yes, very much so. And collects rocks and buttons. Maybe she should meet Mad sometime. * Leopoldo nods and mmms. "Anything that would be of relevence to the situation?" * Katherine goes back to looking around too. (I need to sink CP into psychometry if I ever get any. S'a useful thing.) <> (What *is* psychometry?) I'm tryin', all right? If it's drugs, it ain't somethin' normal. Those mess you up real good, but they don't screw with psychs like that. (Um... basically, picking up the psychic impressions people leave on physical objects.) (Oh, cool. ^_^) We can probably get ATC to test those steroids... (So you can pick up a rock they held and know what they were thinking when they held it.) Yeah. * Rochelle throws another dress over her shoulder and looks at Ian. "Steroids?" (ON VERNON.) * Ian nods. "That's what we found..." ( I'm a tree! XD) * Leopoldo looks around the room now that Rochelle has tore it up. "I don't think we'll find anything. Let's go downstairs and see if Thren and Kat have anything." (Vernon would be all "You won't like me when I'm angry", but he'd just turn green.) * Leopoldo heads downstairs. * Ian follows. * Vera follows. You find anything? * Rochelle blinks a couple times, then looks at Leopoldo. "Uh, sure." She looks around the room, then puts the lids back on the rock and button collections. * Fitzroy follows, 'cause it's 'the thing to do.' * Rochelle proceeds to leave (the rest of the room as a mess). * Threnody sighs and walks back into the parlor. "A letter your mother was writing. Did you know Trish was going to enlist in the ATCops after graduation?" I had a suspicion. She always wanted to... * Threnody glances at Kat, who is presumably still holding the letter. "But other than that, everything looked fine. She was interrupted while she was writing it..." He holds up the pen. "And didn't come back afterwards. This was on the floor." * Katherine puts down a different random object she had, and comes back to the group, letter in hand. * Leopoldo sighs. "Yeah. Apparently my baby sister has been expirementing with steroids." * Demetreia frowns. (Argh I saved over my playlist.) (... I need to stop doing that.) Or what she thinks is steroids. Any of you know how to test them? * Ian shakes his head. "No idea." * Rochelle shrugs. * Threnody ehes and rubs the back of his head. "No. But... someone at the hospital should." * Ian nods. * Katherine smirks faintly, but doesn't answer. Could ask while we check your parents, or something. * Leopoldo rubs his head. "Right. Let's get going, then." <> <> <> * Leopoldo walks up to the counter that's probably there. "Hello, I'd like to visit my parents. Elizabeth and Dante Grahovac... They are here, right?" (DANTE!) (*cracks up*) (He's not even supposed to be here today.) * Katherine has looked annoyed for this whole time. <> "Yes! Yes sir, they're up a few floors. Room 317." Thank you. Oh, one more question. Could you please find out what this is? * Leopoldo puts the metal case out and hands over some of the 'steroids'. "I don't... I'm not... well, I'll try?" I mean, can you find someone who can? If you can't, that's fine... <> * Leopoldo bows his head. "Thank you very much." And then he goes up the stairs, because elevators are for whimps. * Threnody glances at Leo. "Are you ready?" He smiles a little. "They might have unpleasant things to say." * Ian follows Leo. * Leopoldo glances back. "Does it matter?" <> * Vera follows. She's not smoking! * Ian is! But it's just the soles of his shoes. * Leopoldo makes his way quickly to room 317. * Demetreia follows. * Threnody mms faintly. "It might not." <> * Katherine doesn't go in the room. She finds somewhere to sit and does so, rubbing her temples once she's seated. <> * Ian sits down outside, too. Not really a good time to interfere. * Vera just stands near the door. * Demetreia looks between the room and the benches, and settles for a bench. * Rochelle peeks in, then finds a seat on a bench. * Fitzroy finds a seat. (People in the room, which looks like just Leo, #317.) * Threnody follows after Leo, after a moment of indecision. (Aww, we can't eavesdrop? ;_;) * Threnody does stay back, though, leaning sideways against the doorjamb. (*points Leo over to #317.) (Er, Leo? Yeah.) (Ah! ^^;) * Rochelle folds her hands behind her head, leans back, and stares up at... nothing. Whoo. Fucking hell, this is nasty business. <> * Vera nods to that. (The A/C is following us.) * Ian nods, and sighs. "I'm sure it'll turn out okay, but..." ( O_O ) * Demetreia looks down. (Man, I hate Thren sometimes.) * Ian looks through the inevitable selection of magazines, picks one, and begins to devour it. (Him: "I want to be near Leo's parents because I had a similar problem as a child." Me: "But that means I don't get to DO anything." Thren: "QUIET.") * Katherine snorts. "You can be sure it'll turn out OK. Did you look at that store, man? Sweet Space Jesus." <> It's too late for it to turn out okay. * Ian absorbs information! He can use this in his next book. (So I will use this time to procure a snack.) * Ian shrugs. "Things tend to. More or less." It won't turn out okay. But it'll turn out better, I think. * Ian nods. * Katherine mms, then snickers to herself. * Ian absorbs more information on flying security porcupines. Awesome! 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (2d6-3) and gets 1. * Vera looks down and tips her hat over her eyes, then folds her arms. <> * Katherine leans back against the wall and rubs her neck. ( Blargh. *collapses* ) (Sad waiting is sad, and waiting.) * Fitzroy sighs "I can't find any information connecting the girls to anything strange." (*dies, meanwhile*) (You'll all get your chance to make the others wait.) * Ian nods. "Huh..." ( Not if I go unconscious before it! Ahahahaha. ) Well, it's good to know we know nothing. * Leopoldo walks out the room, looking around. "I hope you didn't get too bored..." No connections with the hostages.. and none of them seem suspicious in any way. * Threnody walks out a few steps behind Leo, after saying something to his father. Not a problem...did you find anything out? * Katherine shakes her head. "We'll live, for now." * Ian puts down his magazine. * Rochelle removes her hands from the back of her head. "What's up?" Only that they wouldn't let mom and dad near the site. And this... * Leopoldo holds out the chip. "It has Trish's favorite song on it... Maybe it'll tell us something?" Worth a shot. (Quick, Deme. Deploy your sub-woofers!) (Vera! The Boombox Hat!) * Rochelle nods. * Katherine stands up, and stretches slightly. ( No way, man. This hat is tuned to Jazz only, yo. ) (Radio Free Vera's Hat.) (You don't know what's on it. She might be really into bluegrass.) (We all know you've got a pirate transmitter under there.) * Leopoldo hands the chip to Roy. "That laptop plays music, doesn't it?" ( Yarr! <.< ) (As Roy loads DunnAmp.) ( DunnoTunes. :P ) 'Course.. They're not great though. * Katherine starts frowning, as she stands there. * Fitzroy puts the chip in and plays it. * Threnody glances down each end of the hall, looking for something. * Fitzroy anounces the title, "It's Undertone, by Jeb Bubble and the Bubblicious" <> (I want to know everything about that song...) * Threnody actually starts hipswaying a little halfway through it, then realizes he's doing it and stops, blushing faintly. Don't recognize it. * Ian nods. "I do. It was popular a while ago." * Rochelle puts her chin on her hand and listens. * Demetreia looks blank on hearing it. No surprise. (Well, we know it doesn't drive telepaths to kill! *stabs Ian through the throat*) (Wah!) ("Tails again!" ) * Katherine grins faintly. "Yeah, I've heard it at Momo's." She glances briefly at Thren, and then shakes her head. "Anything hidden on the chip?" One-hit wonder, aparently. * Leopoldo hmmms... Yeah, they never did publish anything big besides that. * Threnody turns around from looking down the hallways. "Well, I have no desire to knock over a convenience store, so... it's not subliminal, or anything." * Ian nods. * Leopoldo nods. "Could be something in the steroids then, but... I doubt we'll get anything from that." He sighs. "It seems pretty hopeless, really." * Threnody blinks. Nothing else on the chip. * Katherine frowns. "Wild shot. Did she have a TSM--ah, bah. No way it could be a chip drug, then." Um, well... * Threnody puts a finger to his chin. "Maybe... why don't we ask if they finished the test of the steroids? Then we can decide what to do." * Ian hmms. * Leopoldo nods. Yeah. My parents are very much against cybertech... Let's get the results. * Leopoldo heads downstairs, taking the stairs. AGAIN! HAHAHAHA! * Ian follows! * Demetreia follows too! Wow, this is turning into a popular trend. <> (only now we're armed with MARTIAL IDOL!) * Vera follows, 'cause why not? * Katherine strolls after. She cracks her neck once she gets to the bottom of the stairs. "Ow. Ah well. Any update on the situation at the shop, Roy, or still the same as before?" * Rochelle goes, yup. * Threnody follows and such. * Leopoldo walks over to the counter, talking to (hopefully) the same person as before. "Have the results on the pills come back yet?" .. Looks like it's still the same. <> "Yes?" * Rochelle blinks. She looks at Roy's computer. * Threnody blinks, then looks at the nurse curiously. May I have the results, please? "Oh, the pills. Right." <> "...well, unless you gave us the wrong pills, what you've got there is a very effective placebo." <> "They're sugar pills." ... * Threnody blinks at the doctor. "..." Maybe I'm being paranoid, but that implies some very bad things. ... Yes it does. * Threnody looks at Ian, and then at Leo. "I..." He pauses. "We should get back." * Ian nods. "Let's go." * Leopoldo nods and hurries out. * Ian follows, at his full speed. * Leopoldo skids to a halt and waves bye to them, then engages in running out again. * Threnody runs as fast as his adorable limbs will carry him. Which is decently fast. <> * Vera chases after, hanging onto her hat. "Wait a minute! What's sugar got to do with anything?" * Katherine jogs. "Christ, people..." If someone wanted us to think it was a drug side effect...that's how they'd do it. Yeah. Something's terribly wrong. As if it wasn't horribly wrong already! And more wrong that I could have imagined... * Vera doesn't say she told them so. * Threnody bites his lip, but keeps silent as he runs. * Demetreia looks very puzzled. (Good thing Vera didn't say that...) * Katherine scans the building. "Do you have some sorta insight on this, Leo, or is this just general 'we're totally fucked' sentiment?" * Katherine tries to flag down a cop to come her way. * Rochelle catches up and catches her breath. As much as I hate to admit it, I have no idea... * Threnody looks at the rubble, then finds somewhere to sit down and does so, crossing his legs and shutting his eyes. <> ( Does he holler? ) (No.) (If he does, shoot him.) (Don't let him go, then.) * Vera shoves her hands in her pockets and does what she does best: Smokes. * Katherine frowns at the man, and puts on her best 'Tell me right the fuck now' face. "Do you have any stun equipment? Preferably not rifles, and that will work in one shot?" * Threnody shuts his eyes tighter, mouthing words but not actually saying anything. <> * Rochelle looks around. "Y'know..." This is gonna sound stupid. But maybe you should try playing the song for them? It's... worth a shot. * Katherine rubs her temples. "Perfect. That's it..." she trails off at Roch's statement. * Ian nods. "Yeah, worth a try." * Leopoldo chuckles, almost histerically. "Song soothes the savage beast." We'll need a loudspeaker.. or something.. hmm.. * Threnody lets out a sharp breath, but doesn't open his eyes just yet. * Leopoldo hands Fitzroy the megaphone. (Which does NOT belong to Richard.) * Fitzroy takes the megaphone distractedly.. * Threnody cries out, this time, and his eyes fly open. * Ian blinks. "What's wrong?" * Leopoldo 's eyes go wide. "Shit." * Rochelle looks over at Thren. * Threnody puts a hand to his chest, taking deep breaths. "Not just... one voice." He pauses a moment. "Tens. Hundreds!" Get it ready so you can play the song. What? Voice...? What the hell? * Katherine winces, then turns to Thren. "Words we can understand, Thren." * Threnody shakes his head. "It wasn't just her voice. Or rather, her voice wasn't one voice. It was many. All shouting to be left alone..." * Threnody then blinks, looking at Leo. "...what did you just do?" I... Told her to stop. * Fitzroy hands the megaphone to the nearest person. "I have a better idea for the music. There's an access point around back. I can feed the music directly to the building." The hell... You've got telepathy or something too, Leo? * Leopoldo holds his head. "This just isn't making sense. No, I don't. I just know that she has telepathy." * Threnody nods and stands up. "Keep... keep talking to her. Say something, ANYTHING. I can feel it... whatever it is that's... around her mind. It weakened, just a little, when you said that." * Ian nods. "I'll come with you, Roy." * Rochelle nods at Roy. "Okay, go for it." * Fitzroy glances around, "I need to get around back.. " He starts off in a wide circle around back. * Leopoldo nods and starts thinking to her. Hopefully she's still listening to him. * Ian follows. * Katherine looks confused for a second, and then walks over to get a stun baton. "Roy? Stay as far away from them as possible--aah, bastard." (We won't bother with a new channel.) (As Roy's theme comes up on winamp.) (dow!) <> It's back here by this dumpster.. <> * Threnody looks at Katherine. "They're going to play the song, right?" * Fitzroy finds the access point and connects. Nano tools go! * Katherine nods, and eyes the stun baton, testing it a bit. "Yeah, they are." * Ian nods, and watches the back door. * Threnody nods back and looks at the store, watching the mental 'goo' for an opening. "I hope it works." * Katherine shakes her head. "If you want someone to make a run on her, I've got an angle. It'll only work if she's distracted, though, and I'll only get one shot." * Leopoldo is busy concentrating. * Rochelle folds her hands behind her back and watches. Here we go.. speakers.. and that should do it. * Fitzroy sets the song to loop over the store speakers. * Threnody knits his brow. "I don't know. Whatever Leo's saying is working, but..." <> * Katherine shakes her head. "We've still gotta worry about the other sister and the hostages, but if Leo can talk her down--" ( One: Vera smokes. ) <> Aw, Fuck it all! * Threnody doesn't bother to swear, and simply runs into the store through the front door, because he's an idiot. * Vera grits her teeth and charges in. * Katherine is right there alongside Threnody. "Fucking hell." * Leopoldo snaps out of the trance again, running into the building as fast as he can, just barging through the door that's in the way. * Ian , likewise, dashes forward and tries to get/bust in the back door. (EVERYONE THROUGH THE DOOR. WOO.) Please, please... * Rochelle walks after the rest of them, since trying to fit in while everyone else goes through the door is pointless. (A smart choice.) (Kat/Thren: "We're ready!" Leozilla: "ROAR!", then he trampled both of them going through the door) (I'm pragmatic like that.) <> (Roch meets Prag. "We don't care.") (Roch bartends. Does this mean in ATC3 there'll be Pragmatic Grilles coupled with Rochelle's bistro?) <> * Katherine takes in the scene, then points at the door to the counter. "Someone get the damn thing open! Leo!" * Leopoldo makes a door! * Threnody stops a few steps behind Kat, blinking. "...I know that look..." * Rochelle looks at Laura, then the hostage, then Trish. She frowns a little. * Fitzroy keeps the music a-playin' <> Out of the damn way! * Ian winces, and (though you can't see him) tries to kick down the door that leads from the storage area to the space behind the counter. * Katherine raises the stun baton as she says this. * Leopoldo gets out of the way all right. * Rochelle looks for something to smash over Laura's head. Because you know she would. * Katherine runs in to hit Laura with the stick in a jab-for-the-chest sort of way. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ian (2d6) and gets 8. (Ow! Door wins!) * Threnody blinks more, probably at the rear of the group because he's not *moving*. "It's the same..." (...oh, and I don't even know how to warn you.) (Should I roll? ^^;) ("Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!" is not a good warcry.) <> * Rochelle looks over the racks, finds some heavy gauze and bandages, and heads on in, too. She more or less ignores the disected guy and the other hostages as she tries to make sure the person missing the foot doesn't bleed to death. * Katherine huffs mightily, and immediately cranks the stun stick off. "I got her! I got her." She hefts her over one of her shoulders. * Ian peers in the front door, having just limped back around the building. <> * Threnody breathes out, looking at the girl Kat's holding onto. "And now it's gone..." And he totally can't resist looking at Trish and asking, in a way he hopes will reassure her, %% What WAS it? %% * Katherine starts to carry Laura out slowly, which is probably a feat since everyone's in the way. * Ian rubs his foot. "Are you guys okay?" Better than they are. * Leopoldo looks at the policemen and walks along with them alongside Trish. He pretty much ignores Ian, though... Not like you could blame him. ^^; <> (See? I'm nice!) <> %%It was....I ... oh, god... %% * Katherine carries the girl all the way out, then, and hands her off to _anyone_ who is willing to take her off her shoulders. Her ears twitch. "God." * Threnody turns and watches them walk away. %% We're friends. We'll find some way to help. I promise. %% He manages a weak smile. * Rochelle lets the paramedics take care of him and the hostages, and heads out with everyone else. Excuse me officers... may I have a moment with my sister? <> (Ah, Leo, the gentle giant. "We don't think it's sa--" "BACK OFF." "Gojira! RUn for life!") (Hee hee.) * Leopoldo walks up to Trish and smiles. "Are you okay after that?" (Leozilla vs. Squid Ian. ;_;) (Leo wins. Fatality.) (Yes. ;_;) (Hurray!) * Fitzroy notices that things seem to be over and he comes back around the building. The music shuts off. * Threnody runs both hands through his hair and looks up at the sky (ceiling?), breathing out slowly. (I then get dual-horizon vertigo and pass out.) * Rochelle looks back at the convenience store, then at Leo and Trish. She lets out a sigh. <> "It was awful... horrible. I didn't ... we didn't ..." <> * Vera heads out, smoking another cigarette. * Leopoldo hugs her. "I know you didn't, and it wasn't your fault... We'll find some way to fix it." * Fitzroy seems relieved to see that everyone is still standing. * Katherine hands her over, saying, "Be careful with her." Then she stretches, arms behind her head. * Demetreia creeps inside tentatively. <> Do you want to talk about it anymore now? Like I said, I'll always be here to listen. <> * Threnody starts walking toward Leo, but keeps a respectable distance from them. (SOME of us have Mind Shield, you know.) * Leopoldo lets go. "W-what's going to happen now?" (We bust you out of jail and take you to Ronnie, who uses you to power interstellar ships.) (How impressively obscure. You freaking dork.) (^_________________^) I don't know. They want to arrest you, but you were being controlled... I hope mom and dad can help out, as well as the rest of my friends... I can stay here if you like. <> * Rochelle opens her mouth, then the policeman wanders up. I just... You wouldn't deserve that. And I'm go-. *Leo turns to the man* Yes? * Threnody glances at Rochelle curiously. * Rochelle looks at Thren, then turns to the man. * Katherine just stands there, leaning off balance slightly. * Ian blinks, and looks over. "Apparently, an ATCop cruiser is touching down at the pad this minute. They've asked, in the spirit of interdepartmental friendship, that we hand over the captives." <> * Threnody looks at the cop, then at Rochelle, then at the cop again. * Fitzroy raises an eyebrow at that. "They said you'd probably be expecting them?" * Rochelle just shrugs. * Leopoldo hmmms, then nods. "Okay, only if I can come with. Is that okay with you Trish?" * Katherine smirks faintly. (When we're done, I hope there's lots of stuff to break. 'cuz Leo wants to break loooootsa stuff.) <> "Please, don't let them... " <> * Threnody smiles at Trish, waaaay behind Leo. "They're people you can trust." * Katherine looks at the ATCops with a frown. "What the hell kinda..." * Rochelle looks over to the armor people. She blinks, but looks more curious than scared (does she *ever* look scared?). (No?) * Ian raises an eyebrow. "Huh." * Demetreia blinks at the ATCops. (Exactly.) <> * Vera watches the cops passively. <> * Leopoldo stays near Trish. His colors have since turned back to normal, or muchmoreso than when they first got here, and he looks at the, um, suits of funk. ( *wobbles* How much d'we have left? ) * Katherine 's eyes widen. "Fucking awesome." (Not much. Really, we can end almost anytime.) * Leopoldo glances over at Kat. "I hope that's a fucking awesome in a good way?" ( Right. 'Cause I think it's time for the final collapse. ) * Threnody nods at Leo. "It is... sort of." * Katherine blinks, and shakes her head. "Well, if I--okay, since I'm right, at least your sisters won't be able to do any more damage with those guys." * Threnody looks pretty impressed. "Aunt Ronnie really does think of everything." What is it? * Threnody points at the suits, but answers Ian mentally. %% Psychic armor. It protects them from mental powers. %% Ahh... (I would have gotten Leo some mind shield if it wasn't 2 points/level. ^^;) <> "The rest of you can follow in the ship," <> * Katherine shakes her head, and nods. She seems over the shock of what she figured out. (Er. ON her head.) * Threnody blinks at the guard, then blanches. "He doesn't mean *that* ship, does he?" (Uh?) (Thren doesn't like the Shark.) Looks that way. * Leopoldo nods and follows along as well. (He gets spacesick easy.) * Rochelle snickers a little. * Ian follows. * Fitzroy goes along. (*DIES at /msg* Oh, man. It sucks being right.) * Katherine follows, a brief look of annoyance on her face. <> * Threnody can't help but smile despite impending shark, and walks after Kat. <>