Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Who the fuck is Cauldron?
I read and dismiss the new quest. Dammit. Maybe I don't want to find out. Fuck me, I don't have the option to decline. No time limit, another opened ended one? Just don't tell anyone? Yeah no problem. Alexandria would turn me into paste. Gee, Alexandria and Legend are two members right there…
+165XP Who is Cauldron? Part 1: Alexandria
+165XP Who is Cauldron? Part 1: Legend
Okay that's easy. Maybe it's not so bad, the first part anyway. More reasons to grind Observe, unless thinkers start to know I know then someone knows and Part 3 fails. Fuck me.
Shit, I'm supposed to talk to a panel of fucking thinkers today. Dammit, how the hell do I deal with this?
"Stasis? Are you all right?" Sara asks, jolting me out of a mini-panic.
"Yeah, just thinking." Thinking of how screwed I am. I hop down from the platform. I don't want line of sight between me and two members of the cape-inati that can turn me into a pavement smear if I can avoid it. At least I'm far away and there's hundreds of people between us. I want to get the hell out of DC but still have to talk to Chela again.
"Are you sure you're okay? You look like you've seen a ghost. Alexandria's going to do a fly-by for a photo-op and Legend just announced he's going to give autographs, do you—"
"No, no, I'm okay." I say reverting back to a mask of composure. "The line for that'll be insane. I'd rather head back to the hospital now." Wait, how can Alexandria do a fly by?
"All right then. Let me call ahead to let my co-workers know, and we can be on our way." Sara says smiling as we head back to her car.
I can't help but glance back at the spectacle and spot what looks like Alexandria swooping down, which doesn't make a damn bit of sense considering what Observe just told me. Observe
God damn, really, a teenager? Slipstream is part of Cauldron too? Why is she listed as 'affiliated'? I read the rest as I walk back to the car. Fly-by photo-op, right, more like Alexandria covering her hypocritical ass. So she's paying back a favor for the vial, I bet she doesn't even know who the PRT chief-director really is. Also, why the hell didn't Observe mention this the first time I used it on her? Not high enough or something?
+165XP Who is Cauldron? Part 1: Slipstream
I dismiss the notification and get in. I don't want to talk. My mind is stewing too much. I spam grind Observe to pass the time. I guess I can name off all the capes I know and observed. Sparky is a member of Cauldron, Dispatch is a member of Cauldron…. Lifeline, Rappel, Exalt, Olympus, Jack Slash, Mannequin, Bonesaw, Crawler, The Siberian… Hatchet Face is a member of Cauldron…
Error: Indeterminate
What the fuck? Was that actually trying to do something? I was just cheesing shit, that's damn ridiculous. Eidolon is a member of Cauldron.
Error: Indeterminate
Huh, okay. I don't have proper Observe records for either of them anyway. Piper said something about Hatchet Face being in play causing thinker tracking difficulties. Eidolon must have anti-thinker stuff too. Of course he would, he can have any power.
Julia Mendez is a member of Cauldron. Nothing, thank god. Chela Sanchez is a member of Cauldron. Now I'm just being absurd. Wait, why be restricted to parahumans? Sara Clark is a member of Cauldron. Mark Piper is a member of Cauldron. Nothing. This is getting dumb, Alexandria, Legend and Slipstream's sheets say 'Cauldron' right in the faction section anyway. I slip my mask back on as we pull up to a back entrance of the hospital. How far can I take randomly guessing for free XP?
****?
Well, time to stop the random guesses about Cauldron's goals. I head to Chela's room and knock on the door.
<"Come in,"> she says in a soft voice after a brief moment.
<"Hey"> I say as I slip into the door. No one else is here. Good, at least we have some privacy. Chela is sitting up watching some Latin music videos on a Spanish language channel.
<"You came back.">
<"Yeah, I said I would. I got you this."> I hand her the flip phone. <"I loaded it up with some prepaid minutes and put my phone number and email into its contacts."> I scroll through the mono-chrome screen and show her the information. <"I called it once already to make sure it's all working and so I'd get your number too.">
<"I thought you lost your phone when…">
<"Yeah, I did, but this is a VOIP number.">
<"A what?">
<"Voice over IP, an internet number. With that, I don't need an actual phone to receive messages and make calls, just a computer connected to the internet. Although I can hook that number up to a smart phone once I get a new one.">
<"I only ever used the internet a few times in school after we came to New Orleans.">
<"Well, definitely learn to use it more. It'll be important…">
<"You'll show me, when I'm not in the hospital?"> I fail at hiding my outward frown, and Chela notices, frowning in return. <"But you won't">
<"I'm sorry, I have places I have to go.">
<"Where?">
<"Northeast… But Chela, you can't go with me.">
<"They think they found my parents, and wanted to confirm it with DNA.">
<"They mentioned that to me as well. Did you do it?">
Chela nods her head. <"They said it will take a few days to confirm and more to… process everyone that died.">
I watch as she grips her fists so hard her fingers whiten. <"Are you alright?"> No, that's a dumb question. <"I mean, are you holding up… do you want me to stay… for the moment?"> Observe
<"I don't know if I'm holding up, but please stay, for now anyway..."> Chela responds after she relaxes her grip.
<"You look less stressed at least"> She was, her stress points have improved and the severity of her prior effect went down. There's a new skill and effect there, Enforced Calm, it wasn't there before. <"Did you have some counseling?"> Or is it power based like mine?
<"A trauma counselor stopped by with the social worker, but not for long. She said she would come back tomorrow too. A priest visited briefly too, making rounds, before you got here. I guess they helped some.">
I nod, <"That's good, keep that up. It will help.">
<"Still hurts to talk about, I get angry along with being sad."> Chela says whitening her grip again before relaxing.
<"You want to watch some Spanish music videos with me?"> I ask as I flip through the TV channels.
I look very closely over the many debuffs her injuries and psychological states are putting on her. Conflict Seeking, the one I'm seeing on most capes, is the heaviest contributor to a drop in the WIS score by more than half. Let's Parapedia dive as far into all the effects as I can.
Everything I see reinforces how much she needs therapy, physical and mental. I don't think that Conflict Seeking thing will be solved though. I feel like I could do something to help. But I don't know how, like it's beyond my reach. Does everyone who triggers have this? It's not listed for me though. Are you hiding it or did you just re-characterize it into that curiosity and trolling flaw? My passenger doesn't verbally respond, but the small uptick in Parahuman Lore gives me a general confirmation of my theory.
I scroll through my cape database, people who have vials mentioned in their background don't have the flaw/status effect related to Conflict Seeking. Those that don't do. My sample set however is too low, only Alexandria, Legend, Slipstream, and Shatterbird mention power vials in some manner. Three of those are related to Cauldron, and Shatterbird's was vague, indicating she didn't know what she imbibed.
Why is it a thing? Parapedia says it 'Impairs judgment and influences the afflicted toward a more combative personality'. That's a whole lot of bad news. It makes people with powers want to get into more fights. My Parahuman Lore ticks a few more percentage points upward. Hell, that's actually the opposite of what I told Ms. Clark in the car. So powers or passengers want conflict in some form. Why?
I'm getting a headache trying to think of reasons to explain it. So from the other side, according to the small sample set I have, vial capes don't have this flaw. Not that some people can't be the type to look for trouble on their own. So where does Cauldron get involved? Vials make capes, Cauldron wants more capes, or more stable capes? A couple of notifications fire off.
+2750XP Who is Cauldron? Part 2: Cauldron wants more capes, or more stable capes.
You have gained a level! You are now level 27
Okay, nice. You're still being a fucking troll though, that's just how I worded it in my head. Which is it? More capes or more stable capes? Both? Is it a past goal or a present goal or both?
Cauldron also sold the vials or gained favors for them or both, my small sample included two super rich oil people in Texas and Dubai, doesn't say what it cost, but I bet they had stupid levels of cash to throw around. Cauldron wants to control the oil in the world? Nothing, too specific?
Well any organization will want to gain money and resources, Cauldron would want to do the same. Selling vials would…
+2750XP Who is Cauldron? Part 2: Cauldron wants to gain money and resources.
Yeah, okay, easy one. Why? Cauldron wants to take over the world?
Why am I only slightly relieved that did not trigger a goal? Still it's a weird ass conspiracy I can't help but feel paranoid about. A knock on the door interrupts my musings.
<"Come in"> Chela says toward the door.
"She says come in" I add, Ms. Clark opens the door soon afterwards.
Sara walks in carrying a department store bag and looks to Chela, "I bought you some clothes, and shoes, based on the sizes you mentioned. We can go shopping for more once you get discharged, if you feel up to it."
I translate it back to Chela in Spanish.
"Gracias" Chela says softly.
I start to speak but Sara interrupts, "De Nada. I know a few words at least," she says looking at me again. "We have a video conference setup in a nearby room for you. It can start in about half-an hour at six. Is that alright?"
The thinker panel. I suppress a shudder, "I guess, I hope it won't take long. Are you going to be there? I thought you had classes tonight?" I just have to get this over with.
"I decided to skip tonight. I'll come back to get you then," Sara says, putting the bag on a table then leaving and closing the door behind her.
<"What was that?"> Chela asks.
<"I have to talk to the PRT some more, and some thinkers probably over video, about everything that happened so hopefully you don't have to.">
<"What will you say?">
<"I think it's mostly to confirm what I've already said."> I move closer and lower my voice to a whisperer after glancing at my view counter to make sure they are at zero. <"Do you sense any parahumans besides me nearby?">
Chela shakes her head no, <"Not within my range">
<"I told you never tell anyone you can do that right? Not even if your other abilities get discovered.">
<"Yes, I know.">
<"Yeah, well I'm not going to mention what you can do. I'm not going to out you. It has to be something you decide for yourself. But I probably won't be able to not mention the presence of another cape that helped in the escape. I'll just be very careful in my wording. Though I don't plan on going over any of that part tonight.">
<"It's hard... not to use them, I want to get out of here, and…do things."> She sighs.<"But I know I have to heal, I just don't like sitting in this bed all day.">
I look over Chela's Observe record again. How much of that urge comes from conflict seeking? <"Well practice the ones you can use that are not visible, like noticing parahumans. You also have some kind of sense that lets you understand time and distance. Might make you good at shooting hoops, well not right now, but spend some time thinking about how you can use and improve that. You have a danger sense too, though I can't think of a way to purposely try to practice that safely. Oh and…"> I pull a lighter I swiped from a store out of my pocket and put it on the table. <"Hide this. I know you can do stuff with fire, but don't, don't, don't use this in the hospital, or anywhere. Actually, I probably shouldn't have…"> I reach for the lighter but Chela darts her uninjured hand out and swipes it off the table, then tucks it under her other arm.
She looks at me defiantly. <"Please don't practice fire stuff anywhere, that was a bad, stupid idea.">
<"I won't, not till I am out of here, and only in a safe environment, when I can't be observed.">
<"Safe environment… yeah that's the one good thing the Wards might give you, just…">
<"They could train me, but won't let me go after the nine">
<"With good reason, please don't go after them. I'm getting as much as I can lined up to help you, foster care, physical therapy, counseling. I'm trading it for what I can tell about those psychotic bastards">
<"That's… thank you. But that's also really stupid Simon.">
<"What?">
<"I won't go after them until I'm ready, even if that takes years, but if you tell them whatever they need to know and it helps them kill those psychotic bastards, then I won't have to go after them at all. Dead is dead, our hands or someone else's.">
<"Okay, that's a good point. But going after them, even if you think you are ready, and you won't be, is also really stupid."> Chela shrugs. <"So please don't"> Her expression only hardens. <"Then at least promise to tell me before you do?">
<"So you can try to talk me out of it?">
<"Yes…or at least so I can help."> A notification fires off but I ignore it.
<"Well, okay. I'll tell you when I do so. I have my own questions though.">
<"Go ahead">
<"How do you know what I can do…apart from what you saw and we spoke about when we were getting away. Is there more you haven't mentioned?">
<"It's one of the things I can do, and yeah there is. You don't happen to see blue floating boxes that remind you of computer screens do you? Or something possibly similar to that?">
<"No">
Damn, but not surprising I suppose. <"Alright well, You remember everything I told you about triggers earlier?">
<"Yes, very, I don't think there is anything more permanently embedded in my mind now, not even when Jack…"> Chela stops talking and calms herself.
<"Well, something happens when you trigger near other parahumans, you picked up something from Burnscar, the one with the fire powers. That's where the fire stuff comes from. You got something from Jack too…">
<"I don't want anything from those monsters">
<"It's nothing from their minds or personality or anything like that, just their powers. I'm guessing but I think the danger sense, and even the ability to detect parahumans came from him. That and the fire stuff saved our lives multiple times so don't hate that.">
<"That doesn't make me feel better">
<"Well you also got something from me. It's probably the hardest to explain. Something called Adaptive Hacking and Adaptive Self-Improvement">
<"Power have names?">
<"For me they do. I don't know how those will manifest for you, or even how you would use them, or if you got a lot from me or just a little.">
<"What do they mean?">
<"What they sound like. Hacking your own powers probably, tweaking them and adjusting them, and improving yourself. Get stronger, faster, smarter, maybe even more charismatic, and learn skills faster than normal.">
<"Like how you gained muscles suddenly when we were in that building?"> Chela asks, looking down at herself, while poking her stomach.
<"Yes, though that can be fixed just by working out. If it's like mine at all, you might get results faster than normal."> Chela raises an eyebrow. <"A better example might be how you seemed to have gotten faster with portals while we were running after using them several times, but I don't know for sure. I'm still doing a lot of guessing."> I glance over to her Observe window and note the Enforced Calm. Is it a variation of Gamer's Mind or the Enhanced Calm feature it gave me? <"Even the ability for you to be calmer than most people after the horror of everything that happened may have come partly from me. Maybe even right now. Do you feel like you have some kind of enforced calm keeping you level-headed during this conversation?">
<"I am not nearly as calm as I might appear right now.">
<"I know you aren't, but it's still enough isn't it? It's another thing I can do. Probably the thing that helped me, us, survive the most, was staying sane through that. Even though underneath, there's mental trauma we can't ignore."> Seriously I should get therapy for myself, when I'm… not being transient. <"Anyway, your fire stuff, not as powerful as Burnscar's was, so I don't expect what came from Jack or me to be as strong as the originals either. The portals are your main thing">
<"I get it, the other stuff feels… secondary.">
<"Exactly so…"> A knock on the door interrupts us again, and we cease our whispering.
"Simon, it's time."
<"Guess I have to go.">
<"Will I see you again?">
<"I'll come back when I am done."> Chela grabs my uninjured hand with her uninjured hand, and squeezes it, before we let go I head out the door.
Notifications. I might as well look at the one I ignored while I follow Sara to the conference room.
Of course I get this one after trying to talk Chela out of doing that very thing. Come on! No option to accept or refuse? Do you even bother giving me those options anymore?
****?
I follow Sara into a conference where five other people are already sitting at a table with empty chairs. One of them is Agent Piper, and the others are…
Observe, Observe, Observe, Observe, Observe…
"Stasis, glad you could make it, this is my supervisor Deputy Director Johnson, Mr. Prescott is the hospital's administrator, and Mrs. Ortiz is handling Chela's placement case."
We go through a round of handshakes and greetings while I rapidly skim through the Observe reports. Nothing alarming jumps out at me. Deputy-Director Johnson is armed, but so is Sara and agent Piper, and she has been most of the day. The director also has a stack of thick manila folders and a laptop opened in front of him.
The director offers me a seat opposite himself, and Sara sits down in an empty seat beside me.
"So you're their boss?" I ask, gesturing to Agent Piper and Sara.
"Yes, that's right, although I'm not the head honcho of the local Washington division. That would be director Maxwell." So he was the guy on the other end of the phone. "I'll have Mr. Prescott and Mrs. Ortiz start off, as they don't need to remain present for the majority of this."
"Yes, thank you…" Eric, who was a rather elderly gentleman, says absently. "I'm merely here to inform you that Ms. Sanchez has been recovering well, and if that trend continues will likely be released in two to seven days for at home care. That is not a final recovery. Significant physical therapy needs to be maintained for three to five months. Even after recovery there is a high chance of internal scarring, slightly impaired motion in the right shoulder, and a mild reduction in capacity of the right lung."
Well that is a relief at least. "And the therapy afterwards?"
"I believe the PRT and Mrs. Ortiz will speak more to that. Regarding financial obligation, I can assure you that the PRT has indeed handled all costs related to yourself and Ms. Sanchez to the present point, and has promised to cover any remaining unbilled costs, related to her continued stay, and future follow up visits related to this injury." He picks up a stack of papers in front of him, then hands them out to me. "These are copies of your own billings marked paid in full."
I take the stack of papers and leaf through them. Holy fuck that's expensive! Why in the hell does healthcare cost so damn much!? Chela's must be ten times worse. A small wave of guilt washes over me, enough to even break through Gamer's mind. I really have been acting like a selfish ass.
"Do you have any further questions?" He asks me.
"No, uh thank you." I say as I inventory the stack of bill receipts.
"Good, then I will take my leave. My wife is probably annoyed at me for being late to dinner."
I scoot my chair forward so Eric can walk behind me as he makes his way to the door. I look at Mrs. Ortiz, "I guess it's your turn now?"
"I suppose it is. Stasis, is it? Is there nothing else I can call you?" I hear a barely audible sigh escape from both Sara and agent Piper.
"No, Stasis is fine," I reply.
"We have you listed as an indirect family member, relationship cousin, and a tentative emergency contact. Though no means of contact has been provided. I am hoping you can remedy that as well as acknowledge that you are making no claims of guardianship." She slides a clipboard of forms and a pen over to me, I read over it without picking it up.
There were a great many blanks under the contact information she was seeking, including things like name, date of birth, phone number, and so on. The spots asking for signatures giving up future and current claims to guardianship immediately made me uncomfortable, even though I had no right or desire for them anyway. I stopped skimming and felt no need to read the rest of it.
"Well, I wasn't expecting to be signing anything today, and I forgot to invite my lawyer."
"it's just a formality…"
"Chela has the means to contact me, so long as no one takes that away from her."
"The point of an emergency contact is for the occasion something occurs and she cannot contact you, someone else can on her behalf."
Well, she has a point. I'm probably being stubborn again. I wasn't prepared for this though. I didn't get an extra phone line for stuff like this.
"We can still provide you with a phone, as an affiliate contact, if you wish to use that number as a contact point for this as well." Sara says. I had totally forgotten about that offer.
"I guess," I reluctantly agree. The deputy director pulls a briefcase up from under the table, and a phone out of it, then ruffles though some papers in one of the manila folders and pulls one out.
It is a registration form for an independent parahuman, it's rather sparse. Just a cape-name, gender, area of operation, contact phone number, and check boxes for Hero or Rogue. What no Villain box?
I use Observe on the phone as I open it and retrieve its number. It's not tinker-tech, or anything else weird. I can always dissemble it and do more exhaustive observations later. It's of far better quality than the burners I bought, ruggedized even, but falls short of being a smart-phone.
"It comes with 100 prepaid minutes. All calls to or from the included PRT and Protectorate numbers cost nothing and will function even with no minutes remaining. You'll have to purchase your own minutes after the first 100 is exhausted to use it for any other purposes. You just need to fill out the form to take ownership," Deputy-director Johnson says in a salesman-like manner.
"You had this all ready to go? How much of those stacks of papers are related to recruitment pitches?" I ask, gesturing to the manila folders.
"It's better to have it and not need it than the other way around."
I glance at the phone again, debating the offer in my head. Could they track me with this? Or am I being paranoid? They probably can't track it when it is in inventory, so… "Fine" I fill out the form, but leave the area of operation blank, and put a checkmark next to Rogue. Then I put the new phone number down on the CPS lady's contact form. I suck my new phone into my inventory and director Johnson files away the form I just filled out.
"And the rest?" Mrs. Ortiz asks me, having noticed I hadn't filled out the rest of hers.
"I already acknowledged that I can't care for Chela, and both of us understand she is to be placed in foster care, but I'm not giving up a chance on arguing for that to change in the future."
"That's not quite what that… Regardless, in order to petition for custody at a future point, identity, age of majority, and familial status will have to be proven. What is your actual age, Stasis?"
Agent Piper clears his throat. And Mrs. Ortiz sighs a little.
"I'm declining to answer any questions that are remotely identifiable in any way."
"Yes, I think we should move on." Agent Piper says. "I believe Mr. Prescott had mentioned we could answer your questions regarding Chela's treatment outside once she leaves the hospital. If you could Mrs. Ortiz."
"Very well. Chela Sanchez has been registered as a ward to Child Services in the District of Columbia. After she has been released from hospital care. She will reside for at least six weeks in a special care facility intended to handle unique cases of trauma, injury recovery, special needs, and addictions. This facility includes regular access to physical and psychological therapy---"
"It's not some kind of psych-ward for kids is it?"
"What…no. Although trained psychologists and counselors are part of the staff. According to her case worker, Chela has not, thus far, displayed any behavior characteristics that would require anything more drastic. Has she expressed any desire to harm herself or others?"
"No, none." Okay, that's not entirely true, but no need to tell them she wants to revenge kill the Nine.
"That's reassuring…"
"What's the name of this place? How good is it?"
"Westmoore Children's Rehabilitation Center. It's very good, and secure. DC's elites have used it often for family members, though the bulk of their residents are there for drug addiction treatment. It's privately run, but they accept residents from Children's Services occasionally for charity tax purposes. Ms. Sanchez is one of those cases. I think your PRT friends may have had something to do with that."
I glance over at the director but he keeps his expression neutral.
"So the physical therapy and counseling?"
"We already have thrice weekly appointments for both set up for the next three months, starting next week. Longer if needed, but there will be assessments to adjust the schedule as needed by then. The PRT is graciously covering the cost after she is able to leave the rehabilitation center and she can be placed with a suitable foster care family."
"How long will that take?"
"The process can take a while, from two to four months. After the minimum six week recovery period, she'll be allowed to remain at Westmoore until permanent placement is determined."
"And if she doesn't like where she ends up getting placed?"
"Then we will intervene, address her concerns, and if necessary place her with an alternate family."
A notification fires off, and a wave of relief washes over me as I read it.
+2200 XP 'Helping a Friend' quest completed.
You have gained a level! You are now level 28
Awesome, two levels in a day. I even gained 15 stress points back from feeling relief at accomplishing that quest. Is that part of the 'feeling better about yourself' reward?
"Do you have any other questions?" Mrs. Ortiz asks me.
Right, this is still going on. "Schooling I guess, and was her identification information recovered?"
"The school year will be almost over by the time she has the opportunity to be placed with a foster care family. She informed us she was in the 8th? grade, so provided she assesses well enough over the summer, she will be enrolled in 9th grade in High School come fall, or repeat 8th? if needed. As she does not speak English sufficiently she will be required to partake in ESL classes."
Even though I got what I wanted according to the quest notice, there is room for more. "Then additional tutoring, and English classes over the summer to prepare her for attending high school. When she has recovered enough and can handle it. I want that for her as well." I said as I looked at the deputy director. I wonder if there will be an argument.
"That sounds reasonable, I'll see what we can do." He said, surprising me.
"We have not been able to locate identification. I don't suppose you know her social security number?"
"No, not a clue, I guess she doesn't either?"
"Most children don't. She stated she was born in Galveston, is there anything you can add to help us verify this?"
"Apart from agreeing with her statement? Not really. Plus, I don't want to stray into identifying information. Galveston is underwater now, good luck getting anything useful from there. A lot of refugees came out of that recently, fled to Houston and other nearby cities. We – Chela and her family went to New Orleans. From there we intended to reach Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, when the Nine intercepted the bus in Virginia. Greyhound's records could probably tell you that much already though." Technically, no lies in any of those statements.
"Well, then there is probably not much more I have to add at this time. If there are no further questions. I'll take my leave."
After Mrs. Ortiz left the room, everyone's focus returned to me.
"Have you found everything discussed satisfactory?" Director Johnson asked me.
"Presuming, Chela is still provided with the same monetary allowance with which to obtain clothes and spending cash that you provided me with, and that her parent's remains are properly buried, then for her, yes."
"That is still the intention." Sara says, "I will personally bring her shopping to that effect along with her case worker to translate after she is released from the hospital, see to her transfer to Westmoore, and when the time comes, I'll escort her to and from the funeral."
Sara's Observe window still indicates her as being genuine. The descriptions in feelings and motivations of the three of them are still rather vague, but otherwise focused on aiming to get what useful information they can from me. It would be a lot more useful if my Observe data could straight up tell me if someone was lying or telling the truth, but it's too dossier-like. Oh well, I just have to work with what I have. At least everyone's vibes are still neutral or positive.
"As for myself, there is still the matter of arranging transportation to another city."
"We can arrange a flight, or public transportation by bus or train, or even just drop you off somewhere after everything is completed." Agent Piper says while the deputy director shuffles through and pulls out another folder.
Yeah well, a flight is going to be a major ID hassle and I don't want them to know what my final destination is. Plus, I don't exactly feel like getting on a bus again after the last trip. I pull out the stack of ticket vouchers for Amtrak from the folder the director just opened in front of me, and ignore the Greyhound ones. Good for one-way travel to any city within 500 miles.
"How will I handle identification? It got lost along with everything else."
"The vouchers will cover the ticket costs, but ID will be a problem. We could set you up with one if you wanted to establish a relationship with the Protectorate and PRT beyond mere registration. If not… are you sure you don't want us to drop you off?"
Damn, I suppose I can bribe a homeless person to pretend to be my parent again, or steal a car. Except I've never driven one before outside of the arcade.
Should I take the offer? Sara already knows what I look like. "I'll think about it."
"You don't really need all of those do you?" The director asks me.
I peel four vouchers off, inventory them, and hand him back the rest. "So now what?" I ask the director.
"Well first I'd like to say I understand your concerns about security and feeling safe. We can accommodate that to a much greater degree If you're willing to reconvene in the PRT DC headquarters. Though we can still proceed here if that is what you prefer."
"Here is where I prefer."
"Alright, I just had to ask" He then opens up the laptop and sets up a video conference call, before he turns the laptop around.
I see four masked faces on the screen, the red light indicating the camera on the laptop is active, is on.
"This is Deputy Director Tyron Johnson of the Washington DC Branch, beginning a thinker panel interview with the registered parahuman Rogue known as Stasis, regarding the Slaughterhouse Nine incident that occurred in Fallen Spring Virginia on February 25th? and 26th?, 2010. It is currently March 3rd?, 2010, at 6:32 pm local time."
The man in the upper left speaks. "Hello Stasis, my name is Empath. These are my colleagues Spectra,"
"Hello, Stasis" the woman in the upper right responds.
"Nutcracker…"
"Good evening" the man in the lower left responds…
"and Trivia…"[1]
"Hi…" the teenage boy in the lower right waves. Wow, is he my age?
I mentally calm myself and resolve to put on my best poker face. Of course, Observe is of no use whatsoever through the video link.
Furthermore, my stealth eye says 18 people are watching me right now, and one camera. These seven yahoos and eleven others are not bothering to show themselves. Fucking thinkers.
Simon's Character Sheet:
Name: Simon Clarence Anderson
Alias: Potter, Stasis
Gender: Male
Age: 15
Ethnicity: Hispanic, Native American, German, Scandinavian
Race: Human (Parahuman)
Class: Teenage Runaway / Rogue
Faction: None
Money: $210.57
Title: Gentleman Thief
Level: 28 (0.76%)
XP: 72942
Primary Attributes
STR: 17 (-0.95) 16.05 (0.00%)
AGI: 23 (-1.25) 21.75 (0.00%)
CON: 58 (-2.28) 55.72 (73.30%)
INT: 30 (+0.00) 30.00 (0.00%)
PER: 12 (+0.00) 12.00 (59.74%)
WIS: 22 (+0.00) 22.00 (40.09%)
CHA: 14 (+0.00) 14.00 (15.29%)
LUC: 15 (+0.00) 15.00 (78.75%)
Unspent Points: 17
Secondary Attributes
Health Pool: 3186/3186
Stamina Pool: 1944/1944
Mana Pool: 3963/10500
Stress Pool: 485/520
Attack: 20.4 (+1.00) 21.4
Speed: 3.225 (+0.00) 3.225
Dodge: 20.76375 (+1.00) 21.76375
Armor: 0.4 (+0.00) 0.4
Carry: 160.5 (+0.00) 160.5
Allure: 4 (-0.25) 3.75
Status Effects
Teenage Acne: ALU -0.50
Alluring Charm*: ALU +1.00
Stylish Outfit*: ALU +0.50
Fractured Ribs: STR -0.50 AGI -0.75 CON -1.50
Bruised Organs x4: AGI -0.30 CON -0.75
Severed finger: STR -0.15 CON -0.02 ALU -0.13
Partially-severed finger: STR -0.10 CON -0.01 ALU -0.13
Broken Hand: STR -0.20 AGI -0.20
Butterfly & The Bee: DOD +1.00 ATK +1.00
Visage of a Wuss: ALU -1.00
Skills
Max Slots: 68
Free Skill Slots: 22
Artistry: 10 (85.89%)
Athletics: 13 (8.30%)
Basic Academics: 9 (0.00%)
Computers: 10 (11.23%)
Crafting (Cooking & Brewing): 1 (0.00%)
Crafting (Stone & Pottery): 10 (5.67%)
Create Mana Golem: 12 (45.64%)
Damage Resistance (Corrosive): 2 (43.31%)
Damage Resistance (Electrical): 3 (24.35%)
Damage Resistance (Fire & Heat): 5 (0.00%)
Damage Resistance (Ice & Cold): 8 (0.00%)
Damage Resistance (Physical): 12 (37.90%)
Damage Resistance (Sonic & Concussive): 1 (0.00%)
Disable Device: 12 (7.51%)
Disease Resistance: 14 (25.45%)
Disguise: 4 (28.05%)
Drug & Poison Resistance: 25 (2.76%)
Empathy: 15 (77.82%)
Firearms: 1 (0.00%)
Gamer's Body: MAX (0.00%)
Gamer's Interface: MAX (0.00%)
Gamer's Mind: MAX (0.00%)
Language-English: MAX (0.00%)
Language-Spanish: MAX (0.00%)
Mathematics: 4 (0.00%)
Medicine: 3 (25.67%)
Meditation: 13 (56.98%)
Melee Weapons: 4 (31.96%)
Null Resistance: 16 (10.56%)
Observe: 30 (67.09%)
Parahuman Lore: 13 (26.55%)
Power Dash: 5 (0.00%)
Power Strike: 10 (8.74%)
Programming: 10 (0.54%)
Psychology: 5 (12.61%)
Science (Biology): 1 (53.22%)
Science (Chemistry): 1 (0.00%)
Science (Earth): 1 (0.00%)
Speech: 11 (16.53%)
Stealth: 13 (8.68%)
Strategy: 6 (10.35%)
Survival: 2 (67.65%)
Thievery: 11 (27.13%)
Unarmed Combat: 5 (11.10%)
Vehicle Operations: 3 (0.00%)
Video Games: 26 (16.74%)
Unspent Skill Points: 0
Perks
Free Perk Slots: 1
Gaia's Blessing: Mana Pool and Mana Skill access
Gaia's Attunement: Elemental Affinity access
Light Sleeper: Need only 5 hours to get fully rested
Mana Reserve: Bonus MP per level increased by 25%
XP Whore: +10% Level XP
Fast Recovery: x4 HP, Stamina and healing regeneration speed (Free at 50 CON)
Toughness: Bonus HP per level increased by 50%
Quick Items: Retrieve and place items in inventory instantly w/out using the window
Flaws
Selective Amnesia: We had to make room for stuff in your head
A Bit of a Troll: Sometimes you just can't help yourself
Unnatural Curiosity: Can't always resist the urge to find stuff out
You still look like a Wuss: Even with a few extra muscles, you still look like a wuss.
Wanted by the S9: You think they'd forget? Git gud, skrub
Affinities
Earth: 8
Water: 2
Plant: 2
Lightning: 3
Fire: 4
Air: 1