BOSTON - THE DRAGON AWAKENS [Lisa Chang and Finn Shawn Colvin were trying to save an airplane landing at Logan International from a vengeful metahuman who meant to bring it crashing down into the terminal. But though Finn succeeded in putting the madman to sleep long enough to land the plane, he awoke, and began to display new pyrotechnic powers. In the midst of the subsequent battle, Lisa felt herself changing...and has now become a dragon is form as well as name.] Tien Lung: She gazes down on her prey, amusement in her eyes, his body grasped in her claws. * YOU (contempt/AMUSEMENT) DARE THREATEN INNOCENTS UNDER MY PROTECTION. SMALLFIRES ( Memory ( YES LISA YOU MIGHT SAY WE HAVE OUR WAY WITH FIRE ) of laughter ) SHOULD BE CONTAINED OR EXTINGUISHED. HE MUST BE STOPPEDWITHOUTKILLING (DANGER OF FLAME ( atavistic fear (IS THIS JACK ?) of the unknown ) SPREADING) AND OTHERS (INNOCENTS) MUST BEPROTECTED. * She thinks in a bright whirlwind of mental activity. The supple muscle of her body ripples beneath her skin (scales) with ever movement. A sensual feeling passes through her body fueled by the pleasently warm fires that bathe her. The feeling of prey (unsuitable (carrion) sustenance) held in her claws is heady. Never in her life has she been so incredibly alive. She begins dragging him away from the plane and terminal. Holding him by his arms with her claws (hands ?) she won't let go. If she can get him at least one hundred yards away from the plane she will stop and pin him to the ground. She tries to speak. " WOULD YOU LIKE TO SURRENDER NOW OR AFTER I HAVE RIPPED YOU INTO BITE SIZED PIECES ? " <><><><><> [GM] "YOU F***IN' CRAZY BITCH LEGGO ME 'FORE I BURN YOU T' HELL!!!" The flaming bird shifts from glowing red to blazing white. The dragon seems unperturbed by the increased warmth, but the still-evacuating passengers gasp and turn away as the heat blisters their skin from twenty yards away. The dragon leaps away from the plane, with Lawrence still in her claws. The shimmering serpentine body doesn't land, but keeps sailing through the air. Until the fiery bird's wings flap, once, and the dragon and the man caught in its grip are both slammed heavily into the ground. Tien Lung growls as her reptilian snout plows into the tarmac. Beneath her, the Jamaican has been dislodged from her claws by the impact, but her large scaly body is still pinning him to the ground. She feels herself being slowly but surely lifted off the ground, however. "Gonna...get you..." grunts the Jamaican, as concrete bubbles around them. Nearby, the shuttle-bus that was to carry the plane's luggage into the airport terminal bursts into flames. <><><><><> % Finn % ** Oh, s***. ** Finn used one of her rare instances of swearing as she saw Tien Lung break free. Summing up the situation succinctly, she thought. ** Well, she's getting the chance to try her powers. Let's just hope that she can get them back under control later. ** Realizing that staying in this realm wasn't doing anyone any good, Finn zipped back to her body, still watched over by Agent Slopes, no doubt. She smiled up at him when she came around. "I was just testing your reflexes. As fast as I thought," she struggled to get up, then turned her eyes to the scene outside the window. "I don't know if there is anything I can do to help now. But I'll keep trying. Are the passengers all off the plane?" Finn checked on that progress, hurrying it along by calming anyone she felt needed it, before once more fixing her gaze upon the dragon and its prey. **>> LAWRENCE! STOP! <<** She assaulted the Jamaican again, then using that as a distraction, tried to slip into his mind. She was going to try and sedate him again, and would keep trying until it killed her. Or him. Or them. It was the only thing she could think of to do. <><><><><> Tien Lung: * THE PASSENGERS ARE IN DANGER FROM THE HEAT. I HAVE TO MOVE HIM FARTHER AWAY FROM THE PLANE. GRRRR... THERE MUST BE SOMETHING AROUND HERE I CAN STOP HIM WITH. HMMM. THE ATLANTIC IT'S LESS THAN A MILE OR TWO AWAY. THAT WOULD PUT OUT HIS FLAMES AND SAVE AIRPORT AT THE SAME TIME. AN ELEGANT SOLUTION, IF I CAN GET HIM THERE. * She reaches down with her claws and tries to reestablish her grip on Lawrence. If she can she will begin to drag him towards the ocean. If she can't she will continue to pin him in the hope that Finn can do something while she keeps him busy. <><><><><> [GM] Tien Lung lifts the flaming metahuman into the air, and finds herself weaving through the air, like a snake wriggling along the ground. Lawrence struggles, and the flame aura around him buffets the dragon with its bird-like wings, knocking both of them back and forth. But Tien Lung is stronger, and while her prey writhes in her grasp, she begins soaring towards the ocean, jerking and twisting along the way. * * * * * Slopes looks at Finn aghast as she simply opens her eyes and stands up again. "Ummm...." The passengers are still disembarking, some of them wincing as they suffered minor burns where Lawrence's radiant aura brushed over them. The plane, fortunately, wasn't exposed long enough to begin overheating. Lawrence, intent on blasting Tien Lung/Lisa out of the sky, has less energy devoted to keeping intruders out of his mind. Slipping past the fiery mental defenses erected around his mind, Finn finds herself facing his surface thoughts again, and the deeper thought patterns beneath. The psionic shields that Finn evaded still hover threateningly, ready to turn on her if she botches any attempt to subvert his thought processes. <><><><><> Tien Lung: * FLYING !!! WHEEEEEEE !!! IF ONLY HE'D STOP SQUIRMING AND LET ME ENJOY THIS. OH WELL NOTHING'S PERFECT. FLYING IS FANTASTIC !!! SORT OF. I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM RUIN MY FIRST FLIGHT. MAYBE I SHOULD SQUEEZE HIM A LITTLE HARDER, TO TAKE THE FIGHT OUT OF HIM. OH ! THE HELL WITH IT. I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS FLIGHT EVEN IF I HAVE TO KILL HIM TO DO IT. * Her mind dances with amused giggles at her rhetorical thoughts. Even as she tries to drag her prey into the ocean Tien Lung seeks to strengthen her grip upon him. She flies him towards the seawall abutting the Atlantic intent on quenching his fires with the chilly water. She works to maintain her hold at all costs in spite of buffeting she receives. * NOW FINN ! STRIKE HIM NOW; WHILE HE'S DISTRACTED. * [ OOC: With the brightness of the flames can Tien Lung see Lawrence clearly ? Is she having any trouble breathing as she did when fighting Jack ? ] <><><><><> [GM] Lisa seems to be holding a flaming humanoid; his features and clothes are obscured by the waves of fire rolling off of him. In her draconic form, the fire doesn't seem to hinder her breathing at all. <><><><><> % Finn % Finn braced herself, then began the mental assault upon Lawrence, using Tien Lung's presence and attack as a hopeful distraction herself. She forced calming waves of sleep upon the flaming metahuman with a light touch at first, then with an overwhelming surge of power, attempting to knock him out, and out cold, with one full blast. ** sleep sleep sleep SLEEP! damn you, sleep! ** <><><><><> [GM] Finn feels a shock of mental contact as she tries to slide into Lawrence's mind. His shields repulse her, driving her back with a piercing pain that begins somewhere behind her eyes. As she pushes back, forcefully, trying to blast through his shields and force him down into unconsciousness, the pain increases, but his shields begins fragmenting. Tien Lung notices her prey isn't flaming so brightly; fire flickers around him still, but he's no longer resisting so strongly. The flames are instead igniting in Finn's mind, as Lawrence musters his energy to repel her more violent assault. Finn senses immediately that he's not a telepath in the same way she is; he can't actually mount a counterattack. If she disengages, he can't home in on her and strike back (telepathically, anyways.) But he can put up a savage defensive battle that will leave her with, at best, a splitting headache, and at worst...no, that movie "Scanners" is probably an exaggeration. She hopes... Meanwhile, Tien Lung continues flying towards the ocean, which is dead ahead. <><><><><> Tien Lung: " HAVING PROBLEMS ? IN A FEW MOMENTS YOU'LL HAVE EVEN MORE TO WORRY ABOUT. CAN YOUR FIRE BURN UNDERWATER ? WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. " She mocks him in the hope of further distracing him. She continues straight for the Atlantic her prey clutched tight in her claws. As soon as she reaches the ocean she will plunge him into the cold water. Trying very hard not to kill him she will keep him submerged except for bringing him to the surface for short breaths of air, so that he won't drown. If his fires go out she will drag him up onto the seawall and wait. <><><><><> % Finn % Wincing in visible pain from an invisible opponent, Finn put one hand to her temple and began to rub it, knowing it would do little good but trying anyway. Finn realized that her attempts, while partly distracting, wasn't having the effect she wanted. Sleep was no longer an option, he was well awake, and well aware of what she was trying to do. ** well, what next, Finn? ** She eased off, allowing Lawrence to think that he was beating her back, slowly retreating from his mind, taking the pressure off of the shields she had been battering. A moment to think, time to plan. Then the assault began again. As she had earlier, Finn imagined her presence, her ... power, her ability, as a needle, sharp and thin, able to pierce anything with a small enough point. Hammering wasn't going to work, so perhaps a quick, stabbing pain would prick the shields and allow her entrance. Pain was all she thought of, inflicting pain upon the psychotic's mind. Needle-sharp pain, intense and sudden, driving into his mind. The thought of Scanners, frightening at first, oddly enough became an inspiration for her. There would be no taking him alive now ... that she knew. So why not go for the kill? Unconsciously, her head tilted slightly sideways, as they had in that movie she had seen long ago. Though her eyes were closed, and her intended target was out of her visual sight, she pictured him in her mind as she started the attack. ** Now! ** <><><><><> [GM] Lawrence's shields were beginning to weaken from the battering. As Finn eases off on her attack, he flames more brightly again, turning his energy back to breaking free from the dragon's grasp. Without much success. Finn's wasp-like attack takes him by surprise, burning through his shield and striking at his brain directly. Synapses burn out and she senses his cerebral cortex actually rupturing as she wills death at him. Both her and Tien Lung hear him scream in agony. And he retaliates savagely; once again he leaves off combatting Tien Lung, and tries to flame the intruder in his mind. Finn winces as psychic flames engulf her...but while they hurt, and drain energy from her (and her repeated mental assaults are already taking a physical toll), he fails to expel her from his mind. <><><><><> Tien Lung: She hears Lawrence's scream of agony and nearly drops him in surprise. Struggling for a moment to retain her grip she continues to drag him towards the ocean. She ignores any further distractions as she tries to extinguish his flames. * FINN'S ATTACK MUST HAVE CAUSE HIM TO SCREAM. EITHER THAT OR IT WAS A TRICK OF SOME KIND. NO MATTER IN A FEW MOMENTS HE'LL BE IN THE OCEAN AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF HE CAN BURN UNDERWATER. * Any joy in her first flight is gone and all that's left is a grim determination that this time won't be a repeat of what happened with Jack. <><><><><> [GM] Tien Lung descends into the water, still grasping the flaming metahuman in her claws. The water feels cool and refreshing against her scales, and there's a crackling and sizzling sound as Lawrence is immersed. He continues to blaze furiously, though the water is definitely putting a damper on his power. <><><><><> Tien Lung: * HOW CAN HE BURN UNDERWATER THERE IS NO OXYGEN FOR HIS FLAMES ? THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN HIS POWERS THAT SUPPLIES HIM WITH AIR. THAT MEANS I CAN'T COUNT ON HIM TO PASS OUT. HMMM ... IF THAT'S TRUE I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIS DROWNING EITHER. GOOD ! I DON'T WANT TO KILL HIM. * She will continue to hold him underwater until his flames have gone out. * MAYBE I SHOULD TAKE A FEW OTHER PRECAUTIONS AS WELL. HE MIGHT POSE A TELEPATHIC THREAT TO ME ALSO. EVERTHING HE DOES REMINDS ME OF JACK YET THIS ISN'T HIM. COULD HE BE POSSESSED IN SOMEWAY ? I THINK I SHOULD GUARD MY MIND AGAINST TELEPATHIC INTRUSION FROM NOW ON. IT WILL MAKE TALKING TO FINN DIFFICULT BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY ESPECIALLY IF FINN KEEPS ATTACKING HIM LIKE THIS. IF THERE IS SOMETHING IN HIM IT COULD TRY TO POSSESS ME IF FINN DRIVES IT FROM HIM. * Tien will shift her concentration from the weather to guarding her mind. She will try to keep any and all telepathic contact out. Through a combination of sheer will and thinking solely about her favorite piece of music, Vivaldi's four seasons. She will do this until Lawrence is defeated. [ OOC: Tien is trying very hard not to kill him. But as long as he is flaming and struggling she will continue to hold him under the water. If it looks like he is dying she will pull him out and check on him. Maintaining her grip as best she can. ] <><><><><> % Finn % Finn continued with her assault on Lawrence's mind for another lethal jab, then stopped suddenly. She kept contact with Lawrence's mind as best she could, a light contact, one he might not be able to sense with the other distractions. She turned tear-filled eyes up to Slopes. "I don't think we can take him alive." Her expression combined sorrow, weariness, anxiety, and resignation all at the same time, and she looked at him as if hoping for some acknowledgement, some sort of "permission," to keep up the attack. "He's too powerful to keep down and out. I..." One hand wiped almost furiously at her eyes, as if she was upset with herself. "...I just don't know." <><><><><> [GM] "*If* you can just knock him out, we have enough drugs ready to KEEP him unconscious indefinitely," Slopes says. "But do what you have to do." Meanwhile, Finn senses Lawrence choking for air as the dragon holds him underwater. She also hears the Vivaldi melody that Tien Lung is running through her mind, concealing the thoughts underneath. Finn suspects she could break through that barrier if she tried, but that's not her concern right now. Lawrence's struggles are becoming weaker. A blast of flame hisses from beneath the surface of the water, washing over Tien Lung's underside and bathing her in a fiery glow, but it has no more effect than any previous fire attacks. <><><><><> Tien Lung [ OOC: Can she tell that Lawrence is drowning ? If she thinks he is dying she will pull him out for a breath of air. If she can't tell she will leave him underwater until his flames go out. SHE WILL NOT KILL HIM IF SHE CAN HELP IT. If necessary she will drag him out of the ocean and resuscitate him. ] She continues to hold him under the water. <><><><><> [GM] He's weakening, though it's hard to tell if it's because he can't breath or because he's becoming tired, struggling against something that's many times stronger than him. His flames are becoming less intense, in part because they have to overcome the suppressing effects of the seawater, but he's still burning. <><><><><> % Finn % Finn nodded at Slopes, and then went back, observing the situation before acting. As Lawrence's struggles became weaker, and his flames began to dampen, she tried to insinuate herself into his mind again, this time without so much deadly intent. Once more, to try soothing him into sleep. If he did not respond, or struggled too fiercely, she once more went for the sharp pain strike, seeking to quickly end this battle. <><><><><> [GM] His shields are no easier to penetrate than before, but he has less energy with which to resist you; you can keep trying to force your way through them without suffering the "burning" psionic feedback he was generating before. Abruptly, his flames go out completely. Tien Lung does not feel him struggling anymore. <><><><><> Tien Lung: She pulls him out the moment she notices his flames and struggles stop. Lifting him into the air she holds him upside down so that any water in his lungs will drain out. Then flying with him grasped firmly in her claws she heads for the terminal and the federal agents. If the federal agents come out and meet her halfway she will stop and lower her prey to the ground so that they can sedate him. If they are all still in the terminal she will go to them and stop about fifty yards from the terminal and the plane so that the agents can deal with Lawrence safely. Either way she will stand guard over the unconcious metahuman until they sedate or resuscitate him. Setting him on the ground she backs off slightly and lays belly down. The end of her tail swishing back and forth, like a twenty foot long housecat that has a mouse trapped before her. She watches her prey carefully so that if his flames return or if it appears he is waking up she can and will pounce upon him. Tien will make no attempt at this time to return to her human form. Her larger draconic form necessary until her prey has been sedated. She'll wait until she can get some clothing that will fit before she changes back. [ OOC: Can she tell if he's breathing ? ] <><><><><> [GM] He's not breathing at first, but begins gasping and choking as Tien Lung holds him upside down. While distracted by all the water in his lungs, Finn is finally able to force her way past his shields and put him to sleep....again. The agents are waiting with a hypodermic injection, and even as Slopes forces the remaining water out of his lungs and makes sure he's breathing normally, another agent who's appeared in the last ten minutes or so presses a powerful-looking airgun to the Jamaican's upper arm and injects a sedative. "You did it!" Slopes says to Finn. "You actually managed to take the bastard alive!" Which is enough to cheer Finn considerably. Except that she can sense Lawrence's metahuman metabolism is already beginning to burn up the more powerful sedative he's been given. No drug is going to keep him under indefinitely. <><><><><> % Finn % Finn raced outside as Lawrence was brought in by Tien/Lisa, the agents no doubt hot on her heels. As Slopes congratulated her, she only shook her head, unwilling to share much in the celebration. "Thank Lisa, not me. And he's not going to stay out. He's going to be out of it in a matter of time. I've no idea if it'll be hours or minutes, but mark my words ... you can't keep him out like that forever." She looked up at Slopes. "If you've got an IV drip with that drug, get it now. Otherwise, we'll have to do this all over again." Finn left suddenly and walked over to where the dragon perched on the tarmac. She stopped in front of the muzzle and put her hands on her hips. Her dark mood lifted suddenly, and she tilted her head to one side, pursed her lips, and raised her brows. "Enjoying yourself, are you?" She smiled, and stepped forward to embrace the colorful head of the huge dragon. "Thanks Lisa ... Tien. You did great." <><><><><> Tien Lung: > " Enjoying yourself, are you ? " < " YES ! FLYING IS FUN AND THIS TIME NO ONE DIED. " She tones down her voice as she realizes that without the roar of the flames she was very loud. Continuing in a softer tone of voice: " I think that's a hopeful sign maybe some good came from this tradgedy. " > " Thanks Lisa ... Tien. You did great. " < " I just drowned him; sort of. You're the one who knocked him out. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back too. We make a good team. But I can see the morning headlines now: Beauty and the beast save Logan. " She tilts her head playfully and says in a teasing voice. " Of course I would never let them say such terrible things about you. Just kidding. " She smiles to show she wasn't serious. " There are still a few loose ends to tie up. His powers for example; the're so much like Jack's; for a moment when I was first fighting hin I thought it might actually be him inside Lawrence's body somehow. He spoke with a Jamaican accent however and all his actions were unlike those of Jack. Still there is something weird going on here. Fighting two villains with nearly identical powers is odd. I think you should be very careful in how you deal with him. " She says in a worried tone. " Also while I've coclusively proven that I'm fireproof my clothing wasn't. That's why I haven't tried to change back yet. If you like I can fly back to my apartment and get a change of clothes there. " She continues in a lighter mood waiting for them to react. (G) Tien takes some time to examine herself to see just what her dragon form looks like. She'll also test her claws and see if they're retractable. Finally as a prelude to trying out her flight she will see if her new body has greater flexibility than her human form. <><><><><> [GM] "S***!" Gemann swears. An entire paramedic team seems to be arriving, but not one from the local hospital. Instead, they go to work securing Lawrence on a stretcher and loading him into a dark van. Gemann talks to them, and soon they're hooking up an IV. He returns to Finn and Tien Lung, along with Agent Slopes. "He's just going to be transported to a different part of the airport," Gemann says, "where he can be loaded onto a government jet for transport to Virginia." He frowns. "We'd really appreciate you coming along," Agent Slopes says. "Particularly you, Ms. Colvin, since you can detect whether he's about to wake up again, and perhaps subdue him again. But we'd also like to take Ms. Chang, if she's agreeable. Umm, assuming you can revert to a somewhat more compact shape?" <><><><><> % Finn % She winced as Tien spoke at first, then rubbed her ears as the roar subsided. "Beauty and the Beast? Oh, I see, I'm the Beast." Finn bared her teeth and growled at Tien with mock fierceness, turning her hands and fingers into an imitation of claws. Tension washed from her as she burst out in a very rare spate of giggling. Tien's next words sobered her up once again, and she turned thoughtful. "Jack was there ... I'm *sure* of it. I heard the words ... he knew that you had killed him. Unless there was some way for his spirit to inhabit Lawrence's body, I have no clue." Finn shook her head as Tien suggested flying back to get more clothing, a smirk appearing on her face. "Oh, and how will you explain your appearance, hmm? I think your neighbors and landlord might get a bit peeved. Best you wait until the agents can get something for you." She turned back to the agents as they approached, and seemed pleased that Lawrence was in hand. But Slopes request brought back her stubborn determination. "First off, I think Lisa would like some more clothing before she tries to change back. Can you scrape up something? "Second, I do *not* intend to spend the rest of my life 'keeping tabs' on the sleeping fireball over there. If that's how it's going to be, then forget it ... count me *out*. If that's not how it's going to be, then tell me what it *will* be like. What are you going to do with him, or for him, or to him?" Her arms crossed in front of her once again as she stood in front of Tien, facing the agents. She still seemed as determined as ever. <><><><><> Tien Lung: > "Jack was there ... I'm *sure* of it. I heard the words ... he knew that you had killed him. Unless there was some way for his spirit to inhabit Lawrence's body, I have no clue." < Something about Finn's words fill Tien with dread and an atavistic fear. She considers carefully what she next says: " There's some kind of connection but it doesn't have to be Jack that passed something on. There might be more to this than is readily apparent. We need to know more before guessing ourselves into a dead end. " > "Oh, and how will you explain your appearance, hmm?" < " That should be obvious; I live in Chinatown after all. I'll just tell them that the New Year came early and I couldn't find the parade. That's assuming anyone even notices me. Most people on seeing a dragon wandering the streets or flying overhead would just think they hadn't really seen what they thought they saw. People can explain away the weirdest things in the most mundane ways. " As she listens to Finn stand up to the agents Tien raises her body and tilts her head to one side. She rolls her eyes at their audacity. Smiling as they try to outmanuever Finn; Tien realizes they probably don't stand a snowballs chance in Hell of getting her to go along with them. Listening to Finn's objections Tien says: " I must admit I'm kind of curious about what you're going to do with him too. There isn't a jail cell in the world that will hold him unless you build it on the bottom of the ocean. You can only keep people in a coma for so long before they die. But then this is the same argument the civil rights groups used with Deathstorm. Is there a solution other than killing him ? " She asks with an extremely serious look in her golden eyes. <><><><><> [GM] While Tien Lung is examining her magnificent new body (it IS more flexible than her human body; she can coil up like a snake, and wriggle sinuously in any direction- she's about twenty feet long, and looks like an Oriental dragon straight off a Chinese wall hanging, with four clawed legs that seem somewhat stunted compared to the length of her body, being only slightly larger than human-sized limbs, and tipped with long dagger-like talons which are not retractable)- Agent Gemann speaks to Finn. "No, we obviously can't put you on guard over this lunatic 24 hours a day. But if we can at least get him back to our holding facility in Virginia with you monitoring how well the drugs are working on him, we should be able to determine if we can hold him safely long term." "Otherwise," he says meaningfully, "we'll have to take whatever measures are necessary if it even looks like he MIGHT be about to come out of it in mid-flight...." <><><><><> Tien Lung: " Agent Gemann, I think we have slightly different priorities. Not major differences but enough to cause problems. I have no objection to going with you in fact I've already said I would for testing and possibly more than testing. However most people, including myself, just can't drop everything without warning. There are things that have to be done before I can go with you. Getting some clothes from my apartment for example. " She says in as reasonable a tone of voice as possible. " If you work around these minor problems instead of confronting them head on it might make things go faster for everyone involved. I realize that you want to get Lawrence to a secure facility as soon as possible for the safety of the public. That is no reason however; to treat us as an obstacle or some kind or a commodity to be used. " She sighs then continues: " If Finn doesn't want to come along, then so be it. She isn't the only one who can stand guard over him. There are other ways to do this. Let's find one that will work and go on from there. " " Agent Slopes mentioned changing back to a more compact shape. No problem, I hope, but not out here where anyone with a video camera can record everything. This time it wouldn't be just drafty. He burned off completely the coat I was wearing, before I turned into a dragon. I'll change back to my human form as soon as I have something to wear. " She tilts her head and that mischievous look comes into her golden eyes again. " I can use the ladies room here at the airport to change in. " <><><><><> [GM] Gemann stares at the dragon. "The ladies room?" He bursts out laughing. Slopes says "No one is going to force Ms. Colvin- or you- to do anything against your will. I'm just saying we need you. And I'm sure we can get some clothes for you. I'm not so sure that people will dismiss the sight of a dragon flying overhead as readily as you think- even in Chinatown. We could certainly send someone to your apartment to get some clothes and other items for you. Or you can change here- I'll have *another* jogging suit brought from the gift shop," he sighs, "and we'll take you home, if you really have to go home before you come to Virginia." <><><><><> Tien Lung: > Gemann stares at the dragon. "The ladies room?" He bursts out laughing. < " I suppose you would prefer that I change out here hmmm ? No way. Not a chance. I'd rather stay this way than change out here. There might be a camera filming us. If you want I could change somewhere else; but with this terminal evacuated there isn't likely to be anyone in there. Making it a very good place to change discreetly. Assuming I can change back of course. " > Or you can change here- I'll have *another* jogging suit brought from the gift shop," he sighs, "and we'll take you home, if you really have to go home before you come to Virginia." < " Another one. I'd settle for just one. Though a spare might not be a bad idea at that. You might have forgotten but I was still wearing that fireman's coat when I went out to fight Lawrence. It didn't last long in his flames; so if you have the first jogging suit I could change into that right now ... ummm I mean as soon as I can get somewhere more enclosed. " She says archly. " The only reason for me to go to my apartment was to save you and your men the trouble of pawing through my clothes. If you don't mind getting what I need and sending it to me then there's no reason I have to go back there. I can take care of all my business through the mail or by phone. Actually it might even be best to do it like that fewer entanglements. " She muses out loud. " After I change back I'll write out a list for you and a note for my landlord . He's fairly understanding. You'll have to get him to open the door for you as my keys are probably a small melted puddle of metal by now. There should be no trouble getting what I need. Everything is clean and arranged in an orderly fashion. " " Just a thought to cheer you up. As the only dragon on Earth I'm an endangered species. Even if you can't get him on anything else the courts will crucify him for attempting to kill me. It isn't dragon hunting season in Massachusetts after all and he was hunting me without a license. The animal rights people and civil libertarians will be all over him. " She jokes half seriously with a bemused expression on her draconic face. She turns to Finn and says quietly: I'm going to miss you Finn. We make a great team. I think you should do what's right for you even if others don't necessarily approve. Just be careful it seems like there are more of these psychos showing up every day. " <><><><><> % Finn % Finn seemed content to let the conversation flow around her without taking part in it, almost as if she enjoyed watching the debate. She picked up Tien's thoughts without trying, and nearly chuckled as the dragon/girl depicted her so stubbornly. So truthfully. % I took a walk in the rain one day on the wrong side of the tracks I stood on the rail 'til I saw that train Just to see how my heart would react Now some people say that you shouldn't tempt fate And for them I would not disagree But I never learned nothing from playing it safe I say fate should not tempt me...% The mild and not-so-mild pangs of guilt the agents used to get to her caused her some discomfort, but not as much as might have been. They hadn't really answered her question about what they were going to *DO* with Lawrence, but she realized that was because they probably didn't know WHAT to do with him ... with a man that could control machines, and was also now a ... pyrokinetic? Yes, that was what Gemann had called him. Arms folded, stance firm, she stood silently watching. That is, until Tien began to speak about her being an "endangered species" and how the courts would "crucify" Lawrence for trying to kill her. At first, it was a small chuckle. A snort. A giggle. % I take my chances, I don't mind working without a net I take my chances, I take my chances every chance I get...% Rapid bursts of laughter, punctuated by short, quiet attempts to get it under control followed. It seemed that Finn had pictured something very amusing in the image conjured of Tien and Lawrence in a courtroom, and it would not be denied. She shook with laughter, still trying to control it, but not having *any* success. Finally, her knees gave way, from fatigue or weakness or simply the inability to laugh so hard and stand up, and she fell on the ground to her side, jerking back and forth slightly as she laughed and laughed. Whenever she tried to stop and get up, she looked at Tien, or at Slopes, or at Gemann, and it would begin again. Tears streamed down her face, and she tried hard to control it, but it just wasn't working. For at least five minutes Finn laughed uncontrollably, though not hysterically, until it finally died out, except for the occasional chuckle. "Ow...that hurt. Don't do that again, okay?" Finn asked Tien as she held her stomach and side, and slowly stood up. % I've crossed lines of words and wire and both have cut me deep I've been frozen out and I've been on fire and the tears are mine to weep Now I can cry until I laugh and laugh until I cry So cut the deck right in half, I'll play from either side...% "Okay, how about a deal? I'll go with you to Virginia, provided I get to make a few phone calls and some arrangements before I go. Once I'm there though, I'm *free* to leave anytime I want. No ifs, ands, or buts. I can walk out of whatever facility you're storing us in, and go free and clear. And if I tell you I never want to hear from the government again, you'll leave me alone. "If you can't make these kind of promises, then get the authority before you put me on the plane. I'm not going to ask for it in writing, as I'm going to put some *trust* and *faith* in the U.S. Government this time. If you don't let me down, I'll try not to let you down." She brushed off her clothes and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not going to guarantee that I'll work for you. But I'll keep an eye on Lawrence all the way down, and until you get him safely stored away in his private fire-proof, non-electronic cubbyhole. Then I'll decide what I'm going to do." % I take my chances, I pay my dollar and I place my bet I take my chances, I take my chances every chance I get I take my chances, I can't cling to remorse or regret I take my chances, I take my chances every chance I get I take my chances. % Finn stuck out her hand to the agents. "Deal?" ["I Take My Chances, copyright 1992 EMI April Music/Getarealjob Music, written by Mary-Chapin Carpenter/Don Schlitz] <><><><><> Tien Lung: Tien watches as Finn bursts into laughter. Somewhat bemused she doesn't interfere realizing that Finn needs the release of stress from the battle. She tilts her head an innocent look in her luminous golden eyes as she waits fo Finn to regain control of herself. > "Ow...that hurt. Don't do that again, okay?" < " Sorry ! I didn't think my humor would have quite so powerful effect on you. Of course now I realize why they use quips and jokes in animes and comics. After all if you can knock your opponent down with humor, why fight ? I can't promise I won't do it again but I will try to be a bit more ummm ... serious. " " You're going to come with us to their top secret metahuman research laboratory. That'll be great; after all with a telepath around to keep them honest working with the government might even be bearable. Then again maybe not. Well we'll find out soon enough I suppose. " " Of course with a werewolf in the southwest, a dragon in Boston, I wonder what comes next ? Demons, space aliens, or zombies perhaps ? If there's something; any one thing I truly want to know it's what caused this. I think if you find who or what caused this then you'll find answers on how to deal with it. I realize that's probably the one thing the government is trying to find out before everything else. But if I can help with that research then I would be willing to do so. " She continues in a sober voice to the agents. " I'm less certain about fighting these psychos, at least until I know more about my limitations. While I seem to be quite effective versus pyrokinetic metavillains I wouldn't stand a chance against someone like Pulsar. I'm bringing this up because for now I'm going with you to participate in your tests, not fight these crazies. As I learn more about the ablities I posses that may well change. But until I can be reasonably assured that I'll survive fighting some of these psychos I think staying in the testing portion of your program would be the best thing to do. " " Finn needs to make some calls. I need to write out a list of things for you to get from my apartment, a note for my landlord Mr. Wu and get changed. [ OOC: literally ] That will give you time to make any explanations necessary to the airport officials and take care of any other business you might have. Once all that is taken care of I see no further reason to delay leaving. " <><><><><> [GM] "Ms. Colvin, no one ever said anything about keeping you in Virginia against your will, did they?" says Agent Gemann. "This IS the United States, and it's not illegal to be a metahuman." *Yet* he thinks. "I can agree to all your terms except the promise never to hear from the government again. After all, I only represent one branch of the government. If you decide to walk away and refuse to work with us, I can promise that you won't be restrained. However, if another murdering lunatic like this guy, or Jack, shows up, and we think you may be the only one who can stop them, I expect someone will probably call you and request your help. We can respect your desire to be left alone, but if lives are at stake, we'll probably feel obligated to intrude on your privacy even so. But that's going to happen whether you come with us right now or not. I *am* sorry, I know you didn't ask for these powers, or the responsibilities that come with them, but life is like that sometimes." He smiles slightly, though you can tell he really isn't feeling that sympathetic. He's thinking about the years he's spent in law enforcement, protecting an ungrateful public, and about how powers like yours should go to someone who *deserves* them, someone who will use them to protect people, not a whiny civilian that they have to beg and plead for help. Looking over Finn's shoulder at the dragon, he says "Ms. Chang, we'll clear a path to the ladies room so you don't give any unsuspecting airport employees a heart attack." He grins. "Make your lists and your calls and whatever. We'll get this stuff wrapped up as quickly as possible so we can take off. I guarantee, the scientists at our headquarters will be able to answer a lot of your questions more easily than your trial-and-error method." "Though they actually rely on trial-and-error a lot themselves," Agent Slopes adds. Gemann nods, with a shrug. "I do know that, appearances notwithstanding, there's probably nothing 'supernatural' about your powers, at least no more so than any other metahuman. The eggheads' favorite word right now is 'psionics', which seems to be a catch-all term for everything you people do, but they're devising all kinds of theories and formulas to explain HOW you do it. We know for certain of other shapechangers, so I suspect your power is similar to theirs...just a bit more dramatic." <><><><><> Tien Lung: She listens as Agent Gemann tries to reassure Finn. His promise that she wouldn't be restrained is humorous; afterall how do you restrain a telepath who can read your every thought. * A 9.7 on his technical performance and a 9.8 on the artistic. * She thinks at Finn with faint laughter floating in her thoughts. Finn can tell that Lisa trusts the government at least for now as their enlightened self interest is clearly on the line. " Thank you. I'll get changed as soon as possible. Assuming of course that I can change back. It won't take very long for me to get dressed and to write down what I need. " > "I do know that, appearances notwithstanding, there's probably nothing 'supernatural' about your powers, at least no more so than any other metahuman. < " Ummm ... I don't think I was trying to suggest that my powers were supernatural. But if I remember the laws of physics correctly. I seem to have been granted a selective exemption to at least some of them. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that was supernatural it certainly is unusual to say the least. If your scientists could just answer how , who and why granted me superpowers, in their copious spare time that is, I would be deeply appreciative. " She says laughing softly at her own request. :) She'll wait until they bring her the clothing then set out for the ladies room with her agent escort. When they get there she will ask the agent to hand her the clothing and open the door. She will go in making certain that no one is in there and after looking in a mirror [ OOC: She hasn't seen her eyes yet ] try to change back to her human form. She will concentrate on willing a return to her human form from the draconic shape she currently is wearing. If she succeeds she will try to clean herself up a little if necessary and make herself presentable before getting dressed. If she cannot change back she will go outside to the agents and let them know that there is a problem. In either case after she is done with the ladies room she will go back to where Agents Gemann and Slopes are waiting. <><><><><> [GM] Tien Lung slithers gracefully (an odd image, but she does it quite well) into the airport terminal, and makes her way into the women's room. She doesn't really need anyone to open the door for her; her claws are not as handy as her human hands, being burdened with large, grasping talons, but they do possess enough manual dexterity to open a door. She can't help preening a little and admiring herself in the mirror. Her draconic form really is quite magnificent, and fearsome if she so desires. Her bright yellow eyes are not quite completely reptilian, yet definitely not human. A soft glow emanates from behind their glassy surface. A thought is all it takes to change to human form; the dragon seems to melt away into thin air, and Lisa Chang is standing in its place, completely naked. She has no need to clean up; superheated jets of flame have a remarkable cleansing effect. In fact, Lisa is probably one of the cleanest human beings on the planet right now, considering the unlikelihood of any known bacteria surviving the firestorm she walked through. She puts on the jogging outfit the federal agents acquired for her, and rejoins Finn and the others back outside. <><><><><> Lisa: She walks over to the Agents and Finn with an amused expression on her face. When she gets to them she will ask for some paper and a pen and write down the things she needs from her apartment. [ OOC: Basically three days of clothing and personel items. ] Also she will write the following to her landlord: ************** Mr Wu The federal agents bearing this note are here to pick up some clothing for me. Would you please let them into my apartment. It is likely that I will be away from my apartment for several days but I intend to keep it at least for now. Would you please check on it occasionally for the next few days. I should know what I will be doing with the apartment by then. I will be in touch soon. Respectfully, Lisa Chang ************** " Well as you can see I had no problems changing back. It was actually quite easy, almost instantaneous in fact. Here are the notes. " Which she then hands to Agent Gemann. " That should take care of things for now. Any other business can wait until we get to where we are going. I'm ready to go whenever you want. " <><><><><> % Finn % Finn's hand remained extended until Gemann began to pontificate, his thoughts echoing his words, and then some. It dropped to her side and closed to a fist. "You're *not* sorry, so just stop pretending to be polite around me, okay? We'll get along much better that way," she said through clenched teeth, then the fingers opened, and her anger drained away. "It doesn't matter anyway ... I'll be able to tell when you're coming. If I haven't called to warn you first," she laughed bitterly, then rubbed at her tired eyes. "I'll take my one phone call now," she said half-jokingly, half-seriously. While Tien went off to transform into Lisa, Finn took the phone provided and called her sister's number. "Jill?" she began when her younger sister picked up the phone on the other end, "I've got another favor or two to ask of you. I know, I know, but this is something I can't avoid. I'll tell you more later, okay, but right now you're just going to have to trust me on this one. My car's at Logan, I need you to come get that first. I don't want you letting Tom drive it, so either take the bus or have him take you out here. And then I'm going to need you to take care of Cinnaman for a few more days. I'll be in touch when I can, but you might want to just bring him over to your place. No, I'm not in any trouble," hazel eyes glanced at the agents, "but I am going to be out of town. I'll give you the number when I know what it is. Trust me on this one, okay? Yeah yeah, you too." She hung up the phone and handed it back to the agents. "I'll need to get a few things out of my car, too." Finn went back where she had parked the Duster, and pulled out a few essentials. Her overnight bag was in the trunk, and that came with her. She'd not had time to wash the clothes yet, but hopefully they had some facilities in Virginia, or wherever they were taking her. Her guitar came next, that had been in the backseat. A backpack, full of her current songs and songs in progress. A few CDs, and some tapes, demos, live performances, and studio works. She locked the car and took the keys with her, knowing that Jill kept a spare set at her apartment. She arrived back with the agents as Lisa, in her smaller form, returned. Finn smiled at her, but the smile betrayed her tiredness. Finn did a brief check on Lawrence, then looked to the Agents. "So, we ready to split?" <><><><><> [GM] Gemann's eyes get hard and cold, and he thinks *If you don't like what you see in peoples' heads, don't look there!* He nods curtly, and says "Fine." Slopes looks back and forth between Finn and his partner, and shifts uncomfortably. A government jet is soon ready to take all of you, including the unconscious Lawrence, to Virginia. Finn can sense Lawrence's metabolism burning away at the drug being pumped into his bloodstream, though as more and more flows in, his superhuman immune system is gradually overwhelmed. It's a standoff that can't last forever, though. What Lisa said about not being able to keep someone in a coma forever without killing them will probably prove true in Lawrence's case in only a few days, if that. More eerily, Finn senses a definite psychic residue that is more reminiscent of Jack than Lawrence. Meanwhile, unlike Finn, Lisa is vibrant and energetic. She feels incredibly alive, and as if something has suddenly returned that's been missing all her life. Finn can tell that the small Chinese woman is quite happy with her new powers, even if it does mean her life is being turned upside down while she adjusts. And the awakened dragon within can't wait to be unleashed again. All details taken care of, you board the plane and take off for Virginia. <><><><><> Lisa: She sits near a window, waiting until the plane has taken off, then she turns to Agent Gemann with a question. Lisa seems a bit disturbed by Agent Gemann's chilly words to Finn and says: " You don't have to answer this if you don't want to. But there is something I would like to know. Ummmm ... do you dislike metahumans as a group or is it something about the two of us that is irritating you ? I get the impression from what you've said and how you've said it that you don't seem to like any of us. That might be understandable considering some of the nutcases running around out there but there are good people with powers too. " She thinks to herself and partly to Finn: * The problem here is that you're both determined, strong willed and basically good people. You see each other as not understanding or trying to understand the others' point of view. That is what's causing some of the friction here. The fact that you're quite simply very much alike in some ways. * She continues trying not to get Finn angry but to try and calm things down a bit. * Also in at least one small way you're to blame too Finn. I don't think he likes having his mental privacy intruded upon. I realize that you don't have full control yet but he sees it as a deliberate flaunting of your telepathy. You keep thowing things he's thinking back in his face and that would upset anyone. Of course to be fair I have to admit he's to blame as well because he keeps baiting you. * She continues quickly. * While I realize it's easy for me to say all these things, you have to live with your powers. Now is the time to begin building good habits on how you will use them. Also a set of ethics so that you won't begin a downward moral spiral that ends in tradgedy. These are all very serious things you're going to have to think about. Especially when you begin to interact with people who have no idea that you're a telepath. You don't want to alienate everyone you meet so now is a good time to practice. Even if you don't end up working for the government the time you spend now trying to control your powers will be valuable. * * I hope my honesy hasn't offended you. But I felt now is the time to begin thinking about these things. For me too. * She thinks truthfully. Never in her life has Lisa felt this alive. Much like waking from a long sleep and discovering that she had only been dreaming before. Her dragon form and other powers feel completely natural to her. A destiny that had been waiting for her to find it. She longs to fly again under her own power. Even in her pleasure there is a note of caution. Her powers may be fun but they are also a responsibility and a trust to use them wisely. <><><><><> % Finn % As Gemann thought hard at her, she thought right back at him, just as hard, if not harder. ** I CAN'T HELP MYSELF ... I WISH TO GOD I COULD, BUT I CAN'T NOT HEAR! ** Then her anger faded, as her fists unclenched. [continue with the earlier post...] Finn stayed as far away from everyone else as she could once on the plane, closing her eyes and attempting to rest. But as Lisa spoke up to Gemann, she jerked slightly, but kept her eyes shut. It was obvious she had overheard, but chose not to respond. Then Lisa's thoughts came at her. In a very soft, very deadly tone of voice, Finn interrupted Lisa's mental speech, hazel eyes fixing on the small Oriental woman. "i don't need a f***in' lecture right now. okay?" Then she looked away, out the small window of the seat she had chosen, and kept her thoughts on two things, and two things only. Lawrence's insane mind, and Slopes' impenetrable one. <><><><><> [GM] Gemann looks at Finn uncomfortably, then glances at Lisa. "Are you a telepath too, now?" he asks rather irritably. In a softer tone of voice, he answers the younger woman. "I don't dislike you, individually or as a group. I'm not some kind of Nazi who wants you all put in a concentration camp, if that's what you're thinking." "But you're incredibly dangerous, and right now, normal people are completely dependent on the good will of the few of you capable and willing to stop the more hostile ones. We have entire cities being devastated by the whim of some lunatic. I'm sure you get a real kick out of being able to turn into a dragon, and I'm glad you feel a sense of responsibility to use your powers to help people. But overall, I do NOT think these powers are a good thing, and I think we'd all be better off if no one had them." Slopes looks at Finn with an expression of concern, but his thoughts are as inscrutable as ever. <><><><><> Lisa: > Gemann looks at Finn uncomfortably, then glances at Lisa. "Are you a telepath too, now?" he asks rather irritably. < " No. At least I don't think so. It was just a guess based on how the two of you were acting. Being perceptive isn't the same thing as reading minds. Telepathy is as much aproblem to the person with it as it is to everyone around them. " She responds. > "I don't dislike you, individually or as a group. I'm not some kind of Nazi who wants you all put in a concentration camp, if that's what you're thinking." < She sighs. Then replies to Agent Gemann: " I'm not good with people which is rather funny considering how well I understand them sometimes. I wasn't accusing you of hauling us or even Lawrence off to be put to sleep like rabid dogs. What I was trying to say is that your dislike of our powers is complicating things in your dealings with metahumans. It shows even to a nontelepath such as myself. " > I'm sure you get a real kick out of being able to turn into a dragon, and I'm glad you feel a sense of responsibility to use your powers to help people. < " Yes! I do get a real kick out of using my powers. That may be the most dangerous aspect of them. There is the potential in all people who are given great power, unearned, that they will abuse it. Perhaps the true test of whether someone is good or evil is to give them power and see what they do with it. Personally I intend to use my powers to help people. " She continues: " If I have a reasonable chance of suviving a fight with a metavillain then I just might be interested in working with your agency. Otherwise I'll help with the research into metapowers then head for the private sector. I'm sure I can find employment as a dragon somewhere. Regardless I do feel a sense of responsibility to use the powers I've been given wisely. " > But overall, I do NOT think these powers are a good thing, and I think we'd all be better off if no one had them." < " After what I've seen I'm tempted to agree with you. " She gives him a wry smile then resumes. " Unfortunately the world has changed and even if someone did exterminate all the metahumans on Earth it would be pointless. Because once people know something like this is possible they will study it and try to learn how to do it for themselves. " " The real danger will come when the politicians get over being scared and decide to put metahumans to work in various extralegal ways. That is the only reason for my hesitation in joining your agency. " She says quietly to Agent Gemann. Lisa looks over at Finn then back out the window. She regrets giving unwanted advice but isn't sorry for the things she thought just the timing. Leaning back she rests for a while. <><><><><> % Finn % Finn didn't respond to Gemann or Lisa as they spoke, but remained silent, her eyes staring out the small window of the plane. Her mind alternated between Lawrence and Slopes, seeking refuge in the blankness of the federal agent when the chaos of Lawrence's mind was too much for her. After a time, she decided that this would be a good time to practice building up a shield, something similar to what Slopes had, or what Lawrence had tried to do to fend off her attacks. Building a way to keep the world around her from coming into her thoughts, intruding upon her mind and senses. Trying to build a wall of silence.