VIRGINIA TO CHICAGO [Harvey and Walt assisted Agent Donnay in interrogating the two prisoners brought to Virginia after a metahuman battle in Chicago. Now they want to find out why Columbian drug lords wanted the young superhuman "Falling Star" captured. Meanwhile, Mitchell Langstrom, aka "Mystery", has been poked, prodded, and run through the same gauntlet that the other men did earlier, and is eager to escape from Dr. Culbrand and his scientific staff and find his way to some action....] [GM] Unfortunately, you find that while you were going through the process of questioning the two prisoners, Mystery was going through a rigorous series of tests, tests with which Harvey and Walt are both familiar. It's quite late now, and he's already gone to sleep. [I know normally you might insist on waking him up...but there's a little snafu here; I already advanced Mystery to the next day. So, to preserve continuity, can we assume you wait until the next morning?] * * * * * Mystery has already been through some more testing when Walt, Harvey and Agent Donnay catch up to him the next morning. Except "him" is back to being a "her"; Mystery has resumed the guise of the lovely American Indian girl which you first met, and Walt and Harvey both feel that familiar, maddening attraction. Mystery, for her part, looks rather happy to see you all....probably glad to escape the relentless tests that the scientists are so eager to inflict on all their metahumans, whenever they get their hands on you for a few hours. <><><><><> Mystery: "Whew," Mystery breathes, sighing in relief, stretching slowly as the last of sleep starts to wear off, obviously relaxed from conking out after the rigorous testing. She blinks in the light. "You know that old song, 'I left my heart in San Francisco'? Well, I was afraid for a while there that I would wind up leaving my heart in a jar of formalin or something. Oh, hey, I _can_ heal...unfortunately, not metahumans." "So, what's up?" she asks, yawning and stretching again, oblivious to the psychological impact that adds to the usual aura of desire surrounding her. <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey grins at Mystery, "We thought you might be interested in a break from the testing...and that maybe you could help us with a little puzzle that came up. We could use the services of a very good imagination. Oh, and do you speak Spanish?" <><><><><> Mystery: [OOC: I've been keeping track of the thread -- the following assumes being quickly briefed on the situation.] Mystery smiles. "I love puzzles," she replies. "No, I don't speak Spanish, but go ahead and fill me in." After listening to the situation, Mystery nods thoughtfully, leaning against a wall. "I know how we can tell whether Miguel is a meta or not. My powers of healing and change of others apparently work only on non-metahumans because of a natural resistance. If he turns out to be easily changed, chances are good he's a normal." She pauses, thinking -- and then a devilish smile breaks into existence on her face. "I've got an idea." The sparkle in her eyes holds a great deal of mischievousness. "It would require one courageous spanish speaking agent who is not a meta. I think I might be able to make the agent into a clone of Miguel. Then, I could become a Falling Star look- alike, and pretend to be drugged. You two could lurk nearby, and follow us after the pickup. Once we are sure we know about everyone involved, and whatever else is going on, then the agent who is not a meta could take off, and I could distract the criminals while you two enter the scene." <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey smiles and apologizes, "Sorry about the slow intro, I just wanted to make sure I had your attention", noticing that Mystery certainly has his attention. Harvey nods appreciatively as Mystery suggests shifting a normal, spanish speaking, agent into a copy of Miguel; looks shocked but reluctant when Mystery suggest impersonating a captured Falling-Star and objects when Mystery suggests letting them take her somewhere. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Time out! I loved the plan until you got to letting them take YOU somewhere else, far too risky. Too many things that can go wrong. We'd better settle for grabbing the first ones who contact you and not push our luck." <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery's mischievous grin widens. "I found out I have a devestating kind of distraction talent," she says, assuming a highly seductive pose, with a wink. Immediately when Mystery winks, she goes into Seduction emanation overdrive for sixty seconds as a demonstration, pushing it entirely up to the maximum, no-holds barred blast, then slacking it off to usual levels, after a couple of teasing pulses of it. (All the while, observing the others reactions to learn more about the ability.) <><><><><> [GM] Suddenly, Walt and Harvey both feel almost overpowering lust. Pure, throbbing sexual desire, for the sexy, alluring, charming, teenage girl WHO'S ACTUALLY A BOY! standing in front of them. Neither of you remember feeling like such a miserable cluster of raging hormones since your teenage years. And this is far worse! Walt, after a moment, gulps and seems to be able to control his natural impulse to reach out and grab her, but Harvey is moving towards her, trembling, obviously trying to resist what the animal part of his brain is demanding. And Agent Donnay is ahead of him, also looking like he's trying to resist, but having even less success. Donnay's hands fall on Mystery's shoulders, move towards her collar, and the fed mumbles "W-What are you trying to do, kid? God I have to have you!" He gulps in air and looks flushed. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery giggles, eyes flashing with good natured humour, as she ducks out of Donnay's hands and slips away a few feet, backing up. "It's just a little demonstration. I'm not your average bioshifting kid. I've got some talents of very adult nature that have been manifesting. You've probably noticed a sort of extremely strong attraction aura around me? It's something I can't shut off, unlike this stronger degree. Though, even this has a kind of aftermath effect, by the looks I got from the researchers after I toned it down to its normal minimum." "Its non-directional, so far as I've been able to tell. A radiance, that even pierces the natural resistances people and metahumans have, I think." "My new first name is Mystery -- I think my second name is Desire," she comments, backing up another step. "It makes for a major advantage, and probably a good way to get someone to tell all, too. Kept to a level where they can still talk, of course." <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey makes no reply, apparently because he is unsure that he's regained enough control to speak. But he's thinking, with the part of his brain that isn't busy, 'killer distraction'. <><><><><> Mystery: While Harvey recovers, Mystery considers the points made about the plan. "Alright, so I won't go anywhere. You can move in immediately after I... subdue...whoever came to pick up Falling Star from Miguel. I'll tone down the desire level enough to let you do it, of course." <><><><><> Harvey: Turning to Agent Donnay, "Sounds like we have all or most of a plan, all we need now are a brave agent who speaks Spanish, transport to Chicago and for Mystery to have a look at Miguel, and maybe Carlos while she's at it." <><><><><> Mystery: "Yeah, questioning might be particularly effective under the influence," Mystery agrees. "I'll need a photo or at least good description of Falling Star, too," Mystery adds to Donnay. <><><><><> [GM] "Interesting idea. We still need to check upstairs on this. But in the meantime, sure, why not let you look at our two 'guests' and see how well you can copy them." Agent Donnay is rubbing his forehead, and has a none-too-friendly expression as he regards the beautiful Indian girl. He didn't seem to appreciate her little "prank", nor the maddening, lower- level desire effect that she radiates. As the group heads back downstairs, Donnay says "We don't really have a picture of Falling Star, except in her ball-of-energy form. Eyewitnesses say she's a young black girl, maybe eight or nine years old, which means, given the vagueness of the accounts, she might be several years younger than that or several years older." <><><><><> Harvey: "I really doubt she'd be several yers younger than 7 or 8, but several years older is definitely possible." <><><><><> [GM] Donnay shrugs. "We don't know how young a metahuman can manifest. Jamie Coris, the girl you fought at the airport, who's possessed by Legion, is only six. Since obviously children *can* become metahumans, though apparently not as often as adults, then for all we know, it might even be possible for a baby to develop super powers." "Falling Star has been attacking drug dealers, crack houses and street gangs in Chicago. That suggests a child old enough to have opinions about morality, and the will to act on them. So no, it's not likely she's younger than eight or so. A four or five year old with superpowers might have a vague idea of wanting to be a 'hero', but probably wouldn't be so selective. Or have been so successful at concealing who she is." "Even so, don't discount the possibility. Where people like you are concerned-" the agent glances at Mystery, "anything seems possible." Back in those small incarceration rooms, Donnay takes you all to see Juan first, the long-haired "peasant" with known powers. "So how about it?" Donnay asks. "You think you can do a perfect duplication?" <><><><><> Mystery: "It would probably be best to err on the side of older, and plan on an eleven or twelve year old form," Mystery says, thinking aloud, and walks along. "Lets see Miguel first. Also, if anyone has a camera, we should take a couple of good pictures of him, so that I can have a reference that is easily portable." Mystery follows quietly, lost in thought. <><><><><> [GM] Donnay brings Mystery and Harvey and Walt into Miguel's room. He is lying unconscious in his bed. <><><><><> Harvey: "Well, if we assumed several years younger, she wouldn't have been born yet! But go with the best description we have, and hope the other side doesn't have a better description." Or we'll just have Walt cross his fingers on that one. "They've probably got mug shots of the prisoners, do you need a full body photo?..." Harvey slaps his head gently, "Mug shots, I keep forgetting," turning to Agent Donnay, "I was supposed to look over some photos of Kirov's known associates but I keep forgetting. Probably have to put that off until after this trip, but I hope I don't forget again by then." <><><><><> Mystery: "No need to awaken him," Mystery adds, walking over to near Miguel, reaching out and touching his bare wrist, concentrating on mimicking him. If successful, Mystery will very intently study his features and form, changing form several times until it is easy to get a high quality Miguel duplicate body without touching him, just by concentrating on the memorized form and features. <><><><><> [GM] Mystery touches Miguel, and feels that odd sensation of absorbing some small part of his essence, though not the more draining effect that he applied on Lucretia. Harvey, Walt and Agent Donnay watch, fascinated, as the petite girl's flesh ripples and twists and contorts until a perfect double of Miguel is standing in front of them....stretching the fabric of the clothes that the girl was just wearing. Fortunately, he isn't an extremely large man, unlike Juan. The three men note with relief that Mystery's "attraction factor" diminishes considerably when he assumes a form that is the same gender as them....it diminishes considerably, but not completely. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery shakes his head. "I definitely need to design some stretch outfits, before I burst out of my clothing one of these days." He carefully begins studying the face and form, and paces, obviously getting the feel of the body, then returning to gaze at Miguel more for a while. After what seems a lentghy learning session, Mystery reaches out and touches Miguel's wrist again. "Now to see if he is a meta." Very methodically and carefully, Mystery studies the Miguel face, features, form, body build, skin, eye, and hair color, any scars or other identifying marks, teeth, musculature, everything needed to assume a good Miguel duplicate without assistance of touching him, and taking time to do it right. Afterward, Mystery reaches out and touches Miguel's wrist, and concentrates on changing Miguel into a female version of himself, based on his own genetic code with only that one difference, while at the same time making note of any resistance Miguel seems to have of the same sort metas have. <><><><><> [GM] With Mystery's hand on his chest, the unconscious Miguel suddenly begins changing. His chest swells up, and the other men watch amazed as breasts grow beneath his shirt, almost like inflating balloons. His mustache shrinks and almost disappears, while his face smoothes over, the cheekbones narrow, the eyelids become slightly larger, and the lips slightly fuller. His entire body changes in configuration, the hips widening, the waist narrowing, and the muscular bulk in his arms and legs diminishing. Within seconds, Miguel has become a woman. She is not very attractive, looking like a rather masculine woman...but definitely female. "Holy s***!" exclaims Donnay. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery grins with Miguel's old features. "That's something you don't see everyday. Except around me of course. Talk about new forms of sentencing." "Miguel is no meta, unless one with no resistance at all -- which seems unlikely." Mystery grins wider, mischievously. "Why don't you bring him around?" *Finally, a guinea pig.* Mystery thinks. *Well, that's what crooks are for, I guess.* Experimentally, Mystery maintains the touch and concentrates on every shred of masculinity being erased from his genetic code and form, age adjusted to 20, and feminine nature and secondary sex characteristics enhanced threefold; along with a few attractiveness enhancements. Once satisfactory, Mystery tries concentrating on the changes being permanent. "I think Miguel will be a little too disoriented to do much struggling, don't you?" Mystery asks, eyes sparkling in a manner destined to send criminals, friends, pets, and minor household appliances running for cover one day. <><><><><> [GM] The already-feminized Miguel begins morphing even more as Mystery, in Miguel's original body, lays hands on him again. The breasts grow to truly outrageous dimensions, the waist shrinks further, the hips widen even more, and the "man's" figure assumes proportions that make Barbie look like Kate Moss. "Oh my GOD!" exclaims Donnay, jaw dropping. Miguel's face has become child-like in its softness, and not a single hair follicle can be seen on "her" face or arms or any other exposed skin. "She" has become quite beautiful....but still looks not quite right, as if she was a member of a species that is almost, but not quite human. "You seem to be pretty good at playing with your own body," Donnay says, "but it looks like you need more practice with others'. And, umm, not that I feel any sympathy for this creep- heck," the agent shows teeth in a nasty grin, "the idea of sending him to prison like this- he IS still legally a man, after all- is tempting. But, keep in mind what you're doing amounts to experimentation on a helpless prisoner. We do that out of necessity, to find out how these powers work. But let's not start doing it for kicks, kid." <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey finally finds his voice, "It isn't permanent", but there's a little doubt in his voice as he tries to determine if it is or not. Oh! Julie revert so it isn't permanent...but that was an accident, does it make a difference? Harvey settles for adding a cautious "probably." "Er, send him, him?, him to prison for what? We have no witnesses of anyone matching this description breaking any law so how are we going to get a sentence?" He looks over at Mystery to see if she gets the hint, and has to do a double take before remembering the disguise. Harvey mutters softly to himself "I don't think this is covered by the Geneva Convention...I don't think any of this is covered". <><><><><> Mystery: "I'm really, really hoping Julie reverted -- if she did revert -- because it was an accident. These mimicking and transformation of others seem my main defense and offense, except for seduction radiance. I would hate to not be able to make a permanent change in a foe." "Yeah, the Geneva Convention is getting more and more out of date." "I don't know," Mystery says, grinning. "It may not be quite the human norm, but I'll remember how I did it. It's kind of a neat variation, really." Mystery makes careful note of the technique, to attain the particular variation on human again. He returns Donnay's grin at the thought of sending Miguel to prison as is. "That's funny. Sort of." "Sorry, but though I may not be a villain, you'll have to get used to my being a little more...well...think of Mztylplk or Q as a superhero, and you get the idea. Two of my idols." "I understand what you mean, though. Still, can I leave him like this for a while longer to see if it is lasting?" Mystery asks hopefully. "Consider it an added safety measure. Plus, we four are all witnesses to the fact that it is in fact, Miguel whateverhisnameis, in new form. I'll change him back if a few days pass without reverting; you'll need to keep him around long enough to continue questioning and processing anyway, and in case we find out something while carrying out the plan." "Besides," Mystery says, grinning, with a wink. "I think I'm getting awfully drained today. I'd better save my next transformation attempt for the volunteer agent. Its a much more urgent matter, wouldn't you say?" <><><><><> Harvey: "(sigh), If we're going to try this in Chicago we'd better get moving soon", unconsciously looking at his watch without even bothering to remember what time it is. <><><><><> [GM] "Hmm." Donnay looks at the astoundingly curvaceous "man" on the bed, and frowns. "Before we let you practice on any agents, it might be nice to confirm that you CAN change your subjects back...." <><><><><> Mystery: "No problem," Mystery comments, casually reaches out and touches Miguel's forehead, then concentrates on copying the genetic code from the Miguel form currently worn by him, to Miguel, and causing restructure according to it. <><><><><> [GM] Miguel reverts to his old form, now looking identical to the doppleganger standing above him. "Great," Donnay says. "Now I think Jones is right, any further experimentation should wait-- we can test either en route, or when we get there.....IF we decide to go with the entire plan you suggested. We'll have a Spanish-speaking agent with us for sure." "You should probably familiarize yourself with Juan, too," Donnay says to Mystery. He calls another agent down to keep an eye on Mystery while he takes whatever "samples" he needs from the captured metahuman. "Meanwhile, I'm gonna get us ready to go. Expect to be in the air again within a couple of hours." He grins at Harvey's impatient/exhausted look. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery loosens his belt a bit and removes his shirt to keep from ripping out of the too-small clothes, muttering, "Definitely have to design a stretch outfit soon." He then touches Juan and absorbs the genetic code and form; once in the form, he goes through the same process as with Miguel, of shifting into and out of Juan's form until he has it down. Then, experimentally, he absorbs Juan's essence again, more strongly, and remembering the description of Juan's power, concentrates on making a force field in the air. <><><><><> [GM] The air in front of Mystery/"Juan" seems to thicken, turn hazy, and then develop a green hue. An instant later, there is a transparent green wall reaching from the floor to the ceiling. It doesn't shimmer or flicker at all, but seems as solid and stable as a sheet of green glass. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery's jaw drops. "I..." he starts, staring in amazement. "Didn't think it would actually work! That's fantastic! Its not just physical abilities I get when I mimic someone -- powers too! Like Legion, except I don't have to absorb someone to do it." "I wonder..." he shuts down the force field, then tries changing just his hair color from Juan's to blond, while maintaining the rest of the code; then tries the force field again. Whether that works or not, he tries experimenting to see if he can learn Juan's genetic code so that he need not touch Juan to assume his form and powers again. <><><><><> Walt: Walt looks on, his expression saying clearly that he is in over his head, and is just going along for the ride just now. <><><><><> [GM] The blond "Juan" is not able to create a force field, and even after restoring his hair to the original color, Mystery is no longer able to manifest the unconscious metahuman's powers until he touches the real Juan and reabsorbs his genetic code. Meanwhile, as Mystery continues experimenting with his force field powers, Harvey waves an arm experimentally at one of the glowing green walls. The wall turns out to be solid to him, even when he lowers his density in an attempt to push through it. <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery discretely plucks a single head hair from Juan, shifts his own form to Miguel's form, then tries to absorb Juan's genetic code and powers from the hair, testing it afterward. If absorbing from a disembodied genetic sample does not work, he finishes learning Juan's features and form thoroughly. <><><><><> [GM] It takes several tries to "read" enough info from the hair sample to assume Juan's shape perfectly...and it still doesn't allow Mystery to duplicate Juan's powers. Only touching the man himself seems to accomplish that. Agent Donnay returns, and asks if you're done yet. "The plane is fueling as we speak," he says. "Our men in Chicago say that not only is there an extremely dangerous metahuman on the loose there, but...well, I'll brief you on the rest once we get in the air." <><><><><> Mystery: "Yeah, I'm ready." Mystery says, and stuffs Juan's hair deep into a pocket, then puts back on the shirt, tightens the belt, and resumes the american indian girl form, straightening the clothing further. "I'm just glad I didn't turn out to be the Incredible Hulk," Mystery jokes. "It would be tough on the clothing bill." "Dangerous metahuman? That's all right. We're pretty dangerous too. I'll be right back." She heads to her room and takes the suitcase with police scanner, flute, and assorted purchased clothing styles, then returns. <><><><><> [GM] It seems to Walt and Harvey, especially Harvey, that they've been spending an awful lot of time in the air lately. But there's no check-in, no metal detector, no having your luggage sent to Tahiti...on the other hand, with all this constant scrambling to react to the next metahuman crisis, you have yet to meet anyone who seems to be really in CHARGE of this whole operation. And the subject of your compensation has yet to be addressed. Of course, so far, none of you have had time to go spend any money. It's almost like you've suddenly been drafted to fight a war. And considering what's been happening in New York, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Marseilles....maybe you are. So once again, you're relaxing in a small government jet that is en-route to Chicago, while your current mission leader, Agent Donnay briefs you. "As you already know, this 'Falling Star' has been flying around Chicago, roughing up gangs and drug dealers, for a couple weeks. We've had little success in tracking her down, but she's already become something of a folk hero to the people living in Chicago's projects." "So for some reason, it looks like the Columbians wanted her taken out. I don't know why they'd be so concerned; Falling Star may get a lot of attention, but she can't really be having a significant effect on the drug trade in Chicago. But they sent Juan and Miguel after her." "Well, what actually happened is that Falling Star showed up in Cabrini Green, which is one of the most violent neighborhoods in the country, to stop a gang battle. And Miguel and Juan were waiting for her. Thing is, several other metahumans happened to be there at the same time. Obviously, there are quite a few people playing games behind the scenes here." "So, net result was that these other metahumans kicked the snot out of our Columbian friends, Falling Star flew away, and one of them stayed behind to talk to the police...and to our men who were in Chicago trying to track down Falling Star." "The next day, this same metahuman, and the two others- who are all women, by the way- showed up in a hospital in Chicago. Here's where it gets strange." Donnay looks around at the three metahumans in the passenger compartment with him, with a skeptical expression. "They say they're all friends, and were in Chicago looking for *another* metahuman, a grade-schooler with mind control powers. They said they stumbled onto the fight in Cabrini Green by accident." "The first one, the one who stayed behind to talk to the cops, is a married woman from Illinois who can control gravity. The second one is a teenager from California. She's a telepath and she can also teleport. And this teenager and the third metahuman were apparently captured by...ANOTHER metahuman, right after their fight! This latest addition to the metahuman managerie is also a telepath. And....it seems he tortured and raped the two women he captured." Donnay pauses, gauging the impact. "Yeah, it seems we're dealing with all kinds of unpleasant characters here. Juan and Miguel are starting to look more and more like bit players. This evil telepath had some armed men accompanying him, men who had Russian accents and carried Soviet-made automatic weapons." "That's not even the weirdest part, though. I mentioned a third woman. She's also a telepath. And when our agents in Chicago finally caught up to this trio in the hospital, and got them to tell their story....this chick claimed that she's an extraterrestrial!" <><><><><> Harvey: The suggestion of an alien in Chicago manages to distract Harvey from his current desire to beat some of the villains he's been hearing about with an enhanced density fist, it even manages to distract him from trying to figure how to sneak up on a telepath. Since Agent Donnay made no mention of an...'exotic'...appearance for the putative alien Harvey's skepticism is barely limitied by his attempt at an open mind. "Trying to be polite, in the interest of preventing a war with Mars, but has a competent psychiatrist evaluated this claimant?" (he's slightly sarcastic as well as skeptical.) <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery looks at Harvey in disbelief. "Let me get this straight," she says, eyes sparkling. "You're sitting in an airplane headed to chicago, because you developed superpowers and joined a new government agency for superheroes, and with a research staff paging through comic books to look for new ideas on what to expect. You're sitting in the company of a bioshifting doppleganger and seductionist straight out of X-Men, and another superhero also. We're on our way to Chicago to stop a plot by drug dealers to capture a superheroine who is under twelve years old and can turn into a sphere of energy. We may be called upon to find a way to stop an evil master telepath supervillain, and are very likely being hunted by Legion, a composite, assimilation shapeshifter. There is a werewolf terrorizing an indian reservation. There is a fellow named Paladin lifting ships out of the ocean with his hands and carrying vehicles into space for fun and profit. To top it all off, someone is sending Blipverts to leaders of small countries." She looks out from under her eyebrows at Harvey. "And you're scoffing at a person from another ball of mud and rock somewhere out there?" Her reserve shatters and she breaks into a giggling fit. Mystery's eyes seem to burn at hearing of the rape. "Now there's one to change just a _bit_ and send to prison," she comments. She sighs, then listens to the rest of the story, eyes lighting up at the mention of an extraterrestrial. "An alien. In Chicago?" she giggles. "That's not exactly my first guess as a place to have a close encounter of the third kind...they usually stay out of major cities, I imagine. Unless..." "Unless they can change their bodies like I can, or have machinery for doing it. In which case, they may be everywhere, unseen, walking in human form. Wow." <><><><><> Walt: Walt's neutral expression gradually fades away, replaced by a mildly shocked, then grim expression at the story of the 'Meta' who raped the two women. "I guess that settles once and for all that all us 'Superhumans' ain't so super," he says, slightly more pale than when Donnay began his sorry tale. "I wonder what the chances are of this *bastard* suffering a heart attack are," Walt mutters quietly, "from what I understand they *can* effect even fairly young people." Walt seems slightly surprised, but not greatly so, at the mention that one of the women claims to be an extraterestrial. "Why not? Seems like that'd be about the only thing that we haven't seen now, wouldn't it?" <><><><><> [GM] Donnay listens to the three metahumans reactions, rolling his eyes a little at Mystery's enthusiastic hypothesizing, and giving a tight smile in response to Walt's quiet outrage. "I suggest we reserve judgement on the 'ET'," he says. "Our man in Chicago, Agent Tim Mahon, said his impression of the woman was that she's a little flaky, but not completely out there, if you know what I mean. He was extremely skeptical about her claim to be an alien also, but he said the two, uh, Earth women, believed her, and claimed they'd seen evidence that convinced them. And Mahon said they both *seemed* rational and intelligent. So let's not buy into every crazy Star Trek theory that comes to mind-" he gives Mystery a sardonic look, "but even though I don't really believe in extraterrestrials, at least until I see a spaceship with my own eyes, we'd better not dismiss the lady's story without at least checking it out first. Even if she is a little crazy, Mahon said she definitely seemed to know an awful lot about metahumans, and this psycho telepath in particular." "Naturally, there are other explanations besides the lady being a shapechanging alien from outer space, or ETs infiltrating our civilization," he continues, looking at Mystery again with a look that reminds the teen uncomfortably of the ones he used to get from his father. "For instance, the alleged alien is a telepath herself. She may well have used some kind of mental influence to convince her friends that she's an extraterrestrial." "On the other hand, Mahon's gut instinct was to not reject her story out of hand. Mahon's got pretty good instincts, he's what you'd call a 'people person'. And consider that, A) the other two women were convinced, B) this lady brought some interesting devices with her to the hospital, which Mahon was only able to inspect briefly, but he said they were either some kind of techno-gadgets he'd never seen before, or else really good sci-fi props, and C) We've got that loon Pulsar, who claimed there was a spaceship or something in orbit above the Earth. Now, all of this put together still isn't totally convincing...but it warrants us taking it somewhat seriously, and I understand that someone decided it actually warranted telling the President. Though what exactly he's gonna do about aliens, when he can't even deal with Cubans...." Donnay shrugs again, with that ironic smile of his. <><><><><> Harvey: "Oh, on the contrary I don't scoff at the possibility, even likelyhood of aliens out there...", but then he gestures ceilingward, "out there." I'm scoffing at one showing up and looking recognizable. Inspite of everything movies have done to try to think of the strangest, bizzarrest and oddest, they ain't seen nothing yet. When we finally meet aliens I'm quite confident that not only will they look odder than we imagine, they'll look odder than we CAN imagine! The thing I most expect, is that they'll look like what I, and we, least expect." "Not that I can't be convinced to change my mind, it just isn't going to be easy." "O.K. O.K., I won't dismiss the possibility of aliens in Chicago out of hand, I'll postpone that. Changing the subject, is the first order of business when we land still to try to collect" (Harvey seems to like that word),"a few villains with out excellent bait? If so maybe we should make a few tentative plans. You did find a spanish speaking agent, didn't you? Hopefully someone with an interest in acting." "Yes heart-attacks can affect young people" agrees Harvey, then adds, "Also quite probable is a stroke, especially if I catch up with him since they can affect young people too, particularly if you hit them over the head. I just wonder how probable it that we'll be able to sneak up on a telepath?" "Assuming we're going to continue with trying to collect", Harvey is definitely becoming attached to that word, " a few Columbians for our collection, I figure we'll put the 'bait', sorry Mystery, no slight intended, the 'excellent bait' in one room and wait next door. When someone shows up we let them talk for a few minutes to see if they say anything useful, then we collect them. I'm kind of in favor of being in the next room, especially since for me all walls are doors, attacking _through_ a wall should give the element of surprise, although through the floor or ceiling also has advantages." "This plan sort of needs a way to know what is going on in the other room though. Can we borrow some listening equipment? And while we're at it can we put some kind of homing beacon on Mystery and the other agent, just in case something goes wrong and we need to track them?" "And anyone got a street map of Chicago and a pen? There's something I'd like Walt to try. It's an incredible long shot, but hey, that's Walt's specialty." <><><><><> Walt: "What is that y'all want me to try? Ain't never been real good with maps...I just kinda 'feel' my way, get directions from other truckers, stuff like that." <><><><><> Harvey: "Let's put it this way: if I hand you a pen, put a map in front of you and tell you to close your eyes, wave the pen in the air and then touch it to the place on the map where this motel we're going to is, what's the probability you'll actually mark in the vicinity of it? If I do it the answer's pretty easy, it just doesn't have anything to do with question. Want to try? Just to see what'll happen?" <><><><><> Walt: "Ain't gonna cost us any to try, then, is it?" Walt quips, shaking his head at how absurd the whole thing sounds. "So where's this here map, hmmm? No time like right now, I always say." <><><><><> [GM] Donnay is able to produce a map of Chicago and a pen, and hands them to Walt. He looks rather bemused, and asks Harvey, "Just what do you want to prove with this little experiment?" <><><><><> Harvey: "I don't really understand how Walt does what he does, or even precisely what he does when he does it; but we've been roughly referring to it as being lucky. This is an attempt to harness luck to find out where something or someone is when we don't know where. If we're _lucky_ Walt can get the random event of putting the pen on the map to match the unknown event of an object being somewhere." Harvey looks a little uncertain himself. "This is something I might suggest someday if we're ever in a bind to find someone we've lost track ofand if it doesn't work I'd rather know now then spend time later." He shrugs. <><><><><> [GM] "Interesting hypothesis," Donnay says, looking skeptical. He looks to Walt to see what the man will do with the pen and map. Agent Donnay lays a map of Chicago out on a small fold-down table in front of Walt, and hands him a pen. He, Harvey and Mystery watch as Walt takes the pen and closes his eyes to begin the experiment. <><><><><> Walt: Walt tries to *avoid* concentrating, just kind of letting his eyes drift across the map. If anyplace feels more *right* than any other, he'll immediately let the pen fall there. <><><><><> [GM] Walt lets the pen drift across the map. He feels nothing unusual, no strange sensations, nothing seems to guide his hand. The point comes to rest on a spot in northeast Chicago, near Washington Square. "Well," says Agent Donnay, "that's not far from Cabrini Green, where this situation apparently started. But the motel rendezvous is way down here-" he points to a spot across the city. "If your power is based on altering probability, maybe it only alters the probability of *other* things? I mean, you affected coin flipping and dice rolling, and seem to be able to make electrical wires spontaneously overload, that kind of thing. But maybe it has to be something external, you can't affect a mental process?" Donnay shrugs. "But I'm just a federal agent, not a scientist, what do I know?" * * * * * Anyone want to do or say anything else before landing in Chicago? <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey looks over at Agent Donnay, shrugs and says "Makes sense to me. At least we won't waste time because of this idea of mine if we're ever in a hurry to find someone". He peers at the map again for a couple of seconds and mutters "at least it didn't land in the middle of Lake Michigan." Then looking at Walt," You might be able to influence where the pen hit to select a particular location, but you'd have to know where you were trying for to do that, I guess." "I'm glad we're almost there, I feel an extreme need to stretch my legs." <><><><><> [GM] The plane descends towards Chicago's Midway Airport. "Let's double-check your shapechanging schtick and see if you can still turn into Miguel or Juan," Donnay says to Mystery, as the plane enters a landing pattern. A few moments later, the plane rises. "What the hell?" demands Donnay. The copilot comes back and says "Nothing to worry about folks...least as far as we're concerned, for the moment. But, uh, you may want to hear this. We aborted our landing pattern because our contact with the control tower was interrupted. There's a speech being broadcast all over the airwaves, overriding every radio frequency!" The captain switches the sound in the passenger compartment on, piping his radio reception over the P.A. system- and the team of feds and metahumans hears the last half of Pulsar's broadcast, complete with the reference to "invisible satellites". <><><><><> Harvey: "Interesting, I've never seen an invisible satellite mystelf" <><><><><> Walt: "Wouldn't know, myself; ain't never seen one neither." Walt grins weakly, trying to make a joke to avoid thinking about that faceless Pulsar just blasting people as the mood strikes him. <><><><><> Harvey: "Is it significant that neither of us has been looking for one?" <><><><><> [GM] Donnay looks at the two wisecrackers in amazement. "Well, I'm glad you find this amusing," he says. "Personally, I think this Pulsar character may be a bigger threat than Legion!" <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey looks up at Agent Donnay, his smile gone, "and what would you like me to do about him? The guy can travel in space, possibly at the speed of light; and I can't keep up or catch him. Personally I'm glad we aren't going to have to try to handle him right away; after a little more practice we might be able to do something about him but right now he's a bit out of our league." Then he looks over at Walt and considers, "...well, out of my league, but I don't think we're ready to tackle him yet. Now if he shows up I'll reconsider that evaluation and try to do something about him but until then I'm not looking for trouble with him." <><><><><> [GM] Agent Donnay frowns, but there seems to be nothing more to do about "Pulsar" for the moment. After a few minutes, the pilot reports that normal communications seem to have been reestablished, and your jet descends on Chicago. It taxis off the runway on a reserved section of the Midway Airport, and comes to a halt in front of a black government van. "All right," says Donnay, "until we hear otherwise, we're going to stick with the current program, which is to try to bag Miguel's contacts- though I will be checking with Agents Mahon and Hackley, of course, to see if anything new has turned up with our 'alien' friend and her associates." He frowns, thinking over something. As you all get into the van, Donnay turns to Mystery and says "Now, like I asked earlier, how about seeing if you can still turn into Miguel again, so we can be sure we can really pull this off?" <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery nods. "I practiced pretty well back there." Carefully, Mystery attempts to assume the Miguel form again to demonstrate. <><><><><> [GM] Mystery shifts into Miguel's form, and Agent Donnay nods approvingly. "All right...let's go." The van drives through the city of Chicago, until it arrives at a small Holiday Inn, just outside the downtown area. "This is actually down the street from the rendezvous point," says Donnay. "We're staking it out. We still have no idea, of course, whether or not our Columbian friends' contacts will actually attempt to contact them. They may assume they're both in jail." Inside a suite at the Holiday Inn, Donnay introduces the three metahumans to a young Hispanic man, wearing the same dark suit that all these agents seem to wear. "This is Agent Estes. He'll handle the Spanish interpretation for us." He looks around. "So, why don't you all tell us what you intend for the immediate future? You had a variety of ideas for dealing with these people, and right now, we're following your lead, since it's your powers that will determine how successful this operation will be." <><><><><> Walt: "Well, here's hoping our luck don't run out on us here!" Walt says to nobody in particular. <><><><><> [GM] Donnay nods. "You ready, you other two? How do you want to play this?" <><><><><> Harvey: "I already made my suggestion, the straight forward apporoach. Let them make contact, see if they drop any useful information and collect them before anything can go wrong." <><><><><> Walt: Walt shrugs his head and looks rather sheepish. "How do *I* want ta handle this? Mister, I'm the *last* one you want to be planning this covert-type stuff! My closest shot at subtle is not to blurt out how I feel about a girl in the first five minutes of the conversation." "I am, however, pretty darn good at following the leader, if you get mah drift." <><><><><> [GM] Donnay nods. "OK." The Hispanic man looks a little nervous, as Donnay tells Mystery, "Agent Estes has volunteered to let you try to shapechange him into Juan. You know, considering that Miguel seemed to be the brains of the team, and Agent Estes is the one who knows Spanish...it might work better for *you* to be Juan, and try making *him* look like Miguel." <><><><><> Harvey: Harvey can understand why agent Estes is nervous, he'd be rather nervous himself if he weren't busy being grateful Mystery's shapechange power doesn't seem to work on Metas. He tries to think of something reassuring to say, but where meta-abilities are concerned there really isn't much he can say. So he settles for going over and shaking hands, smiling and saying "So, Agent Estes, ready to win an Oscar?" <><><><><> Mystery: Mystery nods to Donnay. "The plan is actually for Estes to be Miguel, and me to be Falling Star -- or as close as I can get, without details. Need to have bait, not just a hook, in a manner of speaking." Walking over to Estes, Mystery smiles reassuringly. "Trust me, it is not harmful. It will feel weird, both the change and having a new bodily form, but don't worry. Now...hold my hand, and brace yourself." Mystery holds out a hand, while in Miguel form; when Estes clasps hands, Mystery concentrates on imposing the genetic code of Miguel, as currently worn, on Estes. <><><><><> [GM] Estes looks a little nervous, but controls it well as Mystery, in Miguel's body, clasps the Hispanic agent's hand. Estes murmurs something in Spanish as his body begins swelling and shifting...he stretches inside his suit (Miguel is a little taller than Estes), and his short, neatly trimmed hair grows longer, while a mustache appears on his upper lip. His skin darkens, his facial features ripples, and after a total of about ten seconds, there are two Miguels standing in the room. Estes staggers, until Donnay catches him, and asks "How do you feel?" "O..Ok," the agent says. "Feels...strange...like all my body parts are the wrong size...have to get used to the balance..." "Yeah, we also need to get you some clothes that fit," Donnay says. He turns to Mystery and says "All right, I guess we could try to get hold of those other metas, the ones that actually met Falling Star. But we don't know how soon we can do that. The Columbians probably don't know exactly what she looks like, so if you can just do a small, skinny black girl, about age eight, I think it'll pass." <><><><><> Harvey: [Does Estes sound like Miguel now that he looks like him?] <><><><><> [GM] [Estes has Miguel's voice, though not his intonations and other speech mannerisms.] Mystery nods, and begins shrinking, as his skin turns darker and smoother. In seconds, s/he is about four feet tall, a skinny black girl, as ordered. "Maybe a little too old...try for a couple years younger," Donnay suggests. Mystery obligingly shrinks a few more inches and goes from the edge of adolescence to a girl obviously in middle-elementary school. The men in the room notice that her unnatural attraction factor is still in effect...but thankfully, the sexuality aspect seems to have been replaced with an overwhelming desire to protect this "child", who is about the cutest, most adorable little girl any of the men can ever remember meeting. "Better," Donnay says. "I hope this will work." "You're telling me," the "youngster" pipes in a voice that eerily resembles that of Mitchell Langstrom, though this is only noticeable to those who have heard him before, in his natural form. "I hope I don't have to be tied up and gagged." "No," Donnay says. "Miguel had a nice little portable pharmacy in their van....they clearly planned to drug Falling Star. So I think all you need to do is pretend to be asleep." He turns to Harvey and Walt. "All right...let's do it." <><><><><> Harvey: "Yeap, let's go for it! Hey, Mystery, Estes, good luck..oops, forgot, old show business tradition, I meant 'break a leg', time for you to win an Oscar. Hmmm, still need to get 'Miguel' some better fitting clothes and for that matter I doubt baggy and oversized is 'falling stars' recognized mode of attire." "It just occurred to me that the colombians might contact Miguel by phone first, at least to see if he has falling star before showing up. I don't know how complicated it is to set up for a trace, do you need to go to court for that? but maybe you could get that set up and Estes could get long winded, maybe argue about payment so the trace could be finished. That would give us a physical location, even if just a pay phone or that it's a cellular. While we're talking about technical goodies, got anything handy so we can tell what's going on with Mystery and Estes from the next room? I mean, I can just stick my head through the wall and listen, but unless I take to wearing a lampshade for a hat, it's going to be pretty noticable." "I notice I'm suddenly asking for a lot, but as long as I am I might as well go for the moon. We could even put transmitters on Mystery and Estes so we could follow if anything goes wrong. WHICH WE AREN'T GOING TO LET HAPPEN, but a little paranoia is good for you." <><><><><> [GM] "Of course we'll be monitoring them electronically," says Agent Donnay. "And I expect their contact will almost certainly call them by phone before showing up in person." Harvey, Walt, Mystery (disguised as Falling Star), Agent Estes (disguised as Miguel), and Agent Donnay head for the hotel that was the original planned rendezvous for Miguel and Juan. Harvey, Walt and Donnay carefully make their way into an adjacent room, on the opposite side of the building, as Mystery and Estes settle in to their own hotel room. The three men in the other room are able to observe what happens in Estes' and Mystery's room by means of a hidden camera they hide in the ceiling fan. Mystery, as Falling Star, is carried in by Estes after he parks the van that Miguel and Juan were driving in front of their room. Then they all wait. And wait. And wait. It seems that there won't be any contact after all, when the phone finally rings. Grinning, Donnay activates a recording device on the table in his room, with Harvey and Walt, which will let everyone hear what's said on the phone in Estes' room. Meanwhile, on a portable monitor, they watch "Miguel" pick up the phone. "Hello?" he says. No sound comes from the recorder in the next room. Whoever is on the other end doesn't hang up....but nothing is being said. Donnay frowns, then the frown deepens as Agent Estes stands abruptly, and turns to face Mystery, who's sitting on the edge of the bed in her Falling Star guise. Harvey and Walt simultaneously get a very bad feeling. Then Estes draws his pistol from concealment beneath his shirt, and shoots Mystery. The "girl" gives a startled cry, then the slug knocks her across the bed and tumbling into the far wall, where she hits and drops to the ground, leaving a bloody smear on the wall behind her.