ROCK AND ROLL - SEATTLE

[Gordon Fancher, after an encounter with a mysterious metahuman who 
burned a hole through the street into the sewers beneath, flew back 
above the city of Seattle- just in time to witness the beginning of an 
earthquake, possibly caused by the metahuman blackmailer Terrarizer.]


Gordon:

I try to block the bickering going on below me from my mind as I try to 
search the area.  I feel a rising sense of frustration; there are so many 
people watching, and none of them seem familiar.

Suddenly, I hear Rosaline's voice over the radio.  Even before she 
finishes speaking, I begin to see movement in the ground and buildings 
around me.  "Rosaline, can you find him?!  Quickly, please!  We must 
stop this!"

I turn and look for her.  If I find her, I will fly towards her.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline is hovering in the sky, eyes closed, obviously concentrating 
intently.

"There." She raises an arm and points, in the general direction of Puget 
Sound. You can't tell if she means out in the water, or just in that 
direction.

She begins flying in the direction she pointed, saying "I sense great 
power....more intense than mine, or yours. But it is not the strength of 
our 'powers' that will determine the outcome of this conflict, but the 
strength of our *faith*! As David slew Goliath, so shall we put down a 
greater threat, if we put our trust in God Almighty. As God has appointed 
some of us to serve Him, so has Satan annointed his minions with 
inhuman powers as well. Now we are to be tested, Mr. Fancher. If you 
are not strong with the Lord, you may not have the strength you need to 
defeat the agents of darkness. Wilt thou pray with me, before we face 
the dread Enemy?"

She's glowing more intently, especially her eyes, as if her religious 
fervor is intensifying the manifestation of her powers. Meanwhile, Seattle 
continues to shake. You see a line of telephone poles go down a block 
away.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

As Rosaline turns and heads west, I turn as well and follow her.  "Lead 
on.  Let's *get* this madman!"

She begins to go on about her god and such as we fly, finally asking me 
if I wish to pray with her.  "I'm sorry, Rosaline, I can't fly very well with my 
eyes closed.  Don't worry about my strength - it shall suffice...  Oh damn!  
Did you see those telephone poles?!  We *have* to get there, NOW!"  If 
not already at full speed, I will accelerate at full thrust towards where the 
poles went down.  I glance back to make sure that Rosaline is coming 
along.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline looks at you sorrowfully. "You are not taking me seriously," she 
says. "So be it. Mock the Lord if you insist, but someday, you shall regret 
turning your heart away from Him."

She follows after you- and as you zoom over Waterfront Park, you see a 
column of earth suddenly rise from the ground, several blocks ahead. It 
bursts up in the middle of the Alaskan Freeway, about half a mile from 
the tunnel. One car overturns, and several more slam on their brakes, 
trying to avoid hitting the mountain rising in their path.

In seconds, it's a pillar of earth eight stories high, tapering to a peak less 
than ten feet in diameter. The freeway below is torn apart, and cars go 
swerving off the road, or frantically turn around or are thrown into 
reverse to retreat from the unnatural phenomenon.

"There," Rosaline says, pointing at it quite unnecessarily.

At least one military helicopter has spotted it as well, and is swinging 
around to come at it from the direction of the Seattle Center. In the 
distance, you see the other choppers flying over the city pausing, and 
then altering course as well, no doubt alerted over their radios by the 
first pilot.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"I do not mock your god *or* your beliefs, but I also do not share them.  
Please find this madman now - we can discuss our religious beliefs later 
if you wish."

My concerns and grim need to stop the Terrarizer's actions prevent me 
from enjoying the sheer freedom and joy of flying while covering the 
roughly ten miles from Microsoft campus in Redmond to Waterfront Park 
on Elliot Bay in Seattle.  Even the peace and beauty of the various boats 
on Lake Washington are lost on me in this time of stress and duty.

Suddenly, a pillar of rock rises up through the Alaskan Way viaduct as I 
near the area.  "HOLY S***!"  The power it would take to perform such a 
feat is staggering.  I watch as cars try to react to this sudden change in 
their path.  As I fly overhead, I see a young woman helping her kids out 
of one of the cars.  I feel I should help, but if I stop now, who will stop the 
Terrarizer?  If he is not subdued now, this will be but the tip of the 
iceberg.

Rosaline points out the stone column.  "I see it.  Can you find the person 
responsible?  *That* is our target.  He *must* be stopped before he can 
do even worse!"

I see the military 'copters vectoring in from various directions.  I point 
towards one and shout over at Rosaline.  "Look, Rosaline!  We have to 
get to the Terrarizer before *they* turn the entire area into a *killing 
ground*.!  Where *is* he?  Can you find him?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"He is THERE!" Rosaline insists, pointing at the tower of earth.

And a moment later, a human figure emerges from the very top, and 
stands there, looking out over the city as the tremors die down.

You zoom in with your amazing new vision, and get your first look at 
"Terrarizer". Whatever you might have expected the villain to look like, 
you're pretty sure this isn't it.

He looks not long past his teens, a tall, lanky kid with long, dingy blond 
hair hanging below his shoulders, and a silver stud piercing his nostril. 
He's wearing a faded Nirvana T-shirt and ripped jeans, worn-out 
garments offset by the brand new high-top sneakers now half-sunk into 
the pillar of earth he's standing on. His face is lean and predatory, but 
his expression shows both malice and confusion. He looks like a 
stereotypical angry young Generation X-er, right out of a "Rolling Stone" 
article.

His gaze sweeps over Seattle, and stops briefly as he sees the nearest 
helicopter bearing down on him. Then he turns his head, and sees the 
bright glow emitted by you and Rosaline, and his eyes narrow further. 
You're still about a quarter mile away.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Rosaline shouts and I pivot my head to look where she is pointing.  My 
mouth drops open as the strange youth appears from out of solid stone.  
The thought that a human being can move through rock as though it 
were water or air is astonishing.  Then I get a good look at him.  He 
looks so like a typical 'disaffected youth'; he would be indistinguishable 
from any of the others like him on any street corner in the 'U' district or 
many other areas of the city.  It's a little frightening that someone so 
young and with so little idea of how the world works and what he really 
wants out of life would possess such immense power.  He seems to want 
to take out his unfocused anger on the world in general and make others 
suffer as he feels he does.

If I don't feel like I'm tiring much, I will continue to close on him at full 
speed.  I will be diving somewhat, so that by time I am within the range 
of my powers, I will be a little lower than him.  Once in range, I will 
unleash a full power blast at the pillar of stone a few feet below where 
he stands.  If he begins to fall, I will dive after him; otherwise, I will 
continue to close the distance.

<><><><><>

[GM]

You blast towards him, and he immediately sinks into the pillar of earth, 
disappearing. The column begins to sink onto itself, the base widening 
and spreading out across the freeway and the land on either side.

"He is still within the mass of earth," Rosaline says uncertainly. "I need 
to get closer to locate him precisely."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

My heart sinks as Terrarizer disappears from view.  "*Damn*!  This guy 
is *really* starting to p*** me off!"

"Good.  Lead the way, Rosaline.  I'll be right along with you."  I fly in 
beside her and stay close as she searches for the b******.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline flies towards the sinking mountain of earth, and begins circling 
it at high speed, pulling impressively tight turns.

Abruptly, she brakes to halt and points- "THERE!"

But her finger moves down, tracing a path towards the ground. "He is 
moving, I think!"

Down through the massive pillar he created, his power propelling him 
through the earth like an express elevator.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I follow Rosaline as she descends, though I don't circle the pillar, just 
descending straight down, well back out of her way.  When she stops 
and points at a spot, I stop too.  Then I see that her finger is contiuing 
it's downward movement.  I cut the thrust under myself, allowing myself 
to go into a controlled fall until I am well ahead of where she indicates 
Terrarizer is.  I apply thrust again to slow my fall, while simultaneously 
lashing out with a full-power 'fan' blast.  My intent is to sever the column 
well below the madman and disrupt his controlled movement.

<><><><><>

[GM]

At the point where you blast, the "column" is as thick as a house, so 
severing it is a little unlikely. But with a flare of energy, you do tear an 
enormous rent in the unnatural formation. Huge chunks of earth and 
asphalt go spinning down to the ground as you blow a smoking hole in 
the side of the mini-mountain.

Tumbling into the breach comes "Terrarizer", who rolls to his feet and 
stands in the sudden gap made by your blast. He glares at you, then 
looks highly peeved as the weight of the formation above him causes it 
to collapse onto him with crushing force. He disappears beneath tons of 
earth.

A moment later, the side of the hill develops a bulge, and he reemerges, 
still glaring in your direction.

"You f***ing weenie, think you can take me on, huh?" he yells. He 
gestures at you with his left hand.

The tower of earth has sunk from its previous height of eight stories to 
perhaps half that....but it still rises above you, and mimicking Terrarizer's 
arm movement, the entire formation leans in your direction, like an 
animated lump of clay. Then a pseusopod lashes out from the main 
body, swinging down at you with incredible force.

It actually misses you by a wide margin....but when you hear Rosaline's 
shriek, you realize you weren't the target. She was hovering a little 
closer to the earth mound, and Terrarizer's animated projection missed 
her by less than a meter. Only her remarkable maneuverability saved 
her from being swatted out of the air like a bug.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

A wicked little grin appears momentarily on my face as I see the effects 
of the blast I have just unleashed.  The grin disappears quickly as 
Terrarizer tumbles into view.  _Ahh, there's the little b******!_

Then I notice the upper portion of the stone column beginning to give 
way.  "*No*," I gasp, as tons of stone come crashing down on the man.  
_Oh god.  I never *meant* for him to die...  Could even *he* possibly 
survive that?!_

I let out a small sigh as the madman emerges, even as I begin to 
comprehend what it will take to stop him.  I feel terribly torn, not wanting 
to cause the death of another human, but knowing that this man *must* 
be stopped.  His insult catches me unprepared, and I start to burn 
around the collar, but the effect doesn't last.  As the anger fades, my 
right eyebrow arches up as I meet his gaze.  "I'm a 'weenie', you little 
a**w***?  Two days ago, I took several of your best shots and it hardly 
even mussed my hair.  And *you* were afraid to come out and face me 
then, just as you were trying to run away in fear now.  Face me *now*, 
and we'll see just *who* is the 'weenie', m*****f*****."

I dodge aside as the pseudopod of rock lashes out in my direction.  Not 
bothering to turn and see where it goes after it passes, I lash out at the 
freak.  Since I don't want to take the risk of missing, I use the 'fan' effect 
again, though with only about half of my full power.  I don't want to kill 
the man, and since I don't know how tough he is yet, I feel it necessary 
to hold back until I know more.  If anything, perhaps it will dislodge him 
from where he stands and leave him falling through the air, in which 
case I will go after him.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Your beam burns a swathe of destruction across the front of Terrarizer's 
earth and rock formation, blowing him back against the hill. He's bathed 
in the glow of your radiated energy, and when the smoke clears, he's 
staggering to regain his feet, helped by the fact that the earth moves 
below him to steady him.

Your blast incinerated all but a few scraps of clothing, which hang 
smouldering from his skinny body...but he looks merely flushed, not 
injured.

"You F*****!" he screams.

A car-sized chunk of rock comes hurtling towards you from the hill, 
pushed so hard and so fast by the supporting projection of earth that you 
can actually see the mountain shrinking slightly, as the enormous 
pseudopod draws mass from its foundation to extend through the air 
towards you.

The impact as it slams into you is harder than anything you've ever felt 
before. The wind is knocked out of you, and stars are swimming in your 
vision...you're plowing a trough in the dirt by the side of the Alaskan 
Freeway before you're fully conscious of the fact that you've hit the 
ground.

Breath wheezes in and out of your lungs. You can't tell if you're actually 
injured, or just sucking wind while you recover from a body slam worse 
than any you took in your football-playing days. You hear a crashing 
roar nearby as the "fist" that hit you collapses to the ground.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I feel a sense of joy and power as my blast knocks Terrarizer on his 
keister (sp?).  Then I watch in amazement as he gets up, looking for all 
the world as if his clothes burned off every day.  _Oh damn.  Here it 
*comes*!_

I seems as if the entire column of stone is bending to swat me out of the 
sky.  Panic causes me to hesitate for an instant before I try to dive out of 
the way, but it proves too late.  The huge fist of stone smashes into my 
body and knocks me through the air as though I were a tiny pebble.  My 
vision goes blurry and the world seems to spin for a moment as my body 
is driven in furrow in the ground.

I gasp for air and struggle to sit up.  As my vision begins to clear, I 
glance around, trying to determine where I am and what my name is.  
Suddenly, it all comes back in a rush as I hear the rocky pseudopod 
crash into the earth nearby.  I mentally run a quick check trying to 
determine if I'm really hurt or just bruised and battered.  I attempt to 
stand and look for Terrarizer, hoping that my body will still function.

[Assuming I'm still functional...]

I rise, hating the smug look in the madman's eyes.  I leap into the air, 
heading back into the  midst of the fray.  "Rosaline!  Help me out here!  
Can you blind or drain this lunatic?"

I fly on, striving to get within accurate range of the nutcase.  "That *hurt*, 
jerkwad!  Try *this* on for size!"  Knowing that a weaker blast seems 
useless, I go for the gusto on this one, letting Terrarizer taste the full 
power of my blast, channeled into one huge beam.  I know I should step 
up the power a little more slowly, but I don't think the city can take much 
more of this.  _I *have* to stop this, NOW!_

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Must you two use so much profanity?" Rosaline complains, as she 
circles around in a path that takes her away from Terrarizer's earth 
formation, and then back towards him in a straight line. Her dazzling 
light burst flares from her hands at the same time as your energy beam.

Your blast doesn't hit Terrarizer center-mass, but flares across his arm 
instead. He yells in pain as the energy engulfs his limb, and the leakage 
blasts a large crater in the rock behind him. At the same time, Rosaline's 
blast strikes him, and he falls to his knees.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"YES!  We got him!  Good shot, Rosaline!  Time to wrap this up.  Let's 
do it again; that ought to take the fight out of this overstuffed turkey."  I 
am glad to see that he isn't *totally* immune to our powers.

I fly towards Terrarizer, continuing  to close the distance.  One good 
'zoom' view of Terrarizer's arm should tell me whether he was seriously 
hurt.  Unless his arm was torn off or something equivalently nasty, I 
summon a full measure of power into my body, then release it in one 
huge blast.  Concerned with my poor accuracy, I use the 'fan effect' 
again to make sure I get a solid hit, unless Rosaline is in the line of fire 
on the other side of Terrarizer.  I will also try to narrow the 'fan' so that it 
is only 10 or 15 feet wide when it reaches him.  If by chance Terrarizer 
*was* seriously injured, I will pull back to about 3/4 power, though still 
with the 'tight-beam' fan effect.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Terrarizer's arm looks singed, but not charred.

Your second blast surges out of your hand and engulfs him completely. 
You hear him scream in pain, as rock shatters all around him. Rosaline 
holds off firing, alarmed, and you both watch as he tumbles forward and 
slides on his face down the steep slope of his columnar formation, 
rapdily accelerating until the drop becomes nearly vertical. Rosaline 
cries out "NO!" and dives, fast, but can't catch him in time- he falls 
twenty feet and hits the freeway headfirst; Rosaline pulls out of her dive, 
almost gouging a groove in the asphalt herself.

Her concern was misplaced, however. Terrarizer seems not to have 
been hurt by the impact, and pulls himself out of the depression he 
made in the asphalt with an angry glower, clutching at his burned arm 
and glaring at you with clenched teeth. You also note with chagrin that 
his scream must have been more alarm than pain; by diffusing your 
second blast, you apparently failed to get past his superhuman 
resistance to damage.

"Nice to see you're so concerned for me," he snarls at Rosaline. "F*** 
YOU, BITCH!" The freeway explodes as a cylindrical shaft with a 
flattened "point" fifteen feet across erupts through the surface at the 
same tremendous speed as the "fist" with which he knocked you out of 
the air. It's directly below Rosaline, and thrusting towards her. The 
glowing woman screams and suddenly is accelerating straight up, barely 
ahead of the shaft (which, you suddenly notice, has a distinctly phallic 
appearance) for the first few moments, before she really gets moving 
and ascends well beyond its reach. The shaft rises perhaps two hundred 
feet in the air, in a little over one second, before faltering and then tilting, 
crumbling into massive chunks of asphalt and dirt as it collapses. The 
remnants of the disintegrating projection rain down on the freeway. 
*There are still PEOPLE down there!* You think.

That exertion seemed to cost the angry young metahuman; he hunches 
over, his knees bent, clutching his arm and breathing heavily. Animating 
so many TONS of mass like that has to involve more power than you 
want to think about. The human body can't possibly store that much 
energy (not that any human being can store even a fraction of what you 
emit with every blast), but using it must drain him somewhat. Combined 
with Rosaline's enervating beam, he's reeling. But still terribly 
dangerous.

And, you notice with alarm, sinking into the earth! He's up to his waist in 
the blink of an eye!

<><><><><>

Gordon:

My blast strikes Terrarizer full, and he starts to fall.  _Oh, s***!_  I zip 
down right behind Rosaline, trying to catch him before he kills himself.  I 
vear off as Rosaline pulls up, nearly hitting me.

First, his arm is merely singed, then he gets up from falling on his head.  
_God****, this guy is tough!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised though.  I'm 
just going to have to hit him with everything I've got._

Suddenly, he lashes out at Rosaline with an immense tower of stone.  I 
watch for a second with a kind of detached morbid fascination.  _No!  I 
have to act!_  I tear myself away with thoughts of Miyeon's body being 
lifted out of the ground two days ago.  _This is *it*!  It ends *now*!_

Even as Rosaline is still trying to outrun Terrarizer's attack, I am moving, 
heading towards a position a few yards over his head.  As I move into 
position, I notice him starting to sink into the ground.  "NO-O-O!!!" I yell, 
as I summon the power once again, lashing out with a focussed blast, 
straight down at this mockery of a man.  I put all the power I possess into 
this beam, visualizing myself burning a hole straight down into the core 
of the planet.

<><><><><>

[GM]

You put everything into the last shot you're going to get before he 
disappears...the effort is unlike anything you could compare it to, just as 
the feeling of shooting energy from your hand is completely new....but 
there's a definite difference between your normal output and this 
desperate blast. Kind of like the difference between a normal jog and a 
sudden sprint. You feel energy definitely depleted within your body. And 
the extra surge is harder to control, as well. The blast almost goes wild- 
before you redirect it, and bring it dead center onto Terrarizer's bare 
chest, more by luck than by any skill.

He yells "AAAAAARRRGGHHH!" and slumps in the dirt that holds him 
upright.

You see that this time, you did *serious* damage; from his chin down to 
where the dirt has been blasted away from his stomach, his flesh is 
severely burned, and you see charred black at the edges of the wound. 
He looks somewhat like an improperly-cooked chicken.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

For a moment I feel as though I am being consumed by the energy as I 
channel more than I have ever manipulated before.  As it leaves my 
body, the feeling is as if my body had been squeezed and wrung out by 
giant hands.  The effort of summoning and directing so much energy 
leaves me winded and shaking.

Through the weariness in my brain, I get a feeling of joy as I see my bolt 
strike the Terrarizer.  All joy evaporates as I see the beam tear through 
his flesh and see him slump over like a rag doll.  _Oh god, no!  He 
*can't* be dead!_

I let gravity pull me down (not *too* fast <g>) next to where he is held 
upright by the earth around his legs.  Immediately, my first aid training 
takes over: I check him for a pulse and breathing.  Even as I check the 
man's pulse, I call out, "Rosaline!  He's hurt - I think it may be serious!  
Please come help me with him!"

<><><><><>

[GM]

He's still alive, and in fact, he's still conscious! He groans in pain, 
clenching his teeth as you approach and see the terrible injuries you 
inflicted. He raises his hand-

-and then collapses with a sigh as a dazzling burst of light shines down 
on him. Rosaline hold her enervating beam on him for a full ten seconds, 
before finally descending to the ground.

"With the savagery with which you attacked him, I thought you 
*intended* to kill him!" she says, kneeling by the unconscious young 
man.

"He possesses great fortitude; despite the grievous nature of his injuries, 
I do not think he is in critical condition." She frowns. "Great fortitude 
indeed; Mr. Fancher, he is already healing!"

You look at him with alarm, worried that he possesses some kind of troll-
like regeneration, but the burns aren't disappearing with visible speed, at 
least.

The military chopper is now buzzing overhead, possibly trying to decide 
whether or not to lay down some firepower. Nearby, people are 
scrambling to extricate themselves from their buried vehicles, and you 
hear the wail of sirens.

A secondary rumble shakes the freeway. Looking up, you see that the 
formation Terrarizer has called out of the earth was rather haphazardly 
arranged, in apparent defiance of gravity. Without his will to hold it up, 
gravity is reasserting control, and the vast column is collapsing, settling 
into a more stable pile of earth.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Fear suddenly knots up in my stomach as Terrarizer moves to attack me 
again.  I flinch backwards, just before Rosaline's beam strikes the man.

"I can understand how it must have looking like I was trying to kill him, 
but the truth is, I wasn't.  I had been testing his defenses with weaker 
beams, and found that they had almost no real effect.  Seeing that he 
was about to get away, I felt that I had to use a stronger attack.  Even *I* 
was surprised at how much power I was able to channel that time - it 
was far greater than I had ever wielded in the past."

"He's healing *already*?  That's amazing!  I don't know how long we can 
keep him unconscious.  It would probably be a good idea for you to 
remain nearby, in case he shows any sign of waking up.  I am going to 
try to free his legs from the ground.  Could you call Agent Dicer, tell him 
we have Terrarizer in custody, and ask him where we should meet him?"

Just then, I hear the Terrarizer's construct beginning to give way.  I look 
over towards the sound to see if anyone is endangered by it's collapse.

[If so...]

I unleash a beam with the 'fan' effect, trying to destroy the falling rubble 
over the potential victim before it reaches them.

[If not...]

I turn back to Terrarizer.  I use my blast power at low power to try to 
release his legs from the rock encasing them.  I will adjust the level of 
power output to a level which is *just* sufficient to burn through the rock 
and dirt, but is unlikely to harm the man.

<><><><><>

[GM]

No rubble is falling directly on anyone, but a few well-placed blasts slow 
an avalanche threatening to bury a pair of cars from which the 
passengers are still exiting.

Rosaline radios Agent Dicer, while keeping a careful eye on Terrarizer. 
Within minutes, half the Seattle Police Department, several platoons of 
heavily-armed National Guardsmen, and at least a dozen federal agents 
are converging on your location, as three attack helicopters circle 
overhead.

You extricated Terrarizer from the ground into which he was sinking, and 
he now lies unconscious, with Rosaline reporting that his life is in no 
danger, despite his horribly burned appearance.

A smaller helicopter descends to the devastated Alaskan Freeway, some 
yards from your position, and Agent Dicer and Agent Rodnam climb out, 
ducking their heads as they hurry to where you're at. Down the road, in 
the direction from which vehicles can still approach, you see two APCs 
carrying troops, preceded by a fleet of SPD cruisers and other 
emergency vehicles. News choppers are also arriving.

"Hot damn, you took him alive!" Dicer says. He's carrying a suitcase, 
and pulls what looks like an air-injector from it. "Once I make sure he'll 
*stay* unconscious, we'll have the paramedics ensure his condition is 
stabilized. Then we can transport him to Virginia."

"Virginia?" asks Rosaline, arching an eyebrow.

"That's where we're taking metahuman criminals right now," Dicer says. 
"We have a special facility there to contain them...though we're going to 
need to find other places to keep them, soon enough."

Rosaline scowls. At first you think she's taking issue with what Agent 
Dicer is saying. Then she announces; "There is another...metahuman, 
nearby!"

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I feel a surge of pride as I see the people escape safely from their cars.  
Turning back, I go to work carving Terrarizer's legs from the earth's 
clutches.  Eventually, he is free, and slumps to the ground.

I look around a watch as hordes of police, military, and media people 
converge on us.  Something about this makes me feel just a bit queasy.  
I never have liked crowds.  Then Dicer steps up and takes charge, 
directing the various emergency personnel.  I listen quietly as he and 
Rosaline talk about his plan to take Terrarizer to Virginia.

"Yes, we did; though I had to hurt him more than I would have liked.  He 
was one *tough* S.O.B..  Virginia, huh?  That must be where ya'll are 
based.  I remember you mentioning Virginia when you were talking to 
me about working for your agency.  Do you have *other* 'metahumans' 
incarcerated there already?"

Just as I expect Rosaline and Dicer to enter into a shouting match, she 
says the one thing that I *least* want to hear.  "Oh, no!  *Not* another 
one...  OK, Rosaline, where are they?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline points.

Standing on the edge of the freeway (where did he come from?) is a 
young man with blond hair and an overcoat. He looks over your group, 
before his gaze fixes on the unconscious Terrarizer.

It's the man you wrestled with back in front of the Microsoft campus...the 
one who burned a hole down into the sewers.

He begins walking forward, and a faint shimmering appears in the air 
around him. His eyes glimmer, and one hand, hanging loosely at his 
side, glows with intense heat.

"Oh s***," says Agent Dicer, drawing his pistol.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I turn to look where Rosaline in pointing, and see the man I encountered 
earlier coming towards us like some avenging angel of death.  _Uh-oh.  
This looks like *trouble*!_

Then I hear Dicer swear, and something begins to gnaw at the back of 
my mind.  Without turning to look back at him, "Dicer?  Didn't I hear on 
the news about a man with flame powers assassinating Deathstorm not 
too long ago?  Why do I have the ugly feeling that this is the same 
man?"

Once I hear Dicer's reply, I move forward towards the approaching 
metahuman.  "Rosaline, if I am right about this man's motives, I may 
need your assistance here."  Fear begins to eat away at my stomach.  
Icy cold invades the space where I normally think.  It's all I can do not to 
run away and hide.  _Oh s***.  I can't run away.  I can't let this man 
murder Terrarizer._

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Avenger," says Agent Dicer. "That's what they're calling him. And if this 
IS the same man, he's believed to have killed at least three other 
metahumans besides Deathstorm. Very powerful ones." Needless to 
say, this does nothing for your self confidence.

Rosaline moves forward with you, walking side by side towards the 
approaching metahuman. You hear her muttering, and then realize she's 
praying. "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I 
shall fear no evil, for Thou art beside me..." Obviously, she's not talking 
about you, because the 'shadow of death' is scaring the hell out of you.

A wave of heat rolls away from the blond man, melting asphalt around 
him in a ten foot circle. A visible red glow surrounds him, and his eyes 
are now blazing white hot.

"Get out of my way," he says in a level tone that betrays neither anger 
nor malice. He could be asking you step aside in a supermarket aisle.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Agent Dicer gives me information I don't really want to hear.  "Oh, great.  
*Just* great.  A murderous psychopath.  Any suggestions on how to 
handle this guy?"

I hear Rosaline praying as she moves with me to intercept this 'Avenger' 
and I find myself tempted to do likewise.  I wonder if I am stupid to 
confront such a man.  Somehow, fear doesn't blind me to the heat rolling 
off this man, or to the asphault bubbling beneath him.

Coming to a stop well in front of the Avenger, I do my best to try not to 
betray my fear.  _Here goes.  I guess this is my opportunity to find out 
just how impervious I have become..._  I look the man in the eye in the 
bravest way I can manage, while summoning my power into my body 
and focussing it in my hands.  I speak softly with a grim tightness to my 
voice.  "No.  Stop there.  If you have come to murder this man, know that 
we will not allow it.  Leave now."

[How far away is he?]

If he comes half the way from where is when I speak to him to where I 
am without stopping, I will fire a half-power blast into the ground in front 
of him as a warning.  "That was a warning.  Approach no further."

If he attempts to fire past me at the Terrarizer, I will attempt to block his 
shot with one of my own.  Same if he fires at Rosaline or myself.

<><><><><>

[GM]

He's about twenty feet away, and doesn't slow down as you make your 
threats. He doesn't slow down when you blast the ground in front of him 
either, but he does raise his arm and make a clenched fist, pointed at 
Terrarizer.

Rosaline suddenly steps into his line of sight, and says "Thou shalt not 
kill! It is for the Lord to assign vengeance, not thee!"

The man frowns, then lowers his fist. A column of fire roars from his arm, 
and burns through the asphalt like soft butter. Then he raises his arm 
slowly, tracing a path towards Rosaline. Despite herself, the intense 
heat forces her to back up.

"You're protecting a madman who will kill thousands if given a chance," 
he says in the same calm, even tone. "The government has no way to 
stop him. If he lives, innocent people will die in the future. Do you have 
any doubt of that?"

He waves the stream of fire in your direction, and the ground turns to 
slush directly in front of your feet, and even through your protective field, 
you feel the heat. The cuffs of your trousers are beginning to smoulder.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

_My god!  He's not going to stop.  We are going to have to stop this 
lunatic.  He's as bad as Terrarizer._  I feel the heat boiling up off the 
asphault at my feet.  _This is going to be *ugly*!  I hope I survive._

Avenger and Rosaline exchange words.  "He won't be given a chance.  
Others are in captivity, and he will be too.  Eventually, we will find a 
solution to this problem.  You don't have the right to murder someone 
just because you don't think they can handle their power."

I step right in front of him.  He has to either stop, run into me, or go 
around.  If he stops, I will continue to converse.  If he attempts to go 
around, I will move sideways (or up if he flies) to stay in front of him.  If 
he runs into me, he will find me difficult to push aside.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Captivity?" Avenger (if that's who he is) smiles grimly. "Where can they 
keep someone like this in captivity?"

He keeps walking- and the heat aura around him is incredible. You try to 
stand your ground, but realize he's adopting a passive means of forcing 
you aside; he doesn't have to blast you. If you don't back off, you're 
going to be scorched just by his proximity. He's less than 10 feet away 
now, and the pain is getting intense. Rosaline has already floated back 
much further, and at twice the distance you are from him, still seems to 
be distressed by the heat. Just behind her, Agent Dicer and Agent 
Rodnam are putting hands in front of their faces, while Dicer raises his 
pistol, aiming it at Avenger without looking very confident.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

_Damn!  I can't keep this up.  Have to try something different.  At least 
he's not the *only* one who can surround himself with energy.  I don't 
know if this is going to work, but I have to try *something*!_

I hesitate just long enough for Avenger to get as close as I can stand.  
Then I release a full-power 'nova blast', spinning around 180 degrees as 
I do so.  I immediately move as quickly as I can over to Terrarizer, grab 
up his unconscious body, and take off into the air at full thrust.  I intend 
to fly upwards directly away from Avenger at roughly 45 degrees 
upwards from horizontal.  _God, I hope he can't fly.  If he can, I'm 
s****ed!_  "Rosaline!  I need your help!"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Your blast knocks Avenger off his feet, but he's immediately back up and 
sprinting towards you with alarming speed. As you scoop up Terrarizer, 
Agent Dicer says "Stop! Freeze! STOP DAMMIT or I'll fire- gaaa!" The 
heat wave preceding Avenger forces him and Rodnam to dive aside and 
roll quickly. Rosaline also was pointing her arms at the oncoming 
metahuman, and then rose into the air to avoid being singed or worse.

Avenger is trying to catch you, but you manage to blast off just ahead of 
the flaming aura around him. He skids to a halt, and suddenly you feel a 
wave of heat washing across you, bathing you and Terrarizer in flames. 
Avenger is firing on you....but it doesn't penetrate your aura, and 
Terrarizer seems unaffected.

You hear gunshots behind you. Looking back, you see Dicer and 
Rodnam, both lying on the ground and popping off shots at Avenger. 
White hot flashes explode in the air inches from him, as the bullets are 
turned into incandescent vapor. Then Rosaline shines her beam of light 
on him. Avenger ignores the two federal agents, but waves another cone 
of fire in Rosaline's direction, forcing her to take evasive maneuvers.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

[Did the paramedics get Terrarizer properly sedated before all hell broke 
out?]

I hear Avenger's footsteps pounding up behind me as I snatch up 
Terrarizer.  The fear starts to creep back as I imagine him catching up 
with me before I get airborne.  Fortunately, that doesn't happen and I get 
safely aloft.  Then it hits, a wave of superheated flame, washing over my 
burden and I.  Where the flames stroke my flesh, there is pain, but far 
less than I had expected.  I breathe a small sigh of relief as I gain 
altitude and pull away from the Avenger.

Then gunshots drag my attention and my eyes back to events on the 
ground behind me.  _S***!  He's going to toast them!  They don't stand a 
chance against him!  I have to *do* something to help them!_  Suddenly, 
an idea pops into my head.  I turn towards the nearest military helicopter 
and fly over with Terrarizer.  As I approach, I use the radio I was given to 
try to contact them.  "This is Gordon Fancher, working under the 
auspices of Agent Dicer of the federal government's metahuman 
taskforce.  I have Terrarizer in custody.  I need you to take him aboard 
so that I may help those on the ground.  Please reply."

<><><><><>

[GM]

Neither the paramedics nor Agent Dicer got a chance to do much, as far 
as you could see. He seems to be still unconscious from Rosaline's 
blast.

The helicopter pilot responds: "Are you CRAZY? You want to put that 
super-powered psychopath in MY chopper? How the hell do you have 
him in 'custody'?"

Another voice speaks up on the same frequency; "EG-4, Colonel 
Whittacker. If Terra-rizer is rendered harmless for the moment, go ahead 
and load him into the helicopter." The pilot seems to reluctantly accept 
that order, hovering in the air where he is.

Avenger sees your intention, and a fireball burns through the air 
between you and the chopper as you approach. "EG-4, I'm ascending to 
a higher altitude, out of range of that other super-freak," the pilot says, 
and begins climbing abruptly. Back on the ground, Avenger jumps away 
from another of Rosaline's light-bursts, then sends her into evasive 
maneuvers again with his return fire. The two federal agents pepper him 
with shots until they need to reload, but he continues to ignore them.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"*Look*, he's..." I begin to reply when Colonel Whittaker cuts in.  
_Thanks, Colonel._

I follow the 'copter up.  "Don't worry, Terrarizer's unconscious at the 
moment.  If you can get him to a paramedic or hospital, they ought to be 
able to pump him full of enough tranquilizer to down an elephant.  OK?"

I check to see if Rosaline is keeping Avenger busy before trying to load 
T-R on the chopper.  If so, fine.  If not, I will go to plan B.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Avenger seems to be watching you and the helicopter, very intently. He 
sends an occasional fireball in Rosaline's direction, enough to keep her 
moving, but it occurs to you that he really doesn't seem to be putting 
much effort into his aim.

Police and National Guard soldiers are closing in on him, demanding his 
surrender through megaphones. Abruptly, the flaming metahuman spins 
and runs for the edge of the freeway, jumping off even as an officer in an 
APC demands that he halt or they'll fire- 

He disappears over the side. The assembled police and soldiers 
hesitate only a moment, before spreading out in pursuit.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I continue to rise into the air alongside the chopper.  Looking down, I 
see that Avenger is just toying with Rosaline and the agents.  He doesn't 
seem serious about trying to hurt them.  They certainly seem incapable 
of harming *him*.

Suddenly, he dashes off and leaps out of view.  _Damn!  Is he giving up 
and running for real?  Or is he just trying to get us to relax so he can 
catch us off-guard?  Damn!  Better assume the worst..._

I move over towards the chopper.  I use the radio to request that they let 
me aboard.  "Oh, Colonel Whittaker, please ask Agent Dicer to send 
Rosaline up here.  She can keep Terrarizer under wraps until the 
paramedics can sedate him properly.  I will come down there and help 
with the search for that Avenger maniac."

<><><><><>

[GM]

The helicopter is a small one, with very little passenger space. The pilot 
is the only crew; reluctantly, he releases the bolt on the side door. If this 
was an attack helicopter, such as those circling nearby, there would be 
no space at all for Terrarizer. The pilot seems less than thrilled to have a 
naked, bloodied superhuman terrorist dropped into the cockpit next to 
him.

Rosaline is up there within two minutes. After quickly scanning 
Terrarizer, and radiating her enervating light on him again (which 
unnerves the poor pilot even more), she says "That madman burned a 
hole straight down through the earth. Personally, I feel that pursuing him 
through that tunnel would be...unwise. If you had not called me up here, 
I might have been able to track him from above ground; now, I am not 
sure."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Upon seeing how little space there is inside the helicopter, I feel a little 
like Homer Simpson.  I can't believe I didn't take into account something 
as basic as room for T-R's body inside the chopper.  Fortunately, I 
manage to squeeze him into a small space that the pilot indicates.  
Looking at the pilot, I try to reassure him.  "Hi.  I'm Gordon.  A friend of 
mine names Rosaline will be up here in a minute, and she will be able to 
assure that this guy doesn't wake up until the paramedics get him 
properly sedated.  Cool?  Oh, here she comes..."

I turn as Rosaline arrives.  "I'm sorry he got away.  I did my best to get 
Terrarizer out of danger, and tried to get back in time to help.  I know 
you could probably have followed Avenger, but personally I would rather 
he get away than risk Terrarizer here waking up.  And frankly, I was 
concerned that Avenger might seriously hurt you or one of the others, 
though he didn't particularly seem to want to.  I'll head down and talk to 
Dicer and see how he wants to proceed from here.  OK?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"I think you're right about that," Rosaline says, nodding. "I was not able 
to sense a great deal about...what did you call him? 'Avenger'? That is a 
very melodramatic name, don't you think? But I do not think he wanted to 
hurt *us*. We were merely obstacles, preventing him from accomplishing 
his goal."

She looks down at the ground. "We may have frustrated him for the 
moment, but I do not think he will give up this easily."

Back to the ground, and Dicer, Rodnam, and a number of soldiers and 
policemen are standing around a smoking hole in the ground.

"Sonavabitch just jumped off the highway, and sunk straight down like he 
was diving into a pool, he melted the earth so fast. Didn't just melt it..." 
Dicer points at glassy condensation around the edges. "He fraggin' 
*vaporized* it! Bullets too....what kind of temperatures was he 
generating, to turn a metal projectile moving a couple hundred feet per 
second into a cloud of gas?"

He looks at you. "I think trying to follow him would be possibly 
dangerous and probably fruitless. I don't know how he breathes down 
there, but he obviously knows what he's doing, and we *don't* know 
what he's doing, how fast he can move underground, where he'll come 
up..." He frowns. "Bottom line, he got away, unless you *really* want to 
pursue him. We just need to watch out for a sudden reappearance. 
What's the status on Terrarizer?"

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I listen to Rosaline, glad that she doesn't seem to be 'preaching' at the 
moment.  "Obstacles... that sounds about right...  No, you're right; he 
seemed *very* determined.  I don't think he's *used* to losing his prey."

I nod, "Mm-hmm," as Dicer gives his observations on Avenger's actions.  
When he mentions the hole, I step over and take a look down inside to 
see if my enhanced vision is of any help here.

"I don't know, but he was hot enough to raise blisters on my skin even 
with the protection that my power seems to give me.  Damn!  Having him 
get away means he is likely to be a problem later.  I agree that my trying 
to follow him would be foolhardy at best."

A grin starts to crack it's way through the grim look on my face.  "Don't 
worry, Terrarizer is under for the time being and Rosaline is standing 
guard over him.  We *do* need to let the paramedics get at him with 
those tranquilizers, however.  What's the next step?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Next step is we transport Terrarizer to Virginia. Will you come with us to 
ensure he doesn't suddenly wake up and wreak havoc...and to help deal 
with Avenger, if he returns?"

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"That makes sense.  However, I won't be able to stay; can you provide 
me with a flight back as soon as we get T-R under wraps?  A visit 
*would* give me an opportunity to learn more about working for your 
agency...  When are you planning on leaving?  I need to make some 
arrangements so that my kids will be taken care of during my absense."

[AnB, what time of day is it?  I'm guessing late morning.]

<><><><><>

[GM]

[More like early afternoon...you were waiting around for several hours at 
the MS campus before Avenger's first appearance.]

"We'll be leaving ASAP," Dicer says. "Yeah, we'll send you back home 
from Virginia, whenever you want. If you could make plans for a slightly 
extended stay, though, there are a lot of things we could do if you'd be 
willing to let our scientists check you out thoroughly. And you could meet 
some of the other metahumans working for us already."

"I will go, but I will only stay long enough to see how Terrarizer is dealt 
with," Rosaline says firmly.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"I'll see what I can do, however an extended visit may have to wait until I 
can properly schedule it.  I *would* enjoy meeting other metahumans.  
Do you have a phone I can use to make a couple calls?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

The agents take you to the nearest government building where you can 
make whatever phone calls you need to. Rosaline flies with the 
helicopter to the airport, where a government jet will take all of you to 
Virginia.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

First, I call Lori at work.  Fortunately she is at her desk as usual in the 
afternoon.  "Hey Lori, it's me."

"Oh, hi.  How are you?  How'd it go?" she replies.

"Rather well, actually.  He tricked us by not attacking Microsoft, but 
rather hit the Waterfront near the park.  Ripped the hell out of the 
Alaskan Way viaduct.  Anyway, Rosaline and I managed to put him 
down after a viscious fight.  Fortunately, neither of us was hurt beyond 
bumps and bruises."

"I'm *so* glad you weren't hurt.  Were any other people hurt?"

"Yeah, so am I.  We don't know the full extent of the injuries, yet, but 
they seem to have been pretty limited.  Property damage was pretty high 
though. Do you remember hearing on the news about that guy with fire 
powers that murdered Deathstorm over in Israel after Paladin had 
captured him?  Turns out the guy's name is 'Avenger'.  Anyway, he 
showed up, intending to kill Terrarizer.  Fortunately, I was able to 
prevent that by flying up quite high in the air.  Apparently Avenger can't 
fly.  Once he figured out that he wasn't going to be able to kill Terrarizer, 
he fled.  Unfortunately, he got away and we weren't able to track him."

Lori responds with obvious concern in her voice.  "That sounds pretty 
scary.  Are you sure you're alright?  He sounded like an awfully 
dangerous man..."

I chuckle good-naturedly, trying to set her at ease.  "Yeah, I'm fine, 
really.  He only got close to me once, and my powers prevented him 
from doing more than blistering my skin a little.  I *do* look like I spent a 
little too long on the beach, but my powers prevent it from hurting like it 
would have before.  Also, he didn't seem interested in hurting anyone 
but Terrarizer, so the injury count from his attack was minimal.  Anyway, 
the reason I called was to ask you for a favor.  I have been asked to 
accompany them as they transport Terrarizer to the government's 
incarceration facility in Virginia.  They need someone like me to make 
sure that Terrarizer doesn't wake up again.  Also, it would give me a 
chance to see the facility and talk with the head people about their offer 
of employment.  I was wondering if you could pick up the kids and take 
care of them until I can get back tomorrow?  I will call their daycares and 
tell them to expect you.  Oh, and don't worry, I won't be making any 
decisions about this job thing until after I return and have a chance to 
discuss it with you.  OK?"

"Of course, I'd be glad to watch the kids.  They are already staying at my 
house anyways.  Thank you, I'm concerned about the possible dangers 
of this new job they are offering, and I appreciate your willingness to 
discuss it with me."

"Listen, I hate to cut this short, but they are anxious to get going and get 
Terrarizer under lock and key, and I don't blame them.  A lot of people 
will sleep easier with him out of the picture.  I expect you will see a lot 
about today's fight on the news tonight.  See you tomorrow.  Love you."

"I know I will," Lori answers emphatically.  "I love you.  *Please* be 
careful!"

"I will.  Bye."  I hang up, knowing that there will be much yet to say when 
I return.  I then call Katy's and Taylor's daycare providers and let them 
know that Lori will be picking up the kids again.

I turn to Dicer, "Well, I guess I'm ready to go.  By the way, I haven't 
eaten since about 6:30 this morning, and using my powers as much as I 
did doesn't help.  Any chance of getting some food?  I am *starving*!"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"We'll grab something to take on the plane," Dicer says, which is 
accomplished easily enough. And they lose no time in hurrying you to 
Sea-Tac, to join Rosaline and the still-unconscious Terrarizer in a small 
jet that sits on a section of the airport reserved for government flights. 
The plane begins taxiing almost before you sit down.

The nice thing about flying by government jet is that you can eat your 
lunch even while taking off, and given your powers, insisting that you put 
on your seat belt for takeoff seems kind of silly.

"Agent Dicer, we have a problem," the pilot says over the intercom, as 
the plane brakes to a halt, just before turning onto the runway.

Rosaline, sitting across the aisle from you, looks alarmed. "There is 
another metahuman nearby!" And you think you have a pretty good idea 
who it is.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I begin wolfing down the provided food almost before sitting down on the 
plane.  _Dicer must be right about metahuman powers burning a lot of 
calories; I'm *starving*!_  Reluctantly, I pause between bites to strap in, 
despite my ability to fly making it seem unnecessary.

I look up, surprised, when I feel the plane roll to a stop.  Then a sinking 
feeling begins in my chest as the pilot mentions a 'problem'.  Somehow, 
I'm not very surprised when Rosaline announces that she senses a 
metahuman in the area.  _S***!_  "Looks like Avenger didn't go very far, 
huh?  Dicer, better let me out before he torches the whole plane."

I undo my seat belt and start towards the door of the plane.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"S***! S***! S***!" Dicer is obviously not happy.

The plane suddenly shudders, and then drops several feet. Everyone is 
knocked off their feet as they feel a loud crash shake the aircraft.

"Ummm..." the pilot speaks over the intercom, sounding a bit dazed. "I 
think he just melted the landing gear out from under us. We're not going 
anywhere."

"Get out there and distract him, Fancher!" Dicer says. "Lemme think of 
something, I'm sure the military and the police are already on their way. 
Try not to start a fight. See if he'll talk. I've seen the aftermath of a 
metahuman battle at an airport; trust me, it's not pretty."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"*Ow*!"  I respond to being tossed about more by reflex, than by any 
actual pain that I experience.  Dragging myself erect, I hear the 
responses from Dicer and the pilot.  _S***!  This could get ugly *fast*._

"OK, Dicer, but I think the only way to avoid a fight is going to be to get 
Terrarizer out of here.  Rosaline?  Can you take him and a radio and fly 
away?  We'll arrange to meet you later and leave from another airport."

Once I hear any responses, I will step up to the door.  If noone has 
gotten it open yet, I will blow it open with a blast, then fly out.

<><><><><>

[GM]

The door isn't open yet. Dicer says "Hey!" too late, as you blast it open. 
"You could've just pulled the lever...." he mutters.

Outside, sure enough, Avenger is about ten yards from the plane, 
circling to face the side, where the exit hatches are located. A quick 
glance beneath the plane confirms that he blasted the takeoff & landing 
gear into smoking ruins; the jet won't be able to roll anywhere under its 
own power.

He stands facing you, with one arm raised and pointed in your direction. 
A white-hot glow radiates from his hand, and his eyes are burning as if 
with an internal fire.

"A fight here would be unwise," he says in a perfectly level voice. "A 
stray energy bolt might hit the plane's fuel tanks. I don't think you want 
that."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I reply over my shoulder as I take off.  "Sorry.  Never learned to work 
those.  Didn't want to take the time now."

[Did Rosaline agree to take T-R away?]

A look at the undercarriage confirms my fears.  And Avenger's close 
proximity definitely complicates things.  _Damn!  This is going to get 
*hairy*!_  Somehow, the look in his eyes leads me to doubt that he is 
going to be willing to talk or negotiate.

I look into the flaming abyss of his eyes and struggle to quell the fears 
running rampant through my brain.  Doing my best to seem as hard and 
emotionless as he is, I reply,  "You're right - I *don't* want to fight you, 
here *or* anywhere else.  However, I'm also *not* going to stand aside 
and let you murder someone in cold blood.  Short of that, I don't see any 
way that you are going to be able to do that without killing or seriously 
injuring a bunch of other people - and I don't think *you* really want 
*that*.  I *am* willing to talk with you in an effort to come to some sort of 
agreeable compromise.  What say?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

[Rosaline nodded in agreement, but she'll have a hard time exiting with 
Avenger standing there.]

"What's to negotiate?" the flaming metahuman replies. "You're 
defending a sociopath with the power to level cities. What can the 
government do to restrain him? Only keep him in a drugged coma, which 
is no more legal than a summary execution, and much more dangerous, 
since he could wake up. If he does, hundreds will die. I won't allow that."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"Seems to me, that description could just as easily be applied to you.  
Your power is as great as his, and you appear every bit as willing to kill.  
If he should die for that, then the same must also be true of you.  As for 
drugging him, that is merely a temporary measure until something better 
can be found, and laws can be put in place to handle those like us.  I 
don't know where you are from, so I don't know if you're aware of this, 
but in this country there is a basic principal called 'due process'.  What 
this means is that punishment for crimes must be determined by a judge 
and jury in a court of law; not by some random person who has declared 
himself God.  If Terrarizer is to die for his crimes, then that is to be 
determined by the courts, not by you.  It is my intention that he receives 
due process and the courts determine his punishment."

I float slowly forward a yard or two, trying to keep myself between him 
and the door to the plane in order to protect anyone who might emerge.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Due process," he repeats. "Yes, I'm familiar with the concept." It's hard 
to tell if he's being sarcastic, wry, or just humorlessly literal. He doesn't 
seem to have any kind of a foreign accent.

"Debate is a waste of time. I won't change your mind, and you won't 
change mine. Get everyone else off the plane, now. In two minutes, I'm 
blowing it up. If you try to pull Terrarizer out, I'll blow it up. If you attack 
me, I'll blow it up." His hand glows a little brighter.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I look at him for a moment.  Frankly, I'm not convinced that blowing up 
the plane will kill Terrarizer, but it will kill the agents - I'm not sure about 
Rosaline.  I drift back to the door of the plane.  "EVERYONE OUT!  
*Avenger is going to blow up the plane*!"

I watch the others getting out, helping as needed [I'm not sure how far it 
is to the ground].  As I do so, I look around inside the plane, noting 
exactly where T-R is lying and how close the nearest blank space of wall 
on the far side of the plane from Avenger is to him.  [Any chance of a 
quick map / drawing of the inside of the plane?]

<><><><><>

[GM]

Hmm. The plane isn't that big. The interior would be something like this:


\		\
Emergency hatch	 \
  \		  \
---><------------------------------------
|        T-R			|
|		Ros	Dic	|
|			Rod	| Cockpit
|				|
-->   <------------------][--------------
   /		   /
Emergency hatch   /	Regular entry
you blew out	 /
/		/
		
		   X

		AVENGER, standing just in front of the wing, so he can
		see above it to the hatch you blew out, and the regular
		door


* * * * * * * * * *

Dicer swears. "Damn!" He looks at Rosaline. "Rosaline, that empathic 
power you use, to make people feel guilty, or agree with you, whatever, 
can you project it in such a way that it isn't immediately noticeable?"

Rosaline blinks and stares at him. "I do not know what 'power' you are 
talking about!" she exclaims. "When I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I 
sometimes feel that people are swayed by the gospel contained in my 
words, but-"

"Fine," Dicer interrupts, "do you think you can accompany me outside to 
talk to Avenger, and radiate some of that holy spirit while I try to 
convince him to leave Terrarizer to us?"

Rosaline frowns indignantly. "The word of God is not like the beams of 
light I can shoot from my hands at will- it manifests when HE wills it! It is 
not a tool to be utilized at your convenience!" Dicer looks frustrated and 
tries to stay patient, looking for a way around Rosaline's fundamentalist 
paradigm.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Listening to Dicer and Rosaline bicker as the  others get out of the 
plane, I feel a sense of frustration, as well as concern for the danger of 
them standing around in stead of getting out.  I step in the open doorway 
and turn to Rosaline.  "I don't mean to be disrespectful of your beliefs, 
Rosaline, but I don't really see anything else to try.  I am willing to leave 
it up to your God whether or not he wishes to help us save Terrarizer's 
life.  Perhaps you can just stand next to Dicer and see what your God 
chooses to do.  In a situation like this, we can but try, and leave the rest 
up to God or fate or whatever one believes in.  We really *are* running 
out of both time and options here.  If nothing else, *please* get out of the 
plane, so that you won't have to die when that *idiot* out there blows it 
up."

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline looks at you, then sets her shoulders. "Very well. I will see 
what I can do. And what the Lord wills."

She follows Dicer out of the plane, to confront Avenger.

[What are you doing?]

<><><><><>

Gordon:

Rosaline's willingness to help, however grudging, brings a small smile to 
my face.  I remain standing where I am, just inside the opening in the 
side of the plane.  I watch as they leave the plane and prepare to talk 
with Avenger, waiting to see what will happen.  I also continue to look 
around the inside of the cabin of the plane, trying to lock the entire 
layout into my memory.  I know that when I act, it will have to be fast.

When Dicer and Rosaline begin talking to Avenger, I will be carefully 
watching for his attention to leave me and be focussed on them...

<><><><><>

[GM]

Agent Dicer leaves the plane, followed by Rosaline, who is beginning to 
glow unconsciously. A mere wrinkle of the brow is Avenger's only 
expression as they approach, and his fingers flex slightly.

"Avenger...you ARE the one the media has been calling Avenger, right?" 
Dicer says, approaching him and trying to assume a tone of reasonable 
discussion. The glowing man doesn't answer, just stares at him with a 
blank expression (and over Dicer's shoulder, at you- he's not taking his 
attention off the plane, by any means.)

"Listen," says Dicer, "we have a standoff here; if you blow up the plane, 
our two metahuman federal agents will have no choice but to try to 
apprehend you." (You almost choke at that one, except for some reason 
it doesn't sound like the bluff you know it to be, it sounds almost 
reasonable...) "Right now, I don't think you've technically done anything 
that we'd feel a need to press charges for...a melted sidewalk, a little 
'misunderstanding' back at the scene of the battle, but no real crime was 
involved, as far as I'm concerned. If you actually go through with your 
plan to commit cold-blooded murder, however-"

Rosaline is standing next to Dicer, glowing just a little bit brighter than 
before. And even where you're standing, ten yards away, Dicer sounds 
utterly logical and reasonable, so sensible that you can't imagine how 
Avenger could possibly disagree with him, he's so OBVIOUSLY right, 
every word he's saying sounds like the precision-crafted speech of a 
master diplomat-

Avenger raises his hand.

"Ten seconds," he says. "Nine....eight..."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I stand and listen to Dicer's speech, moved by the passion and 
eloquence of his words.  _*Surely* Avenger will understand the 
wrongness of his actions and relent..._

Suddenly Avenger begins to count and I snap back to reality hard.  
_*S***!*  I *have* to act, NOW!  Do I try to save T-R and leave Dicer and 
Rosaline standing there next to Avenger to fend for themselves?  Or do I 
sacrifice T-R for the sake of their safety?  Damn tough choice.  All I 
know is that so far Avenger hasn't shown any interest in killing anyone 
other than his targets.  He *may* well let them go unharmed, but there is 
no chance that he would do the same for T-R.  I *have* to try to save 
him!_

I spin and charge in T-R's direction, releasing a blast with my first step to 
blow a hole in the fusilage of the plane just beyond his body.  As I reach 
him, I scoop him up into my arms and leap into the air.  If I don't die, I 
will continue to fly directly away from the plane, trying to keep the plane 
between myself and Avenger for cover.

<><><><><>

[GM]

As you spin about and fly back into the plane, Avenger clenches his 
teeth and leaps towards the plane as well, running after you.

You burst into the cabin and grab Terrarizer's unconscious body, 
hearing gunshots and Rosaline's cry of dismay outside. It takes another 
precious second to blast a hole in the opposite side of the plane.

Heat washes over you as you jet out the hole, Avenger blasting away 
behind you. You feel searing heat on your back, from the back of your 
head down to the soles of your feet, but you're accelerating away, and 
rising into the air with Terrarizer in your arms.

Glancing over your shoulder, you see that Rosaline went over the plane 
and is following in your wake. Avenger is standing in the breach you 
made, raising both arms in your direction. You don't know the range or 
accuracy of his power, but it seems advisable to take evasive 
maneuvers.

If only you knew how.

And that's when Rosaline does a high-G U-turn and flies straight down 
towards him, accelerating with every foot, despite the heat that's boiling 
off the powerful metahuman killer. It's the bravest, dumbest and most 
suicidal thing you've ever seen. In another second, she'll hit him- and 
probably be burned beyond recognition.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I feel a sense of pride mixed with relief as my plan seems to work.  Even 
as the heat boils off my back, I can sense that the rapidly-increasing 
distance is becoming a factor of success.

Glancing back, my heart sinks as Rosaline goes into a kamikaze dive 
towards Avenger.  I know she's tough, but I doubt whether even *her* 
energy field can withstand a full-force point-blank searing from this 
particular madman.

"ROSALINE!!!" I yell, as I whip into as tight a diving turn to the right as I 
feel I can stand.  I am striving to reach a trajectory perpendicular to my 
previous one (90 degree turn) as low to the ground as possible (to 
improve my chances of firing *below* Rosaline).  As soon as I get 
turned, I shift T-R to my left arm and shoulder, extending my right 
towards Avenger.  Summoning my power, _Oh *god*, let this work!_ I 
unleash a full-power blast at Avenger, trying to knock him back into the 
plane and out of Rosaline's path.  As soon as the attack is launched, I 
pull into a vertical climb, waiting to see what happens next.

<><><><><>

[GM]

You accelerate rapidly and head back towards Avenger, but almost lose 
control as you pull out of your turn. You can't match Rosaline's speed 
and maneuverability, and by the time you've weaved your way back into 
a straight line, Rosaline is already slamming into Avenger.

But not bursting into flames. To your surprise, Avenger stopped glowing 
the instant before she hit him. Both of them tumble to the floor of the 
plane.

Avenger rises, looking highly irritated. Rosaline opens her mouth to say 
something, Avenger's eyes glow as he fixes his gaze on you again-

-and a gunshot echoes from the other side of the plane, and a red 
fountain explodes from just beneath the young man's left shoulder.

Rosaline screams, and Avenger staggers, blood and gore gushing from 
the exit wound. With one hand, he hurls Rosaline back through the 
breach in the plane's hull; she goes flying a short distance, before 
stabilizing herself in midair with her own power. He's glowing brightly 
again when a second shot goes off.

Over his shoulder, you can see Agent Dicer standing at the portal on the 
other side of the plane, holding his pistol in both hands. Avenger turns 
slowly and painfully towards him, incandescent blood now sizzling out of 
him and spattering in flames on the ragged edge of the hole in the 
fuselage, then dripping to the tarmac below. He's burning intensely, and 
within his blindingly bright outline, white-hot blood glows even more 
brightly, like lava boiling out of a volcano.

Dicer fires again. Avenger's body blocks your view of the bullet's impact, 
but you see wisps of metal vapor curl around him.

Avenger's teeth are clenched, and he raises a fist. He, you, Rosaline 
and Dicer all seem frozen in place for a moment, contemplating Dicer's 
imminent obliteration.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I start in surprise as red fountains from Avenger's shoulder, pulling up 
into a climb.  Almost as surprising as the sudden sessation of Avenger's 
power.  Before I can even begin to think about the events, he flings her 
away almost casually.

I see Avenger heat up and turn on Dicer.  _S***!  He's gonna' be toast if 
I don't do something!_  As soon as Rosaline is clear, I release at 
Avenger the blast I had been holding.  _Hope this spoils that maniac's 
aim!_

Into the radio, "Rosaline, can you turn off Avenger's power again?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"I *didn't* turn off his power!" Rosaline exclaims. "Oh, you weren't 
supposed to try to KILL him!"

Then you get your clear shot, and blast him off his feet, blowing him 
back into the plane. In fact, he almost flies into Agent Dicer, but hits the 
inside of the cabin instead.

Flames are spreading inside the plane, from his incendiary blood and 
the bits of leather and cloth and plastic igniting near him. Dicer covers 
his face and staggers back down the stairs, before Avenger's aura 
blisters his skin.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"You didn't?!  I wonder what did?  And Dicer just did what he felt he had 
to for all our sakes."

I'm amazed that I managed to hit Avenger at this range; my aim must be 
better than I had thought.  _*Got him*!  Good shot,_ I think excitedly.

Then the spreading flames impress themselves on my consciousness.  "I 
think we've got big trouble, Rosaline!  Get Dicer out of there if you can!  
Quickly!"

I continue upwards with T-R, angling outwards so that I am moving 
directly away from the plane.  I kick up to full thrust, and hope that 
everyone gets clear before the plane blows.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline flies *towards* the plane as you fly away.

She darts into the cabin, which is filling with smoke, then retreats, 
coughing, a few moments later. You see her grab Agent Dicer and haul 
him away, skimming just above the ground.

Flames burst out all over the plane. You half-expect to see Avenger 
come leaping out of the inferno, but he doesn't.

Another thirty seconds, and the plane suddenly bounces off the ground 
as an explosion rocks it from nose to tail, and the fuselage bursts apart 
at the riveted seams. Flaming wreckage spins everywhere. The aircraft 
continues burning after the last of its fuel ignites.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I hold my breathe as Rosaline darts through the cabin to snatch away 
Agent Dicer, as I continue rocketing in the other direction.  _Lord, I hope 
she makes it...  Yes!!  She did it!_  "*Whew*"

I watch as the plane explodes, waiting to see if Avenger makes it out.  
He doesn't, and I feel disappointment, though I find it hard to believe that 
even an explosion like that would have killed him.

As the explosion fades away, and the flames start to die down, I make 
my way over to where Rosaline and Dicer are resting.  I set T-R down on 
the tarmac, and look the others over carefully.  "You two alright?  Any 
sign of Avenger?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Rosaline looks incensed. She clenches her fists and stomps the ground, 
and sputters "You...you....dolt! You....dummy! You STINKER!" She 
glares equally at you and Agent Dicer, and you have to resist the 
temptation to wither beneath that glare. Dicer looks similarly guilt-
stricken.

"Don't you see? I didn't think he really wanted to kill an innocent person, 
so I flew into him hoping he would extinguish his flames rather than burn 
me, and he did!" She turns on Agent Dicer. "Then YOU went and shot 
him!"

Behind you, the plane burns, as fire trucks come screaming down the 
terminal.

Rosaline turns slowly to look at the burning aircraft.

"It's odd, though," she says softly. "Back...back at Redmond, where that 
building collapsed, and all those people died," she hesitates. "I could 
*feel* it when someone passed on to the hereafter. I did not feel that 
poor, misguided soul pass away in that blaze, though. You don't think he 
could still be alive in that fire, do you?"

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I shrink back a step from Rosaline at her outburst, guilt and torment 
welling up from all sides.  I fight back, and get a handle on the feelings, 
at least in part because I have *no* idea what it is that she is griping at 
me about.  Her explanation of the momentary lapse in Avenger's heat 
field *does* make sense, though.

Something turns cold and hard in the pit of my stomach as Rosaline 
peruses about Avenger's possible fate.  "Yeah, I was wondering the 
same thing myself.  I'm not sure that fire could kill Avenger, though I am 
less certain about the explosion.  Avenger has shown the ability to burn 
a tunnel through the ground: perhaps he did that here just before the 
plane blew.  Conceivably, he could be just about *anywhere* by now.  
Dicer, I'd like to go into the wreckage and search for his body.  Perhaps 
you could work on arranging alternate transportation for us while I'm 
busy?"

If he has no objections, I will move toward the remains of the aircraft.  I 
will get as close as I can without getting hurt by the flames and heat.  If 
my defenses allow it, I will move into the wreckage and begin digging 
about in search of Avenger's body, or some sign of how he got out.

<><><><><>

[GM]

You can't enter the areas where the fire still burns most intensely, and 
now and then you have to leave the plane to get some fresh air (you 
obviously aren't immune to suffocation), but the weaker flames don't 
bother you much.

There is no hole in the ground beneath the plane. And no sign of 
Avenger within the plane. Even after the airport fire trucks put out the 
flames, a more systematic search of the charred wreckage finds no sign 
of a body.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

As I search the wreckage, in some detached part of my psyche, I make 
mental notes about the level of intensity of fire which hinders me.  At one 
point, I look down and realize that part of my leg is actually *in* a small 
flame, but I felt *nothing* from it!  Reflexively, I jerk my leg away.  _This 
is *too* weird!_  A few minutes later, I test with a larger, and obviously 
much hotter flame.  As my arm gets within 6 inches, I can actually *feel* 
the heat.  At about 2 1/2 inches, the pain reaches the point where I can't 
get any closer, for fear of actually being burned.

As it becomes obvious that there is no trace of Avenger, I return to 
where Rosaline and Dicer are standing over T-R's unconscious form.  
"No sign of Avenger - alive or otherwise.  I have no explanation for what 
happened to him.  Perhaps his body was reduced to ashes; perhaps he 
has powers we haven't seen yet.  <with a shrug> Who knows?"

"Dicer; any word on transport out of here?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Actually, only the very hottest fires affect you immediately. The rest you 
can endure for a varying length of time before you start to feel the heat 
through your protective aura. You notice you're glowing more brightly as 
it activates to shield you.

"Even if he was a normal person, his body wouldn't have burned to 
ashes this quickly," Dicer says. "Corpses are rarely completely 
destroyed, even in a fire like this."

"We'll have another plane sent over here, ASAP. Nothing else to do." He 
runs fingers through smoke-smudged hair. "Assume that Avenger 
escaped somehow, and be alert, in case a bullet through the shoulder 
wasn't enough discouragement." He looks at Rosaline. "That took some 
balls, but if he shows up again, I wouldn't repeat that stunt." Rosaline 
scowls, probably more at the mild vulgarity than at the reprimand.

"I am not working with you any longer," she declares. "You tried to kill 
him at the first opportunity. You are no better than he is!"

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"I suspect you're right, Dicer.  That being the case, perhaps we should 
move ourselves and our prisoner here somewhere where we are not 
quite so obvious out here in the middle of the airfield."

I reach down and hoist T-R up onto my shoulder and look around for a 
good place to wait.

"Actually, Rosaline, I think he was just trying to protect *you*.  I know 
*I'm* not sure that you can stand up to Avenger's powers.  But you have 
to do what you think is right.  I will be sorry to see you go."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"You are refusing to understand!" Rosaline says with exasperation. "If 
he had wanted to kill me, he had ample opportunity to do so. I suspect 
he could have killed YOU if he really wanted to, Mr. Fancher."

She covers her face with her hands. "Oh, my Lord, I know not if I am 
doing Thy will! Please, give me guidance, I do not know if I am worthy of 
this burden Thou hast placed upon me..."

Dicer sighs, looking like he wants to slap her out of it, and knowing that's 
not an option. "Rosaline, I did my duty. Maybe he's really a swell guy 
who just happens to have a psychotic obsession with killing metahuman 
criminals. But *I* felt threatened, and I felt that you and Mr. Fancher and 
Terrarizer were in danger as well. I acted as I had to."

"He is waking up," says Rosaline, removing her hands from her face. 
She plays a beam of light over the unconscious Terra-rizer. "He became 
much stronger when you laid him on the ground."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"You may be right, Rosaline.  *I* certainly don't know the extent of his 
powers, or even the full extent of mine.  However, I think that assuming 
that someone - especially a known killer like him - is unwilling to hurt you 
while in the middle of a firefight is a very dangerous thing to do.  What's 
done is done.  Hopefully, we will have enough time before he returns for 
us to get away.  At this point, I believe that's what we need to focus on."

"He got stronger when on the ground, huh?  That's good to know.  
Thank you, Rosaline.  I think I will carry him from now on until we get 
airborne on that replacement plane.  Speaking of which, do you have 
any idea how it will take for the new one to get here, Dicer?"

[Did I spot any nearby buildings in which we can take cover until our 
flight arrives?]

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Another one is flying up from San Francisco," Dicer says. "It'll be here 
within a couple of hours. In the meantime, we'll stay in the security 
office, inside the terminal." He looks at Rosaline. "If you choose to leave, 
I can't stop you. But of course, you're the only one we've got who can 
detect Avenger coming. If we don't have prior warning, then when he 
shows up again, things are likely to become confused, and deadly, very 
quickly."

"And if you do have prior warning, maybe you'll have a better chance of 
killing him next time!" Rosaline retorts.

Dicer seems to lose it at this point. "I've had about enough of your 
sanctimonious holier-than-thou crap, lady! I'm an officer of the law and I 
don't need some self-righteous know-it-all telling me how I SHOULD 
react when a superpowered lunatic tries to blow up the goddamn airport! 
It'd be great if I could zap people unconscious like you can, but the Lord 
in His infinite wisdom didn't see fit to grant ME that power. Instead he 
gave it to someone that does nothing but whine about what a terrible 
burden it is! And by the way, I'm also pretty damn tired of you using that 
power of yours to play mind-games every time you don't get your way!"

Rosaline turns pale and looks shocked. Agent Rodnam, who's been 
mostly silent for quite a while, steps in and clears her throat. "Umm, why 
don't you let me talk to Rosaline?" she says. "You two take Terra-rizer 
back inside, before things get any crazier out here."

"Fine," Dicer says, gritting his teeth. He turns and stalks off, fuming, 
without waiting for you.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I watch as the conversation continues it's downward spiral.  _Well, *this* 
isn't getting us anywhere..._  I shake my head sadly for a moment and 
then turn as the almost-forgotten Agent Rodnam chimes in as the voice 
of calmness and reason.

Turning, I see that Dicer is already making his way to the terminal.  
Taking Rosaline's warning seriously, I follow after him, flying a few feet 
above the ground.  _I don't know if *my* being in contact with the ground 
is sufficient to be of aid to Terrarizer, so maybe I should just curtail 
walking for the time being._

<><><><><>

[GM]

Of course, by flying a few feet above the ground, you're leaving scorch 
marks on the asphalt beneath you, since you can't just float through the 
air with no reaction effect, like Rosaline.

Dicer turns and looks at you as he enters the terminal. "I suppose flying 
is fun," he says dryly, "but if you do that inside, you'll probably set off the 
fire extinguishers."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

When I notice the scorch effect, I increase my altitude to compensate.

When I reach the terminal, I land.  "Sorry, Dicer.  I was just trying to 
keep T-R off the ground after what Ros said.  Where's that room you 
mentioned?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Dicer leads you to a room within the terminal that's used by airport 
security to detain people pending the arrival of the SPD. It obviously isn't 
used often, but it suffices for the moment.

Agent Rodnam arrives a few minutes later. "Rosaline agreed to stay and 
watch out for the return of Avenger, or any signs that Terrarizer might 
wake up, but only until we finally take off. She refuses to accompany us 
to Virginia." She sighs. "She's waiting outside. She's pretty ticked off at 
both of you." This seems to amuse the female agent slightly.

<><><><><>

Gordon:

I follow Dicer to the security room.  After we get there, I consider setting 
T-R down, knowing that we are several floors above the ground.  
However, I am still uncertain just how this recovery thing of T-R's works, 
so I decide to just hold him as long as I don't get to tired.

T-R still slung over my shoulder, I turn to Dicer.  "So, any idea on what 
happened with Avenger?  I know *I* didn't see him emerge, and I 
couldn't find any tunnels out from the area of the wreckage.  I can't 
believe he burned to ashes, that just doesn't happen with people, does 
it?"

I turn as Rodnam enters.  "Hi."  She fills us in on the situation with 
Rosaline.  "I'm sorry she feels that way.  Oh well, she has to do what she 
feels is right.  Could you ask her a question for me?  It sounds like she 
might be more receptive if it came from you.  I would like to know if she 
thinks T-R here would get stronger like he did before if I laid him down 
on the floor, even though we're well above ground-level."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"I'll ask", Agent Rodnam says, and steps out to do so.

She reenters a minute later. "She doesn't know. She just sensed 
Terrarizer becoming rejuvinated by contact with the ground outside. I 
guess that makes him kind of like whats-his-name, from some Greek 
legend. The guy that Hercules killed by holding him off the ground." She 
frowns. "Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Presumably Rosaline would have told us if we were about to kill him by 
holding him off the ground," Dicer says dryly. "But it sounds like it would 
be a good idea to make sure he's suspended in the air, once we get him 
to a secure facility."

Rodnam nods. "Hopefully that will be soon. I have no idea what 
happened to Avenger, but some metahumans are capable of teleporting, 
or walking through walls, or turning invisible. He might have done any of 
those things, or used some other power. Who knows?"

"At any rate, even assuming he survived, that bullet wound should 
discourage him from coming right back at us immediately," Dicer says.

"Unless," Rodnam points out, "he has another power we've seen in more 
than one metahuman- regeneration."

<><><><><>

Gordon:

"Oh yes, the name you're looking for is Antaeres, I believe.  I'm familiar 
with the story."

"Let's not get snipey, Dicer.  But I do think that is a good idea.  I guess I 
will continue to hold him for the sake of safety until we get airborne."

"O Jeez!  There really *are* a lot of variables to this 'metahuman' stuff, 
aren't there.  In that case, I suspect that we had better be careful and try 
to be prepared for whatever."

<><><><><>

[GM]

After a rather uncomfortable waiting period, another plane arrives.

MUCH more wary than last time, Agents Rodnam and Dicer lead you 
and Rosaline out onto the tarmac. They've also procured a stretcher, so 
you won't have to sling Terrarizer over your shoulder. Rosaline curtly 
informs you that Terrarizer doesn't seem to be recovering with inhuman 
speed from lying on the stretcher. More agents join you on the plane, 
and start hooking up an IV to Terrarizer. They curse when they realize 
that the needles won't penetrate his skin, but it seems this wasn't 
entirely unexpected; from a small container they produce a pill, which 
they massage down the unconscious villain's throat. You feel 
uncomfortable watching the procedure, but it does seem like about the 
most humane option available at the moment.

Agent Rodnam asks Rosaline to scan Terrarizer one more time; the 
beautiful, pious metahuman assures her that the drug is indeed sending 
Terrarizer deeper into unconsciousness.

"I am neither a doctor nor a computer!" she snaps when asked for an 
estimate of how quickly he'll recover. Then she closes her eyes and 
takes a deep breath (no doubt praying for patience.) In a softer voice, 
she says "I think it will be some time...but it would certainly behoove you 
to hurry."

Rodnam makes one more attempt to persuade Rosaline to come with all 
of you, which Rosaline cuts short with an icy stare.

Softening her expression a bit, she turns to look at you. "Take care, 
Mister Fancher," she says. "If all else fails, remember that prayer moves 
mountains."

She seems to be completely oblivious to the irony, as the plane crew 
closes the hatch, and you begin taxiing towards the runway.