STARS AND GRAVITY [Nancy Hartwick sleeps, in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The brief respite from the world of metahumans is not to last....] % There's colors on the street Red, white and blue People shufflin' their feet People sleepin' in their shoes There's a warnin' sign on the road ahead There's a lot of people sayin' We'd be better of dead Don't feel like Satan But I am to them So I try to forget it, any way I can Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world I see a woman in the night With a baby in her hand There's an old street light Near a garbage can Now she puts the kid away And she's gone to get a hit She hates her life And what she's done to it There's one more kid That will never go to school Never get to fall in love Never get to be cool Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world We got a thousand points of light For the homeless man We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand We got department stores And toilet paper Got styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer Got a man of the people Says keep hope alive Got fuel to burn Got roads to drive Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on rockin' in the free world % -Neil Young, "Rockin' in the Free World" (c) 1989 Once there was a little girl who wished she could fly. Her name was Leanne Jones, and she was 8 years old. Leanne was a very bright little girl. She could read fifth-grade books, even though she was only in the second grade. She liked to read. She checked out books from the school library, and brought them home. And she took them up to her favorite reading place...the roof of the tenement building where she lived. Every day, she rushed home, checked to make sure that the neighbors were actually watching her little sister Penny (sometimes the neighbors weren't so reliable), and then climbed the fire stairs up to the top floor of the tenement building (the elevators- when they worked- were not safe for little girls to ride alone), then pushed open a rusted access door that said "Emergency Access Only- Do Not Open". The roof was peaceful. The roof was a wide open space where no one ever intruded on her solitude. On the roof, with her books, Leanne could forget about the gangsters and crack addicts and homeless vagrants who filled the streets that she passed through every day going to and from school. She sometimes heard gunshots, and sirens, and screams, echoing up from below, but she could ignore them, pretend they were from another world. Not hers. Her world was the Cabrini Green housing projects, in Chicago, Illinois. She read about strange and wonderful places, where there were no guns and no drugs and no gangs, and children didn't live in fear. She read about farms and tropical islands, Eskimos who lived in the North Pole, Aborigines who lived in Australia (with kangaroos and wallabies), and Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower and Moscow and Tokyo and Katmandu. She also read about Africa. She wanted to visit Africa someday. Jumia Aishu Kemayal, who lived down the hall and sometimes came over to watch TV with her mother, and drink beer, said that Africa was where they all came from. He said it was her homeland. According to Jumia, Africa was once a paradise where all Black people lived in peace and harmony, the birthplace of mankind. Enraptured by his stories, she read up on Africa. She was entranced by how huge a place it was, so many things to see...the pyramids of Egypt, crocodiles in the Nile River, the Sahara Desert, the Congo, the savannas...she knew she did want to go there someday. She also gleaned, even from her elementary school books, that Africa wasn't quite the paradise Jumia said it was. He explained that was because the whiteman had despoiled it. Leanne had heard his polemics about the whiteman before, and while she didn't quite understand everything Jumia said, she just nodded solemnly when Jumia told her how the whiteman was responsible for everything that was bad in their community. Her mama told her not to argue with grown-ups. (Privately, she thought about the few white folks she knew, and concluded that some were nice, and some weren't so nice, and that was about the same as she'd say about black folks in general, so she figured while Jumia might know more about white folks than her, maybe she should meet a few more before she made a decision about them.) So she wished she could fly so she could see Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower and Tokyo and Katmandu, and especially Africa. But even more than Africa, she wanted to see the sky. She loved books about the sky. Stars and planets and galaxies were even stranger, farther, and wonderfuller than Africa. She soon read every book her school library had about astronomy (even the *sixth* grade books!), and was delighted when she finally talked her mama, on a rare day off, to take her to the city library, the REAL library, where she saw more books on one shelf than her school had in its entire library, and there were more books about astronomy than she could carry (not that she didn't try.) And she proudly told her mama that night that she wanted to be an ASTROPHYSICIST (she pronounced it very carefully, as it was probably the biggest word she'd ever learned) when she grew up. So, alone on the roof, she read until it became too dark to read, and then she lay back and watched the sky, and the pitiful few stars that could be seen from the heart of Chicago, and wondered where all the others were, the millions and millions that her books said were up there. She wished she could fly, so maybe she could fly up above the city, above the haze and the clouds, high enough to see the stars close up. She would gaze at the sky until her mama was due to come home from work, and then she'd scramble down from the roof, and be waiting in their tiny apartment, with Penny. ... Star Light, star bright, first star I see tonight I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.... Twinkle, twinkle, little star How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high Like a diamond in the sky [GM] Your headache had somewhat subsided by the time you and Mike slid into bed. Your worries about Bonnie and the other children had not, but at least they could be put off until tomorrow. You snuggled up with your husband, and drifted off to sleep. Only to be woken at what must be an ungodly hour, considering it's still dark, and you're still tired. But it's not completely dark. Light shines through your bedroom window, brighter than a full moon. As you watch, one eye half-open, shadows move across the room as the outside light source moves, apparently receding. Mike is already up, standing by the window and looking out. "My God..." he mutters. He glances over to you, and sees you've woken up. "Nancy....come look at this." <><><><><> Nancy: Given the events of the past few days, this somewhat reluctant heroine can probably be forgiven for assuming the worst. She bolts out of bed and rushes to Mike's side, asking, "What? What is it?" in an anxious voice. [BTW, are her powers "on" or "off"? ] <><><><><> [GM] Your gravity sense seems to have returned in the night. Outside, a fireball blazes overhead, shooting over the rooftops of your neighborhood, then rising into the sky, making a wide circle over the town in a matter of seconds, then repeats the cycle, descending to skim over rooftops at high speed. On each upward arc, the glowing ball of light wobbles erratically back and forth. You also notice that your digital alarm clock is blinking: >>12:00<< >>12:00<< >>12:00<< "Just flying around over the town," Mike mutters. "Is it another metahuman? Some Galactic spaceship?" <><><><><> Nancy: "No," she replies, her brow furrowed. "Not just around town...but over our neighborhood specifically. This is NOT good." She ponders the situation for a moment. "It might be that metahuman I saw at Cabrini Green...I think those gang members called her Falling Star or some such. That's not to say that it couldn't be something else...but that's the first thing that comes to mind." "In any case," she says, sighing in frustration, "we can't let whoever it is go on doing that all night. I should go out and meet them." With that she pads quietly (since the kids are hopefully still asleep) to the sewing room, where she retrieves her costume and quickly dons it. "I might as well get SOME use out of it," she says with a wry smile as Mike watches her dress. Once appropriately garbed, she heads towards the back door. "Wish me luck, Mikey," she murmurs softly, kissing him before taking a look outside. If the fireball is still orbiting the block, she waits until it's heading up again and then quickly exits the house. She'll try to make it away from there to some other piece of cover and hides...trying to get as far away from the house before she's spotted. When she runs out of cover or it looks like she's been made, she'll take to the air. If there's no sign of the mysterious glowing intruder, she'll still move far away from the house till she takes off, though not quite so intent on sneaking (but NOT strolling boldly down the street ). Once airborne, she'll look for signs of who or whatever it was. <><><><><> [GM] [Actually the fireball is circling over the entire town; it's just moving so fast that it covers the entire town very quickly.] Mike looks understandably worried. "If it shows ANY signs of being hostile, promise you'll just run away," he says. "You can't get into another fight." The glowing ball of light is making another run over your neighborhood as you step outside. It shows no sign of having spotted you as you proceed to the vacant lot on the corner, but rises into the air on the far side of town, arcing overhead to descend for another pass. You can see several other people standing in their yard, or looking out windows, having been woken like you. Fortunately their attention is fixed on the flying fireball, so no one seems to have noticed you yet. <><><><><> Nancy: [*He's* worried?!? ] "I will," she answers softly to his plea. As the strange object streaks upwards for another pass, Nancy sprints towards the middle of the empty lot. Keeping an eye on it, she leaps into the air with her final step...ending up hovering about ten feet off the ground. She'll allow it to approach...but if it seems to be heading DIRECTLY for her, it will find that Nancy has set up a repulsion field between the two of them (pushing Nancy away from it instead of trying to influence the likely greater force of the speeding fireball, sending her off to the side like a slippery watermelon seed). <><><><><> [GM] The fireball swerves in midcourse, decelerating at remarkable speed and heading towards you. At closer range, it does look like Falling Star in her ball-lightning form. The fireball stops just as it's beginning to brush the edge of your gravitational field, and hovers there for a few moments. Then it zips up at an angle, drifts slowly back towards you, and repeats the movement. <><><><><> Nancy: Her brow furrows. "You want me to follow you?", she asks. She sighs. "I don't know...I don't know how far I can go and I'm VERY tired. Are you sure we can't just talk here?" <><><><><> [GM] The ball wobbles in the air, uncertainly. Then shoots backwards, over the rooftops of the block next to yours (startling a number of people who were below its flight path), and keeps going until it's hovering over the Walmart store, a few blocks away. <><><><><> Nancy: That wasn't quite what she had in mind, but it was better than flying all the way back to Chicago with her. She followed along behind the blazing fireball, landing atop the Wal-Mart roof and waiting for Falling Star to take the next step. <><><><><> [GM] The ball of light descends about fifteen feet from you, right next to the edge of the roof. The glow diminishes, and then a human silhouette can be seen within, and in an instant, it becomes the shape of a little girl. The same young black child you saw back in Cabrini Green, complete with her touchingly silly pajama and Fairy Godmother-mask costume, with a tattered blanket for a cape. She looks at you suspiciously. "Was you in Chicago?" she asks. "You was the lady with that other white girl that fought the bad guys?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy can't help but smile at the youngster's earnest attempt at a costume. Her first impulse is to correct the child's grammar, but she resists. "Yes, I was the one at the fight in Cabrini Green," she answers. "What's wrong? Are you in trouble? You shouldn't be out this late at night." <><><><><> [GM] The girl looks at you with the "well, DUH!" expression you occasionally see on the faces of your own children, when you say something they think is obvious. "No kiddin' I shouldn't be out this late! I gets to go to the community center tomorrow and go swimmin' but now I'm gonna be too tired!" She straightens her mask, which is slipping to one side. "I ain't in trouble. YOU is. I came here to warn you 'cause a voice in my head tol' me I should. 'Cept' I din't know where you lives 'cept it was in Crystal Lake, so that's why I had to wake up the whole town to find you." <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm sorry," the housewife says sincerely. "I was just...worried about you." Icy fingers of dread clutch at her heart as Falling Star delivers her message. "*I'm* the one who's in trouble? It must be...." She pauses a moment to get ahold of herself. "Did the voice tell you anything else?" <><><><><> [GM] "Yeah." Falling Star kicks idly with one foot. "He said you be the one who helped me when those bad guys got me in that green bubble, so that's how come I came here to warn you. He said you be in Crystal Lake. I had to read a map." She says this somewhat proudly. "He said...watch out for Legion. Legion's gonna come an' gitchou." She frowns, tiny nose wrinkling in bafflement. "He didn't say who Legion is, though." <><><><><> Nancy: The teacher looks appropriately impressed at Falling Star's cartography display. "Well, that was very clever of you. Thank you for taking all the trouble to find me." [Was Legion identified in the news by name after the incidents he's been involved in, ie would Nancy have any idea who this is?] She purses her lips worriedly. "Did the voice who was telling you all of this tell you who HE was?" She had privately hoped that maybe Ashiya had found a way to at least sneak messages past Euroninja...but the youngster's use of the male pronoun made that seem unlikely. Once that question is answered, she continues, "Do you think *you're* in any danger? Legion isn't supposed to be coming after you too, is he?" Her eyes were full of concern for the child. <><><><><> [GM] [nope, Legion has never been mentioned by name in the news] "I aksed him who he was, he just said 'a friend'. He di'n't say nothin' 'bout no Legion comin' after ME, just you. I think mebbe he wanted to say more, but he hadda stop. Like whatever he was usin' to talk to my head wanted another quarter an' he di'n't have none." She sighs. "So now I done tol' you, but I dunno if that was enough, if Legion gets you an' I was supposed to help, then I'll feel bad, but I gots to go home too. I'd give you my phone number so you can call me, but I got a secret identity!" she says with great seriousness. <><><><><> Nancy: *What an odd way to warn me,* she thinks to herself. *It's not Ashiya...maybe it could be Chad?* To Falling Star, she continues, "And he probably talked into your head, while you were asleep...so you don't have any idea what he looks like, right?" Being a mother herself, she of course wouldn't do anything to put the child in harms way...but on the other hand, having her phone number could have its advantages. She smiles as she squats to look the youngster eye to eye. "Well, I can certainly understand that," she replies. "I have a secret identity too. But I think I can trust you...so if I gave you MY phone number and told you my real name, then we could both keep each other's secrets. And then I could come and help you if you needed it." <><><><><> [GM] You're looking the youngster eye-to-eye from about ten feet away, as she maintains a cautious distance. She tilts her head and considers your proposal. "OK," she says hesitantly, after some deliberation. Then, with a slightly impudent, slightly suspicious tone, "You first!" <><><><><> Nancy: The blonde nods. "All right." She takes off her mask. "My name is Nancy Hartwick. If you want, I'll write down my address and phone number...but you'll have to promise me to put it in a safe place where your mother or your brothers and sisters won't find it." <><><><><> [GM] "OK," the girl says. "I won't tell nobody. I got a good hiding place too." She pauses. "My name's Leanne Jones. My phone number is 768-9801. 'Cept sometimes it doesn't work, but I think we paid the bill this month. If you call me, my Momma's gonna wonder why some strange lady is callin' me." <><><><><> Nancy: Getting out a piece of paper and a small pencil from her belt pouch, she writes the child's name and phone number down. "Can I have your address too?", she asks. "I'd try to call first, of course...but if it's a real emergency, I'd feel better if I didn't have to depend on just the phone." She'll also write a copy of her information (including the area code) for Falling Star. She extends it towards the youngster. "Here you are." Whether she takes it or not, she says, "I'd wish we could stay here and talk for a while, but I should let you go home and get to bed. Unless," she adds with motherly concern, "you need to rest up a bit first." <><><><><> [GM] Leanne/Falling Star, with some reluctance, recites her address to you, an apartment number on a street that runs directly through the Cabrini Green housing projects. "Nah, I'm tired 'cause it's late," she says. "But flyin' is easier than walkin', even! Watch this!" With a mischievous grin, the sort a child gets when she's about to do something that she KNOWS is going to give a grown-up fits, she takes three running steps, and launches herself off the edge of the roof. She almost seems to hover there for a second, before gravity takes hold of her and she starts to fall, and instinctively you're reaching out to sever that hold- then the little girl glows and shrinks into a glowing ball of energy once more. Falling Star swoops overhead, circles the Wal-Mart once, then shoots up into the sky at an amazing velocity, arcing over Crystal Lake in the general direction of Chicago. <><><><><> Nancy: "Eeep!", cries the teacher as Falling Star springs off the room. Reflexively, she reaches out with her gravity powers to keep the child from falling...but she's already turning to energy. With a sigh mixing relief and exasperation, she grits her teeth, smiles pleasantly, and waves to her new friend as she speeds off home. Nancy's thoughts are heavy as she too takes her leave, trying not to be incredibly obvious as she makes her way to the vacant lot by her house. Falling Star was so young...but so in command of her abilities. How much better could she become if she only had the luxury of time to practice? It seems like the last few days were a haze of pain and exhaustion...she'd hardly had a chance to catch her breath and actually THINK about what's happened. And now she has this "Legion" coming after her. Once she reaches the lot, she sneaks back to the house, where Mike is waiting anxiously in the kitchen. She gives him a hug and a kiss as she explains what just happened and why Falling Star was there. "I don't know who this Legion is, but maybe someone else does." Getting her purse, she retrieves the card that Mahone gave her. She hesitates a moment before she dials...she knows that he's probably about the last person he wants to hear from. But if some kind of metahuman is coming after her, the government should know. She steels herself and dials. <><><><><> [GM] You note that, as Falling Star circled the store, the ever-present neon lights dimmed and then darkened, until she rose high into the air, whereupon they flickered back to their normal brightness. Mike is extremely relieved when you return, but as confused as you when you relate Falling Star's message. "So, some telepath contacted HER, and told her to come warn YOU that someone called 'Legion' is coming for you? But this telepath apparently knows where you are, so why didn't he warn you directly? Do you think it's another one of Ashiya's people, maybe following some odd rule of theirs? Or could it be....that man...doing something devious?" Obviously, you have no answers for him, and he knows you've told him all you know. He reluctantly agrees that calling the government may be the best thing now. From what Agent Mahon told you, you rather expected to get a live person answering, even at this hour. But instead, you get a quite generic voice mail message, that says simply "If you know the extension of the person you are calling for, please enter it now. Otherwise, please stay on the line and an operator will be with you shortly." Since Mahon's extension is listed on the card, you punch it in. But that too leads only to another recorded voice, which is not Mahon's, but another man who speaks in short, clipped sentences, as if impatient with the machine and reluctant to commit too many of his words to a recording. "This is Lyle Mabe. I'm out of the office right now. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can." So far, for all you know you could have dialed a business office...though the fact that you have been given NO indication of who you've called does make it a little more plausible that this is indeed a secretive government agency. <><><><><> Nancy: She sighs as Mike questions her. "I just don't know. Maybe the telepath who contacted her is a prisoner...like Ashiya ...and has a limited range. The only other person I can think of who it might be is Chad. Of course, it's not as if I know all that many telepaths...." "I can't imagine what kind of an ulterior motive anyone would have for getting the two of us together, so I doubt it was some kind of trap. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes of all of this." She has a slightly confused look on her face as she listens to the service. "It's some kind of voice-mail thing," she whispers during a pause. "Should I leave a message or try to speak to a real live person?" Assuming Mike doesn't suggest she hang up, she'll wait for the tone and say, "Mr. Mabe? My name is Nancy Hartwick of Crystal Lake. My number is 414- 555-6264. I met a gentleman from your agency named [I'm blanking on the first name] Mahon...and I was involved in a situation in downtown Chicago. I know that your people just left here, but I was contacted by the metahuman known as Falling Star. Apparently someone telepathically contacted HER and told her that a metahuman by the name of Legion is coming after me. Since I'm not able to talk to one of your people right now, I need to think about what to do for the time being. When we make some kind of decision, I'll call back and tell you where I'll be. Please contact me as soon as possible." Hanging up the phone, she turns to Mike. "We don't know when this Legion is going to get here," she states. "It might be a good idea, for the safety of you and the kids, if I were to leave right now and spend the night at your parent's cottage at the lake. There are less people around there that might get hurt if...something happens." <><><><><> [GM] "No!" Mike says fiercely. "You can't run off and isolate yourself whenever there's a possibility of a threat...we can't live like that, and I won't allow it!" He holds you tightly. "No, we have to be able to find some help elsewhere. I won't have you going to the cottage, and maybe never coming back! Think of something else." <><><><><> Nancy: She sighs as Mike pulls her close. There'd be nothing she'd like better than to stay...but she can't put them in danger.... "Michael, be reasonable," she says in a tired voice as she starts guiding them both back to the bedroom. "First, we have no idea who this 'Legion' is or what he does. It's too much of a risk to take, having some unknown metahuman come into town on a rampage. If I can't reason with him, at least there'll be less people...to get in the way...at the lake." She swallows hard, frightened by the prospect. "Also, you're forgetting about Bonnie. If everything were equal, I *might* be able to defeat this Legion with my own powers. But if I'm near Bonnie, my powers don't work...and I'd be defenseless. Then I'd pretty much be at his mercy." <><><><><> [GM] "Call the police," Mike says. "Call Kim. Call Falling Star back. But for God's sakes, don't even think of taking on this Legion by yourself! What if he's another mind-controller? There are all kinds of powers he could have, that your powers might not be able to ward off. Going off by yourself and waiting for him to come after you might, *might*, make us safer. But it could be suicide. And who's to say he won't come after us next, once you're out of the way?" <><><><><> Nancy: She sighs as she begins removing her costume. "If I couldn't handle this Legion, the police certainly wouldn't be able to do anything. At best, he'd just ignore them...and I wouldn't want to think about if he was actually some kind of sadistic madman...." She shudders a bit. "It's galling enough to have to call Mahon again after our little...pecadillo with the probe. But I'd be mortified if I had to talk to Kim again. As for Falling Star...I'm reluctant to get someone that young involved in this any more than she already is, but I will call her if I think she can help." She turns to face Mike. "All I'm worried about at the moment is right now. For all I know, Legion was right on Falling Star's heels. That means he could be coming right through that wall any second. I certainly don't want to fight this person, but if I have to, I'd like to minimize the number of people who might get hurt...and that INCLUDES you and the kids." "I don't think he'll come after you if I'm not here...it's likely that if the mysterious person who warned Falling Star didn't know exactly where I live, Legion won't either. Just a hunch I've got." She sits on the bed, rubbing her eyes. "On the other hand, I did give Mr. Mabe the number here, didn't I? That means I should probably wait here until he calls me back. I just want to get a good night's sleep without having to worry about someone trying to kill me. I don't want to wait up all night for Legion to come after me and worry about what he'll do to all of you to get to me." <><><><><> [GM] "You'll call a grade-schooler to help you if need be, but you won't call Kim? That's ridiculous!" Mike says. "If you won't call her, I will." He strokes your shoulder placatingly as you sit down on your bed. "It could be that whoever warned Falling Star was able to track her down because she's been on the news, and has been seen in her area by hundreds of people, so it's pretty well-known where she lives. We already know that that evil telepath knows where you live- but what's the point of running and hiding, you'd have to hide forever! Unless you're prepared to isolate yourself from us, the only safety can be safety in numbers." <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm willing to call that youngster," she answers with a bit of a defensive edge to her voice, "because she can be here in a matter of minutes. Either Kim is still with those other government metahumans, in which case she'll be here without my having to call her...or she's gone back to California where she's too far away to do us any good." She looks up at him and rolls her eyes when he gives his explanation. "You haven't seen this little girl...she's almost paranoid about people finding out who she is...not that I can blame her, since she was trying to keep those gang members in line when we saw her. Since she's appeared a lot in Cabrini Green, people might have an idea that she lives there, but I think it's very unlikely that anybody knows who she really is." "I'm only going away for tonight!", she exclaims. "Until Mr. Mahon gets back to me, I'm all alone if I have to fight Legion...and I want as few people as possible to get caught in the crossfire. When I have a chance to talk to him, THEN we'll see what he suggests I should do." With a heavy sigh, she turns away from him. "Are those my only choices? Either I have to abandon all of you *or* I join up with that government agency? We've worked so hard to build a family...a good home...a life for ourselves and our children...and now you're telling me it's all gone...." <><><><><> [GM] "No, of course it's not gone," Mike says softly, taking you into his arms. "I'm trying to KEEP it from being gone...I mean, not that it ever could be. But....dammit!" He shows the same helpless frustration he did earlier, after all Ashiya's talk of Functionals and mind-dead, and then EuroNinja's attack. "Nancy, I...I know what you're saying makes sense. We can't endanger the children...God help me, I know neither of us could live with it if the children were endangered. But how can we live like this, always on the edge, you always being ready to run for the hills if some metahuman lunatic *might* be coming after you?" He holds you tighter. <><><><><> Nancy: She gives a heavy sigh as she wraps her arms around him. "I don't know, sweetheart," she murmurs softly. "Maybe going on my own was the wrong decision. Though those metahumans that were working for the government probably have their own problems, at least if they're threatened they can face it together." Pausing for a moment, she finally adds, "I think the only person with a grudge against me right now is Euroninja. Maybe if I just help them to take care of him, I can go back to some sort of a normal life after it's done." She doesn't sound like she believes it either...she's never been much good at lying...at least to Mike. <><><><><> [GM] Mike is silent for a while. Finally, he says heavily, "All right...we need to get you somewhere that won't endanger...other people, if this Legion shows up. But going somewhere by yourself just doesn't sound smart. Do you think you could appeal to the police for help....in your costume? Maybe they have a federal hotline they can call?" <><><><><> Nancy: She shrugs. "I don't know. I hardly think anybody locally would be able to handle something like this, especially if this Legion has powers of a physical nature. The only thing I can think of now is to try and be anonymous, as inconspicuous as possible. If he has to search for me, then that might give those Federal agents time to get in touch with us and help us decide what to do in the long term. It might not be too 'smart'...but it's the most I think I'll be able to make of a bad situation." "And as far as there being any sort of...hotline, I think I just called it. If there was anything more public, I think we would have heard about it by now." <><><><><> [GM] Mike sighs in surrender. "All right," he says. "But I'm going to drop the kids off with Mom and Dad, and then come join you, first thing in the morning." <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm just going there till morning," she reminds him gently. "I want to be back here so I can talk to that Mr. Mabe that I left the message for, so we can see what he thinks I should do about all of this. I'll be back before you know it." She quickly stuffs the costume into a travel bag, as well as a set of clothes for tomorrow. She tosses on a robe and grabs the keys for the second car. Finally, she sits down next to Mike and kisses him. "I love you," she murmurs softly. "I'll see you in the morning." With that, she heads out the door, gets in the car, and drives to the cottage to hopefully get SOME sleep before dawn breaks. <><><><><> [GM] Though your sleep is plagued by stress and a few half-remembered nightmares, you do manage to be undisturbed until after dawn. Waking in the cabin, you barely remember driving there last night. The stillness around the cabin, away from the comfortable clamor of Mike and the children, and the somewhat more distant sounds of neighbors, cars, and the town around you, is somehow oppressive, rather than relaxing as it usually is. <><><><><> Nancy: Drowsily, she stumbles out of bed and looks with bleary eyes at the clock. It hardly feels like she slept at all. Maybe she can take a nap later this afternoon. With a sigh, she tries to decide if Mike would be up by now so she can call and make sure things are all right...as well as finding out if Mr. Mahon or Mr. Mabe had called back yet. If not, she'll take a shower first. <><><><><> [GM] Knowing Mike, it seems unlikely he'll have gotten much more sleep than you. <><><><><> Nancy: Then she will call home. She will tell Mike she's okay so far and ask if the government has called back yet. <><><><><> [GM] "No," Mike says, sounding very relieved to hear from you. "I tried to call again this morning, and got the voicemail still. Maybe their office closes for the weekend?" "So...do you think it's safe for you to come home yet? Or maybe the kids and I should come out to you, we could have a little picnic, convince them there's nothing wrong. They're getting worried too, you know." <><><><><> Nancy: "What kind of an emergency number would that be if they closed for the weekend?", she asked rhetorically. "Maybe they just have something more important going on at the moment." She gives a heavy sigh. "I don't think so," she answered. "Besides, remember that I can't see Bonnie...if I come anywhere near her, my powers turn off...remember? And while that might happen too to whoever this 'Legion' is, I don't want to gamble your lives on it." "Tell...tell the kids I had to go see my sister Shiela in Milwaukee last night." She grimaces, hating having to lie like that. "Tell them I love them...and I'll see them as soon as I can." <><><><><> [GM] "It is strange" Mike agrees. He pauses when you decline to come home. "So just what do you plan to do now?" he asks in a slightly strained voice. "How long are you going to stay out there?" <><><><><> Nancy: "I don't know!", she moans. "I want to be with you...but I can't put you in danger...especially if I can't protect you! I couldn't live with myself if you got caught in the line of fire and there's no way to keep you safe!" There is a long pause. "Look," she finally says, "I'm tired of arguing about this. If *you* think it's best that I come home when there's the possibility of some metahuman stalker coming after me, then I'll come home. If not, then I'll stay here. *You* make the decision...because I can't live with the possible consequences if I'm the one who does." <><><><><> [GM] Mike is silent for a long time. Then he says, "I'm coming out there, with the kids. I'll tell them it's a picnic. And we'll decide what to do next." <><><><><> Nancy: "Fine," replies the housewife, the stress obvious in her voice. "I'll go to the store, get some supplies...and then you can bring the kids." The plan is made...and there is an uncomfortable pause. "I'm sorry you and the kids have to get involved with this," she murmured softly. "I...I wish it would have been different." She chokes a bit, but continues, "I'll see you in a bit...I love you, Mike." <><><><><> [GM] "I love you too, my darling," Mike says. "I'll see you soon." You tidy up the cabin, go to town and get some picnic supplies, then come back and wait, anxiously. It isn't too long before Mike's car appears, and soon he and the kids are emerging from it, in front of the cabin, the children running over to you eagerly, Bonnie with a particularly concerned look on her young face. <><><><><> Nancy: Her mood becomes a lot better when she sees the children again, though she can't get rid of the nagging feeling that she should have gone away...far away...to keep this Legion person from coming anywhere near her family. Greeting each one of them enthusiastically, she saves Bonnie for last. "Don't worry, sweetie," she whispers softly into her ear, "everything will be all right...you'll see." She straightens up, then asks in a loud voice, "Who wants to go swimming before we have lunch?" <><><><><> [GM] As usual, Bonnie's proximity causes your powers to fade, which doesn't stop you from hugging her fiercely. Everyone is enthusiastic about swimming and having a picnic, though Bonnie remains a bit somber. You are surprised, though, when after only ten minutes, you feel your gravity senses beginning to return, and with Bonnie still nearby. Mike puts a hand on your shoulder. "How are you feeling?" he asks quietly, while you both watch the kids splashing by the shore. <><><><><> Nancy: She reaches up and gives Mike's hand a squeeze. "Better," she answers with a small smile. "My powers are starting to come back...and I'm still within sight of Bonnie. Maybe I'm building up some kind of an immunity to whatever she has. Or maybe it only happens when she's looking directly at me. Maybe we can do some experiments on our own, later on." She cranes her necks and looks up into his eyes. "How are you holding up?" <><><><><> [GM] "I'm all right," Mike says. "I wish we knew more." After the picnic, the kids come inside, Stephanie for her nap and Jeremy and Bonnie so you two grown-ups can talk more. You notice that your powers *don't* fade when Bonnie looks at you. But they do still blink off when she touches you. <><><><><> Nancy: With some excitement, she informs Mike about this new revelation. "It's not the way it seemed to work before," she states, "but now she only negates my powers when she touches me. It still lasts for a while, but at least it's not as bad as it was. Maybe she's developing some control over it, albeit unconsciously." <><><><><> [GM] "We should probably check this out, then," Mike says. "Now, what are we going to do next? We can't hide here in the cabin for the rest of the week. And I'm not leaving you here." <><><><><> Nancy: She ponders the question for a while, but isn't struck by any inspirations from above. "I don't know," she answers candidly. "My best guess would be to try and stay out of sight and wait for the government to get back to us, to see what THEY think we should do. Without knowing who or what this Legion might be, it's kind of difficult to know what I could do to prepare for or avoid him." <><><><><> [GM] "All right," Mike says. "Hopefully the government will get back to us soon- we certainly can't miss much more work. I'll drive to town and call them again this evening." The rest of the afternoon passes pleasantly. It could almost be a vacation, and it's been a while since you were all able to come up here to the cabin and relax. You realize how anxious the children have been when they are constantly competing for time with you. Stephanie cuddles up in your lap and falls asleep, while Jeremy sits by your side, reading a Power Rangers storybook. Bonnie sits solemnly across the room, looking at you with big, sad eyes. Then she glances out the window and says, "Mommy, there's a strange man out there." <><><><><> Nancy: "I know," she sighs. "Of course, I still don't think YOU should have been taking all of this time off. I know you had the days available...and I appreciate the gesture, but still...." Sometime during the afternoon, Bonnie will try to have Mike divert the other kids so she can have a private talk with Bonnie. Going into the bedroom, she closes the door and sits next to her oldest child. "You know," she says softly, "what you've been doing doesn't hurt me at all. There's no reason for you to feel guilty about it." Though she remains outwardly calm, her heart skips a beat. Barely managing a non-chalant tone, she asks, "Really? Let me see...." Carefully taking Stephanie out of her lap and putting her back down, she goes over to the window and takes a quick peek at the 'strange man'. <><><><><> [GM] Even as you look out the window, Bonnie gasps. "He's *changing*!" And what you see is a flicker in the air, surrounded by a glow which resolves itself in moments, not into a man, but a little girl, older than Stephanie but younger than Bonnie. She is a very pretty little girl with blond curls, wearing a dainty white dress. And she's hovering five feet off the ground, with eyes aglow. Standing next to Bonnie as you are, your powers are very weak, almost completely nulled. <><><><><> Nancy: Butterflies in her stomach, Nancy wonders what she could possibly do in this situation. If Euroninja sent this Legion to attack her, then he/she probably knows what Nancy can do and is ready...whereas she knows nothing about this person. She doesn't see a whole lot of hope to this situation. Strangely, that calms her somewhat. If it *is* hopeless, then she has to do all she can to minimize the damage...keep innocent people from getting involved. "Michael," she says in an oddly controlled and soft voice, "take the kids and go out the back way...down to the lake. Take them and get as far away from here as you can. This might be...messy." <><><><><> [GM] "What?" Mike asks. He comes back from the cabin's small kitchen, and follows your gaze out the window. "Oh my God." Jeremy and Bonnie look worried, especially Bonnie, and Stephanie, sensing the tension, starts crying. Mike takes your elbow. "Come on....we're ALL getting out of here. I'm not leaving without you!" You don't get a chance to begin arguing the point, before the cabin suddenly shakes, and begins creaking, as if suddenly being pressed by an immense weight. <><><><><> Nancy: "Darn it, Michael, save the kids!", she answers, pulling away from him and running towards the front door. "I'm counting on you!" She yanks open the door and quickly steps out, closing it behind her to keep whoever this maniac is from seeing her family. "STOP!", she yells desperately. "I'm here...I'm coming out! Just don't hurt anyone!" <><><><><> [GM] The hovering child doesn't wait for you to open the door- as you turn the knob, the entire front wall is ripped free from the cabin's foundations, with a terrifying rending noise. Mike is trying to pull the kids towards the back of the cabin, yelling something you can't hear over the din. As wooden fragments go spinning away and clouds of dust boil up around you, the child remains hovering there in the air, motionless. She could almost be there by coincidence; there is no visible evidence that she just caused the front of your cabin to fly into pieces. <><><><><> Nancy: Quailing in terror as the doorknob is (almost literally) ripped from her hand, she tries as best she can with her failing powers to shield her family from the flying debris...devoting more effort to protecting them than herself. She screams for the nightmare to stop...but her protests can't be heard over the settling rubble. Fortunately, she manages to get ahold of herself before her squealing can be heard over the din. As the dust filters to the ground, she turns back around. "Please," she asks, "don't hurt my family! What do you want?" She's almost certain this strange girl can hear her knees knocking. <><><><><> [GM] The girl hovers there in midair, then opens her mouth and speaks, in an eerie voice, as if an adult was trying to speak with her childish vocal apparatus. "I am Legion. I am here for you!" She begins drifting closer, the dust repelled from her by an invisible wall. You hear Bonnie screaming "NOOOO!" And suddenly your power is not only back, but stronger than ever. Gravitic sensations wash over you from every object around....the collapsing cabin, the fragments of debris, and the levitating metahuman child. The threads of force holding everything to the earth, and exerting subtle, almost negligible influence on other bodies in close proximity, are more tangible than ever. You do note immediately that the girl is *not* flying by means of gravity manipulation...the only disturbance in the gravitic field around her is the miniscule natural gravity that her own body generates. And simultaneously, the girl looks up, the first movement she's made besides levitating laterally through the air. Her tiny, eerily adorable features twist slightly, into a shadow of a frown. Her gaze fixes on Bonnie, being dragged, protesting, out the back door by Mike. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy winces as her gravity sense suddenly returns, reeling just a bit as she clutches her head. But she keeps her eye on the strange child, taking a few steps to the side to force Legion to look away from her daughter. "All right," she answers, trying to control her fear (succeeding for the most part), "so now you're here. What do you want with me?" <><><><><> [GM] "You," Legion says. "I want you." And suddenly you feel like you've been hooked by an invisible line, and Legion begins reeling you in. You are dragged through the air towards the little girl. "And the girl." Bonnie screams as she is ripped from Mike's grasp and begins floating through the air, following you. <><><><><> Nancy: Gravity flares around the young housewife as she uses her flight to resist this invisible pull. "Stop that!", she states in a scolding voice. "Can't we talk this over like civilized human beings?" But anger begins to cloud her features as Bonnie is also dragged towards Legion. "You are NOT going to hurt my children!", she shouts, gravity warping at her command to push the youngster away the threatening metahuman. <><><><><> [GM] Bonnie's flight towards Legion slows....then Legion pulls harder. Your gravity loses in the tug of war, and Bonnie begins moving towards the girl again....as do you, and you feel that invisible fist clenching, beginning to contrict your breathing. "You cannot stop me," the girl intones. "I will have you both." <><><><><> Nancy: Realizing with dismay that her gravity powers are weaker than Legion's psychic force, she tries to think of something...ANYTHING...that she can do. She thinks about throwing some of the rubble that is strewn about, but she can see that there's some kind of barrier around her by the way the dust swirls around her. So obviously she needs to do something to bypass that barrier... Concentrating, she focuses her (hopefully) enhanced gravity powers on the molecules that make up her wouldbe captor. Trying to subdue Legion without resorting to lethal force, she tries to get the little girl's neck to compress, simulating the effect of a judo choke hold. If it feels like the child's neck is going to snap from the attack when she first tries it, she'll back down the power level. "LET...US...GO!", she gasps. <><><><><> [GM] Your powers have been boosted in strength, but not subtlety. This is a new exercise of your powers. You aren't able to sense gravity on a molecular level, so can't manipulate it at that level, but you try to focus on the girl's throat, and apply gravity gradually. She gasps for a moment, then frowns. And you begin spinning around, so violently that you can't concentrate on your powers. The world is a blur, and you feel like your head is going to burst, while your breakfast tries to crawl up your throat. She finally stops spinning you as you come within arms' length. She lays a hand on you, while you hang loosely in mid-air, gagging and and wheezing, too dizzy to see straight....and you feel something tear at your psyche. An ominious presence insinuates itself into your mind....not like when Chad controlled you, but much more invasive....instinct tells you that Legion is trying to BECOME you...and you will BECOME Legion! <><><><><> Nancy: Dangling in mid-air in Legion's telekinetic grasp, she tries to overcome the nausea and think of something she could do to avoid this horrible fate. She could probably grab the little girl's hand and put her in a wrist lock...but she can't bring herself to seriously injure a child, even one that's a monster in disguise. Maybe her power would work if she focused it inwardly, taking her own life before she could be absorbed. That might also stun Legion long enough for Mike to get Bonnie away. But no...suicide is a mortal sin. That's not an option. Besides, where there's life, there's hope. Then hope it is. Powers can come and go, but the human spirit is a constant. And while Legion has the edge in the paranormal department, he can't come anywhere near matching the focus and drive that Nancy has found in her love for her family. She closes her eyes and concentrates, putting everything she's got into resisting the melding of their minds. She thinks of Mike...the kids...her faith in a higher power...everything they've worked so hard to keep in the face of a harsh world. God as her witness, she will NOT let it all be for nothing. She won't let it end like this. <><><><><> [GM] **Stop resisting!** Legion whispers in your mind, the whispers echoing until they reach a crescendo that's worse than a scream. It is NOT the voice of a little girl that tries to beat down your wall of emotion and faith, but a male voice of indeterminate age, tinged with the voices of other individuals layered into the same psyche- as you are slowly, painfully, sucked into that terrible meld, you become aware of all the trapped, damned souls that Legion has already snared- the girl, sobbing in a lonely void so deep and empty it makes your mother's heart break, for her personality has been thrust into the deepest pocket of all, so resistant was it to active cooperation with Legion. A black woman says <>, while a third woman with flaming red hair responds to your prayers- $$I prayed too, but God did not hear me, He has forsaken me, my soul is lost and the hellfire within me consumes all that I was...$$ hysteria radiates from her, and Legion, the overmind, the presence dominant over all of them, silences her ruthlessly, while a young Asian man says {{Sorry Nanc- I tried to get help for you, but Falling Star was all I could find, and she's just a little kid- she's on her way now, but it'll be too late}} There are others there too, a tall, blond man who struggles futiley and stubbornly, swearing and promising to throttle Legion's scrawny neck if he ever gets out, but despair is universal to all of Legion's damned conscripts...they have all struggled, with every fiber of their being, and it wasn't enough. Legion cannot be defeated, Legion's will is irresistable.... Then Bonnie is clinging to you. "MOMMY!" she screams. Legion, putting its efforts into suppressing your barriers of love and family attachments and devotion, recoils as Bonnie's touch suffuses you with renewed strength. You are fighting not just for yourself, but her, and she joins your fight. But then Legion's presence is enveloping you again, bearing down on your soul harder than ever. And something happens...a wavering in the collage of psychic images flashing over you and threatening to bury you. Bonnie grabs the other little girl by the hair, and *pulls*, hard, on her blond tresses, screaming "YOU LET GO OF US! LET GO OF MY MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!" The telepathic montage flickers, disrupted like a TV set that's suddenly been kicked, and then the psychic abyss into which you are falling becomes a scream of rage, expelling you as Legion turns its full attention to Bonnie. **I AM LEGION!** it pulses, overwhelming your thoughts and beating your self-awareness into a tiny kernel of nothingness, insignificant as you are before Legion's all-consuming glory, Legion will devour all, BE all, destroy all, Legion is the One That Must Be Obeyed, Legion will control everything- "LET GO!" Bonnie screams, and kicks the girl in the shin. And Jamie Coris says "OOOwwwwww!" A howl like a soul being ripped in half replaces all other sounds and mental voices in your head, and you're vaguely aware of being hurled away by Legion's telekinetic power, your impact with the ground softened by the waves of gravity around you. But Legion can't hurl Bonnie away- Bonnie clings to the girl's hair and keeps kicking her, and the two of them plummet to the ground as Legion's telekinesis flickers again and then dissolves. Bonnie lands on the other girl and begins pummelling her, sitting astride the smaller, younger child and hammering her with her fists, screaming hysterically, "LET US GO! LET US GO!" Dazed, you manage to float back to your feet, and see electricity flicker around them, a blazing multicolored lightshow reminiscent of the scene in Ghostbusters when all the spirits escaped from the ectoplasmic containment cells....Legion flows out of the girl, escaping Bonnie's incapacitating aura only by doing the one thing that it absolutely loathes, absolutely could not bear to do....releasing one of the entities that makes up Legion. Legion minus one swirls behind Bonnie, solidifies into the shape of a tall, handsome man with muscles straining at his workman's overalls, Aryan features contorted into a pained grimace. "Aww man, no, you can't make me-" he says, in his own voice, but a mind not his own moves his body, one big hand reaching for the back of Bonnie's neck. <><><><><> Nancy [Nanc? ]: Still a little woozy from Legion's attempt to turn her into a Mixmaster, Nancy manages to rally to the cause. She scowls and coldy replies to the new facet, "Don't worry...you're not GOING to...." With a sweeping gesture from her, the gravity beneath him rebels and shoves him up and away from the two children. She tries to hold him motionless about 20' up. She moves forward, floating protectively between him and the kids. She faces them for just a moment, saying, "Bonnie, stop hitting her. She's not the problem...not any more." The she looks up to her captive. "Give it up, Legion!", she commands. "You're not invincible...you're not God. Working together, we can beat you...you've seen that. Now release all the people you've enslaved, or we'll do it slowly...painfully...one person at a time!" Then she changes her tactics, calling upon the people that Legion has so ill used. "Everyone...you can be free...God has NOT abandoned you! Work together...try to resist him...he can't fight all of you AND us at the same time!" <><><><><> [GM] Your gravity powers send the new personna flying up into the air, where he flails helplessly for a few moments. The big, blond man sneers, you can't tell if it's him or Legion sneering...then he ripples, and becomes a dark-haired young man with non-descript features. He gives Nancy a last chilling stare, then disappears. Nancy no longer senses anyone there with her gravitic sense or vision. Below, Mike is rushing from the shelter of the woods behind the now-ruined cabin. Bonnie has stopped pummelling the smaller girl, who lies curled up in a little ball, sobbing. Bonnie still has one fist cocked, and a handful of the younger child's hair clenched in the other, and looks down on little Jamie Coris, whose name you somehow acquired through brief psychic osmosis, (along with the knowledge that, if not for Bonnie's nullifying power, Jamie could squash you all flat with barely a thought) with narrowed eyes. <><><><><> Nancy: She doesn't flinch before the threat implict in Legion's final look. Someday this evil man would pay for his crimes against all his mindslaves...not to mention retribution for the people he must have killed to GET them. If it wasn't her and Bonnie, then it would be someone else. Today Legion learned that he wasn't all powerful...and those poor souls he captured found out that escape was possible. Perhaps this was the crack in Legion's armor that would lead to his downfall...perhaps not. But for now, Mike and the kids were safe...and that's all that was important. Nancy landed next to the two girls. "You can let her go, Bonnie," she says softly to her daughter. "Legion made her do those things...just like Chad made YOU do things. She couldn't help it. She's not going to hurt anyone else." She kneels in the dirt beside the crying child. "It's all right, Jamie," she croons. "Legion is gone now...he can't hurt you any more. I'll protect you." Tenatively, she strokes her hair, but she's ready to try and protect herself (and the others) if Jamie is startled or reacts badly. <><><><><> [GM] While Mike rushes over and scoops up Bonnie, you inspect the little blonde girl, Jamie. Her face is bruised and bloody- Bonnie wasn't playing around when she jumped on the smaller girl and starting beating on her. But there is a surprising lack of tears. Jamie just puts her thumb in her mouth, and stares blankly at the ground, making little whimpering sounds, not responding to your touch or your voice. <><><><><> Nancy: She's worried that Jamie seems to be in shock or some kind of withdrawn state...but there's nothing that can be done for it now. Murmuring some more soothing words, she reaches down and picks the child up, supporting her if she's nonresponsive or letting her cling if she feels like it. Again, if she reacts badly, Nancy won't press the issue and will set her down. She then goes over to Bonnie, making sure her oldest has weathered the experience. "Are you all right?", she asks gently. After the answer, she continues, "I'm proud of you, Bonnie...it was very brave of you. You saved both of us." She leans down and gives the girl a kiss on the forehead. Then she'll go and make sure Jeremy and Stephanie are okay. <><><><><> [GM] Jamie neither resists nor reacts much to being picked up, just lies passively in your arms. Bonnie smiles weakly, then looks at the glassy-eyed girl, who is a little younger than her and a little older than Stephanie. "What are we gonna do with her?" she asks. A good question, you can see it's on Mike's mind too. Jeremy and Stephanie are all right, though scared witless. Both of them come running to you to embrace you, but they both look at Jamie with naked fear. Jeremy's fear is almost enough to keep him away from you, but he finally decides maternal protection is sufficient to overcome whatever threat this child who can tear buildings apart might pose. Just as you start to regroup, Jeremy points up at the sky, and says "Look!" Cruising around in lazy circles (though at her height, they probably aren't lazy, and 'cruising' is probably inaccurate, as she must be flying faster than most jets), is a tiny glowing light, like what a child-sized fireball might emit from high above the ground during daylight. <><><><><> Nancy: The young mother smiles. "She must have parents...they've probably reported her as missing. We'll call the police and see if they can find out where she belongs." "It's all right kids," she tries to assure them when she sees their fear. "She's not going to hurt you...." Looking up into the sky, Nancy sees the glowing ball and gives another sigh. "Wonderful," she murmurs. Turning to Mike, she continues aloud, "That's Falling Star...that other little girl I was telling you about. I should probably go and talk to her for a second, since she won't come down here in front of everyone. Why don't you have the kids start cleaning up the picnic stuff while you see if the phone still works." She frowns as she looks at the submissive child in her arms. "We should also get Jamie patched up. Would you like me to take her with me and do it when I get back or can you handle it now?" Once the family's been mobilized, Nancy (and Jamie, if Mike didn't seem comfortable with taking care of her) heads off for a somewhat more secluded area a couple hundred feet away just down the road past the bend. She'll fly if she can, walk it if her gravity powers are nulled again. <><><><><> [GM] [I'm sorry, in my book, 35 is *not* a "young mother". ] Mike very cautiously takes Jamie, who shows no more response to him than she did to you. Your gravity powers are still active, though no longer benefitting from that temporary surge. Down the road a ways, Falling Star does not descend to meet you. Possibly, you realize, because she is very high and trying to cover a lot of area...unless she knew exactly where you are, she could zip right over your ruined cabin and not notice it. <><><><><> Nancy: The teacher frowns, trying to think of a way to attract Falling Star's attention. Spying a a large fallen tree (from a storm a year or two back), she reverses the gravity on it, picking it up and attempting to wave it, to catch the youngster's eye. <><><><><> [GM] It takes a while before Falling Star finally passes near enough to spot the floating tree trunk...you're getting pretty tired of waving it around. The glowing sphere descends to the ground and turns into the little black girl in worn pajamas. "I's s'possed to warn you that Legion is comin' NOW but then he din't say nothin' and I couldn't find you," she says breathlessly. <><><><><> Nancy: "I know, I know...", she answers, carefully setting the treetrunk back down. "Legion's already come and gone. Thank you for coming anyway...I really appreciate it. Sit down for a minute and rest...as far as I know, we're not in any trouble now." <><><><><> [GM] The girl looks a trifle disappointed that she's too late to come blazing to the rescue. "Oh," she says. "Well, what happened?" She looks around curiously. "What you doin' out here'n the middla' nowhere anyhow?" <><><><><> Nancy: Sitting down on the ground next to Falling Star, she replies, "I decided that I'd get out of Crystal Lake while Legion was hunting for me, to make sure that nobody else got hurt if he did catch up to me. Legion managed to find us, but we got lucky and drove him off." "That's why I wanted to see you," Nancy continues a bit nervously. "I need to warn YOU. Legion is...", she pauses, trying to think of terms that a young girl would understand, "sort of a superhuman sponge. He sucks people up and makes them a part of himself. The voice that you heard, telling you that Legion was coming after me was someone that had been trapped." "He ran away...disappeared when we beat him, but I don't know how far he went. He might still be hanging around, trying to find someone else to add to his 'collection'. I really do appreciate you coming to help me, but you might be in danger. Could you stay with my family and I for a little while, just to make sure it's safe for you to go home alone?" <><><><><> [GM] "Eeewwww! Gross!" she says, at your 'human sponge' description. Then listens to your request. "Well....OK. My momma ain't gonna be home 'till late tonight anyhow." She adjusts her slipping mask. "You got anything to eat?" <><><><><> Nancy: With a nod, she replies, "Yes...we were out here on a picnic, so there's plenty. But you'll have to come back to the cabin. And just so you know, my daughter seems to have the power to turn other people's powers off...but only for a short time. She's having a bit of trouble with it, but she's been getting better. I just wanted to warn you." Assuming Falling Star doesn't mind going back with her, Nancy picks her up gravinometrically and flies them both back to the cabin. <><><><><> [GM] "I can fly my own self!" Falling Star protests, as you levitate her, and transforms into a fireball, accelerating out of your gravitic hold. She follows you back to where your family waits, and changes back. Mike and the kids look at her curiously, but Jamie still doesn't respond to anything. <><><><><> Nancy: With a sigh, she lets the child go and follows along. Once they arrive, she introduces everyone and tries to get things organized as she takes Jamie back. "Michael...if the phone's working, would you please call the sheriff...and if not, could you run down to the neighbor's and do it? Kids, finish eating and then clean up our picnic stuff...we're going to be leaving soon. I'll be in the cottage with Jamie." As people start moving, she pulls Mike aside and says in a low voice, "After you're done, we need to talk." She'll then take the injured girl into the bedroom, get the first aid kit, and start to take care of the cuts and bruises. <><><><><> [GM] Mike raises his eyebrows. "I'll say," he whispers back. "Umm, what exactly are we going to tell the sherriff? That a metahuman came by and destroyed our cabin?" Mike takes the car- thankfully, not damaged- down the road. There is neither a working phone, nor much of a bedroom for you to take Jamie into. The way the cabin is creaking, with one wall ripped out, you wouldn't feel safe entering it without your gravity powers to rely on, which means you have to keep the kids from going inside. You manage to salvage the traveling supplies you and Mike brought up, and begin applying iodine and band-aids to Jamie's face. She winces, and the last window which was still intact on the far wall explodes outwards, and a chunk of splintered lumber goes spinning across the room, at the first sting of disinfectant, but then she settles down and resumes her glassy, inward stare. Just beyond the porch, you hear Jeremy ask Falling Star "Is that 'spoosed to be a superhero costume?" "Yeah!" the girl answers back, with an edge to her voice. "It looks kinda stupid," Jeremy says. "Like something my Mom'd throw out." "Yeah, well YOU look kinda stupid but yo Momma didn't throw you out!" she retorts. <><><><><> Nancy: Her brow furrows when he mentions what they should tell the authorities. "Well, perhaps we should try getting ahold of Agent Mahon again and see what he wants to do. In lieu of that...I'd say we should tell him an edited version of the truth...that a metahuman came up to the cottage and tried to kidnap Bonnie and myself. We managed to drive him off and rescue Jamie." She gives a soft sigh. "What's really going to be hard is what we're going to tell your parents...." When the glass breaks, she jumps off the bed, half expecting Legion to make a reappearance. When she sees it was only Jamie, she smiles and murmurs softly, "Shhhh...it's all right. I know it stings a bit, but this'll make it better." Though it breaks her heart to see the girl like this, she can't help but think her flinching is a good sign...at least she wasn't so traumatized by her captivity that she's withdrawn totally into herself and become completely catatonic. As the kids taunt each other, Nancy says in a loud voice, "Kids...I think we've already seen enough fighting for one day. Jeremy, don't tease Falling Star about her costume." <><><><><> [GM] The children's bickering drops off to some muttering, and Jamie doesn't manifest any more telekinetic flinching as you finish treating her face. When you carry her back outside, the children are sitting on the ground; Jeremy, Stephanie and Bonnie in one group, warily eying Falling Star, who is sitting on the sundered porch. "Someone sho' whupped her butt," Falling Star comments, glancing at Jamie. Bonnie looks down at the ground. <><><><><> Nancy: As Nancy carries Jamie out to join the others, she spots Falling Star on the porch. "Falling Star, it's not safe there," she observes. "Would you please keep away from the house?" She sets her passenger down and goes over to give her own children the once over. "Were any of you hurt?", she asks with obvious concern, fussing over them like a mother hen. With a mental sigh, she comforts her child first. "It's okay, Bonnie, you did what you had to...." She turns to the black child and replies, "She was a part of Legion, as I was telling you before. She got hurt while he attacked us." She makes sure that all the kids got enough to eat and begins to pack up the remains of the picnic. <><><><><> [GM] Falling Star peers at Jamie. "You mean she ain't one of yours? 'Zat mean she's a met-a-hoo-man like us?" The family car comes rolling up the dirt road, Mike returning from the neighbors'. <><><><><> Nancy: "That's 'meta-hu-man', dear," she replies, gently correcting the child. "But yes, Jamie is a metahuman like us." When she hears the car approaching, she go to meet Mike, taking Jamie with her. Waiting patiently till he gets out, she asks, "Were you able to get ahold of Agent Mahon? Or did you talk to the sheriff?" <><><><><> [GM] Falling Star wrinkles her nose at your correction. "You sound like a teacher!" she declares. Mike sighs, kisses you briefly on the cheek as he returns. "Just the sherriff for now. He's on his way. The feds' supposed phone line is still on recorded message. So, what do we do about these extra kids when the sherriff gets here?" <><><><><> Nancy: She sighs in exasperation, worry in her eyes. "That can't be good," she mutters. "Something must be wrong there...." After a moment, she turns her attention back to the problem at hand. "Well...I was thinking that we'll probably turn Jamie over to the sheriff, right? I'm not thrilled by the prospect, but we've got no right to keep her, even temporarily." "As far as Falling Star goes...I wanted to explain about that. I'm worried that that Legion character might still be around...and I'd hate for her to get caught just because she came blazing to MY rescue. I want to take her at least part of the way home...just to make sure it's safe. It'd be easy to pass her off as a friend of Bonnie's IF she'd take off the costume...but I don't think she'll reveal her 'secret identity' to the rest of you. I think she's just going to have to wait out of sight till I can spare the time to take her home." "What worries ME the most is what we're going to tell your parents...." <><><><><> [GM] Mike looks uncertain. "Legally, you're right," he says. "Jamie should be turned over to the authorities as soon as possible." He glances nervously at the still unresponsive child. "But, if any government agency can help her, it's probably Mahon's agency, don't you think? We don't know who Jamie's parents are. If we give her to the sherrif, he'll take her to child social services, and she'll be warehoused in a foster home at least until they can figure out who her parents are. In the state she's in, what will happen if something provokes her, or traumatizes her again? for that matter," his face is shadowed by a more sinister thought, "Legion probably isn't too happy about losing her. If we just leave her alone...." Falling Star is standing nearby, hands on her hips, craning her neck to listen to your conversation. "Foster homes stink," she says. "My friend Kendra was in one-" she bites her lip. "You send that girl to a foster home, she gonna go crazy an' whatever powers she got, she gonna hurt someone." <><><><><> Nancy: There is a strange mixture of relief and anxiety on her face as she takes Mike's hand in hers. "I was thinking the same thing," she says softly. "Are you sure you want to do this? We could be asking for even more trouble than we've already got...and while I think she'd be safest with us, I don't want to put you and the kids in any more danger than you're already in." She gives Falling Star a look of disapproval for a moment for eavesdropping on their conversation, then sighs. "As long as you were listening in...which would you rather do when the sheriff gets here? We do have an extra bathing suit that would probably fit you, so you could stay close, pretending to be one of Bonnie's friends...or you can hide in the woods while they're doing their investigation. I know you don't want people to know who you really are, but I don't know how long this is going to take." <><><><><> [GM] Mike looks at Jamie, eyes troubled. "I'm not completely comfortable with the idea," he admits. "But, she probably has parents, somewhere. We'd want someone to take care of our children if something like this happened to one of them." Falling Star says "I don' wanna talk to no PO-lees. Maybe I should just go home now." <><><><><> Nancy: There's a pause...then she nods. "I agree. We'll tell the sheriff then that she's a friend of Jeremy's who came out with us for the day." Nancy looks over to the black girl. "I understand. It's up to you, of course. If you wanted to go home now, I couldn't stop you. But I still think you should wait, just in case Legion is still around somewhere." <><><><><> [GM] Falling Star chews her lip for a moment. She's obviously not completely immune to the counsel of a Grown Up, even if she's not as docile as your own children. "I'll wait'n the woods, then" she says. And runs into the treeline and crouches down behind a tree as the sherriff's car rolls up the dirt road, coming to a halt in front of your ruined cabin. Sherrif Zuckerman gets out, and sets his hat on top of his thinning grey head as he surveys the destruction with alarm. "Hell's bells!" he exclaims. "Either you got hit by a tornado or there must have really been one of them metahumans out this way!" He looks at the clear sky and adds "Couldn't a been a tornado, but I sure wish it had been. Those freaky people scare me. Everyone all right?" He gets out his notepad. "I'm s'pposed to have called the federal government as soon as there was a rumor of metahuman activity, but I wanted to make sure this wasn't a false alarm before I got the feds involved." <><><><><> Nancy: "Thank you for coming so quickly, Sheriff," she says as they walk up to meet him. Actually, she's wishing he'd been a little slower...she'd wanted a chance to talk to the kids first and make sure all of their stories were the same, as well as explaining to them why they were going to need to tell some white lies for the time being. "Everyone's pretty much okay," she answers. "Jamie got a bit bruised when the cottage collapsed, but I think she'll be all right. She's just a little...dazed by all of this." She smiles and gives the child a reassuring squeeze. She looks concerned when he mentions the federal government. "Oh dear...you're not going to have to keep us here till they arrive, will you? It's starting to get late and we really should get the kids home...." <><><><><> [GM] Sherriff Zuckerman shakes his head. "Oh no, no point in making you all stay out here. Just tell me everything that happened, and everything you can about this metahuman. I'll put out a report, and if me or the feds need anything more from you, I assume you'll be at home?" <><><><><> Nancy: "All right," she answers, looking nervously over at Mike. She gives his hand a little squeeze...she's never been comfortable with lying, but she's about to tell a whopper.... "Well, this cabin belongs to Michael's parents...Mr. and Mrs. Norman Hartwick. We were only borrowing it today...we came here with the family to have a little picnic. I looked out the front window and saw a strange man...I really can't give you a good description of him...and then everything exploded." She takes a deep breath and tries to steady herself. "It all happened so fast...I'm not exactly sure what went on, but all of a sudden I was being dragged towards him...though I couldn't see anything doing it! And then he touched me, and I felt him...in my head...." Her shudder of horror is quite real as she recalls the sensation of being absorbed into Legion. "I...I'm a little fuzzy on what happened next. Maybe I just wasn't the person he wanted. But there was this flash of light...and then he was gone!" "Th...that's about all I can really tell you, Sheriff." She holds Jamie close, giving her a kiss. She feels just awful about misleading the man...but Mike was right, it was the only way for them to keep Jamie until they could talk to Agent Mahon. <><><><><> [GM] The Sherriff writes everything down. "You have no idea why this metahuman came after you?" After he leaves, you notice uncomfortably that Bonnie and Jeremy are both looking at you with wide eyes. You've always told them to always tell the truth, especially to the police....and they watched you telling Sherriff Zuckerman a story that even they can tell was a blatant distortion. Once the police cruiser rolls out of sight, Falling Star emerges from her hiding place and says "OK, I think I better go home now." <><><><><> Nancy: She had no answer for the sheriff except a helpless shrug. As she sees the look on the children's faces, she inwardly wishes that she'd had the time to prepare them for this before the law had arrived. All she can do now is try to explain it to them. Mike can see how deeply this disturbs her. She puts Jamie into the car and goes up to them. "Bonnie...Jeremy...I'm really sorry you had to see that. Lying is a terrible thing to do, especially to someone important like the sheriff. But what happened here, how Jamie got here and about Bonnie's powers...it has to be a family secret...at least for the time being. That doesn't make what I did any less wrong...but it had to be done." After finishing with her kids, she nods to Falling Star. "Just a second," she says. Quickly pulling Mike aside for a moment, she whispers, "How would you prefer me to handle this? I was going to have her follow us home and then drive her back, but I don't know how you feel about it. Considering that I've never really found out how fast I can fly, I'd rather use the car to deliver her." She groans as she wearily leans against him. "I'm so tired...and my head still hurts. I wish I could just go home and get some rest...." <><><><><> [GM] Bonnie and Jeremy nod understandingly, though you aren't sure whether they really do understand. Mike tells you "There's no way you can fly her back to Chicago. Forget it. If we can't persuade her to stay with us a little longer, we're just going to have to trust that she can take care of herself. I know she's too young to be running around on her own like she is, but she seems to be doing all right. I do think we might try to get a phone number or something. I wonder if she's told her parents what she's up to." Questions of what to do with Falling Star become a little academic as she, apparently deciding that no further conversation with you was necessary, jumps into the air. And comes back down a second later, almost stumbling, and looking quite surprised. "Hey!" the young metahuman exclaims. She swings her arms twice, and then leaps straight up a second time, closing her eyes in brief concentration. Nothing happens except gravity. She opens her eyes as she lands on her feet a second time, looking increasingly worried. "I can't turn into a falling star!" she says. "Somethin' wrong with my powers!" <><><><><> Nancy: "I have her phone number," she answers. "I managed to convince her last time that it would be a good idea. As far as her mother goes...no, she doesn't know unless Falling Star changed her mind since the last time." She sighs. "She's quite the independent one, that's for sure...and I think she's read a few too many comic books for her own good." When the black girl tries to launch herself and fails, Nancy turns a baleful gaze on Jeremy...stiffling the laugh that was about to escape from him. "It's all right," Nancy says soothingly, moving up to her. "My daughter Bonnie has the ability to turn other people's powers off. She can't quite control it yet. You'll be fine...it should wear off in a little while. You just need to stay away from her for a little bit. You can come home with us and then I'll drive you back to Chicago. Don't worry." <><><><><> [GM] Falling Star glares at Bonnie. "You turned my powers off!? You better UN-turn'em off right now!" She clenches her fists and takes a menacing step towards your oldest daughter, who backs away despite being a head taller than the younger girl. "I can't help it!" Bonnie protests, a bit sullenly. You and Mike manage to settle the belligerent erstwhile heroine down, and she reluctantly gets in the car with you. You notice that your own children do not seem at all comfortable around Falling Star, and Falling Star obviously cannot help noticing their unfriendliness. <><><><><> Nancy: Fortunately, she's had years of cultivating patience with difficult students, so while she certainly isn't happy with the lack of cameraderie shown by her children and their guests, she's able to avoid showing it for the most part. And she really can't blame them, what with Jamie suddenly appearing and getting so much attention...and then Falling Star...it's too must to expect that they'd hit it off immediately, even if they are probably going to be seeing a lot of each other in the future.... Once they get home, Nancy organizes the swarm of activity as the car is unpacked. She takes Mike aside for a moment and whispers, "See if you can keep the kids away from Jamie and Falling Star for a little while. I'll take care them up to the guest room and put Jamie to bed...and see if I can maybe get Falling Star to relax a bit." She sighs. "I can see I'll have to make some quality time for them REAL soon." She pauses in the kitchen to try to get ahold of Agent Mahon one last time...then she takes the non-Hartwick children to a bit more private place. She mentally steels herself for the earful she's probably going to be getting from the black youngster. <><><><><> [GM] There is an unfamiliar car parked on the street in front of your house, a brand new-looking Lexus. Mike glances at the Missouri license plate frames with a car dealer's blank plates within, and shrugs. As he unlocks the door and leads Bonnie, Jeremy and Stephanie inside, Falling Star pauses on the driveway (and you realize that not only will her presence be rather out-of-place, should the neighbors notice, but that she is still wearing that silly costume and mask!) She stares at your modest suburban home, and the neat lawns up and down the street, and says "Y'all live HERE?" She sounds wistful. "White people really is rich!" <><><><><> Nancy: [Can Nancy see if there's anyone sitting INSIDE the car out in front? Is her Intuition telling her anything?] As the younger heroine is about to get out of the car, she asks, "Falling Star, I'm going to try to take you home as soon as possible...so could you stay in the car please? If any of my neighbors see you, you'd be risking MY secret identity." She tries not to crack a grin since it is potentially a serious problem, but it is also a bit amusing, in a way. "It's not just white people," says Nancy in an earnest tone. "My husband and I both worked a lot for all of this, but anybody can do it. The Monroes just around the corner are black...and so are the Solomons two blocks over. The Chengs, a chinese family, live just down the street. Color doesn't matter. Hard work and determination do." <><><><><> [GM] [There is no one in the car. And no, unfortunately, Intuition is NOT Danger Sense.] Falling Star hesitates, then sighs and sits back in the seat. "OK," she says with a resigned tone. Listening to your speech, she says nothing, but her eyes are solemn. It's hard to guess what the youngster is thinking. You are stepping through the threshold, with Jamie in your arms, when you hear Bonnie scream. She was heading up the stairs to her room. Her scream brings you and Mike both running to the foot of the stairs. What Bonnie saw was two people emerging from the laundry room that is across the hallway from the stairwell (on the ground floor) and visible to someone standing on the stairs. You and Mike are confronted by Chad Reiter, staring at you menacingly. Behind him is a young woman, extremely beautiful, with dark hair, and an unhappy expression. "Hi teach," Chad says.