"When Gods are involved anything is possible..." Ron sighed and leaned against the wall thought dead he seemed drained. "There is a magical barrier I'm one of it's anchors there are four others. If they are all brought together they can be shut off all at once. Someone trying to do just that."

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Was Unknown having fun. Well trying to keep up with Talon was a challenge a few times he had to shift forms sporting wings to glide from building to building. Why was he doing so he had no desire to stop her. Perhaps curiosity or desire to see the two sword fighters go head to head. Or more to focused then that Talon was someone from the other spectrum caring only for herself. That was insight Unknown hasn't had assess to oh he faced thugs like the one he put in the hospital. Here was one with power one that shouldn't need to rob but does. Why?

Shepherd rubbed his temples as he spoke.

The venom that the locust contain in their bite contains a virus that kills it's host before it mutates them. They mutate over a long period of time. They become like Bones here before mutating into full blown Locusts. Their creator is a fallen God who was banished along with his three sons.

RottenLuck wrote:

"When Gods are involved anything is possible..." Ron sighed and leaned against the wall thought dead he seemed drained. "There is a magical barrier I'm one of it's anchors there are four others. If they are all brought together they can be shut off all at once. Someone trying to do just that."
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Was Unknown having fun. Well trying to keep up with Talon was a challenge a few times he had to shift forms sporting wings to glide from building to building. Why was he doing so he had no desire to stop her. Perhaps curiosity or desire to see the two sword fighters go head to head. Or more to focused then that Talon was someone from the other spectrum caring only for herself. That was insight Unknown hasn't had assess to oh he faced thugs like the one he put in the hospital. Here was one with power one that shouldn't need to rob but does. Why?

"I have an idea!" Cutting Edge said to his companion. "If I can slow her down, can you immobilize her? Turn into a lash or some such?"

"Are you saying we should follow her? Find out where she hides?" Cutting Edge tried to discern the shapeshifter's odd manner of speech.

"I'm stopping this!" Cutting Edge said as stock of some kind appeared behind his shoulder. He reached up to pull it over and a collapsible, shoulder mounted crossbow readied itself. The mount had a cushioned to compensate for his running and a scanner on the weapon itself could predict the bolt's trajectory; which Edge could see through AR.

Matching the arch to the skylight, he let the bolt fly. It arched through the air and the head imbedded itself into the pane.

*beep beep*

The head let out a small concussive blast, which broke the glass of the skylight.

Hypatia looked thoughtfully at Ron, Lady Nova, and Shepherd and his companions.
"Depends on how long I have to prepare, and what defenses were up at the target time. And my accuracy falls off rapidly unless I have something to guide myself with. I don't suppose you have anything personal of Talon's? Maybe a blood or skin sample, or clothing? A blade if she always uses the same ones? If not, sooner I get started the better. Meet me up at my place if any of you have something that might be useful."

Then she turned and sprinted up the stairs.

If Ron, Lady Nova, Shepherd, and his other friends wanted to watch, the work room wouldn't be big enough. And if they wanted to see, the Apple wouldn't be big enough. So when she got to her apartment, Hypatia moved the coffee table into the workroom and started setting up in the living room.

First came the circle carpet. For the second time that morning, she unrolled it and replaced the missing line, pushing it down all the way along its length so the hooks and loops of the Velcro would hold it in place. Then the candles for invoking the Guardians. Under other circumstances, she might skip that step, being inside the wards of her apartment. But earlier she hadn't skipped it, and still got knocked out. Finally she brought out the full-length mirror from her bedroom. It wasn't as convenient as the Apple, but the flat surface and the silver backing would remove one level of complexity she'd almost gotten used to since she stated using the Apple's round gold surface.

Satisfied she had her gear in place, she began her invocations...

(insert this just before getting the candles ^_^)
Hypatia answered the door. "Hair! Excellent!. Even if it's from a wig, if she had it with her I can use it." She takes the strand an sets it in a silver bowl on one of the many bookshelves. Most are filled with books, but there are some items that appear to be decorative on the top of the shorter ones: vases, a golden apple, a model starship. There are some photos on the mantle of the fireplace, and what should be one of the bedroom doors is open. A rug on the floor occupies most of the open space in the living room, with an arcane circle woven into it. Hypatia gestures to the couch. "Have a seat while I finish setting up." She continues gathering her materials.

Cutting Edge dropped into the Record Hall through the broken skylight. He stood up and scanned the immediate area. Talon must be looking for something within. He switched his retinal augs to infra-red and proceeded down the hall with caution.

He detected the tell tale signatures of security cameras. He took in a deep breath and sighed, and as he did so, a kind of mist leaked out of several pours around his body like steam or an aerosol can. Cutting Edge had dispersed nanoids into the air, they sought out and latched onto the security cameras, erased the recording, destroyed the camera's electronic interior, shut down, and then dissolved.

Cutting Edge saw a vaguely female silhouette on the far side of the facility.

"It would take me too long to get there! This damn public building is built like a maze! Oh wait . . . . public building. Well! That makes this easier." Activating the shock buffers built into his knuckles, and along his wrist and forearms, Cutting Edge charged at the nearest wall.

*CRRRR-BOOM

Cutting Edge had punched the wall with such force, it crumbled. But he didn't stop there.

*CRRRR-BOOM
*CRRRR-BOOM
*CRRRR-BOOM

Over and over, Cutting Edge was proceeding more or less in a straight line toward Talon.

The mirror was placed opposite the couch, its feet up against the innermost circle. The bowl with the hair was in the middle, along with a bicycle pump. Hypatia had other items in a basket she held. She began with a warning to her guests. "Unless it's a matter of life and death, don't cross the Circle once it's up. If you can't see the magic, that's basically this circle here." She indicated the outermost circle on the carpet. "And from now until I'm done. I'm not sure who that janitor is, but you mentioned gods being involved. And I already got hit once while scrying today. Be warned, I'm taking extra time on all this, to increase my reach and safety. Sanitary facilities are through that door, food and drink in the kitchen."
She walked the circle, placing at each cardinal point an item representing one of the classical elements: a crystal drinking glass was filled with water, incense was lit, then a beeswax candle, and finally a geode that had been sliced open to show the crystals inside. All the while Hypatia chanted softly in Greek. Twice more she went around before she stopped. To anyone who could sense the magic, the power built up gradually. More sensitive people might have felt presences at each point.
Finally she stopped and addressed her guests. "That's the protection, now for a quick check. There are two ways I know to scry, one that anyone can see, and the easy way that mostly only people with certain talents like magery and psi can see. So if any of you can't see this test clearly, I'm going to do it the hard way. She picked up the pump, chanted briefly, and then asked, "Can anyone not see the statue in Phoenix Plaza clearly? It should be broad daylight then."

Cutting Edge made it to the room where Talon's heat signature had vanished.

"Damn!" He cursed to himself. He looked around, the filing cabinets had been opened and papers were strewn about. He couldn't care less about what she was after in here, but why steal the jewels then? She just drew attention to herself, unless they were even more valuable than what they initially appeared to be. Cutting Edge made a note to himself to interview the owners of the jewels later.

His GEneralized Wavelength Implant (GE.W.I™) picked up police chatter coming from outside. Now convinced that Unkown had spilt or was otherwise not interested in interfering unless it had to, Cutting Edge turned to leave the building.

*CRRRR-BOOM

A hole in the second story wall appeared and there stood the cyborg superhero. The police and SWAT teams trained their weapons on him.

"Cyborg! Down on the ground now!" One of them demanded through a megaphone. "In the name of Titan City law, you are under arrest!"

Cutting Edge simply stepped off the ledge and fell the building plaza below, the floor cracking from the force of his impact. He rose slowly to greet the police.

"I do not recognize the legitimacy of your fascist laws. I am under an agreed and voluntary contractual obligation. Of the agreed legal terms, I am not to be taken by federal or state authority." His voice was powerful and passionate, despite the digitized undertone to his enhanced volume. "However, I do not wish to harm those who volunteer themselves to protect others. So I shall opt to to escape from you rather than kill you."

"What's he talking about- . . . LOOK OUT!"

VVVVVVVROOOOOOOM

A pod like vehicle on two wheels rocketed through the police barricade like a high speed battering ram. Cutting Edge leaped into the air and landed on the bike. His prosthetic limbs easily reconfigured and slid into slots built for them and his neural augs interfaced with the bike's on board computer. With a quick rev up, Cutting Edge took off down the way, leaping off the elevated plaza and tore down the darkened street.

"My bad. Thought if ya must know I could be considered the avatar of Hel. The Orb containing some of her power was integrated into me." Ron said as he moved to what he thought was a safe location. "Why couldn't I get a nemeses that has a proper motivation. Like taking over the world or being the head of a criminal organization." Mumbles a bit.

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Unknown indeed left the building thought not far when the cops arrived the questioned the homeless man nestled in the alleyway.

"Okay now I can see it. Yeah I might be powered by magic, I just don't have a knack for it. I'm living proof that being magical doesn't mean you can do magic." Rotten looked at the statue "So now what?"

"Just making sure you can see, more pairs of eyes and all." Hypatia picked up the hair and looked at it, then began chanting again. The image in the mirror shifted, showing the front of the museum, with "Scarlet" and "Julia" taking pictures and posing. Swinging the view around, she found the guard with the Mohawk, and herself waiting to cross the street. "If those people were there, I spent a couple hours yesterday in the same room as an internationally wanted assassin."

"They wouldn't be good at what they do if they were easily spotted. Hell those two even took photos of us." Ron said as he looked at the images. "I don't recognize either of those two women neither of them were at the fight. The one with the red hair does look kind of like the one Lady Nova fought, but she had a very scarred face. Still they could been scouts see how the redhead making sure a camera is in every shot."

Hypatia nodded. They were lucky this group of villains apparently hadn't had much experience with magic yet, or they would have invested in counterspells. She gestured again, and the point of view pulled back away from Talon's head. "Let me know when you want to speed up, slow down, or look around."

"I have read much of the literature of this planet. You identify with the English folk hero Robin Hood. Stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor and unfortunate. I can see how this may be considered necessary, what with the vast social inequality that is currently rampant in this country and several others." he said, a pondering look on his face.

"However, the fact that you steal because you enjoy the act of breaking through the security is a notion I have not encountered before. Perplexing, but I understand the human need for enjoyable activities, even though I do not practice it myself." he continued, looking back at her.

"I do not yet fully understand the various justice systems at work in this country. I am also not a sworn-in or voluntary keeper of justice. I feel no need to arrest you. I would actually like to ask for your assistance, if you are willing."

Shepherd continued to look on as he took a seat.

Hal turned in an instant, the "skin" receding from his hands and forearms in a dull silver wave, revealing a metal surface of the same silver color. He raised his hands, fingers spread, and if someone were to look close enough, they would see a rippling of the air in front of his open palms.

The irises of his silver eyes turned a muted red as his viewing mode switched to infrared and he quickly located the point in the darkness where heat was being leeched from the surroundings. He scanned the creature and accessed his database of known alien species, attempting to determine what it was. "It is generally considered unwise to sneak up on people meeting in such a fashion."

"Reputation is not necessary true. Curiosity was stronger then caution at this time. Behavior of Talon that we have seen hints that you do not attack unless there is a reason." Then looking at Hal "You were the unknown element. Thought your statement hints you would prefer not to cause... attention to this meeting. Attacking me would counter that desire. It was a calculated risk we found acceptable."

Hal data might come across records of a space born crystalline lifeforms that live in clusters. No cluster larger then a basketball has ever been recorded, and none been found on a planet with a magnetic field. "Our desires are simple. Curiosity and wish to learn. To find meaning in exsistance."

"I think you're right. That other guard has all the posture of a seasick sea serpent. And Mohawk has a hand still on his neck..." Hypatia's train of thought was derailed as she clearly saw the staff with the orb in it. "Shepherd, is that orb a copy you made?"

"Okay. Probably best If I don't know too much about that. Hmm, I think Talon and Mohawk are about to get into a fight..." In the image, Talon's blade was almost touching the false guard's forehead. She fired a taser at the possessed guard, who then fired his weapon three times at no apparent target. Fortunately for Hypatia's neighbors, the image was without sound. "I guess those were the shots you mentioned." She swung the view around to try to see what got hit.

"Seems so. Thought that Mohawk fellow was suspicious. Seems he a bit unprofessional and Talon called him out on it. We know that Two fakes were made, but only one was authorized by the Museum. My guess is that fellow didn't tell the others he was making a second duplicate. Then switch the real one with the second fake keeping the real thing for himself. Or to sell to the highest bidder. Heck I would have done that, come to think of it that's what I almost did. Till Hel's orb snagged me." He closed his eyes thinking of what happened "If I miss my guess when the alarm went up the others went into panic mode. Leading up to that all out attack out front."

Nods to himself "It's not Jutan's nature to do thing personally he prefers using underlings or hired guns. I wouldn't try to scurry for him he's at least as powerful as a minor Asgardian. He's a Jötunn a frost giant able to fight the Asgards themselves. If ya had trouble with Loki ya might have trouble with him."

Hal, or Alpha ISR 6308 as his creators called him, walked over and picked up the card. He read it once, the information being stored away, then walked over to the black creature and squatted down in front of it, holding the card out with two fingers.

"I would like to study you. My database has basic information on what you may be, but I wish to increase the veracity and volume of the data. May I scan you and take a small sample to study further?"

"So this Frost Giant is after these orbs. Doesn't sound good. If I happen run across any leads to them, I'll let you guys know, ASAP."
In the mirror, Talon had left Mohawk behind and seemed to be moving rapidly out of the building. Hypatia set the POV to immediately behind Talon, then pulled out her phone again and started recording the route, as best she could. The assassin moved rapidly and turned often. "Someone at the museum might want to know how she got out, someone might be able to get in the same way."

"I would not require that large of a sample. Judging by your cellular density, I should need no more than a cube, a 1/4 inch per side, of material. But if this prospect makes you uncomfortable, I will simply study the readings I have taken and extrapolate." Hal explained, continuing to scan Unknown and study the readings he had taken so far.

Jeremy was still asleep, but the knock on his door was enough to rouse him. Not yet remembering what had transpired the night before, he had no idea why anyone would be knocking on his door. He thought it might be Ron or one of the other neighbors he met a few days ago. When he opened the door in his boxers, he did not expect to see Katrina standing there.

"Oh hi! What's...what ah...what's up?"

Unknown knelt down and placed his hand on the ground when he lifted it up there was a small blob of black goo there. "That should be enough for your study and not risk a new awareness to emerge."

---------------

Ron leaned forward "Looks to be somewhere in Ironport. Not sure if we should go tonight it is getting late and even the undead need to rest from time to time."

"I guess you don't see that side of this building very often, or maybe it's the lack of light..." Hypatia gestured, and pulled the point-of-view way back, then panned around until the front of the Whitehold was clearly visible, then resumed peeling the banana.
"But either she lives here or has permission to enter someone's window. Either way, I'll have to skip over while she's in this building, I don't want to get evicted. We could work backwards from when Shepherd picked up this hair, but I doubt we'd learn much more than you guys did fighting her and her allies. And, as you mentioned, it's getting late, and I have to check out that antiques store later this morning."

"Well damn guess my brain got banged up worst then I thought. So Talon is in the house. Well nothing we can really do about it the Landlord won't be to happy if we went prowling around looking for that very window. Can't just barge into a private home even capes have to a reason. No offence meant but I doubt because we scurried this apartment qualifies." Ron said as he covered a yawn.
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Unknown didn't have a need for the card but picked it up anyway. It could come in handy. Then he ran and jumped off the roof expanding wings as he does forming a glider like body as he soared above the streets.

Jeremy looked forward at the sidewalk, trying to think of any questions he may have. He realized much of last night was blurry to him, and he wasn't sure what he should be asking. He confessed, "I'm not sure...Haha. It feels like I should remember more from last night... We...we kissed, didn't we."

His mind raced through the conversation he had with her last night, picking on the most random point he may have to ask, "Do you have a, um, handler, or something?"

"Its fuzzy, but I remember you were saying something like you weren't my handler. Do you have one? Nevermind, comment's probably lost out of context." He dismissed, as they continued to walk down the street toward Ludo's. "I could have sworn we kissed...Maybe it was my dreams after..."

He smiled stupidly at her kiss, vaguely registering that indeed she'd kissed him before.