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[Transairion]

OOC: This IC also has the Ymper stamp of approval; Fellwyd is not a talkative being... well, his translator is only one-way right now so I guess that's a valid enough reason

IC: When Sluice's words were translated the alien had tossed his cup of this-definatly-isn't-tea into the potted plant (which after having 2 cups of hot water and 1 cup of ?-drink thrown upon it was struggling for life) and started to follow along: Silver himself tried to take a sip from his own glass and almost immediatly gagged on... whatever it was. It looked more like Fanta than tea... if it WAS tea, then it definatly wasn't the brand Photon kept in his flat. Abandoning the cup on the coffee table he followed Sluice's lead as well.... primarly because he didn't know where anything in the League HQ was, let alone Mentor himself. Sluice probably knew the way, he reasoned. Probably.

As far as Silver knew, Mentor was perhaps the most powerful psychic the world had ever seen... he wondered if the League founder would be willing to share some of his skills and teach him a thing or two: but with Silver's powers far stronger than before, maybe he was already on Mentor's level.... maybe even stronger? Quickly pushing the thought of challenging Mentor to a bout (like that would end well!) out of his mind, Silver wondered how the League in general were taking his return.... did anyone else even care? Would they be as welcoming now he looked like this? Well, they let Fellwyd in... as long as he was still sane he shouldn't have issues, right?

[Kumata]

OOC: I remember Mentor's used his telepathy to communicate with League members halfway round the world, his daughter Jessica too. Would love to see either of them get forced to use the full extent of their powers one day, against Silver or otherwise.

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

Sluice didn't know where to go to find Mentor, exactly, but someone else here was bound to know. She led Silver and Fellwyd out of the room and back towards the entrance hall; Allsight was still there, walking towards a side door. Sluice jogged over to meet him.

"Er, excuse me," she said. "Do you know where we could find Mentor..?"

[Lord of Adders Black]

OOC: Hey since Kaithas wants interaction and is conveniently close to Silve and Sluice, think there's room for Soundsmith in your group? You could start trying to recruit everyone who's name begins with S

IC: "I think he's in his study," Allsight answered, "I think he likes to...contemplate, he calls it, around this time."


IC: "Then we have come to a meeting of minds!" Hexas said, gleefully, "I propose a deal. I will give you...three days to recover the Lockdown files. During that period I will take part in no criminal activity. I will not recruit more muscle or attempt to restock my funds. Fail to bring me the files within the deadline and I start again. But for now we can all walk away from this."

[Kaitholas Cage]

OOC: Sounds like a plan. TEAM S ASSSSSSSSEMBLE.

IC: Nathan came over to the others, recognizing Allsight. "Hey, do you know where my instruments are?"

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Saosin (Hexas' Sub, Pacific Trash Vortex)

Saosin and Gadgeteer looked at each other warily - each no doubt had the same doubts as to the shark's trustworthiness - for a second before turning back to Hexas It sounded like a good deal; after all, they had come this far in under twelve hours, so why couldn't they accomplish something of a slightly larger magnitude in six times that timespan?

That said, the Russian was still the leader, so Tilian held his tongue and hoped Gadgeteer would make the right call on this one. No doubt he would, but still, you could never be too sure...

-Teezy

[Ymper Trymon]

OOC: Because Welsh lizards whose names begin with F are just furniture.

[Lord of Adders Black]

OOC: Thats what the F stands for really

IC: "They should be in the armoury. I will be needed elsewhere in a few moments, perhaps Sluice could take a detour from her route to show you?"

[Kumata]

IC - Gadgeteer @ Submarine

Gadgeteer didn't like Lady Hexas' proposal at all. It was the phrasing - why the ultimatum? It made it sound like she still held all the cards. He was all for following orders, but not being manipulated. Then again though Lady Hexas was an exo-suited talking shark. How could one even begin to fathom the psychology of that? Was she playing them or did she just feel the need to make threats whenever she wanted something?

"When we have recovered the Lockdown files and meet with you again, Killer Mari must be there too. And our next meeting point must be a different place than this. Somewhere where neither group is at an obvious disadvantage," Gadgeteer said firmly. "We are also going to keep Captain Code and Romulus, the former as compensation for the trouble we endured to get to you, and the latter sold you out so I doubt you wish to see him again anyway. As for contacting you when we receive the files. Do you have a private wavelength Lone can connect to, or do we need to give you a communications device?"

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

Sluice looked at the armoured hero who'd just walked up to them. She didn't really want anyone else tagging along with their group - she knew Silver would be self-concious, and that made her anxious - but the problem was she was just far too inherently nice to refuse a request to help somebody.

"Um, ok, that's fine," she heard herself reply to Allsight, and inwardly she cringed. No backing out now. She quickly gave Silver a sort of apologetic smile, then turned to face the newcomer again. "I'm not um, not a hundred-per-cent sure but I think the armoury's this way... I'm Sluice, by the way, this is Silver, Fellwyd." Fate might throw them a bone, she thought as they walked; maybe this guy was a scientist too, maybe it'd turn out he could help Silver...

Edited by Kumata, Oct 29 2012 - 10:05 AM.

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: Nathan walked after them. "I'm Soundsmith, but you can call me Nathan." He shrugged. "Thanks for helping me."

[Kumata]

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

"That's alright." Now Soundsmith had spoken Sluice got a better idea of his age; he sounded like he was somewhere in the late teens/young adult age. She felt a little more inclined to be nice to him. She'd become a hero at age nineteen, and she was supremely grateful for all the help and advice other heroes had given her at that time.

"Have you been with the League long?" she asked...

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: "First half hour." Nathan grinned. "Though I've been fighting crime for about a year now. Not many other superpowered people, much less criminals where I come from. I could easily handle it until the police decided that I didn't need to be meddling in their affairs, and here I am."

[Kumata]

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

"Where are you from?" Asked Sluice. "Must be nice if there aren't many supervillains around..."

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: "East Tennessee. Not many people there, lots of nature, not many huge businesses, small airport, so it mostly flies under the radar." Nathan shrugged. "It is nice. That's why I went back there after putting my band on hold and developing powers. Very quiet, except when the police are chasing you for being a vigilante."

[Transairion]

No, no nononononono

"Um, ok, that's fine,"

Oh well that's just greaaaaaaaat Silver thought, highly tempted to facepalm. Sluice's "sorry smile", while appreciated didn't make him feel much better, especially when it sounded like this Soundsmith fellow wasn't at all experianced... so now they were babysitting a rookie too? That's all he needed to deal with right now... When the new hero mentioned being chased as a vigliante Silver was unable to hold his tongue:

"I guess that means you hadn't really got the hang of disappearing from the scene after your heroics? You don't need to hang around for praise as long as the job gets done completely..." though Soundsmith probably wouldn't be aware, Silver's critisism was incredibly harsh: the psychic had been able to turn invisible for the duration of his career which made getting away unseen incredibly easy... for a guy with sound in his alias, that suggested a lot of attention-attracting noise and lacking the ability to vanish just by turning a corner. Not a fair judgement by far...

OOC: Nothing personal Toa Kaithas, Silver just liked it better when it was just he and Sluice. Probably because he fancied her when he was still human Now she's adopting new heroes, aliens or otherwise like stray puppies....

Why couldn't you be a hot babe instead, Silver wouldn't mind that Too many guys in the group, and we'll all got to share one bathroom...

I kid of course!

Edited by Transairion, Oct 30 2012 - 07:11 AM.

[Lord of Adders Black]

IC: "I have a built in communicator," Hexas tapped a small antennae on the side of her head near her gills, part of the armour that interfaced with her motor neurones to give the machinery movement. "You can reach me on the secure frequency M374L0D014. The password will be Upstream. If we have concluded our business and you intend to leave peacefully, shall I surface the submarine?"

[Kumata]

IC - Gadgeteer @ Submarine

"Yes," said Gadgeteer. He would be glad to return to the surface. His attempts at communicating with Carapace obviously hadn't worked at this depth. And with three days to work with he might be able to better tweak his armour...

[Half-Dragon]

IC: SMASH.

The glass shards were less than pinpricks to Omega. He felt them bouncing off his skin (if you called it skin) but they were like flies bouncing off a brick wall. Didn't even hurt. Apep, he was willing to wager, was not so lucky. Even if she bundled the papyrus around her, those things were sharp, and this impact wasn't light. Still, he had to admit (silently) that he was glad it had been a window after all. Whatever his boasting, smacking headfirst into walls was never pleasant, especially with only one active super and limited personal energy.

Now he stopped in mid-air and tore off the ribbons over his eyes at last. He could tell by air currents alone they were in the open air, but now he saw they were well positioned above a street, far from any building. The perfect time to strike. Without waiting for Apep to react he lifted his free hand and formed a bubble of energy around them, sealing the two of them off from the rest of the world, and dumped her unceremoniously on the bottom of it. "Reconsidering that surrender yet?"

|H-D|

[Kaitholas Cage]

OOC: Thanks for the clarification. Some people's characters hate mine because of me, it seems. And yeah, I'll probably have a girl character as soon as I pick out some crazy ability for her XD.

IC: Nathan grinned, his easy-going personality not fazed at all. "I'm mostly silent, but I was careless and let someone see me. After that... Well, a guy with musically themed armor is hardly common." He shrugged. "I'm actually not that much of a rookie, though I joke about it. Just a rookie at team effort."

[Kumata]

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

"Yeah, I think most of us start out the same way," said Sluice. "Few years solo, then we either get invited or get bored and join the League."

The group had been following a corridor; at the end was a pair of large oak doors labelled 'armoury'.

"I think you have to scan your League ID again here," said Sluice, pulling hers out of her pocket and holding it in front of the door handle. There was a tiny sensor embedded in it, so small it could be mistaken for a bit of dirt. There was a slight hum, and then a heavy clunk as something unlocked. Sluice turned the handle, swung open the pair of doors and beyond a vast room was revealed - large and long as the hallway they'd just been walking along, covered in polished silver panelling and filled with racks carrying weapons and armour of every sort. Bands of bluish energy held them in place. Many items sported a small label underneath, explaining what they were and who they belonged to.

"Alright, well, you're the one who knows what your... what was it, musical armour looks like," said Sluice to Soundsmith, and gesturing at the vast array of weapons before them. "Lead the way."

IC - Apep @ New York

Apep sat up, glass shards once again jutting from her body at random angles. She didn't reply for a few moments, instead looked around at the energy bubble. The remaining lengths of the tendrils that Omega had torn away from his eyes began to wrap round and delicately pull out bits of glass from her body.

"Well, you got me," she shrugged. "But, since there's been no sign of kid Omega for a while, I'm guessing my partner's got yours..."

Edited by Kumata, Oct 31 2012 - 05:39 AM.

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: Nathan grinned and made a beeline for a drum set, guitar, two harmonicas, and a flute with a few reeds. "Just give me a sec and-" Nathan picked up the drumsticks and played a bit on the drum set, which liquefied and covered him, solidifying into his normal armor. The drumsticks changed into a daggers as a bit of excess material for the drums covered them. "-there we go." Nathan clipped his guitar onto his back, put his daggers in their holsters, and put away the rest of the instruments. His helmet was no where to be found, but then he remembered that it had gotten absorbed into the drums, and he could reform it later.

[Transairion]

IC: Silver appreciated the distraction the armory provided, especially all the weapons and armors... some seemed highly unusual, and he busied himself trying to guess what they all were for, or who the heck could wear them comfortably in the latter case. When Soundsmith found his own and... "dressed" (for lack of a better word) in it, holstering his weapons, Silver was dumbfounded.... he wasn't sure he could comprehend what he just saw.... he was wearing a drum set. Wearing it.

"Well that was..... different...." was all he could say, the powers this Soundsmith guy had was just... logic went right out the window. Would a kazoo become a rocket launcher? What about an accordian? Just trying to comprehend how the drum-set armor provided any kind of actual use in a fight, apart from confusing the heck out of any supervillians made the psychic's head hurt. Crazy new rookies with newfangled powers... now he felt old, and he was only 22. At least he hoped this power seemed as nuts to everyone else in the room, so he didn't feel quite so left out.

Edited by Transairion, Oct 31 2012 - 02:12 PM.

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: Nathan grinned. The people that had seen him use his powers often had the same reaction. "Any musical instrument I can reshape, though I'm limited by the mass of the object. I have no idea how it works, except that while you COULD use my weapons, they have to be in contact with me to reload."

[Ymper Trymon]

IC(Fellwyd): With the current state of his translator, the alien couldn't really get much of a point across, but from the grumbling it could be deduced that his doubts about the general sanity of this planet had just been confirmed.

OOC: As a flautist, I'm kind of curious as to what kind of flute has reeds.

[Kaitholas Cage]

OOC: sorry. But did I ever say that it was flute reeds? I mean, there were signs, but they're saxophone now.

IC: Nathan shrugged. His powers were crazy, he knew.

[Ymper Trymon]

OOC: You said 'a flute with a few reeds.' That the reeds are with the flute implies that they are, well, with it, so I suppose a bit more care just needs to be taken with regard to sentence structure.

[Lord of Adders Black]

IC: The group of heroes wobbled a bit as the sub reversed its direction upon a command from Hexas. Actively going up rather than passively sinking it reached the surface in a fair old speed.

"The main hatch has been opened," Hexas said, "You may leave through there."

[Ymper Trymon]

FIC: And then everybody got the bends and died.

IC(Whistler): The League jet descended to within a hundred feet of the ocean's surface, and, seeing as V/STOL aircraft are universally recognized as the coolest aircraft, the engines of the jet rotated to allow it to hover over the sub while a ladder was lowered down to those waiting on the submarine.

[Kumata]

OOC: But submarines are pressurized so that the crew can't get the bends... then again Gadgeteer and Lone never fixed that hole they made in one of the tanks.

IC - Gadgeteer @ Pacific Trash Vortex

Gadgeteer marched towards the ladder and grabbed hold of a rung, testing his weight. He paused, uncertain, then a cloud of silvery-blue nanorobots swarmed over him as he switched from Deep Sea Mode back to his regular bronze-armoured Urban Mode.

Now that the tension of the situation was over, he could feel tiredness creeping back into his brain again, making his thoughts sluggish and simple. He yawned as he clambered off of the rope ladder and into the League Jet.

When the rest of the group had climbed up into the jet he addressed them all. "We must take the opportunity to rest, sleep and eat before doing anything else. This is an order, not a recommendation. I will not tolerate our plans or actions being sullied by exhaustion or hunger." As he said this, the notion entered his mind that perhaps the agreement they'd come to with Lady Hexas hadn't been the best one, and that in his sleep-starved state he was unable to see that. Well, there was no backing out now. He would just have to dwell on things after he'd gotten a decent night's - or day's, he wasn't sure what timezone they were in - sleep.

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

"That's definitely unusual," Sluice nodded. "So why did you need your weapons - are you off on your first League mission?" She said it kindly enough, but she hoped Nathan was. It'd get him away from their group; his presence was just plain awkward...

OOC: Same as Transairion Kaithas, I personally don't want you gone. It's just that your character has kind of wandered into the group while they're having a personal crisis.

[Kaitholas Cage]

OOC: no problem. On my way.

IC: Nathan shrugged. "Don't have one yet. Thanks for showing me to the armory. I think I can get back on my own, unless you guys need somethin' from me."

[Kumata]

OOC: Well now I feel guilty. Let me set you up with something to do.

IC - Sluice @ League HQ

Just as Nathan finished speaking another hero entered the armoury; he was a tall man dressed in black and silver spandex.

"Platinum!" Said Sluice in greeting. When the hero looked at her with a puzzled expression, she added: "Oh, sorry, I've a new supersuit. It's me, Sluice." She didn't introduce Silver; she doubted he wanted to be recognised in his current state.

"Oh, Sluice, hello. I was just popping in to get my levitation boots. You're not free for a mission are you by any chance?"

"Um, no, but Soundsmith here is," she said, gesturing toward Nathan.

"Great, well Soundsmith, d'you mind coming with me?" Platinum reached up a rack and removed a pair of chunky metal boots, which strapped over his regular shoes. He led the instrument-wearing hero out of sight.

As the two walked away Sluice looked back to Silver and Fellwyd. "Alright, let's find Mentor. Um, sorry about that er, distraction Silver."

They left the armoury and followed another hallway. It wasn't long before they were standing in front of a door labelled 'study'. Apprehensively, Sluice knocked...

Edited by Kumata, Nov 01 2012 - 06:13 PM.

[Kaitholas Cage]

OOC: It's cool. But thanks.

IC: Nathan followed Platinum. "Whatcha need?"

[Kumata]

IC(NPC) - Platinum @ League HQ

"We've just gotten word that the Bank of America's come under attack by the Robo-Robbers. They're a relatively new gang that uses a batch of stolen exo-suits to pull off heists," Platinum explained as they walked. "I think me and you plus one or two more should be enough to take them on. The Robo-Robbers aren't much brighter than your average criminal." They arrived at the entrance hall; Platinum scanned the heroes coming to and fro, searching for anybody who appeared to be without a mission. He continued to gaze at the crowd as he spoke again. "Can you give me a quick rundown of your powers and equipment? I'm Platinum, in case you missed it back there. I have the ability to create five of the periodic elements - gold, silver, platinum, carbon and palladium - plus I have these levitation boots which, you know, let me levitate..."

OOC: If there are any League PCs with nothing to do, now's a good time to jump in on this plot.

Edited by Kumata, Nov 01 2012 - 06:12 PM.

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: "This." Nathan unclipped his guitar, strummed the first few notes of Eye of the Tiger, and it elongated into a sniper rifle. "This is a bass cannon in every sense of the word." It changed shape into a longsword. "I can do this with anything that could be construed as a musical instrument."

[thelonewander]

IC: (Tragedy)

Alex, had against his better judgement, and Death's, he went and signed up with the League. It was quick. He lied a bit about somethings, but he had leid before, and his own mental shields were up, to keep Death at bay. Once he was done, He headed out to the lobby, ready to do something. He same a hero standing around, and walked up. "You going out on a mission?" Alex asked Platinum. Might as well start now.

[Transairion]

OOC:

FIC: And then everybody got the bends and died.

Silver probably would've had a heart attack the moment he learned he was in a submarine deep under the ocean's surface, and Gadgeteer had blasted a hole in it to enter. His hydrophobia (specifically drowning) is pretty extreme...

I think as soon as they went underwater for an older mission he said "I've changed my mind, I want to go back ;_; "

Now I also feel bad Soundsmith was scared off... we're a nice bunch of fellows, really, Silver's just... coming down with a case of insanity and it's sort of a priority (excuses excuses). At you get to hang out with the guy who makes valuables... surely he owns severals Ferrari's...

IC: "Platnium!"

Oh God, this day just keeping get worse and worse... Silver wished he had the power to make dimensional doors just so he could send Platnium away through one. While he bore no true ill will towards the wealthokinetic, Platnium was highly disliked by the psychic just for being pretty what Silver dreamed to be: tall, good looking and he could make gold, silver and platnium on a whim... he may as well be a walking ATM. Sure, he said he always made sure to clean up the valuables he made, but would someone who could make gold really be poor? At the very least, he could shower his (probably numerous) girlfriends with self-made jewellery... for someone who was literally without a cent to his name and did not consider himself a looker, Silver thought Platnium may as well be wearing a solid-gold costume and strutting around with a scantily clad heroine on each arm. His very existance was just flaunting what he had in front of the psychic...

I just wanna punch that smug smirk right off his- "Alright, let's find Mentor. Um, sorry about that er, distraction Silver."

"W-What? No it's.... f-fine...." he'd almost completely missed what she said, too busy trying to fathom if he could actually sock Platnium in the mouth and get away with it... even though Platnium's counterpunch would probably be enough to knock him unconcious since the psychic's actual fistycuffs experiance was... well, low to the point of non-existance. The hero had already left and taken the rookie with him anyway, so Silver just followed Sluice to the study, albiet a little worried: he was relising he was actually holding petty grudges against quite a number of heroes and villians alike just for "innocent flirting". Glancing at the aquakinetic he sighed.

Maybe that's because you're the only thing in my life of value I've got left...

[Rumpelstiltskin]

OOC: You know, at this point I think I've realized that there's no hope of getting my 5th Anniversary drawing done any time soon. So, I suppose a happy belated birthday is in order, TSTW!. I can't help but think of how far we've all come in these five years, both in game and out. I know I've grown as a writer, and I've met some truly awesome people on here. TSTW! is an epic pastime, and I sincerely hope we continue to grow and have awesome adventures over the next five years.

That is an excellent collage of drawings, Kumata, and brings back many memories. I can imagine just how incredible it would have been had you finished.

Now, back to business:

IC: (Loadstone)
The group continued down the tunnel, surrounded by a pool of light that revealed nothing but the earthen walls to either side of them. Darkness behind them cloaked the carnage of the battle before; darkness in front of them hid the dangers ahead. As they proceeded, it became clear that there had been no expectations of the Heroes surviving the onslaught of Sharkmen; no further security measures hindered their progress.

As the tunnel began to take on a noticeable downward slant, the darkness suddenly resolved into a metallic door barring the tunnel. Two small glass panes set into the top of the door revealed a technological glow lighting the room beyond. Loadstone stepped up to check whether the door was magnetic or not, and another motion sensor caused the door to slide open with a hydraulic hiss.

The room was a textbook example of a security center; television monitors lined one of the walls, and a small coffee machine sat on a desk across from them. Two Sharkmen guarded a doorway across from the Heroes, blasters leaning against the wall at their feet. A diminutive man sat in a swivel chair in front of the monitors, idly thumbing through the pages of a hardcover novel.

The man spun around and blinked at them at the sound of the door. Mouth moving soundlessly, he quickly whirled back around and pushed a button on the console. Red lights began flashing as the man leaned into a microphone. "S-s-security breach!" he said in a panicked voice. "I-i-intruders in security center, l-l-l-evel nine!"


~ Rumpelstiltskin

[Ymper Trymon]

OOC: Fun fact: hydrophobia actually means rabies.


IC(Fellwyd): After what he had seen and heard in the armory, the alien was beginning to suspect that the abilities of these 'super'-powered humans were more or less drawn from a hat, with the practicality of the abilities being left to luck. While they waited, he wondered whether, somewhere, there was a hero who had complete mastery of unvarnished wood, and only unvarnished wood.

[Kumata]

IC(NPC) - Platinum @ League HQ

"Soon, yeah," nodded Platinum. "This is Soundsmith, I'm Platinum. I don't recognise you - you a new recruit?"

IC(NPC) - X-Calibur @ Coalition Mine Hideout

X-Calibur sprang towards the Sharkmen, raising his Energy Machete and aiming to get a few good strikes in before they could pick up their weapons. He made it a few steps... and then a panel promptly gave way. Were he not wearing a helmet the others might have seen X-Calibur's eyes widen in surprise and panic, as he dropped into a dark chute. Almost as soon as he had disappeared, the trapdoor swung back up and closed with a click...

OOC: The main reason I've been ICing X-Calibur in this plot is to act as a driving force, but now we've moved onto the part where Rumpelstiltskin takes the reins he's unneccessary. So he'll be bowing out temporarily.

[thelonewander]

IC: (Tragedy)

"Yes. Just signed up." Alex wasn't nervous. He was a bit excited though. His first mission, as a hero.

[Half-Dragon]

IC: After a report of the Robo-Robbers (that name totally sounded like a toy line) tearing up a bank, Shard (who had been hanging out in the break room reading a book) hopped to his feet and jogged off to the lobby. He needed something to do. The killer robot before had been cool and tough, but that was hours ago and he still had a day off from the store. Assuming that intern, Diana, hadn't completely fouled it up... He'd check later.

On reflection it was kind of sad that he chose to use his days off getting shot at.

Nevertheless, he arrived in the entrance hall and looked around. There was Platinum, along with a hero he didn't recognize, and they seemed kitted out for battle. Odds it was them going off to face the robbers? Eh, as good as anyone else in the room. He walked up to them and extended a hand to the new guy. "Hey," he greeted, "I'm Shard. Here for the Robo-Robbers thing. You?" Not a great introduction, but those never were his strength.

*H-D*

NPC: ...He was just now sounding the alarm? The guy with half a hundred monitors on the wall and a grenade going off practically right outside his door hadn't figured this out before now? "If this is the first you've heard of it," he remarked as he drew his pistols, "you really haven't been doing your job." With that he casually (but very quickly) took aim and fired a round at each of the eyes on the sharkman X-Calibur wasn't going after.

And speaking of X-Calibur, that was about the moment when he dropped through a trapdoor. Sonova- He tensed up. Of course there were defenses in the security room. He couldn't believe they'd just wandered in here. Even without the time for a stakeout, it was still just dumb. Not only were X-Calubur's odds of survival now a lot lower, as were their numbers, but this group had lost the only leader he and the heroes could agree on. None of the others had his tactical skills or trusted the soldier enough to do it.

In other words this mission just kept getting better and better...

(H-D)