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>>4361214

“—has been found inside the parking garage on Plininger Straße. Special agent #01 is in pursuit.” The tinny voice crackles. “All personnel, report outside the parking garage on Plininger Straße. I repeat, all personnel report outside the parking garage on Plininger Straße.”

It’s kind of funny how it took so long for the cops to find Pharos, and now it only took about a half-hour for them to weed him out.

>In any case, what do you say?
>Don’t answer. See if you can wait long enough for the agents to disperse so you can get a shot on Eddie.
>”Roger.” Answer the comm, head to Plininger Straße. Maybe you can get closer to Eddie somehow.
>write-in

This is probably going to be shorter than the usual threads, then it's back to main plot.
Continues directly off of >>4343377
Let's break some bones!!!

>>4361235
>”Roger.” Answer the comm, head to Plininger Straße. Maybe you can get closer to Eddie somehow.

>>4361235
>Don't answer, none of the other agents are going to answer and your teenage voice will be a dead giveaway if the blatant unprofessionalism doesn't break suspension of disbelief first.
Place foot directly in bear trap
Press down on lever
Load pistol, affix dayglo tape, toss out of arm's reach
Call out the serial killer's name as seductively and loudly as you can

>>4361382
PuhLEASE tell me someone brought the tranquilizer darts>>4361235

>>4361384

we did.

>>4361390
Hallelujah....does Blinking make a noise?

>>4361399

No, but it's does produce some light that will blow our cover if seen.

>>4361401
Still, maybe we can just get a point-Blink neck shot if we time it right.

>>4361401

Wasn't thinking when I was typing. Meant to say some noise but not enough to draw attention unless it were completely silent.

>>4361235
>Don’t answer. See if you can wait long enough for the agents to disperse so you can get a shot on Eddie.
I doubt anyone else will answer

>>4361235
>Don’t answer. See if you can wait long enough for the agents to disperse so you can get a shot on Eddie.

Agents don't normally answer notifications, right?

>>4361235
>"Roger"
It could be a good way to separate Clyde and Eddie from the rest of the agents

>>4361422
Um...change my vote to this. Definitely don't say anything more than "Roger".

>answer with just "roger" but don't go to Plininger Straße. Maybe they won't notice we aren't there. They sure would notice if we are a different person. Wait for more radio communications.

>>4361478
Basically

>>4361478
Yes

Not sure if I'll get the update up tonight. Internet's cutting out and I can't post due to rangeban. How long do those last?

>>4361686
Unfortunately for us all, our range is determined at conception, whereupon it determines the course of our potential development henceforth. If you don't like it because you happen to have had misfortune in your breeding, you might try taking it up with God. Though most prudent people would consider the methods required to obtain an audience to be somewhat drastic for their liking, we nonetheless encourage all those unhappy with their situation to try.

>>4361686
Due to What?

>>4361925

I woke up one day and I had a rangeban after two months of having a rangeban that ended in like May or something.
I'm guessing the feds have discovered my addiction to /qst/. This is not coincidence.

>>4362419
Guess I'm still flying under the radar.

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>>4361422
>>4361425
>>4361478
>>4361614

“Roger.” You say into your comm— nothing else but that— and Bernard, who had been waiting to see what you do, immediately follows suit.

If they really need you there, they’ll comm you again, so you’re not going to throw yourself in enemy lines if you don’t have to.

“Keep listening in on the comms and tell me if anything changes.” The teleporter gives you a grin and a thumbs-up.

Several times, Eddie’s head dips in and out of view, and you’re very much tempted to fire. If you really wanted to, now that there are no more agents around the immediate vicinity of the building, you could just knock him out, leap off the backside of the building with Bernard, teleport, and call it a day. However, one little projectile to the head isn’t going to do anything other than knock him out.

Break his arm, Eddie can’t mess with your tech; break his leg, particularly the tibia, and he won’t move. What you want is a result that will benefit everyone in the long run. Everyone but FutureLabs.

“They’re doin’ a buildin’ sweep.” Bernard relays, pulling you from your bone-breaking fantasies. “Isn’t that kinda stupid if Ellie’s already out?”

“No.” You mutter, waiting for Eddie’s head to pop back into view. “They might be searching for other Crux members or bodies if there are any.”

“Pharos can’t fight.” The blonde argues. “And who’s still workin’ for him when they’re all down in FutureLabs?”

“Sopor’s still around.” You point out, the criminal barista instantly coming to mind. “Mark my words, B, there are going to be several people in comas coming out of that garage.” And it’s not even five minutes before the radio announces the retrieval of about a dozen comatose bodies. Sometimes you hate being right, but now there’s also the possibility that Ellie’s bringing Valjean back to the meeting point.

As if Pharos wasn’t enough, but it can’t be helped now, can it?

“Typical Pharos. Does nothin’ but let other people handle the dirty work for him.” Bernard says once the message ends and he has taken the radio away from his face. It’s obvious that he’s thinking of the other Crux members that he’d known, and, from what you’ve seen on the hard drive, the things that have been done to a lot of them— even the ones Ellie had known in passing— were just bad. Like MJ Ultra bad.

>(1/2)

>>4362994
>“Typical Pharos. Does nothin’ but let other people handle the dirty work for him.”
>Matt end's up being wrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idoYCVLh2qI

>>4362994

“But I’m glad you and Ellie came along— who knows what would’ve happened to me if you didn’t.” There’s that smile again, the one he gets every time he talks about Ellie, and, even though you can’t see the rest of his face, you can only imagine what it looks like.

It’s kind of annoying, because your first impulse would be to shut that shit down, and you did when you interrupted that moment they were having earlier with the cold cuts. Not cause you’re a dick, but you’re just not ready to see that kind of stuff happening between Ellie and Bernard yet.

Kind of selfish, if you’re being honest with yourself, but, at this point, it’s not even funny, because you’re pretty sure you overheard John offering Bernard some cooking lessons a few days ago— keto cooking lessons, to be precise. Of course, the teleporter had agreed to it; so, subtract the spices and cooking, and he'll have the perfect gifts for Ellie.

You wonder where Bernard got the money for those cold cuts since he's been living on the street, because fresh deli cold cuts, especially the ones that come from the authentic mallecerias, don't come cheap. He probably works some odd jobs or something, because Bernard has never struck you as the type to steal if he could help it.

Eddie hasn’t popped back into view since they brought out the bodies. Either something has happened that requires his skillset elsewhere, because you have the feeling that the jerk is responsible for more than just puppeteering Clyde, or he’s somehow become aware of your presence. That last one’s just you being paranoid, completely illogical since you’ve yet to come under fire, but you like to have every possibility accounted for.

What you really need is either a moment of confusion that you can take advantage to shoot Eddie and follow up with a bone break, or you need to wait for a moment to catch him on his lonesome.

But if Eddie’s not coming back, then you can’t just stay on the roof all night, waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself. Nothing ever gets done like that!

>What do you do?
>Wait to see if Eddie comes back
>Change buildings on foot, see if you can get a better view
>Change buildings with teleport
>Get down from the building, try to figure out where Eddie went
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4363056
>Change buildings on foot, see if you can get a better view

>>4363056

>Get down from the building, try to figure out where Eddie went

We can rebuilding once we identify his new location.

Taking a coin flip in 10 minutes if no other votes.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4363322

1= change buildings on foot, see if you can get a better view

2= get down, try to figure out where Eddie went

>>4363010
The Gang Does Pharos' Dirty Work For Him

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>>4363133
>>4363334

Pocketing your slingshot so you can get down from the roof, your hand catches a small card of plastic, obviously an ID. Not that you plan to take off your helmet, but you should probably see who you’re impersonating so that you don’t get screwed somehow if you get up close with the agents. You’ll do that when you’ve got a better light source, but you need to get moving.

One second, you’re falling off the back end of the building; the next, your feet are on solid ground.

Gotta love those teleports.

Anyways, now that you’re on the ground, you need to see whose ID you have.

Pulling the card up to your eyes, you find that the name on the card reads Lee Willis. You didn’t get that good of a look at the guy who you sling-shotted, because it was pretty dark where you knocked him out, but you find that the face on it looks absolutely nothing like yours; he doesn’t even look like the kind of guy that would want to be working in the task force. Could’ve been blackmailed into it like John was, since John wasn’t the only guy suspected of giving out the key-codes.

“Bernard, what kind of name did you get on your guy’s ID card?” You ask because you need to know what you’ll be calling him for now, not out of jealously or anything. “There should be an ID card in one of your pockets.” You clarify.

He reaches around for a few seconds to find his ID card, pulling it from his pocket with a triumphant. “Got it!” He squints at the card in the dim lighting, trying to read the tiny letters. “Alright... My name is Bruce. Bruce Chadson.”

“Lee. Willis Lee.” You still think your fake name is as lame as it gets, but you're going to have to live with it until you finish your mission.

Heading back to Plininger Straße, you think that Eddie and Clyde have already moved from their perch now that Ellie is no longer here. It’s not long before you reach the perimeter that’s set around Plininger Straße, where both normal cops and FutureLabs agents alike stand guard. From afar, you can just barely make out the shapes of agents moving in and out of the parking garage, and, laid out on the ground outside of the building, are the dozen agents that had been caught in Sopor’s spell.

>(1/2)

>>4363338
I feel like one of them is about to get killed by Clyde.
Is it too late to vote?
>Change buildings with teleport
It'll never be safer.

>>4363446
Yes ok shiiiiiit here we go

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>>4363443

It looks like everyone’s almost done here and are just waiting for the rest of the agents to return. Since no one’s telling everyone to go home yet, then they probably have some sort of trick up their sleeve that they’re using to track Pharos. But, if that’s the case, where’s Eddie?

There’s no sign of the agent anywhere, nor is there hide nor hair of his Australian tag-along.

Outside the parking garage, there are five armored vans, likely belonging to the task force, and, as you pass one of them, you notice that one of the doors has been left askew. From the outside, you can make out what you think is a mobile operations center, probably full of the most state-of-the-art equipment— the kind of stuff that would make you drool on any other day.

No one’s in there— the door is open, no one really looking your way, and, if they have something that they’re planning to use, there's a possibility that it could be hidden in there; then you could try to call up Ellie and alert her beforehand.

However, if you get caught, you’re screwed and cornered, and you'll have no choice but to teleport out.

Whatever the case, since you’re now a part of this plan (even as an infiltrator) you’ll find out what they’ve got in store regardless.

>What do you do?
>Go inside and inspect mobile operations center (1d20).
>Keep looking around the street, and scan for Eddie
>Make yourselves look busy and professional; wait to see where Eddie might be
>other

>>4363480

Last reply of the night btw! See you next time!

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Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4363487
>>4363480
>Go inside and inspect mobile operations center (1d20).
And bring Bernard in with us.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4363480
>Go inside and inspect mobile operations center (1d20).

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4363480
>Go inside and inspect mobile operations center (1d20).
"Shiny!" it is then

>>4363480
>Make yourselves look busy and professional; wait to see where Eddie might be

Eddie's name is too similar to Ellie

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was delayed but writing now

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>>4363502
>>4363508
>>4363579

A subtle motion with your head to Bernard, and you’re making your way towards the van.

Checking behind you to make sure no one’s watching, when you’re completely sure that the coast is clear, you hop inside and pull the doors towards you, not letting go of them until they latch shut with a ‘click.’ You lock it too for added security, and, instantly, the room is plunged into a sterile brightness that looks exactly how FutureLabs looked like in the videos, except smaller.

“Stay near the door.” You tell Bernard before you make your way further towards the computers.

Despite the sheer amount of tech present, there’s only one chair for the whole thing, which is pretty weird because this kind of thing is usually run by four or five guys. Then again, FutureLabs has a thing for hiring geniuses, so it wouldn’t be too far-fetched if someone were capable of running a whole mobile operations center on their lonesome.

Unfortunately, the only thing that’s showing on the screens right now is the logo of FutureLabs, which wouldn’t be too much of a problem. However, that logo’s the only thing showing since the computer happens to be locked, presumably accessible via the numpad that’s right next to the keyboard.

Anyone would have to be an idiot to leave their computer with highly-sensitive information open, but it sucks for you, because now you’re going to have to figure out how to unlock it with a likely-limited amount of guesses.

Looking around the console for some sort of hint, you see a keyhole next to the numpad but no key anywhere.

>What do you do?
>Just press the enter button
>Try to find the key
>Leave while you still can
>Look around and see if the code was written down somewhere
>Guess the code (write-in)
>Other, smart-guy solution (write-in)

No, the code is not the gas codes, and there is a definite code for it.
If one of you somehow manages to guess it, I will shit my pants.

>>4364695
>Look around and see if the code was written down somewhere

>>4364695
>guess the code

000

if not that then 526

>>4364740

why 526?

>>4364743
526 on a phone keypad is kal

Kill
All
Muties

>>4364743
>>4364746
and of course I typoed it to kal when it was kam

>>4364746

Assuming it was Atticus Charles who made the code...

Which it wasn't.

>>4364752
Hey, coulda been Clyde or Ursula, or any number of like minded individuals

but yeah it was probably john or eddie

>>4364746
597 jkjk
>>4364695
If the code opens the computer without the key, that means the key is for some kind of emergency data kill function or something drastic like that. If it's just for more secret comms access, then general comms and intel are maybe accessible to agents.
>Do we have any 3 digit numbers on our ID cards?

And because we're guessing...
>>>179

(7)[8](9)
[4][5][6]
(1)[2][3]
[.][0___]
Numpad as opposed to dial pad, kinda makes an F shape

>>4364825
I might have the . and the 0 backwards too
079

>>4364826
But if I had to guess and please excuse me being two people I'd say 179

>>4364828
Am I allowed to be 3 people
189 because the spoiler image is 189kb

>>4364825
>>4364826
>>4364828

Don't want to disappoint cause I like rewarding this kind of puzzle-solving stuff, but it's not. Still fun af seeing the guesses/rationale for the guesses though.
The real code is actually something neither something impersonal nor pertaining to the company. Something primarily known by the codemaker, that is.

>>4364726 Going with this if we can't settle on a code...

>>4364849
324

>>4364888
It's Conduit's cell. He's Ernst Braun, Eddie Braun's brother...read the pastebin yo. Eddie's got that residual guilt going on.

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>>4364888

SHIIIIITTTTTTTT YESSSSSSSSSS I'VE SHAT MY PANTS AND I GOTTA DELETE THOSE FIVE PARAGRAPHS OF SEARCHING FOR THE CODE NOW

>>4364889

I thought no one would ever find that.

>>4364889
Unfortunately I can't think of a reason why Matt or Bernard would know that.

>>4364890
Pics or it didn't happen

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>>4364740
>>4364743
>>4364746
>>4364751
>>4364825
>>4364826
>>4364828
>>4364836
>>4364888
>>4364889

3-2-4

You punch your first guess in, which really isn’t a guess because the light from the ceiling’s showing you where there is a clear impression of someone’s fingerprints on the 2, 3, and 4 keys.

Simple math gives you six possible combinations for the code, but you’re not sure how many times you’ll be able to screw it up without triggering some sort of alarm. Mentally, you prepare yourself to make a dash to Bernard in case you hear the telltale stomping of boots circling the van for the inevitable moment that the agents decide to make Swiss cheese out of you and—

You press the button, and, the computer displays the welcome screen. Your internal organs are still in tact.

Serves them right. You think.

Then the screens proceed to light up all at once, each to something different, and you ignore what you’re pretty sure is just random bullshit. Some of it is about squad formation and direction, and you make sure to memorize yours and Bernard’s fake name’s locations in this stint.

Van #02, Agents #32 and #33. Thankfully, you’re saved from any possible encounters with John, as he’s not in your van. Neither is anyone by the last name Braun, which was the priority for you, but who's going to really say which van you're supposed to be in when they're all focused on capturing Pharos?

You add this possibility to the list of growing ideas you have to corner Eddie.

>(1/2)

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>>4365024

On one screen, however, there is a GPS tracker with a little blip moving across it that’s too fast to be a person and too irregularly-moving to be a car.

Next to it reads:
Special Agent #01:
Vitals: Stable
Heartrate: 86 BPM
Blood pressure: 112/70

Your inner conspiracy-theorist doesn’t even need to know any further details to know that the blip is one of the test subjects that FutureLabs has been doing their MJ Ultra crap on— the same crap you’ve been combing through for at least two weeks from the hard drive— and didn’t your radio mention something about a special agent in pursuit of the objective? Of course that means that this mission just got ten times harder for Ellie, because she’ll have to fight one of the brainwashed mutants, but you remind yourself that your sister’s more than capable of taking care of herself.

“What’s the matter, stickface?” Like Ellie, Bernard seems to have a sense for when something’s not quite right.

“They brought out one of the test subjects.” You tell him, not turning from the screen. “The mutant test subjects.” Which could be any of the Crux girls that managed to survived through the experiments.

“Wait what?" There's an understandable disbelief in the teleporter's voice. "But don't they wanna keep all the mutants inside FutureLabs?” Bernard is confused about FutureLabs’ rationale, or lack thereof. "Just... why would they wanna do that?"

“Cause they didn’t want to risk losing. That’s why.” Having a bunch of mind-controlled mutants might not have been the end-goal of their experiments. However, it it was one of the wrongs that went horribly right, and it could be any one of Pharos’ former higher ups that they brought for the occasion. It’s kind of ironic, to be honest.

No matter, you’ll need to contact Ellie about this, because, if she hasn’t already drawn hands with one of FutureLabs’ test subjects, then she probably will soon.

>What do you do?
>See what other info you can find on the machines about the test subject
>Teleport out, call Elise
>Leave but go through the back door, then call Elise
>Try to call Elise now since no one’s come back here yet
>write-in

>>4365053

>Vandalize the systems, teleport out
>Search for other info (write-in)

Last reply for the night. See you guys tomorrow!

>>4365057
>Vandalize the systems, teleport out

>>4365053
>See what other info you can find on the machines about the test subject
>Search for other info on Eddie

...

Are we overlooking something about Clyde? The moral nonsense tactic was within the means of a garden variety murderer I guess.

>>4365134

No, we have absolutely no clue what Clyde’s last name is, and that’s the only thing that was implied to be on the screen.

>>4365057
In order:
>See what other info you can find on the machines about the test subject
>Search for other info on Eddie
>Vandalize the systems, teleport out

So they have Julia, Blaze, and Fastball, then?

>>4365053
>See what other info you can find on the machines about the test subject

All the info we can get really. They won't have the normal safeguards on it since they need it quickly accessible for field operations. Big opportunity.

>>4365053

>>4366349

wasn’t there a fourth one with a screaming power?

>>4365600
>>4365202
>>4365134
>>4365066

Since you’ve already looked over most of the experiments from the hard drive, you have a general idea of what caliber mutant Ellie’s going to be up against but not a specific who, and you’re betting that the screen where it has all the stuff about ‘Special Agent #01’ is where your information lies.

Mousing over to the screen, you find that there’s an expansion link for the mutant that takes you away from the tracker map, though the little sidebar with the vitals is still there. You’re then brought to a page that is chock-full of information but is basically an abridged version of some of the files you have on the hard-drive— the stuff that you think would be on a need-to-know basis… and it’s nothing that you haven’t seen. However, it’s still information you do happen to need tonight.

Health issues, normal allergies, drug allergies, other irrelevant medical jargon... Although it takes a couple of minutes of scrolling through the unimportant stuff, you end up finding exactly what you’re looking for.

Special Agent #01:
Name: White, Julia
DOB: 4/11/____
Base Ability: _______ _______
Current Ability: Crystal Generation

The description for the test subject is an exact match to one of the several subjects documented on the hard drive. Julia had been the first of several high-security prisoners undertaken for the Epsilon Trials, all of them being particularly strong members of the Crux, and what each subject had in common was that they had each undergone similar methods of treatment.

However, the specifics for it aren’t all that important right now, because you’re going to end up telling Ellie and Bernard all about it when you're done compiling your part of the data they stole. As you scroll through the remainder of the information, keeping your mind focused on the task before you, you notice a sudden change in the corner of the screen.

Vitals: Compromised

You huff, a little more frustrated than you were a few seconds ago since you can’t call Ellie about this now, and, even though your gut's telling you she’ll win, you just hope the fight doesn’t get too ugly.

>(1/?)

>>4366952
>Click on the classified thing. See if you’re able to get into it.
It's yo boy C

>>4366916

You should see if you can get some information on the agents while you’re still here, which is what you do next by clicking a random name on the agent roster to see what happens.

What comes up is a name, a car number, and an agent number, along with a picture, but there really isn’t much else than that.

Name: Smith, Roy
Occupation: Backup
DOB: XX/XX/XXXX
Agent Number: #23
Truck Number: #02

Clicking back the way you came, you already know which name you’re going to click on next.

Name: Braun, Edmund
Occupation: Intel
DOB: XX/XX/XXXX
Agent Number: #12
Truck Number: #01

This guy looks exactly like John’s Eddie, but, where there’s supposed to be a happy-go-lucky guy in the picture, there’s an impostor that’s wearing his face— an impostor with a pair of grayish-blue eyes that are cold, calculating, and entirely befitting of a person that has seen the many horrible things that FutureLabs has done.

Unlike the last agent file, there’s a little blue box in the corner of the screen, and what especially draws your attention about it is that it’s labelled ‘CLASSIFIED. HIGHEST CLEARANCE ONLY. FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES ONLY.’

So either the only people that have access to the file are a very select, small group, or the opening of the file isn't permitted at all unless there's an emergency that allows it. You don’t really want to waste your time trying to get into something that may or may not be protected. On the other hand, information is power, and you value every last bit of information that comes into your grasp, no matter how small it may be.

>What do you do?
>Click on the classified thing. See if you’re able to get into it.
>Don’t waste your time. Proceed to vandalizing the computers.
>Write-in

Apologies for the slow update. We hopefully get into more stuff tomorrow.

>(2/2)

>>4366956
>>4366961
Why did you delete it bro

>>4366991

OP has a thing with spelling errors. Your post is still there.
>>4366956

And I’ll try to resolve to just keep my spelling errors from now on cause it’s kind of rarted to keep deleting for dumb stuff, so just pardon this last deletion.

>>4366961
>Click on the classified thing. See if you’re able to get into it.
"Your secrets. Hand 'em over."

>>4367079
Almost certainly requires physical key to open and is probably silent alarmed if we don't have it, and it probably only tells us that Eddie's the hacker mutant and what his weakness is.
>Let's press it.

>>4366961
>Click on the classified thing. See if you’re able to get into it.

then ditch the van

Electricity went out but is back. Should have update soon.

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>>4366956
>>4367079
>>4367541
>>4368530

Clicking the HIGHLY CLASSIFIED link takes you to another screen, and you almost got excited for a second because you thought that it would just require another input of the passcode but it doesn’t.

‘PLEASE INSERT KEY’

The big, blaring words taunt you from the screen, obviously for the keyhole that's right by the numpad.

You didn’t think that getting into classified files would be easy, so you kind of expected some sort of extra condition to present itself along the way. Taking your eyes off the screen, you don’t see any obvious places that a key could be hidden, but, if the file’s for emergency purposes, then it is either with someone who has access to the file or somewhere in the van.

“What are you doin?’” Bernard asks from where he’s still waiting at the door.

“Looking for a key. Need it to access Eddie’s file.” You tell him, having removed yourself from your seat to begin your search for the key. Secret panel, secret compartment— you look for something amiss in the mass of wall-to-wall computers. Maybe the key’s not even in this place and you really are just wasting your time.

In the time you’ve spent combing the van, the only thing you’ve managed to accomplish is getting yourself covered in dust, and it crosses your mind that you’re seriously pushing your luck with having been in the van for this long. Already, you could’ve tripped a silent alarm without knowing it, there could be a secret camera that you overlooked that is currently watching you, or the people who were working here might’ve already realized that the van’s been locked from the inside.

And this isn’t paranoia. These are completely rational concerns of yours. Completely rational concerns that you shove to the back of your mind, because, again, you’ve spent enough time in here that it’s a wonder that no one’s found you yet.

>What do you do?
>Keep searching for that key. (1d20)
>Brick the computer. Be the 1337 h4x0r! (1d20)
>Ditch.
>write-in

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4368743
>Keep searching for that key. (1d20)
YOSO!!!

If no rolls in like 15 mins... I'm gonna begin writing up the next part...

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>4368743

>tfw when the only roll and it’s the lowest
Dammit

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4368743

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4368743
>Brick the computer.
Ehehe

>>4368868
>>4368876

What are these for btw?

Bricking or searching?

>>4368898
I assume searching since they saw my post and yours and didn’t specify

>>4368901

Writing that then.

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>>4368777
>>4368868
>>4368876

At this point, you’re just about ready to get out of here, because, for all you know, there could be absolutely nothing in Eddie’s classified files. However, what keeps you searching is the very minuscule chance that there might be something you can use against him in there.

As you get up from where you were searching just now, your elbow knocks against one of the smaller side-panels for the control center, which makes you still, because it felt like it could be pushed against. Your eyes widen, and you whip around to press it again, and, this time, you hear a click as the panel opens up to a little compartment.

Reaching for the glint of metal, your hand tightens around what is most certainly a key. “Got it.” You exclaim, and, at that, Bernard gives a small whoop.

Even though your night is far from over, twisting the key feels like a moment of triumph as the password screen gives way to the files that you’ve been waiting for.

You scroll through what’s irrelevant, and the only thing that’s caught your interest so far is a small blurb about mild hypersensitivity, which you mentally file away in case that might be of use. This classified section about Eddie almost reminds you of what you saw when you were looking through Julia’s files but more succinct, not that you’re complaining about that— the faster you get to the good info, the better!

What you manage to find makes you stop short, and you read it over again to make sure your eyes aren’t tricking you. You blink once, then twice, because your eyes are definitely working.

Well, this honestly exceeded your expectations on what you’d find...

...because Eddie's a mutant.

Reading the power name over again, there’s something about it that rings a bell in your mind, and you hear the whispers of ‘hacker mutant’ play in your mind on repeat, the dots immediately connecting for you. You should’ve known something was up when he was able to hack into Elise’s comms so easily. However, you still wonder if he’s a cyborg or something like Elise had suggested, and, unlikely as it may be, you’ve come to find that anything is possible these days.

Only one way to find out.

Clicking the expansion link for ‘Computer Consciousness,’ you’re brought to a completely new page, which, as you expected, gives you a more in-depth analysis on Edmund Braun’s power.

>(1/2)

>>4368965
holy shit, so probably they're using his brother for leverage. that explains a lot

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>>4368965

Computer Consciousness: Allows the user to connect with Internet, Bluetooth, and other various electronic devices. Also provides an enhanced intelligence and multi-level thought process, in which the user—

It is in that moment when the screen stops, the mouse freezes, and bluish binary code overtakes the screen, though it doesn’t really startle you. You’re more surprised that you got this far without him realizing you were here in the first place, because he’d jumped on you like a fly on shit when you were posting all of that stuff about FutureLabs on Chitter.

Guess it’s time to skedaddle.

As the screen fizzles with very angry static, you are well-aware that Eddie’s not only shitting is pants from wherever he might be, but he’s pissed. He’ll probably try to kill you once you find him, which makes you glad that you’re decked out in all of this FutureLabs gear.

"W̦͚̪͈͕͜͡H͙͈̰̺̭̹̭̮͝O̧̮̤͇̙̥ ͈̠͔̺̱̪͉̜̕͡T̛͈̩͕͢H̸̦̥̰̖̖͓̙̦̣E̶̘ ̻͕̯̝͍͔́͢͞Ḥ̵̱̹͎̙̹̖͞Ȩ̹̮͔͇͇͚Ḽ̫̠̱͓̞͖̬͘Ļ̯̰͕̀ ̷̨̠͈̳̰̳̫̹͚͞A͈̮͚̙̺͓͕̫͚͘͟R̭̺͡Ẹ̙̣̟̥̹̻͎̟͘ ̸̸̜̹̗͚̥̫Y̙͚̜͍͉̹͙͝O̮̜̗̠̖U̴̹̫͈͘͠?̳̟̜̱̞̰̘͜!̴͍̠̖̣̠̫̝͡ͅ"


Yeah, he’s pissed.

“—y͝òu̷ ̀h̶a̡ve̵n̡͜'̶͝t ȩ̨́ve̢̕͝n̛ ̸t̕͡o̶l̨͠d͘͞ ̢y̧ǫù̧̧r ̧̀f̧r͠i͘͢e͡ǹ̸̢d̨̕!̷?” Amid what you think is Eddie’s mutant equivalent of angered screeching, there is another voice playing in sync with it. It sounds distant, echoing like a memory.

"I͢͞ ḑO̕n̵T ́͜w͢͝A̢̛nT̶͝ ̵͢t̕o̡ ́G͘͜O̵!̕̕!̧ " The next one repeats, again and again, and, given the description of his power, you hypothesize that these are his own thoughts seeping through the connection.

From beneath your hand, you can feel the keyboard heating up, so it’s only a matter of time before he comes back here with an armed squad.

Rising from your seat has Bernard already in motion, as he already knows what you want to do. However, he doesn’t fail to notice what’s currently overtaken the screen, because, even though he wasn’t really awake to see the hacker mutant in action the first time, you’re certain that Ellie told him all about it.

Once teleported, you find that you’re almost back at where you started, but now you need to tell Bernard everything you’ve found so that you formulate your actual plan on how you’ll take down Eddie.

>What do you say?
>”We need to continue hiding among the task force members so we can get close enough to Eddie.” He still doesn’t know who you are. You should be fine in theory.
>”We need to stalk the task force from afar so we can get the jump on Eddie.” Play it safe. You guys aren’t Elise.
>Write-in

Last reply. OP needs sleep now. See you next time!

>(2/2)

>>4369018
>”We need to stalk the task force from afar so we can get the jump on Eddie.” Play it safe. You guys aren’t Elise.

>>4369018
>”We need to stalk the task force from afar so we can get the jump on Eddie.” Play it safe. You guys aren’t Elise.

>>4369018
>”We need to stalk the task force from afar so we can get the jump on Eddie.” Play it safe. You guys aren’t Elise.

possible cameras in the van

>>4369610
Of course there's cameras in the van

>>4369018
Wait so where was Eddie when Clyde got the jump on Elise? I thought we were in the van as a reverse trap so we could take Eddie as a hostage...that does sound less than heroic now that I phrase it that way.

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Before you do anything else, you need to tell Bernard what you found, because it’s the most important thing for the teleporter to know at the moment.

“Eddie’s the hacker mutant.” You get straight to the point, and, even though you can’t see his eyes from the glare of the visor, there’s a shift in his body language that’s either disbelief or shock— you think it’s probably both— but nonetheless you continue to speak. “That’s what I needed the key to access.”

“Huh. No wonder they had all those safeguards for his file.” He takes a few steps around you as he processes this information. “So what else can he do?”

“He can connect to most electronic devices like computers, phones, speakers, comms— pretty much anything, I think— and he’s also got enhanced intelligence. I didn’t get to finish the file cause Eddie cut me off, but that’s pretty much it.” You’re not too bothered about that, but you would’ve rather gotten all of the information before Eddie decided to show up.

“Huh. Well, he sounded real salty about gettin’ found out.” The static had been loud enough to fill the whole van, so of course Bernard could hear it. “You guys weren’t kiddin’ when you said he sounded like a total screwball. He’s probably gonna try to kill us when he finds us.”

“Mhmm. I don’t think anyone really knows he’s actually a mutant, because his file was listed for medical emergencies only.” You don’t think even John knows, meaning that file was probably a failsafe in case something happened with Eddie’s powers.

“Yeah, I bet the workers would be mad that their own boss was goin’ against corporate policy, right?” Technically, they are with Julia, but she doesn’t count, since she’s not at FutureLabs of her own free will. “Wonder if there are any other mutants workin’ for them…”

“Anyways, if there was a camera in the van, then Eddie already knows that we were hiding with the task force agents, and he’ll probably expect us to get him that way.” Bernard nods. “That’s why we need to stalk him from the outside instead— we’ll follow the cars to where they’re tracking Ellie, and, when we find a good opening, we’ll take advantage of that.”

He’ll definitely still be with Clyde, so that’s where you’ll find him. Then you’ll need to find some way to separate the two, and, once you do that, you can do what you need to do to keep him off the field for a while. Maybe you can figure out if they have any other mutants stuck working for FutureLabs like Bernard suggested, because, if the normal people are treated poorly, you reason that the mutant workers must be treated like absolute dog shit.

“Right!” Bernard says. “Also what about the police-radios? We should probably leave them here if we’re not going back.”

“No. We can still use them to listen in on what they’re doing.” You don’t need to get rid of perfectly good sources of intel.

>(1/2)

>>4370494
Maybe we can be super dicks and out Eddie as a mutie. Make some friction between him and the task force teams?

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>>4370494

Apologies for the delay. Blame the weather-- not me!
>>4350890 we're here btw...

With that settled, you need to get moving, because you still don’t know where Ellie is, and you want to get to her location ahead of time.

Listening in on the radio-comms again, you find that Elise has been tracked to a residential street... and that the task force is already en-route to her location. You don’t spare another second, giving Bernard the location so you can go.

Once teleported to the street, you come to find is that the area’s been completely decimated, as you can clearly see from the roof you teleported onto; there’s more than one impression of someone’s body being slammed down into the asphalt, along with shards of crystals embedded all around in various places.

Must’ve been one hell of a fight.

Taking additional stock of your surroundings, you find that your building has a fire escape that you can use to get down once the task force arrives, and that’s exactly what you were hoping for, because you really can’t afford to use teleports when they’re here (unless it’s a do-or-die situation, of course).

Since you don’t see Ellie here, it’s safe to assume that she won, which doesn’t come as a surprise to you, but if Ellie won, then where’s Julia?

For the next five-to-ten minutes, you and Bernard are stuck sitting on the roof as you wait for the task force to arrive. At one point, you hear something akin to a pained woman's scream among the din of city noises, and you have to question your sanity, as you're not entirely sure of what you heard.

"Did you hear that?" You ask Bernard to see if you were hearing things.

"Hear what?" Bernard tilts his head.

"I... nevermind." Guess you were just hearing things.

>(2/3)

>>4370713

Now that you think about it, Julia should be here since this is where the task force is coming to, but you don’t see hair nor shard of the crystalline mutant anywhere. Your best guess is that Ellie put her somewhere before leaving.

Around the twelfth minute of waiting is when the task force finally arrives with their convoy, coming to a stop midway through the street and pouring out into the area like wasps.

“Cowabunga!” A very-loud, very-Australian shout fills the air, and that’s all it takes for the rest of the goons to start firing.

Gunfire’s going off all around, and, even though everyone looks exactly the same in their task force uniforms, you automatically know where Eddie is, because he’s standing next to the guy with the sniper rifle as he fires off his rounds.

Your senses might suck, but you can see the blur of motion that is definitely Elise, and the only thing going through your mind is just... what the actual hell?! Because she should’ve left but didn’t for whatever reason.

You don’t have time to get mad over it, because now, in this chaos, it would be a perfect time to do something to Eddie.

>What do you do?
>Slingshot Eddie. Get that jerk’s attention and piss him off! (1d20)
>Slingshot Clyde. Cause you can, that’s why! (1d20)
>Attempt to tranq Eddie. (though you’ll have to figure out how to get his body out of there). (1d20)
>Other

>(3/3)

>>4370749
>Attempt to tranq Eddie. (though you’ll have to figure out how to get his body out of there). (1d20)

Take out everyone we can and hope they abandon him?

Clyde certainly won't give a shit, leave him unshot

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4370749
>Attempt to tranq Eddie. (though you’ll have to figure out how to get his body out of there). (1d20)
>>4370759
Roll

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4370759
>>4370749

>>4370775
>>4370783
I hope the guys didn’t go to sleep coz those rolls are shit

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>>4370802

I wonder who could be behind them...

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4370749
>Attempt to tranq Eddie. (though you’ll have to figure out how to get his body out of there). (1d20)
I know we said teleport was a last resort but why don't we teleport him out and *then* tranq him?

>>4370823
Faster, more accurate, safer, easier.

>>4370823

We can. The roll is good enough that we've more or less succeeded, so, if no one else has too big of a problem with potentially being spotted at the big Pharos takedown, I'll call the vote in like 10-15 mins...

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Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4370807
>Slingshot Clyde
Best roll right

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>>4370823
>>4370783
>>4370775

The agents who aren’t still firing their rounds at Elise are running off to see where she went, others are moving to-and-fro from the vans, but Clyde remains terribly obstinate, because even though Elise is no longer in sight he’s still firing off rounds into the distance.

Psychopath is the only word that comes to mind as you sprint down the fire escape, pulling the tranquilizer gun from your holster, and there’s enough commotion down below that you don’t really need to worry about noise. Shooting forwards into the crowd, you feel Bernard’s presence separate from you as you center in on your target.

The reddish hair sticking out from the bottom of the helmet is a beacon to you, and there’s so much clamoring from the agents that no one seems to notice either yours or Bernard’s intentions, not even when you and Bernard are so close that you can smell the sulfur coming from Clyde’s rounds.

As soon as Bernard’s hand touches his shoulder, you press the gun into Eddie’s back and fire as the three of you are taken in the green light of the teleport.

Eddie doesn’t stay on his two feet, pistol falling from his grasp as he falls to his knees. However, there’s an upturn of his lips that gives you a terrible feeling, and, from beneath the helmet, you can see a faint blue glow before you feel a white-hot burning at your side from your radio-comm being set aflame.

Burnt-plastic odor fills the air, and you retaliate with a kick that throws Eddie to the ground, effectively wiping the smile from his face. Bernard, too, hadn’t been spared from his power, his own radio having also turned on him. From the corner of your eye, you see him throw it to the ground.

But that isn’t the end of it. Any electronic device on your person is conflagrated, the pain searing. The tinier devices like the comms didn’t do that much damage, but the cell phones hurt.

You deliver another kick into his side, this one harder than the last, and, this time, he stops, hissing from how hard your kick had been.

“I… hate that…” He says, slowly and lethargically, the glow of his power fading.

“Good, because that was just the start.” You tell him. Not the most heroic thing to say, but whatever.

Pulling his helmet right from his head reveals the same face you saw in the picture— Braun, Edmund: hacker mutant and total jerk.

But now he’s looking at you with his eyes aglow, probably trying to scan you or something with his powers. You’re definitely going to tie him up once Bernard finishes getting the zip-ties that he has, so, in the meantime, you’ll start your interrogation.

“What do you want from me anyhow?” Eddie asks, beating you to the punch, and he's surprisingly verbose for someone who’d just gotten tranqued. “Is it cause you wanted to have an easier time with the task force… or was it for more personal reasons?”

>>4370970

>”That’s our business— not yours, Eddie.” Be calm, and be the man in charge in this situation.
>”Why are you still working for FutureLabs if you’re a mutant?” Really dumb question, but better than falling for bait.
>”You’re going to tell me where the other mutants working for FutureLabs are. Not the ones from the Epsilon Trials. The actual, free-walking people.” Don’t fall for the obvious bait. Talk to him about some real shit.
>”Personal reasons? What are you talking about?”
>"Yeah. Your powers made you a pretty big pain in our sides-- it's basic strategy to take out the strongest players first, isn't it?"
>Proceed to breaking his limbs.
>write-in

>>4370974
>”Why are you still working for FutureLabs if you’re a mutant?” Really dumb question, but better than falling for bait.

>>4370974
>”Why are you still working for FutureLabs if you’re a mutant?” Really dumb question, but better than falling for bait.

>>4370974
>"How does it feel to betray your own brother?

Quote from Clyde last session: “You know I don’t believe you were the guy who leaked the key codes cause you’re too much of a lug, but you’re definitely a sympathizer for the freaks. Ya don’t even see Braun gettin’ into that shit, and he’s got a bloody sibling behind bars!” More laughter fills the sewers. “He’s one hell of a dick, I’ll give him that much. Rumor has it that he turned him in himself.”

>>4370989
Crap, just remembered that we were Ellie in the sewer when we heard that, so never mind. But it's something she can say when we get back with her.

>>4370970
"But now he’s looking at you with his eyes aglow, probably trying to scan you or something with his powers."
He's recording, probably livestreaming in fact, and giving away our position. The guy's a walking cell phone. We don't have long.
>"A bit of both, I guess." Shoot him again, side of the neck.
Broken limbs are one thing, Ellie threatening to eat him is another. We need more information on Julia if she's going to be anything other than a burden.

>>4370974
>”Personal reasons? What are you talking about?”

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>>4370976
>>4370975

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>>4370975
>>4370976
>>4371204

Apologies for the delay. Day was busy. Reeeeeeeeee

“Why are you still working for FutureLabs if you’re a mutant?” You ignore Eddie’s obvious provocation.

“You know I was working for FutureLabs before the accident, but, if you’re really that desperate for an elaboration…” As he speaks, his eyes stare directly into yours. “… it’s because Doctor Charles made me a promise.”

Though it could be a myriad of things, you wonder what the FutureLabs CEO had offered Eddie to keep loyal for this long, and you find yourself asking, “What kind of promise?”

There’s something indecipherable in his eyes as Eddie deliberates on whether or not he should tell you, but, since the mutant’s at your mercy, you think he’s more inclined to talk, which he does after a long, stretching moment.

“He has someone very close to me, so, as long as I continue to do as he asks, he promised that he’d live.” Though the gravity of the admission is heavy, Eddie’s voice remains monotone. “The survival of my own body is inconsequential at this point, so I don’t care what happens to it. I don’t care what happens to you either.”

“Well, if it’s a matter of gettin’ someone out of mutant-jail, then what’s the big deal? Don’t they give you guys the keys to the cells or something like that?” Bernard tries to be helpful and ignores that last thing Eddie said, handing you one of the zip ties that hadn’t been burnt away by the radio. You waste no time in tying Eddie up.

“No.” Eddie says, strangely unresistant to the bonds being placed around his hands. “Even if I wanted to, the doctor would immediately know it was me, and I don’t think I’ll ever be forgiven for what I did.”

“Well, what did you do?” Bernard inquires. “Can’t be worse than what anyone else does in that place.”

Eddie doesn’t answer, and, for the faintest fraction of a second, you see something pained cross his face— the first trace of any emotion you’ve seen on him this whole time. Blue binary plays across his eyes like rapid ticker tape, and you wonder what he’s trying to do.

Not wanting to take any chances, you grab him by the neckerchief he’s wearing, pressing barrel of the tranquilizer gun into his neck. “If you’re trying to bring the rest of the agents here somehow, I can just tranq you and be done with it.”

“Wow.” Eddie says flatly. “Violent much—?” Since you the media doesn't have an official codename for you, he doesn't know what to call you.

“Bludgeon.” You tell him, because you want someone to get it right for once. “And you still didn’t tell me what you’re doing with your power, cause you're not being subtle at all.”

>(1/2)

>>4372590

“Just happens sometimes. They don’t teach you how to control your powers down at the labs, you douche.” If you twist the gun a little further into his skin, it’s purely accidental. “And cut it out with the tranquilizer gun already. If you’re going to tranquilize me, just do it instead of prolonging this.”

Even though you don’t trust Eddie at all, you remove the gun from his neck and let him fall to the ground. You’re still not sure where Bernard teleported you, and obviously it’s some warehouse— that you can plainly see— but its location in the city is uncertain due to the height of its windows.

You still have more questions you want to ask the hacker mutant— dozens if you had the time— because information is what wins wars, and, even though you’re not out somewhere fighting an actual, bonafide war, you might as well be with the kind of guys FutureLabs is sending after you. However, before you ask Eddie something else, you’ll have to consider whether or not that’s a safe option, because, even though he's on the ground now, every second you spend talking to him is an extra second to let the tranquilizer dart wear off.

>What do you say/do?
>”Even though I read your file, I’d like a real explanation on how your power works.”
>”Do you know if there are any other mutant personnel in FutureLabs?” You want to know if there are others being blackmailed.
>”What does Atticus Charles make you do, and how did he find out you were a mutant?” Because Eddie’s powers should’ve been easy to hide.
>Tranq him already
>Break something small, just for starters
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4372650
>”What does Atticus Charles make you do, and how did he find out you were a mutant?” Because Eddie’s powers should’ve been easy to hide.

>>4372650

Also forgot to mention last reply of the day. See you next session!

>>4372650
>”Do you know if there are any other mutant personnel in FutureLabs?” You want to know if there are others being blackmailed.

>>4372650
>”What does Atticus Charles make you do, and how did he find out you were a mutant?” Because Eddie’s powers should’ve been easy to hide.

>>4372730
+1 so hopefully both questions can be asked
Also ohhhhhhhhh maybe the physical key requirement was a safeguard against Eddie tampering with secure files.

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>>4372662
>>4372730
>>4373117
>>4373194

Since Eddie doesn’t seem too bothered about getting shot by the tranquilizer gun, you opt to pick up the nearest random blunt-force object you find, which happens to be a long metal pipe. Of course you still have your dart-gun in your other hand just in case something happens, but it feels good to have an object you can swing again.

Returning your focus to Eddie, you find he still hasn’t really moved or done much of anything since you put him down. That’s why you don’t waste time in shooting off your next question.

“What does Atticus Charles make you do, and how did he find out you were a mutant?” You ask because Eddie’s power should’ve been easy to hide, and you want to know how he didn’t. You also want to know he ended up becoming Atticus Charles’ primary bitch-slave.

“I am responsible for tracking potential mutants through the Internet, and coordinating logistics both inside and outside the task force.” Eddie says, almost robotically. “I also use my power to design algorithms for various machines and gadgets.”

That’s… actually pretty cool, and it probably helps that he has so much knowhow on computers. All Eddie has to do is think, and he has a code that’s already been translated directly into binary. If there’s ever been a moment where you might’ve been jealous of someone’s mutant powers, now would be the time. Thankfully, your helmet hides most of your facial features.

“Does that mean you’re the one who’s been censorin’ all the posts about mutants on social media?” Bernard interrupts with a question of his own, and it tears you from your train of thought.

“No, Doctor Charles paid off most of the major social media websites right after the mutant crisis began. I monitor CCTV cameras and look for whoever manages to slip through the cracks online.” Eddie explains before he looks to you, which is when he remembers that he still hasn’t answered the second half of your question. “But the doctor knew I was a mutant from the start— he was there when we turned on the particle accelerator, and so was everyone else.”

Practically every staff member in FutureLabs had been there that night, and the majority of them had to be kept under observation afterwards to make sure that they didn’t have radiation poisoning or something along those lines— you remember hearing that much from John after he came home one of the following nights. That’s what drives you to ask your next question, because you wonder how many other mutants are in Eddie’s position.

“Are there any other mutant personnel in FutureLabs?”

>(1/?)

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>>4374098

“There are currently five, but I don’t know who they are.” The hacker doesn’t miss a beat. “We don’t have them on file unless strictly necessary.” Like with how Eddie’s file had been under literal lock and key, but that also means that, if there were any other mutants on the task force, their files would’ve also been there for you to access.

Though he’s answered all your questions thus far, it’s hard to tell what the hacker mutant is really thinking. Is Eddie telling you all of this information out of resentment towards FutureLabs for whoever they’re holding over his head, or does he think he’ll be able to get the jump on you somehow? If he tries anything you still have your tranq gun on hand, and Bernard has his too (though you’re honestly not sure if the teleporter's ever used a gun before).

>(2/?)

>>4374100

Right, you still need to tranquilize him again.

Thinking back on what you know of the longevity of various tranquilizer darts in a human body, you’ve heard that they could last anywhere from forty-five minutes to three hours, and, since Eddie’s been awake the whole time, you really shouldn’t be pushing your luck. You click the safety off the gun, pointing it directly towards his exposed skin.

“Is that really how you’re going to repay me for giving you all of that intel?” Eddie inquires from the ground, shifting with the bonds. You think he’s having second thoughts about being tranquilized.

“Hey, don’t be a coward. We caught you fair and square!” That comes from Bernard.

“Fine…” He says, not looking at either of you. “Actually, before you get to that, I do have something that’s been bothering me. It’s fine if you don’t want to answer, but I want to know how you guys got hold of the gas codes.”

“Gas codes? You mean—“ Bernard stops himself in his tracks, not wanting to admit his crimes to someone who can probably translate memory into code, and therefore upload this conversation to a computer.

“Those would be the ones.” Eddie confirms. “Mind you, the information isn’t available to all of our personnel, so you couldn’t have obtained them without somehow coming into contact with another FutureLabs employee.”

“We found them.” You say, and it’s technically the truth. They’d been in that file stack Ellie found, written down by John.

“Bullshit.” Eddie hisses, not believing what you say one bit, that droning, nearly-robotic persona unraveling just the slightest bit. “The probability of you coming across such information is numerically impossible— one in ten-million, to be exact. The only answer is a mole, so I want to know who you’ve been in contact with.”

“Nobody, Ed— there’s no mole around here, and Bludgeon doesn’t lie.” Bernard backs you up, though he still looks a little uncertain about the whole thing, and it’s probably because he hadn’t been there at the time of the code’s discovery.

Eddie still doesn’t look like he believes you. In fact, he looks angrier for some reason, but, as soon as you notice, it quickly disappears.

>(3/?)

I'm going to have to leave it here for tonight. I'll definitely have the rest out tomorrow-- sorry for the delay!

>>4374153
it's strange the this part came a long time after the others, but okay we'll wait for you

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>>4374177
Get back to work OP

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>>4374153
"The only answer is a mole, so I want to know who you’ve been in contact with.”

>>4374153
we hit that one in ten million chance bby
guess I'm a mutant with super luck get wrecked

>>4374891
Does proximity to a mutation medium matter more than (or, as much as) genetic predisposition I wonder

Matt the Luck Mutant
John the Time Dilation Mutant
Elise the Creature from the Black Lagoon

So like the family was gonna get mutated but they mutate to interface with the thing they're associating with at the time. Maybe having a family member close to the mutation source is more likely to make genetically similar people also mutate, or maybe mutants have an inherent mutagenic radiation field that they generate just walking around.

>>4374153

Eddie shifts a little more from the ground, likely uncomfortable from kneeling in one place for so long. You also might’ve made those bonds tighter than you should’ve, so there’s that.

Speaking of which, you still have some nasty first and second-degree burns that need to be treated that sting every time you move, no thanks to Eddie. Quite resistant to damage, your FutureLabs-standard suit has merely been partially burnt through, but the clothes you were wearing beneath them are beyond repair.

“Where did you take us anyways?” Eddie suddenly asks, bringing your attention back to him.

“Random warehouse.” Is your curt response, because you’re not going to let him know where you are. “Do you really take us for idiots?”

“Him and Kelpie are, but not you. You’re likely the most intelligent, if not the only intelligent, person in the M-Guard.” The hacker tells you, and it kind of feels like he's trying to compliment you. “However, if our positions were switched, I would’ve already have broken half the bones in your body, if not straight-out killed you after getting the information I wanted, but I wouldn’t make you suffer for too long.” Wow. Thanks a bunch, Eddie. “Even though you no longer qualify as a human being, I still think suffering is pointless, and I’m not that big of an asshole…”

That’s why it’s completely unexpected when he springs upwards, eyes alit once more, and he nearly has you on the ground in a sweeping kick.

Hands unbound, Eddie launches forwards with his right fist, but you realize a second too late that it’s a feint, which is how his elbow catches you right in the side, right in the place where you’d been burnt.

The gun falls from your grasp, and you stand your ground over the space where it had fallen, while Bernard tries to attack from behind with a teleport. However, Eddie’s other fist is waiting in the spot right where he’d teleported to, catching the blonde in the sternum.

You dumbass. You absolute, selfish dumbass! So desperate for those precious tidbits of information, you’d pushed your luck by asking too many questions, allowing Eddie enough time for the drug to wear off and get himself out of the zip ties. Now you’re stuck fighting someone who can predict your moves like a machine.

You still have your metal pipe, and Bernard still has the tranquilizer gun. However, since he hasn’t tried to shoot it yet, you were probably right about him being unable to shoot a gun.

>What do you do?
>roll 1d20 to defend
>roll 1d20 to attack
>roll 1d20 to distract
>make dive for your tranq
>write-in

>(4/4)

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4375021
>roll 1d20 to pin
>"Fucking shoot him, Blink!"

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>4375021
>roll 1d20 to distract
Dammit, dude’s a literal fighting machine

>>4375045
>>4375046
neat rolls

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>>4375045

>>4375021
>“Even though you no longer qualify as a human being, I still think suffering is pointless, and I’m not that big of an asshole…”
Did he forget he's also a mutant ?

>>4375056
Still thinks he can change back? Who can blame him, it's only resulted in being enslaved for exactly his exceptionality.

>>4375056
He's a 14 year old boy who just learned that philosophy majors exist

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>4375100
Oh uh
>make dive for your tranq

>>4375021
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE NO ONE TELLS PHAROS THAT WE DEPROGRAMMED CONDUIT

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>>4375131

>>4375045
Guess we're pinning the guy down

>>4375051
Timestamps
>>4375325
Guess we're choking him out while Bernard chokes

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>>4375356
>>4375325
>>4375055
>>4375051
>>4375045

You drop the metal pipe you’d been carrying to the side and charge the bastard, who’d been trying to choke Bernard.

Taking him by the arms, you flip the bastard over your shoulders and throw him to the ground, following up with the rest of your body to pin him down. The hacker violently struggles beneath your hold, and his eyes are shining such a bright blue that you might’ve had to cover your eyes if not for the visor.

“Fucking shoot him, Blink!” You shout, and all you can do is focus on holding Eddie down.

Though you can’t see Bernard, you’re counting on him to not fuck this up, because the skin of Eddie’s neck is perfectly exposed and is asking to have a dart shot in it, and, even when your muscles begin to burn and strain, you continue to push harder against him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Zh6saBuXE ‘Pew—‘

Like a switch, the light recedes, the resistance stops, and the hacker falls to the ground like a ragdoll. Obviously, the first dart hadn't been enough, but, with the presence of the added tranquilizer dose in his system, you're pretty sure that Eddie won't be moving for a while.

Getting up off the floor, you find that bluish eyes are fighting to stay open, even as they remain fixated on you. Bernard, meanwhile, looks relieved as he hands you more zip ties, and, while Eddie lies there helplessly, you waste no time in binding him twice-over along his arms and legs, because as long as he can move he can still fight.

“Say, when do you think Kelpie's gonna be here?” Bernard asks, once you’ve finished binding Eddie.

“Not sure. She should’ve been here by now, but she might be carrying Sopor with her.” Which is great, because you’d love to deal with both Pharos and Valjean right after you just finished with this guy.

“Want me to call her?” Bernard asks, before remembering that Eddie had likely incinerated his phone. “Oh right, hackhead destroyed all of our stuff, so now I’m gonna have to buy a new cell phone.” The teleporter looks a little miffed about that. “If you don’t mind, I’m gonna see where she is, cause we're actually right next to the meetup point.”

“Okay, I’ll keep an eye on Eddie.” You tell him, and he hands you the tranquilizer gun. “Good shot, by the way.”

As Bernard teleports away, you manage to catch a glimpse of a blinding grin on his face from the compliment, but now you're left alone with Eddie.

>(1/2)

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>>4375580

Deathly quiet, he’s still staring at up at you, more lethargic-looking than the first time you shot him. “Bludgeon… You’re a dick.” He says, slow and blank as ever.

“Your point, hypocrite?” Because he was just trying to choke Bernard to death not even five minutes ago.

“Just wanted to say it…” Is the response he gives you from his place on the ground. “… but I am genuinely wondering what you are planning to do with me. You can’t hide me forever, and it won’t only be FutureLabs who will be looking for me when they realize I'm missing.”

>What do you say?”
>”We’re going to keep you as hostage, of course.” Because one or two hostages obviously isn't enough.
>”I’m going to break your bones, just so you can’t be a bigger jerk than you already have been.”
>”Who’s going to be looking for you?” You might already know the answer, but you’ll play along anyways.
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4375609
>”Who’s going to be looking for you?” You might already know the answer, but you’ll play along anyways.

>>4375609
>write-in
>"We'll send you back, if you really want to go. You're an unwilling, dangerous, brainwashed ambassador, not a hostage."

>>4375623
So do we brainwash him or tell him how Pharos' power works?

Last reply for the night btw! OP has to sleep. See you next session!

>>4375614
+1

>>4375609
>”Who’s going to be looking for you?” You might already know the answer, but you’ll play along anyways.

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>>4376229

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>>4376229
>>4375638
>>4375626
>>4375623
>>4375614

”Who’s going to be looking for you?” You ask, but, besides John, Eddie doesn’t come across as a guy who can hold that many friends— well, at least not anymore.

“My brother. He’s the one they have in the containment cells…” Eddie says, staring up at the ceiling. If not for the fact that his eyes were wide open, it would almost seem as if he were asleep with how deathly still the rest of his body is. “I also have a good friend… I haven’t told him I’m a mutant, but I think he’d miss me too.”

John, your mind immediately supplies, and you realize that, despite how important he must be to FutureLabs, Eddie probably doesn’t have that many people he can really trust.

“We’ll send you back, if you really want to go. You're an unwilling, dangerous, brainwashed ambassador, not a hostage." You end up telling him before you can think better of it. Fuck. Are you actually starting to feel bad for this guy after all he tried to do to you?

“Are you really comparing me to the Epsilon subjects?” Eddie interprets that wrongly.

“No.” You shake your head. “What I mean is you’re being held against your will and doing Atticus Charles’ dirty-work. No one would ever be doing the things you’re doing on their own.”

The hacker doesn’t respond, and he’s quiet for a good, long while, obviously contemplating something. “Say, Bludgeon,” Eddie starts again, trying his best to get as comfortable as possible in his current state. “Let’s say Kelpie was in containment, and you had the opportunity to keep her alive. Would you do it any differently if you were in my position?”

That’s not even a question. You’d do anything to keep Elise safe— Bernard too. As much as you hate to admit it to yourself, you wouldn’t hesitate in the slightest; maybe that’s the reason that you haven’t broken Eddie’s bones like you promised yourself you would. Eventually, you respond: “I’m pretty sure you know the answer.”

For some reason, Eddie laughs a strange laugh at your answer, breathy and without any heart to it.

“I just wanted to survive. I want my brother to survive too.” The hacker says after it’s silent again, and you feel as if he’s talking like he’s at the end of his rope. Has he given up that quickly on his brother and himself? Does he think you’re still going to do something to him? You try not to think too hard on it. FutureLabs just screwed him up that badly, you think.

”Then don’t go back. We can figure out a way to help you and your brother.” You’re being honest.

>(1/2)

>>4376675

Eddie says nothing, eyes fixated on the ceiling once more. “Do you want the truth, Bludgeon?”

“I… screwed up. I am the reason everything’s screwed up for myself.” Eddie’s eyes are starting to glow again in a dim and lackluster shade of blue. “I think that my brother will be okay without me, but I’m…afraid to leave.” He admits, and, once more, the machine-like facade begins to crumble; you wonder if that’s another aspect of his power that he can’t control or if it’s just from FutureLabs majorly frigging up his self-perception. Probably both.

>”You were planning to escape? How were you going to do that?” That’s good, right?
>”Do whatever you want. In the end, you’re the one who’s in control of your life, not Atticus-freaking-Charles.” Tell him as you think it is.
>”I don’t care what you do. We’re gonna win anyways.”
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4376690
>”You were planning to escape? How were you going to do that?” That’s good, right?

>>4376690
>”Do whatever you want. In the end, you’re the one who’s in control of your life, not Atticus-freaking-Charles.” Tell him as you think it is.

>>4376690
>write-in
I think we need to tell him how Pharos' ability works. If we don't, we're Crux.

>>4376690
>”Do whatever you want. In the end, you’re the one who’s in control of your life, not Atticus-freaking-Charles.” Tell him as you think it is.
>”I don’t care what you do. We’re gonna win anyways.”
A combination of the two

>>4376690
"Why haven't you used your powers to find and free your brother?"

Maybe he can create a program on a usb that Blink can bring into the mainframe of Futuretech to bypass whatever anti-hack bullshit they got?

>>4376694
>>4376699
>>4376930
>>4377142

”Do whatever you want. In the end, you’re the one who’s in control of your life, not Atticus-freaking-Charles.” You tell Eddie as it is, and Eddie looks taken aback, like someone had come and told him that two and two really do make four.

Pulling Eddie up off the ground, you drag him so that he can sit against a wall, because you’re not so much of a dick that you’ll let your not-hostage keep writhing on the floor.

You really couldn’t put a name to what you were seeing before, but you think that Eddie looks seriously lost. Now that he wants to take the first steps in cutting his ties with FutureLabs, you’ll make sure to help him (but you’re still not quite ready to cut him from his bonds yet, not when you’re still alone).

“What did you have in mind, by the way?” You ask, because, from how he had been talking before, it seemed like Eddie already had some sort of plan in mind.

“If I had died or had been put in a coma tonight, Doctor Charles said he wouldn’t hold it against me…” Eddie says in lieu of a straight answer. “…I’m going to make it look as if I were dead, but that will not be true.” He averts his gaze to the ground.

“So… you’re going to fake your death somehow with your powers?” You ask, based on Eddie’s words, but you’re also confused. He’s really going to leave his brother behind after all that shit he was saying before?!

“Why haven’t you just used your hacking powers to free your brother instead? If it’s a matter of accessibility, we could have Blink go back into FutureLabs and install your program.” Because that seems way more productive than just hiding from the problem like a freaking coward.

“You could do that...” He whispers, a twinge of hope in his voice, but his face becomes serious again as he remembers what he had been talking about before. “...but I know what you might be thinking about me and my plan: ‘I’m a dick for wanting to run away,' ‘I’m an ass and a coward,' and ‘why didn’t you hack your brother out before?’”

You don’t answer. “Do you not remember what I said about the doctor keeping track of my every move? That includes what I do electronically. They have so many safeguards for their systems that you’d think they were the feds— I didn’t even know what was in my file until you opened it, so thanks for that.” Eddie takes a moment to shuffle against the wall, and, again, the look in his eyes is deathly serious. “I promise that I’m not leaving, Bludgeon… at least not in the way you’d think. But once I do this, I’ll be able to dedicate every last second of my time to producing a code. You’ll see for yourself.”

>(1/?)

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>>4377205

“You still haven’t told me the actual specifics of your plan, so don’t give me anymore cryptic bullshit answers and tell me what you’re going to do. I want to help, but you need to help me help you first.” There’s a time to play around like that, but now is not the time.

“I can’t take this body with me. It’s too easy to find.” Eddie starts once more. “If I am somehow captured or killed from the task force coming after me, then I will never see my brother again, so I don’t want to take that chance.” You still aren’t sure what he’s getting at, but it seems like he’s trying to explain his plan. “However, if Doctor Charles thinks I’m in a coma, I can do what I want, uninhibited, because it will simply be like an old, abandoned shell...”

“You said that when you hacked us the first time.” You remember your conversation with Elise in the car.

Surprise crosses his face for the briefest moment, but then his features smooth back to how they once had once been, the faintest trace of a smile on his face. “I guess I did.”

You still don’t understand what he’s about to do, how shells relate to any of this crap, or how he’s even going to pull this plan of his off? Eddie’s power’s technopathy— hacking, coding, information uploading and downloading… Computer Consciousness— fuck, that’s it!

And you understand.

>(2/?)

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>>4377232

“Hey, Matt.” The use of your real name has you frozen in place, completely derailing your train of thought. “You don’t really strike me as the squeamish type, but try not to be disturbed by what you see.” That’s the last thing Eddie says before the room is filled with blue light.

His eyes are glowing, so much brighter than they ever had been, and there’s something about the spectacle that has you unable to move. You’re not sure what to do; if you interfere, you might screw something up. If you don’t, you don’t know what will happen.

You don’t know how much time has passed, and it seems time has crawled to a screeching halt— that is, until, without warning, his eyes become dim, like a machine powering down.

His head lolls forwards as his eyes slowly drift close, and you can still see the steady rising and falling of his chest when you take a few steps closer.

There is another source of light, coming from behind his back. Turning over Eddie’s unconscious body, you find that there is something grasped in between arms that are still bound.

Picking it up, you recognize the case immediately, because this is Bernard’s cell phone.

The screen is completely blue, like how it was when Eddie had used his power, but something’s trying to play on it. However, you can’t tell what it is because it’s still buffering.

>What is it? (Roll d100)
>1: The phone turns off; nitey nite
>2-25: Just another normal day at the labs
>25- 50: It’s Eddie’s time at KIT
>50-75: It’s something wrong
>75-99: Looks like someone’s on the ground
>100: ???


Last reply of the night.
We close the thread either tomorrow, Tuesday, or something...

Also if you're wondering how Eddie didn't know Matt's name until a certain point, refer to the phrase "shuffle against the wall." The phone hadn't been on until that point, when it could be turned on for info uploading.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>4377241

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>4377241

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>4377241
Ally get!

>>4377241
Ok, first of all I'm mad at Bernard for having info that contains our identity on what should be a burner cell, which we all should have gotten once we knew about a tech mutant.

Second, I feel bad for Eddie. Imagine having a consciousness so simple it can fit in the hardware of a cell phone.

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Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>4377560

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been waiting since thread 5 to drop this here...

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>4378311
Come on ten squares

>>4378311
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NzishIREebw
>afraid to leave
>disqualified as human
Such
An
Madlad
Eddie

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Sorry kings, but might not be able to update tonight. Take this masterpiece of a master sniper in the meantime.

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>>4378362

It takes a couple of seconds for the static to clear, but, when it does, it fizzles out into the background of someone’s apartment.

There is another guy on the ground with the same face and hair as Eddie; you can tell that the guy is definitely his brother. Unlike Eddie, his hair is wild and unkempt, like he’d never seen a mirror in his life, and beneath the reddish hair that’s hanging in his face are a pair of monochrome eyes with geometric shapes swirling wildly about them.

His hands are bound, a pair of handcuffs strapped around his wrist as he looks up at Eddie with heaving shoulders.

‘Tell me where the rest of them are!’ His eyes are manic, and, although his mouth isn’t moving, there is the clear sound of a voice coming through the phone’s speakers. ‘You—you never told me you were a part of that shit! You could’ve told me where they all were, and— and I could’ve… I could’ve—‘

“Could’ve what? Walked right into FutureLabs and took them all home?” Eddie’s voice is cold and blank, and his brother doesn’t have an answer. “By the way, you never told me you were making bombs for the Crux, Ernst, or should I call you by your other name?”

Eddie turns to the backpack that you hadn’t been able to see before, packed with a bomb no doubt. “What were you intending to do with that thing anyways? I’m betting you had no plan and were just going to keep bombing stuff until something comes out of it, which it wouldn’t.”

Ernst doesn’t answer, he just continues to look up at him with those fractals roiling about their confines.

“I oversaw most of the police activity at Kastan Hospital, you know.” Eddie tells him, and the look on Ernst’s face darkens. “We caught over ninety-nine percent of all mutants present. I know for a fact you weren’t there, but one of the mutants ratted you out.”

‘They wouldn’t— ‘ Ernst denies from the floor. ‘I'm too way valuable to Pharos for them to do that to me.’ He sounds way too convinced of himself.

“If there’s no honor among thieves, then what kind of rules do you think apply to you, Conduit?” The insinuation of that statement is not lost on you, and, at both the words and the use of his alias, Ernst becomes positively red in the face.

'What about you?! You’re the one who’s helping them catch and kill other mutants with your own powers!’ The mental voice is positively furious, as Ernst hisses through his teeth. ‘When the police come, I’ll make sure to tell them you’re a mutant too!’

“They already know.” You know that’s a bluff, but Ernst definitely seems to believe it. “And I use my abilities directly under the supervision of Doctor Charles, so, had you not been such a stubborn asshole, I could’ve arranged something for you too.”

>(1/3)

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>>4379589

‘As if I’d ever want to work for a bunch of mutant-killers!’ You more-or-less expected an answer along those lines.

There are more police sirens in the background now, and Ernst seems to notice that too. Eddie takes another step closer to his brother, looking Ernst directly in the eyes.

“At this point, this is the best-case scenario for you.” Eddie tells him. “If the police had come on their own, there was a seventy-five percent chance you would’ve died, based on both yours and their reactions. If I had let you leave the house with that bomb, there was a ninety-nine percent chance you’ll die based on your inability to handle yourself on your own.”

His brother’s eyes are glossy but no less angry then they were before, and the madness in them from Pharos’ power is palpable even though the screen.

It’s at this point where you hear the door open, footsteps pounding from somewhere in the background, and that’s when you know that it’s basically over for Eddie’s brother.

Then the noise in his head devolves into screaming— loud, distorted, desperate pleas— and it isn’t until Ernst is dragged off by a pair of men in suits with his mouth open in a silent scream that the scene suddenly changes.

The room is white.

It’s the mutant containment center; you know this, because you remember seeing some of it in the video that Ellie and Bernard had brought home.

‘Will you talk to me this time?’ You have a feeling that Eddie is thinking his words this time. ‘I’ve heard that you’ve lost over fifteen pounds in the past two weeks. Care to explain why?’

A peek through the tiny window shows Ernst, this time sitting on his cot with his knees curled up to his chest. When he looks up at Eddie, it’s clear to see that the bones of his face are more pronounced than in the last memory, but, when he notices that Eddie looking, he just tries harder to shove his head further into his knees.

>(2/3)

>>4379596

Backing away from the window, Eddie opts to stand by the door as opposed keeping his face plastered against the window, waiting patiently for his brother to talk (if he even will).

‘…why didn’t you tell me I was out of my mind?’ Ernst eventually says, and his voice is miserable, despondent.

‘You didn’t listen.’ Eddie simply responds, and he pauses as if considering something. ‘When did this occur to you?’

‘None of your business.’ The mental voice snaps, but the bite to it is pitiful.

‘I’m guessing that this existential crisis that you’ve been having is a by-product of something happening during the break-in we had on our facilities.’ Eddie probably had already known the answer. ‘Security footage showed the intruders standing by your cell for an indeterminate amount of time, and we know for a fact that one one them happens to be the former Crux member known as Blink.’

‘I brought them here.’ Ernst tells his brother. ‘I didn’t know that they were intruders.’

‘You’re lying through your teeth.’ Eddie returns in his typical monotone. Not quite a fitting analogy, but Elise had already told you of the mental conversation that happened, where she had showed Ernst the memory of Pharos admitting his power; and, from the looks of it, he hadn’t taken it too well. ’I simply want to know what they said to you, because at this rate you’re going to waste away, and the doctors won’t be so kind if they have to take you to the ICU.’

Ernst scoffs. ’Not like you gave a shit until you knew…’

I know I said I wouldn't delete stuff, but I had to delete files cause mixed my drafts again... whoops.

>(3/4)

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>>4379733

It’s with those last words that the memory ends, and the screen goes back to that flashing blue. You think that either transferring his consciousness over to the device took a lot out of Eddie or he’s already started on the code. With how fast the screen’s going, you’re not quite sure.

You also don’t know how to feel about the fact that Eddie’s brother had apparently been a very dangerous member of the Crux, but whatever Ellie had told him worked, if not completely sent him off the deep end. Although it looks like Ernst regrets what he's done, in any case, the whole situation is just plain screwed up.

Eddie’s body is still lying on the ground, unconscious, but you know that you’re going to have to do something about it before the night’s over.

>What do you do?
>See if Eddie’s doing alright in that phone
>Start trying to figure out what to do with his body; make it comfy for now
>Wait for Bernard to come back and give him a good talking-to about putting your names on your phone like that— not that you really want to yell at him, but this shit’s important!
>write-in

>(4/4)

>>4379737
>Start trying to figure out what to do with his body; make it comfy for now

>>4379737
>See if Eddie’s doing alright in that phone

Open up the memo program and type in "hey dude u alave or wat"

>>4379737
>See if Eddie’s doing alright in that phone
We want to make it look like he's been comatized, not that he's ditched his body. Don't mess with the body.
>Wait for Bernard to come back and give him a good talking-to about putting your names on your phone like that— not that you really want to yell at him, but this shit’s important!

>>4379737
>See if Eddie’s doing alright in that phone
He's not in the phone, he's somewhere in the internet, right?

>>4379801
+1

>>4379737
I got an idea about what to do woth the body to help with the coma scam.

We teleport near Clyde, throw Eddies body at him, tell Clyde that his "Aussie cunt ass will be next", then teleport away.

It makes them believe we beat Eddie into a coma, and we get to fuck with Clyde.

>>4379741
>>4379756
>>4379801
>>4379818
>>4379875

“Eddie. You alright in there?” You ask the phone, because that’s where Eddie currently is. Nothing happens, blue lines of code still flashing across the screen.

Since he’s not answering, you try to press the home button, surprised that it actually works, and you tap the memo app to write out a simple. ’Hey Eddie r u alive or what?’

Below that, you get the written response of ‘I’m fine.’

Then he adds, ‘I could hear you just fine, you know. I was just busy.’

‘What did you do to yourself?’ You ask, because you want to know how exactly his mental uploading process works.

‘I transferred my consciousness into the phone. I’ve only done this twice with my ability, and the first time was by accident.’ He admits. ‘I also needed to wipe all of the data so I could begin overwriting its internal code to make it more user-friendly for both of us, since I'm going to be here a while. But I will also need a computer to use while I write the program that will get my brother out.’

Not an unreasonable request, but you also don’t want your electronics to be wiped. You make a mental note to buy for a cheap laptop for him.

‘How much do you know about us?’ You type into the phone, because you’d like to know just how much personal info Bernard was messing around with on a fucking burner phone!

‘Just your first names.’ Eddie writes to you. Though, since he knows John, you think that the mutant’s already made the connection. ‘By the way, why are you using the memo app? I can talk with the speakers you want.’

‘It’s fine for now.’ You tell him, and then your mind is brought to another concern of yours— one that’s lying directly on the ground before you. ‘What do you want us to do with your body?’ Because it will need to be placed into proper medical care while Eddie remains in hiding.

‘First you should undo the zip-ties in case there were any marks, because it needs to it looks like I was put into a coma.’ That’s smart. ‘We can’t have any signs of struggle… although the scrapes from the ground can’t be helped.’

You nod, typing an affirmative into the phone.

‘You’re not doing it…’ Eddie writes after a few seconds of you staring into the screen. ‘Do it now.’ That’s the next message that follows.

“Alright. I’ll undo the binds.” You huff aloud, and then you get searching for some sort of sharp object. A few minutes in, and you realize that you forgot your switchblade, even though you don’t really use it all that often, and the agent whose clothes you stole hadn’t been carrying one either.

Maybe Eddie has one, so you take the phone back out again and go right into the note app. "You have a knife or something?" You speak your question.

>(1/?)

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>>4380088

‘Why do we need to carry knives when we all have guns?’ Is the near-instant response. ‘Those are pointless in most fights, so nobody really carries them.’

"I’ll check the rest of my stuff." You tell him, pocketing your phone before searching your utility belt, which you had brought with you without expecting that you’d be putting agent clothes over your other clothes.

After another thirty seconds of searching, you pull your trusty utility knife from your belt, and, though it’s blade doesn’t really compare to your more-ideal switchblade, it does its job. Carefully, you set to cutting the zip-ties from his arms and legs, making sure not to let the blade touch skin as the long strips of plastic fall to the ground, and it’s then that Bernard teleports back into the room.

“Hey guess what stick? Kelpie’s back, and she’s got company…” He starts, but, when he notices the strange air that has overtaken the room, he’s silent. Before getting back to your feet, you make sure to lay Eddie on his back, and, when you turn around to face Bernard, he looks more confused than anything.

“What happened here?” Bernard asks tentatively, looking between you and Eddie’s body that’s on the ground and unbound.

“Eddie transferred his consciousness into your phone.” You tell him.

“What? Whaddya mean?” Bernard still doesn’t know what’s going on. Either that, or he’s still too confused about the whole Eddie-uploading-his-mind-into-the-phone thing (you think it's the latter).

“I mean that he put his mind in the phone, and we’re going to hide him from FutureLabs so we can help him save his brother.” You explain to the teleporter again, this time more simply.

“Ok that’s pretty weird. ” Bernard says, finally registering the situation. “So we’re just going to carry the guy around until we get his brother back?”

“Basically.” You say, but you’re not done with him yet. “Do you know that he figured out our names?” His shoulders start at that. “Bernard, I have to tell you that you’re not supposed to do that with burner phones, ever! Cause anyone can track you through the phones and use the shit you put there to make the connection with your identity. That’s why we have burner phones in the first place.” Maybe the fact that he can teleport has gotten to his head, and he just got lazy; but you really need to drive the point home so that this doesn’t happen again.

“You’re lucky that Eddie wiped all of the data from the phone, but, if FutureLabs figures out our identities, the two of us are going to have to become street hobos, and Ellie will have to run away into the ocean. You want that to happen?”

For some reason, Bernard looks ashen at your words. You honestly didn’t think he’d take the whole becoming-a-hobo thing again too seriously. Were you too hard on him?

“Sorry, B, but you need to be more careful with this kind of stuff.”

>(2/3)

>>4380100

“Alright, stick!” Bernard looks more serious than he had been during this whole lecture of yours and just the slightest bit frantic. “I’ll be way more careful with my cell phones from now on, so no police, no hobos, and no runnin’ away to the ocean.”

“Good.” You sigh, glad that he’s got the message.

“So what exactly happened with Kelpie?” you ask, using your alias because that’s the mindset you’re in.

“She brought Pharos and a girl.” Bernard gives you the need-to-know.

“A girl?” Not Sopor? But Pharos has a girlfriend? You wonder what woman in their right mind would ever go for that nutjob. Guess you’ll find out.

“Yeah. Did you know Kelpie had to swim across the bay to get here? Apparently she had a pretty rough night…” Bernard’s voice trails off, but he looks more relieved than anything else. You’re glad she’s back too.

>Now that Bernard and Ellie are back, what do you do you do?
>Go and see Pharos and the girl
>Ask if there are any other details about the situation you should know
>Discuss with Eddie how you should get the body somewhere that so it could be placed into medical care; ask Bernard to bring everyone else here
>write-in

>(3/3)

Last reply of the night-- we close the thread tomorrow!

>>4380120
>Discuss with Eddie how you should get the body somewhere that so it could be placed into medical care; ask Bernard to bring everyone else here
Oh boy I can't wait to see their reaction

>>4380120
>what do you do you do?
Kek

>Ask if there are any other details about the situation you should know
>Discuss with Eddie how you should get the body somewhere that so it could be placed into medical care
What's our "we're totally not the M-Guard" cover story for Pharos? Or do we just plan to tell him we're the M-Guard?

>>4380162
Theres no real reason to try and trick him

>>4380120
>Go and see Pharos and the girl

>>4380336
Does Pharos' power work on cell phones?

>>4380345
Only if a cyber mutant happens to have uploaded his mind into said cell phone.

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>>4380162
>>4380122
>>4380336

“Wanna just bring everyone here, B?” You ask Bernard, because you’d like some time to discuss with Eddie how you should get the body elsewhere— preferably into medical care.

“Sure thing, stick.” Bernard gives you a salute, and then he’s off in yet another flash of light.

“Eddie.” You start. “How do you want us to get your body back to somewhere safe?”

“You can start by bringing it back to where you got it from.” He tells you aloud, and, boy, were you looking forward to the possibility encountering the task force again. “Also, call me something else. I don’t want to use my real name while I’m like this.”

“What would you like to be called then?” Because you honestly got nothing at the moment.

“Anything will be fine, but my body needs to go back.” Eddie says pointedly. “It would be optimal to do that before the agents leave for good.”

“Blink needs to come back with the others.” You remind him, and you understand his concerns with having his physical body just lying around like this. However, you’re pretty sure an extra few minutes won’t make or break you. “Wait for him to come back first.”

It’s kind of weird staring down at Eddie’s unconscious body while you’re holding what’s basically him in the palm of your hand. This is the kind of shit that’s supposed to happen in a B-rated sci-fi movie, but of course it had to happen to you, because you’re just that lucky.

You wonder what it feels like to be in the phone like that— what it feels like to only have a limited number of senses and essentially no basic needs, save for the necessity of electrical charge. It’s probably freaky as hell, and, since Eddie will be with you for the foreseeable future, you can always ask.

“Do you know how Pharos’ power works?” Eddie inquires, interrupting your train of thought. Likely, he’s wondering for his brother’s sake rather than his own.

“It’s a vocal-mental manipulation power, and I’m not sure what kind of effect it will have on you now that your mind’s in a cell phone. I think that just knowing what his power is should be enough to counter it if he tries anything.” You summarize it as best as you can. “Assume everything he’s saying to you is bullshit.”

“Thanks.” That’s the last thing he says before he goes silent, and the screen returns to the blue screen that was there before.

>(1/?)

>>4380950
Let's call him Senpai

>>4380950
Bro if we're bringing him home we gotta wrap that burner phone in aluminum foil and dig out any GPS chips if we haven't already. Unless he confirms that he's worked out our identity already making such measures useless.

>>4380950

Not too long after, Bernard returns with Elise, Pharos, and the woman that you thought was his girlfriend, because you still have trouble believing that any woman would go for a jackass like him.

However, the woman standing before you with the nearly-glistening is wholly familiar, because it’s Julia, the test subject that they’d sent after Pharos and the one of the same subjects you’ve been seeing on the hard drives since you started combing them. She doesn’t look really happy for some reason, but you attest that to the fact that she’s in a new and unfamiliar situation.

Pharos, meanwhile, has his sopping-wet hoodie pulled as high as it can go. Judging by the glare he’s shooting you, you’re pretty sure that he already knows who saved him and is not happy about it one bit. You almost thought he forgot about you with how long it’s been since the Crux stuff; then again, he didn’t really come off as the type to forgive nor forget.

“Hey guys!” Ellie seems as glad to see you again as you are to see her, but her eyes are immediately drawn to Eddie’s body that’s still lying on the ground. “What happened with Eddie?”

“We killed him.” You say as seriously as possible, and Elise gives you a look that says she doesn’t believe you, even though she’s smirking at your joke. “Don’t worry. He’s just unconscious.” More like long-term unconscious, but that’s neither here nor there.

“Yeah, he’ll be fine.” Bernard adds. “We’re gonna send him back later, but we’ll tell you all about it later when we can sit down or somethin.’”

“That’s… another FutureLabs agent.” Pharos says slowly, voice disbelieving. Curiously, Julia looks down at the comatose body but doesn’t do anything else.

“Anyways, what happened to Sopor? We thought for sure he’d be comin’ to the asshat’s defense.” The question’s directed at Elise.

“That’s a pretty funny story, actually.” Elise says. “Turns out they’re the same guy.” There’s a choked noise from off to the side.

Well shit. The night just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? Though you can see the similarities between the two criminals’ powers, you wonder when and how Valjean learned to put people to sleep like he does.

>(2/?)

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>>4381033

Bernard, meanwhile is silent, not sure what to make of this newfound information, but, eventually, he says, “Wow. Glad to know it was you who was makin’ my mornin’ coffee…” Then he adds, “Jackass…” The teleporter takes a page from your playbook, and you can’t help the pleased grin that spreads across your face.

Valjean, visibly irate from the usage of the insult, is now searching is pockets for something, which you’re betting it’s a weapon. “Where’s my gun?” He says, and you feel a straight mixture of self-satisfaction and vexation at being right.

“Must’ve floated away when we jumped from the sewers.” Ellie shrugs, but the glint in her eyes tells you that she probably took it from him.

Aware that he’s shit-out-of-luck and that everyone knows his identity, Valjean unfastens his hood and pulls it down to reveal his masked face. He crosses his arms, and the frown on his face deepens, very much displeased with the current turn of events (though you would’ve thought he’d been just a tiny bit grateful for Ellie having saved his sorry ass).

“Congratulations.” He finally says. “I’m your hostage now, but what’s honestly stopping me from trying to escape you three once my leg heals?”

“We got Blink.” Is Ellie’s response, and you’ve got Ellie herself.

“And Bludgeon will break your other leg.” Bernard chimes in.

>(3/4)

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>>4381065

But that’s not all. Even though Valjean had avoided FutureLabs’ capture tonight, who’s to say they won’t try again with another, stronger test-subject mutant? They might not have Eddie any longer, but that doesn’t mean that the task force will just stop from the loss of just one person.

“If FutureLabs was able to track you by your real identity, then you’ll never be able to show your face in public again. They’re still probably tracking you by the way, because they won’t stop until your dead.” You tell Valjean, looking him directly in the eyes. “Right now, your only two choices are stay with us as a hostage, or go outside, get caught by the task force, and possibly get killed along the way.” It’s Catch-22 at its finest, and you want him to know the reality of the situation he’s in, because you’re honestly sick of his attitude.

“That task force was supposed to be for you guys and you guys only.” Valjean objects.

“Guess you really pissed them off then.” You tell him, and then the warehouse is quiet.

From your pocket, the phone rings. Eddie obviously wants a word.

Bringing the phone out, you find that he’s calling you through the Caller app but in blue. Was this what he meant when he said he was going to rewrite the code?

There’s only one choice on the screen, ACCEPT, which is quite amusing to you. Guess Eddie doesn’t want to be ignored.

“Hello?” You say as you put the phone to your ear.

“If you intend to keep Pharos, then you need to know that his identity is common knowledge among personnel as both Sopor and Pharos. We have everything from his real name, family members, schools, and all current and previous addresses, not to mention that his bank account has been frozen.”

“Anything else I should know?” You ask, just in case Eddie might have something extra for you to know.

“No, but would you mind getting my body back to the agents? We’ve spent enough time here, and it’s likely that the agents will leave the streets in the next twenty to forty minutes.” Eddie is being insistent. “If you have to bring it to a hospital, then the odds of you being caught on camera are definite.”

“Okay.” You nod. “We’ll get going soon.” And with that, the call is ended.

“Ummm... who was that?” Ellie is confused, looking between you and the comatose body of Eddie. She had certainly heard the call, and is not sure what to make of it, but, to be fair, you’d probably react the same way if you were in her shoes.

“No one really, but we gotta get Eddie’s body back to the agents so he can get some proper medical care.” Ellie’s still looking at you like she wants more information, but she knows you’ll tell her all about it later.

>(4/5)

>>4381106

“By the way, do you seriously need to answer a phone call when you're in the middle of something?” Valjean interrupts, like he's the go-to guy for how you should be doing your extralegal business, and, though there isn’t as much attitude as there was previously, it’s still pretty annoying. “Who do you even need to talk to anyways right now?”

>”It’s my personal AI system, (write-in name). I designed it myself to predict all possible scenarios for any given situation.” Obvious flex to Pharos and total lie, but play off your genius like it's nobody's business!!!
>”I don’t really need to tell you how I do my business here.” Because you’re the one in charge, but stay tactful.
>”None of your business, jackass.” He seems to like that name. Tell him off!
>”This is (write-in). He’s a mutant in-hiding, and we rescued him from FutureLabs today.” Perhaps Valjean will be less belligerent at this.
>write-in

>(5/5)

We might not close the thread after all tonight. Whoopee.
Guess that post from last night was a total lie then.

>>4381114
"Why should I take advice from a guy who can't even get a coffee order right?"

>>4381114
>write-in
>Ignore him completely, he can have our attention when he asks nicely.

>>4381114
>”It’s my personal AI system, Ermac. I designed it myself to predict all possible scenarios for any given situation.” Obvious flex to Pharos and total lie, but play off your genius like it's nobody's business!!!
So I guess we'll be finishing after this garage reunion

>>4381127

of course not. We still gotta get Eddie's body safe and some other shit.

>>4381114
>"He's mutant-in-hiding. We rescued him from FutureLabs today.” Perhaps Valjean will be less belligerent at this.
No names yet

Gonna write some of the options together since we're all tied. Plus OP needs to sleep.

>>4381123
>>4381127

These ones to be precise.

Though I honestly lold when I read this one >>4381122

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>>4381123
>>4381127

”Kelpie, Blink, would you like to know what I was doing on the phone?” You completely ignore Valjean, turning to Elise and Bernard and shoving the phone towards them. “This my personal AI system, Ermac. I designed him myself to predict all possible scenarios for any given situation.” Obvious flex, but you tout your genius anyways, even though you’re totally lying right now.

“Ermac. Sounds neat!” Bernard repeats the codename you’d given Eddie, catching onto your lie rather quickly. Elise, meanwhile, just nods, keeping a pensive gaze on the device as the blue lines of code continue their rapid run across the screen.

“Anyways, he was calling to tell me that we should take Eddie’s body to the agents within the next half-hour so we don’t have to bring him to a hospital, cause there’s less security cameras that way.” You explain to the two.

“You guys are going back to the gunmen?” Julia says slowly, and she was honestly the last person you thought would say something.

“Yes. We have to.” It’s not even a question— you have to get Eddie safe. “Blink will go with me, and you will stay here with Kelpie and Pharos.” As you say this, you begin to heft Eddie’s body over your shoulders.

“You’ll watch over those two, right?” You ask Elise as you balance him, and, although Eddie’s not the tallest nor buffest guy, his deadweight makes him a little bit heavier than you would like. When you pass Elise, you make sure to murmur low enough for her to hear. “I’ll tell you everything when we get back.”

A hand on your shoulder, and you’re back on the same rooftop where you’d teleported to before. Bernard noticeably wobbles on his feet, clearly tired from the night's escapade.

“Super Vital Shot?” It takes a little shuffling around with Eddie on your back, but you pull an energy shot you’d been carrying from your belt, which Bernard gratefully accepts. Just a little bit longer, you think, and then you all can get to bed.

Down below, there is still an armored truck parked in the roadway, and, by the looks of it, they’re loading people in gurneys into it.

Guess Ellie did a number on whoever, you think, watching as they wheel some guy with a bunch of bandages on his face into the van.

There are not many people left around in general, so now’s a good time as any to get Eddie’s body where it needs to be.

>What do you do?
>Consult “Ermac”, cause he probably knows all the protocol for this kind of stuff.
>Use your guises as agents #32 and #33 to bring Eddie back to another agent.
>Teleport to the bottom of the building and out of sight of the agents, make some noise to draw attention to them, and teleport back to the rooftop once you hear the agents coming.
>write-in

Last reply of the night. We close the thread tomorrow for real this time!

>>4381272
>Consult “Ermac”, cause he probably knows all the protocol for this kind of stuff.

>>4381272
>write-in
>Option 3, but draw all over his face with sharpie and pull down his pants so he's mooning the agents when they arrive.

Nobody tries to kill my boi Blink and emerges unscathed

>>4381272
>Consult “Ermac”, cause he probably knows all the protocol for this kind of stuff.

>>4381272
>Consult “Ermac”, cause he probably knows all the protocol for this kind of stuff.

Don't use any more teleports, unless it's the one that gets us all completely clear.

Whatever Eddie tells us to do, make sure we fit >>4381417
into it

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>>4381272

>>4381822
What ?

>>4381822
>clydeposting

>>4381822

I'm honestly laughing so hard at this.
10/10 Clydepost

>>4381343
>>4381635
>>4381682
>>4381417

“Ermac.” You’re going to start using Eddie’s codename so you can get used to it. “You have any input on how we can get your body there? Any protocol we can follow so we don’t get caught?”

“Yes.” His electronic voice immediately responds. “Did you leave the radio-comm on my belt?”

“Mhmmm.” You spot the antenna sticking up from the pocket from his belt, but then something else comes to mind. “That thing couldn’t hear us before somehow, could it?” You ask, because you can never be too paranoid.

“I wouldn’t be asking you to use it if it did.” Eddie returns, and the next question he gives you is: “Which agent did you steal your clothes off of?”

“Willis Lee, Agent #32.” You recall the name of the agent you slingshotted.

“Good. Now you’re going to take my comm and body, head down the stairs, come back up, and then I’ll tell you what to say.”

“Why can’t you just tell stickface what to say first?” Bernard asks to the phone, not understanding the need for such a convoluted plan. You don’t really either, because you could just as simply say what you need to while you’re down there, wait for the agents to give their affirmative, and teleport away.

“Because my body’s not there yet.” Is the hacker’s response. Bernard looks a little miffed at that, but it really can’t be helped, since Eddie’s the one helping you with this.

As quickly and quietly as you are able to on a set of metal stairs, the two of you lug Eddie’s comatose body to ground level. Safely setting it on the sidewalk, you get an impish urge to draw on his face with a marker, because that would be the most hilarious thing you could possibly do tonight. However, you don’t have a marker on you, nor are you three, which is why you squash down all childish impulses for the time being.

Sparing one last glance at Eddie’s sleeping body, it almost feels wrong to you to leave his body like this. Logically, however, you know that Eddie will be fine both in the phone and in a hospital, so you ignore the reluctance that has arisen in you, stealthily and speedily making it back to the rooftop with Bernard on your heels.

“Ermac, your body’s on the ground level.” You tell him, though you wish Eddie could’ve just told you what you were supposed to say so you could’ve had it done already. Bernard, meanwhile, has pulled out your binoculars so he can watch over the proceedings below.

>(1/2)

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>>4382119

“Now you’re going to say this word-for-word: this is agent #32. We have a Code Orange at Mohringer Street. I repeat, Code Orange at Mohringer Street. Requesting assistance for Agent #12. Then you’re going to turn off the radio and leave.” He gives you his instructions.

“Alright.” You nod, turning to make sure that this is the right street. “How do you know what street that was?” The camera wouldn’t have been able to see that in the dark.

“Built-in GPS.” Right, you think, and, if Eddie hasn’t deduced your real identity yet, then you’re going to have to get that out of the phone before going home. You’ll be sure to ask him after this.

“This is Agent #32. We have a Code Orange at Mohringer Street. I repeat, Code Orange at Mohringer Street.” You repeat what Eddie had told you to say, holding down the talk-button as you do so. “Requesting assistance for Agent #12.” After speaking that last sentence into the comm, you switch the comm off for good.

It’s not even thirty seconds later when you hear a renewed clamoring of voices coming from down below, meaning that the agents have definitely gotten your message and are heading down towards the street behind your building.

As you look back in the direction where you’d left Eddie’s body, there’s still that feeling of strange reluctance you have as you look back towards the ground. You know Eddie will be fine, and, even though he told you to leave straight afterwards, you feel yourself split between leaving right now and actually making sure that his body gets back safely.

>What do you do?
>Make sure Eddie’s body gets to the truck safely
>Go back to the warehouse
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4382122
>Go back to the warehouse

Not like we can do anything that the cluster of agents down there can't.

>>4382122
>Make sure Eddie’s body gets to the truck safely
Let’s watch a little more

>>4382122
>>Go back to the warehouse

>>4382122
>Make sure Eddie’s body gets to the truck safely
Always vote coin flip

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Guess we’re rolling, guys.

1 = Make sure Eddie’s body gets to the truck safely
2 = Get back to the warehouse

On another note, I might not be able to get out the last update or two out tonight. How many times did I say this was the last thread day again?

>>4382314
A few

>>4382316

Guess it’s tar and feather time then.

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>>4382757

Plz tell me what drugs you're on, anon. Would love to know.

>>4382757
wtf is this ?

>>4382820
>>4382852
The dark side of the force

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>>4382137
>>4382223
>>4382314

Since the risk of the agents catching you up here is minimal, you decide to stay put so you can be certain that Eddie’s body gets to the truck. Bernard takes the opportunity to sit down, binoculars still in hand, and you do too as you watch the shadows of people still moving to and fro.

Amid the watching and waiting, you see Bernard’s lips curl and his shoulders tense, obviously seeing something you don’t, and, for a stretching minute, you’re wondering what that something is until he says, “Hey stick.” The tone of his voice is disconcerting. “There’s somethin’ over there that I think you should see.” He points to some corner of the street before pushing the binoculars into your hold.

Over in that corner was another gurney that you’d failed to notice, but, with the night vision of your binoculars, what Bernard had been trying to point out is very plain to see.

It’s John, and, by the looks of it, he looks absolutely jacked up. Your only conclusion is that he must have ended up fighting Ellie, because who the frig else would he have to fight tonight?

His hands are completely darkened with what must be dried blood. Whose blood it is, you’re not sure, but there’s nothing you can do about it, save for asking Ellie the circumstances of the fight at a later time.

“They’re bringin’ Eddie now.” Bernard informs you, though you still don’t take your eyes off of John until he disappears into the truck. That’s when you bring your focus back to Eddie, whose gurney had just emerged from the alley way that connected the two streets to each other.

You hope that John doesn’t take the news of Eddie’s coma too hard when he wakes up, because you honestly feel bad for him when he does. At least he hadn’t been awake to see it now, you think, but, either way, finding out will be painful.

The two of you don’t leave until the doors to the truck slam shut, and, in the blink of an eye, you're back in the warehouse.

“Whew. I’m honestly pooped, stick.” That’s the first thing he says before slumping down onto the warehouse floor. “If I fall to sleep here, could you kindly wake me up?”

“No problem.” It’s as you say that that Ellie comes zooming back your way, and, thankfully, she’s no longer in that creepy-ass lizard-form anymore, you notice, as she skids to a stop before you.

“Fishface!” Bernard tiredly greets from the ground. “How are you?”

“Tired.” She says to him. “But you look worse than I do.”

“Yeah. I still gotta get us all back to your place, and then we gotta figure out where to put Julia and the jerk.” That’s going to be a bit of an issue.

>(1/2)
>tfw you're secretly awake

>>4383174

“We’re not bringing them to our neighborhood.” You might’ve been okay with bringing just Julia, because she’s basically a brainwashed human experiment, but Valjean is a definite and resounding nope, and, even though you guys and Valjean pretty much know each other’s faces, you’re ninety-five percent sure that the douchebag doesn’t know your last names. Plus, the last thing you want is him having any sort of inkling as to where your house might be.

“Then what do we do with them?” Elise inquires, wondering what kind of solution you may have.

>“Leave them both here. We can come back for them in the morning.” You’re not trying to be callous— this is just a precaution for yourselves.
>”Bring Julia so Valjean doesn’t try anything fishy on her. We can bring back a sleeping bag or something for him.” You’re not sure what effect his powers might have on her mind.
>”I’ll keep an eye on them.” Not like Valjean can do anything to you in his state.
>”On second thought, we’ll bring them back to our place.” But with bindings and blindfolds for a certain someone…
>Write-in

>(2/2)