Log:An Edgy Kind of Feeling

Don't Count Me Out Yet 2008/06/03 	 Citadel Nexus Rebound 1

Don't Count Me Out Yet, Scene 4
Water Purification Plant: The plant where the water purification actually takes place is an incredibly noisy environment. Huge pumps thrum loudly forcing thousands of gallons of water through molecular filters. Smaller pumps inject chlorine and fluorine additives into the outlet pipes feeding the treated water into the city's supply system.

It's been a curious kind of day. Edgy. Somehow everyone seems a bit short of temper. There's been a surge of traffic accidents, quite a few shootings, stabbings, and fights. Maybe it's the weather. Irritability bleeds into every interaction. Civility has taken the day off.

Alex's PDA beeps.

Nexus looks at Alex. "Aintcha gonna answer that?"

Alex answers his PDA. "Alex Winters here."

A male voice speaks, "Don't try to trace this. I'm relaying though a dozen links internationally and not saying online long enough for a trace to work. I'm a hacker. Broke into the water company systems to sweeten my bill. Only someone got in there before me and messed with the system. The water quality monitors are looped to last week's reading and the security systems are disabled in a ten minute slot every day at 10pm. I thought someone ought to know and you're Starguard, right?" The call is abruptly terminated.

Nexus blinks at the expression on Alex's face. "What, they're changing your long-distance carrier again?"

Alex hangs up. "No. I just got an anonymous call... I'll explain on the way. First, let me put out a call for help on HeroNet -- we're going to the water purification plant."

Alex types on his PDA for other available heroes to meet Rebound at Nexus at the water plant.

Nexus shrugs, not recognizing the term but not caring that much. "OK, you do that. Prob'ly wanna change clothes, too. I'd take you there the fast way, but haven't a clue where it is."

At this time of night the water purification plant is virtually deserted. There's a couple of renta-guards on the gate to the site and a few worker drones in orange work suits keeping a lazy eye on the purification operation.

Nexus asks Rebound as they approach "wanna go in straight or sneaky?"

Rebound says, "We can go in straight. The caller told me that the water quality monitoring system had been tampered with. The workers should be able to verify it."

Citadel arrives on site. He glances around the place, "Hardly a secure area."

Citadel pulls out his PDA and places in a request for local law enforcement to arrive for backup.

Nexus nods and ports them both inside, once the site is in view. "You'd better do the talking, Reb. I used up all my tact back at the Transmat."

The gate guards are pretty amazed to see anyone. Especially heroes. And Citadel. By one of those coincidences, you all arrive at the same time.

Nexus notices Citadel, who looks vaguely familiar, but he can't quite place him. It's been years, after all.

Citadel looks at the guards and says, "May I see your surveillance cameras?"

"What's up?" one of the guards asks nervously.

Rebound bounces onto the scene at the site. He spots Citadel and calls over to him. "Heya, big guy. I'll explain my message." He walks over to the guards, and he explains. "I just got an anonymous tip that the water monitoring equipment had been set on a loop. Would it be possible to check it out?"

The other guard opens the door to the gate post. "Sure, Marshall. Come in. The cameras all connect to this monitor here. They can be set to motion detect or you can select a camera on the keyboard."

Citadel looks over at Rebound, "They've been set on loop?" then looks at the cameras, and pauses to study them.

The other guard shrugs, "We're just security. I'll page one of the staff."

Citadel pauses and says, "One moment before you page staff."

Nexus, having learned 'Don't split the party' during his years in exile, doesn't go wandering off to investigate on his own. He opens his mouth to say something, then nods approvingly at Citadel. "Right."

Rebound looks to Citadel and then Nexus. "How do you want to handle it?"

Citadel nods and says, "Are these the controls for the security system inside too?"

The area is noisy from the plant running on site. So the sirens aren't audible on the approaching police patrol cars until the first of them is racing up to the gates with flashing lights going.

Nexus shrugs. "I'm guessin' someone's been dosing the water supply a little bit every day. Probably about to do it again at 10. I'll bet a bottle of good champagne someone on staff is in on it."

Nexus checks the time...

Nexus shrugs. "I got no idea where someone'd go to dose the water supply." He turns to one of the guards. "You got a map of this place?"

"There's a second site security post in the main admin building." The guard tells Citadel. "That's empty at this time of night. We have the keys for it but I'll have to ring someone for authorisation if you want to enter."

Nexus shrugs. "Where is it, exactly? As the crow flies, I mean."

Citadel looks at the man, "Authorization from the supervisor on staff?"

The guard Nexus is talking to pulls out a hand PDA type unit. "All on here. Site map, plant schematics, the works."

The other guard tells Citadel. "Authorization from the Head of Security. You want I should ring him?"

Citadel looks over at the main building, "There is a unverified source that claims a criminal activity is occuring at the water plant." then looks over at the police, "Excellent backup."

Citadel looks over and says, "Yes, notify the head of security I wish to see the security room."

Rebound says, "Authorization might alert the person we're looking for." He turns at the sight of the police. "We should have the police hang out, so we don't spook them."

More police cars are arriving with sirens and flashing lights, forming quite a road block outside the gates. A pair of police officers are making their way towards the guard post.

Citadel pauses and says, "We can have them surround the compound and secure the perimeter."

THe guard talking to Citadel gets on the phone.

Citadel heads to the police officers approaching, to give suggestin on securing the compound perimeter.

Rebound says, "Wait. What if the head of security is in on it?"

Two police officers come up to the gate guard post, "What's going on? Who put in the call?"

Citadel looks at the police and says, "There is a report of a possible break-in at the water plant. The source claims the security systems have been disabled." then nods, "Would you be so kind to secure the perimeter."

Rebound tells the guard, "Hold off on the call for now. We'll just poke around on our own."

The police nod when Citadel speaks to them. "Okay, you want us to secure the perimeter? We'll need more cars. This is one big site. If we see anyone you want us to arrest of just inform you?"

Citadel then looks around, "And do turn off the sirens and lights."

Nexus approaches one of the guards while CItadel talks to the police. "Just tell me where that second security cell is, OK?

Nexus says, "You can keep the keys 'till you get authorization, we just need to prep is all."

Citadel nods and says, "If someone tries to break the perimeter, take them into custody and inform me. Arrests are not warranted, but feel free to hold them."

The gate guard nods, "I can't let you have the keys without calling in. I guess it's okay if you go onsite. Though I'll best go with you. We're not supposed to let anyone wander around."

The police nod again and go back to tell their colleagues what Citadel has requested. The sirens and lights get turned off.

Nexus shrugs to the gate guard. "OK, if that's the way you want it. Lead the way to that second station already, willya?" He prepares to follow and looks around for any other clues as to where it might be.

Citadel turns and heads to the building, following the gate guard to the building.

Rebound says, "The call mentioned that the security systems are down for ten minutes at ten pm. Is that true of the secondary security office."

The guard shakes his head. "The main security post is inside the Admin building. I can't unlock that and allow you in without authorization. I can take you around the open areas."

Citadel says, "Where is the door to the room?"

Nexus says, "That's fine. Take us to the open area nearest to it."

The guard tells Citadel. "The door is off the lobby on the ground floor of the Admin building, Marshall."

Citadel nods and says, "And which is the admin building?"

Nexus looks around to see whether the guard's directions can be followed based on signs or anything like that. If so, he heads in the appropriate direction.

Citadel shifts into a cloudy form, as he becomes desolid.

The guard points towards the middle of the site. The building over there. The one with windows. The rest of the buildings here are all plant and pumphouses.

Citadel heads straight for the admin building.

Nexus 's aura fads slightly (yet another desolid) and he follows Citadel. "I'll be back for you in a sec, Reb."

Rebound nods. "Still have your radio, Nexus?"

The guard tries to keep up as you go. The Admin building is five floors, a typical office building. There are a few lights in windows, and the lobby is visible through plate glass doors.

Citadel heads into the lobby, and to the security room.

Nexus, after some moving and porting, brings the threesome together again on the other side of the still-locked secondary security office door,presumably to the dismay of the guard "escorting" them.

Citadel can enter the main security post going desolid through the door. The room is empty. The monitors are showing scenes from the cameras.

Citadel looks around, and checks the security systems for tampering.

Citadel nods and looks up at the security screens.

Nexus notices Cit and slaps his forehead. "Man, getting rusty." He does the same thing.

The monitors seem to be showing everything as being okay. Then Nexus realises the camera overlooking the front of the Admin building is not showing the guard who was waiting outside it when you entered."

Nexus nods grimly. "Yeah, they've messed with the cameras here, too."

Citadel looks over and says, "We'll have to reset the cameras then, and stop the loop."

Citadel shakes his head, "I'll try to reset the cameras and activate the security sytems."

Nexus nods to Citadel. "Sounds good. I'm gonna check that out", he adds, pointing to the chorination center." If he can work out where that is from here by cameras and so forth, he heads in that direction, phasing all the way. Otherwise, he phases out into the hall and asks the gate guard, if he's still there.

Citadel starts to do his best to get things back online and proper. "I'll also suggest the water systems be shut off for a bit. Contamination possible."

Rebound grabs a security uniform and puts it on over his uniform. He pulls off his mask and walks out of the office for the Chlorination area, looking like an anonymous security guard type. He'll try to be sneaky about it, however.

It takes Citadel a few minutes to find that the cameras are set to replay recordings from the same time of day but taken a week ago. When he manages to restore the cameras, the camera with a view of the interior of the 'Chlorination' pumphouse shows someone working at changing a cannister. He is wearing robes with a horned ram-head motif. With him are two ?demons?.

Nexus phases through the wall and blinks in surprise at the demons. He lets himself become slightly more solid and takes a second to examine them more carefully, hoping they don't notice him right away.

A demon hisses and speaks in a harsh and unpleasant sounding language on spotting Nexus.

Nexus contemplates various clever things he could do for a moment, then decides to whack the mage in the back of the head instead of doing any of them.

Citadel looks around and through the cameras for a room, or the control room. He looks out of the room and says, "Where is the control room..." as he attempts to find it.

The mage drops the cannister and hurriedly half phases to a demonic dimension as Nexus punches at him.

Cannister drops to the concrete floor and rolls without cracking.

The mage turns to look at Nexus with irritation. Then he shrugs. "How did you know? Never mind. You're out numbered but this is a washout anyway. Someone will be stopping the water getting out. I've been paid. You can't touch me. My servants might be able to rip you apart. Suppose I walk away and you claim a moral victory?"

Nexus looks the mage over carefully (memorizing a floating loc if he gives me the time, NOT losing the one in the security room). "Give me a name, and I'll consider it."

The mage laughs, "Is that all? You think I feel any loyalty whatsoever. It's a paying job, that's all. Valance. That's your name."

Nexus nods. "Fine." He reaches across space to grab the cannister and ports back to the security cell. Or tries to, anyway.

After Nexus ports out the camera shows the mage and demons using their portal to depart.

Nexus appears, looks around, notices Rebound's absence. "Crap." He puts the cannister down on a table. "No idea what that is, but probably not healthy." He then ports back to the chlorination room (blind, but safeblind)

The chlorination room is empty when Nexus returns to it. A few seconds later Rebound enters.

Nexus looks up as the door opens. "Bad guys bamfed. Trying to figure out where to"

Citadel looks at the cannister, "What..." then pulls out his PDA, "We are going to need a decon unit in here." as he calls the police. "And let no one in."

The protal is shut but the energies are still fading. Nexus can gather an idea of it's source, which seems to be a location in the up-market area of Colonial Bay Heights.

Rebound says, "What'd they look like?"

The police acknowledge Citadel's commands and arrange for a decontamination unit.

Nexus says, "You wouldn't believe me. Besides, we got pictures. Come on, if we move fast enough we might still catch 'em." He looks tired, but grabs Rebound and ports them both back to where Citadel is. "You want in, Marshall?"

Citadel looks and says, "I'll need to collect information." then works on getting the tapes and helping make sure the cannister is secure.

Rebound pulls on his mask in the meantime.

Nexus feels stupid for not realizing Rebound had taken his mask off... oops. Then he concentrates on the position-reading he'd gotten on the portal.

Rebound says, "The lab folks can take care of that, Citadel. Nexus, what were the bad guys like? We might need your hand with 'em, Citi."

Nexus says, "Nerdy looking guy, ram's head. He phases, like me and Cit. Two... well, I guess you'd say demons, working for him.""

Nexus says, "OK, I think I can follow 'em -- but I can only take one of you with me. Reb, guess that's you..."

Rebound says, "Ok. Maybe there's another cape in the area we can call on."

Nexus stops short. "Scratch that -- I can take both of you if I work at it. Won't be good for much for a bit when I get there though. Cit, your call but make it fast!"

Citadel looks over and says, "He can become desolid." then looks on and says, "I'm afraid I cannot pursue right now."

Nexus wonders for a moment what he's about to port into and whetehr this is remotely clever. But only a moment, and he waits till the feeling goes away. "OK then, here goes nothing..."

BAMF!

And with a *BAMF* Rebound and Nexus find themselves in a black mage's workshop. The mage is in there, still getting dressed in normal clothes after disrobing. There are no signs of the demons, which may have been dismissed. He is literally caught with his pants down. "What..? How..!!?" He stutters on seeing thre arrival.

Nexus says, "I lied."

Rebound winces, "I'd forgetten what that felt like..."

Rebound leaps for the man, stretching into the form of a giant net.

Nexus says, "He can phase, doof!", cries Nexus, too late..."

Rebound catches the mage in his giant net, the man trying to move away but trips from having his pants around his ankles.

Nexus blinks. "Er... I take back the 'doof' part."

Ribs crack audibly as Rebound squeezes. The mage cries out once and goes limp.

Nexus winces, though not terribly sincerely.

Nexus looks around for demons or anything else that looks immediately threatening.

Rebound winces. "I... oh well. We got him."

Nexus nods. "Damned straight... man, you got _tough_ since I left!"

Nexus feels dizzy.

Rebound wraps up the mage with one arm and steps clear of the him. "No it's time to search." He looks over to Nexus. "You still feeling the 'port? Really it's not as bad as it used to be."

Nexus shakes his head. "No, not that... _that_." He points to the mage, and the room. "Magic. HATE it. Gotta get out of here."

There's a set of stairs leading up.

Nexus tears up the stairs blindly, weaving back and forth as if he'd been drinking.

When Nexus and Rebound go upstairs they come into a luxurious home in Colonial Bay Heights, the house of Dr Edmund Huxley, a pathologist.

Nexus stops running once he gets out of the magic-riddled areas and sits down until the room seems to stop spinning.

"Nexus?!" Rebound looks after Nexus then back to the mage, then towards the staircase. He tries tying up the mage hastily in his shirt before leaving him here and bounding up the stairs after Nexus.

Nexus seems to be recovering, albeit slowly. "I'll be fine, just... not going back down there."

Nexus says, "Just ain't _natural_, know what I mean?"

Nexus says, "You go ahead, though... don't want him waking up. Want me to call, um... somebody? for backup?"

Rebound says, "You're sure you're going to be ok?"

Nexus nods. "Yeah, long as I'm not down there. I'll be fine. Go, do hero stuff!"

There's a clatter from downstairs in the basement workshop, like a table being knocked over.

Rebound nods to Nexus. "Ok. Call who you need to."

Rebound heads back down.

Nexus stands up too quickly at the sounds from the basement, stumbles slightly, hesitates at the stairs. It takes him about a second to decide that, magic or no magic, he's not letting his brother tackle it alone, and he heads down after him.

The mage, having recovered consciousness while Rebound was checking on Nexus, has knocked over a table that held his normal clothes, wallet, etc. Clasping a necklace in his teeth he stares viciously at Rebound for a moment. Then the necklace glows and he teleports out still bound in his own shirt.

Too late, Nexus thinks to block the teleport... but he's too disoriented to manage it. Oops.

Nexus swears creatively, including quite a number of invectivish-sounding phrases in no language Rebound has ever heard. "I'm sorry, man... you'dve had him if I hadn't gone all... queasy!" He gulps and runs back upstairs.

Rebound sighs. "I guess I should have broken his jaw, too." He turns to Nexus, puzzled for a moment. He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. He have his lair -- we'll track him down."

Rebound calls Citadel, to let him know there's another evidence location.

A couple of hours later the contents of the cannister are analysed. It's a highly complex pyschoactive drug. Cumulative in its effect. After a week of dosing the water supply most everyone in the city would be close enough to acting like a homocidal maniac.