Log:SERAF, Issue 11

2011/08/30 	 Abigail Ellbeth Wonder 1

Well, Abby wasn't told there was a meeting which makes sense... since she's not really either of the ones planning to meet. As for the coffee shop, she doesn't visit the place at all, however she's in the neighborhood as she steps out of the gym. Casual street clothes are the mode of dress for the day and whatever she was at the gym for, it's currently finished.

Ellbeth spots Wonder and waves, giving him a warm smile. Then she sees Abigail, albeit she's on the phone. Catching abigail's attention she points to the coffee shop and mimes drinking from a cup and listening. Then she steps into the shop.

Ellbeth leaves Bridgend and enters Past Time's Coffee Shop.

Wonder lands from his last leap pretty close to the coffee shop door. He's getting better.

Wonder leaves Bridgend and enters Past Time's Coffee Shop.

Wonder pauses inside the door, wondering if Guardian is also wanted.

Ellbeth is at the counter ordering. She asks Wonder and Abigail what they want, and points to a rear booth, "That's a good place."

Stepping up to the coffee shop's doorway, Abby shakes her head, "Hey Ellbeth, I don't really like the idea of being in a place as open and publicly known to cater to metahumans as this place. The gym is known, but it's a lot more secure and less open. It's... rather amazing nobody's bombed this place to the foundation yet. From a strategic standpoint, I'd rather be anywhere but here. So, do you have something supremely important that oughta make me ignore what my brain tells me?"

Ellbeth smiles, "Anywhere I am is as private as I wish it to be. As to bombing this place, that would be highly counter-productive as well as unlikely to succeed. This is a known hangout, so it's also where the other side knows where to make contact when they want to talk and deal. It's in everyone's interest for this place to exist and run smoothly."

Wonder looks uncertainly betweeen two heroes whose judgement he trusts more than his own.

Shaking her head, Abby grins, "I'm sure you believe that, but you can't be one hundred percent certain of that. If you can cause an effect, that means the opposite is possible for someone else to do. And there's no such thing as neutral territory when it comes to heroes and criminals. That's the whole point, criminals by definition, break the rules, so the rules of neutrality aren't any more effective than rules like... don't steal, don't kill. It'd be more in the criminals' interest to take the place out with as many heroes as possible inside. So, forgive me if I'm overly cautious, but unless you really -really- need to speak with me, I'm gonna head back to base." she offers with a thumb jerk towards outside and a grin on her fave.

Ellbeth says, "Let me, Colonel, offer you some concrete evidence. This coffee shop has been a meta hangout for as long as I've been visiting Colonial Bay City. Which is more years than I'm prepared to admit to. Yet... here we are. In a coffee shop. Not a bombed out shell. Reality trumps theory, Colonel.""

"It's Major, and just because it hasn't happened yet isn't evidence that it'll never happen. If that was the case, the world would still be flat, and stars would just be pinkpricks in the curtain of night." Abby shrugs and shakes her head, "Sorry, just makes no tactical sense to be here."

Wonder sighs.

Ellbeth smiles, "As to whether I really need to speak with you? No. It would be advantageous. But I could drop my information on you at the SERAF briefing tomorrow without advance notice. I just thought that maybe you might like to head it ahead of the troops, and be prepared to take a leadership role." The smile widens, "Major. I'm sure it will be Colonel before too long. But I wasn't certain, and I've found assuming a rank higher than someone's actual rank is less annoying than assuming a rank lower."

"Jeez. Time you spent arguin' about it coulda been spent goin' to the gym or somethin'," Karlie mutters aloud. "Or sending text or whatever. Not lookin' that private if you're gonna meet here 'bout it." She's sitting one table over, head propped up on one hand, looking out the window. "So if it's not private, just say it."

"As for tomorrow's meeting, I'm afraid that my CO is sending me out to a carrier group in the morning. Odds are I won't be able to make the meeting." suggests Abigail. "They always seem to schedule these meetings at the worst times for me. So I'll have to catch up after the fact anyway. Can't do much leadership when every SERAF event happens at a time that I'm unavailable." she adds with a shrug. "So maybe it's inconsequential anyway." she adds before looking to Karlie. Both her brows raise and she nods, "Good point." she adds, "And I wasn't planning to meet here, so it's a moot point there too."

Wonder says, "Anyway - you have news, Dr Wyrd?"

Ellbeth nods to Wonder. "Yes, indeed I do. Let's get seated and I'll ensure our privacy."

Wonder nods and sits.

"Do me a favor, and have whatever it is sent to the SERAF office. I'll stop by later this evening and pick it up so I can look over it while en-route to the carrier group. I need to get rollin' actually if I'm going to make it on time." Abigail offers as she turns to head out.

Ellbeth casts her sphere of privacy spell around Wonder and herself, sealing the two of them away from any and all observation. To Wonder it looks like a hazy gray shell, transparent and slightly muting sound. Outside it's an opaque barrier to all senses.

Wonder says, "Cool!"

Abigail leaves Past Time's Coffee Shop and enters Bridgend.

Ellbeth says, "I've decoded the next and final name on the list of Next Generation kidnappees."

Wonder says, "Does it give any hint what they're up to? Who is it?"

Ellbeth says, "Alas, no. I've been doing a bit of checking. Well, actually a lot of checking. I'm virtually sure that the Clinic is not involved in this affair in any meaningful fashion. It is almost certainly a money making scam, and while it may be linked to Next Generation, although there's no evidence for that, I'm convinced it's not involved in the currect situation. I've walked every foot of the hallways, mentally at least, and seen every room and chamber, above and below ground.""

Wonder says, "Oh. Not much point my infiltrating it then!"

Karlie seems curious when she stops sensing the various things that she can usually sense coming from within the hazy sphere, and decides to reach to touch it, feeling what it's like from there. "Huh..." she murmurs, shrugging.

Ellbeth nods to Wonder, "None. Especially when you have a vastly more important role to take on. The last name on their list is Miles Fuchs. You should assume his identity and allow the kidnapping to take place. If you premit, I'll maintain a mental link with you, and I'll focus a gate terminus on you as well. That will allow me to maintain contact, and the bring the remainder of the SEFAR team through to your loacting with just a few seconds notice."

Wonder nods. "It's a good plan. But what do they want with him?"

Ellbeth says, "That information is not included in the list. If I was to hazard a guess, I would say that Miles Fuchs has a wealth of knowledge from his time in the FBI that would be invaluable for an organization seeking targets of high value and mininal risk. But that's only a guess."

Wonder nods. "Which could be a problem if it's the knowledge they want!"

Ellbeth grins, "Make it up. Lie. You do know how to lie convincingly don't you? Talk to Miles and gets a few pointers, places you can pinpoint for them. The SERAF team should stop Next Generation before any damage is done, but if not a few suspected villain bases might get a bit shaken up. Nothing to cry over."

Wonder nods. "Oh yes. It might just help if we could guess what sort of information they want from him."

Ellbeth says, "That's assuming they want him for his knowledge. This is Next Generation. Maybe Miles is a latent Meta and they want his genes. Maybe he is actually the secret identity of Ultraman.Oh, and I also forgot, Quakezone's location is probably in an old abandoned coal mine in West Virgina. That's where the epicentre of that quake we had was location, and there's no geological instabilities in that area sufficient to cause a quake of that magnitude."

Wonder says, "Wow, another lead then."

Karlie heads out then, strolling.

Karlie leaves Past Time's Coffee Shop and enters Bridgend.

Ellbeth says, "You can thank Guardian for that information She contacted the CBSU geological department and get them to look for for seismic events."

Wonder says, "That wouldn't have occurred to me - I guess I have a lot to learn."

Ellbeth shakes her head, "That's why the heroes will always win in the end. Because heroes, at their best, work together. The point of a team is as much as anything else to broaden the range of skills, knowledges, and abilities that can be brought to bear on an incident. This time Guardian and I thought of contacting the geological department. Next time the clue will lay in some other persons sphere of excellence and they will come up with the answer. When heroes work together they are almost invincible."

Wonder nods and grins. "I've read enough comics to know that!"

Ellbeth says, "Anyway, I suggest you take on the role of Miles for now, and when we gather tomorrow we can decide whether or not to head to the coal mine. It's likely that my nind walking will but be able to investigate that. The coal mines in that district are often at a depth deeper than the range of my mental scrying."

Wonder nods, "I'll do that right away!"

Ellbeth says, "Before you rush off, do I have your permission to establish a mental link and to focus a gate terminus on you?"

Wonder nods. "Of course - best to do it now in case they try to grab Miles right away!"

Ellbeth nods and works her magic...