Riftgate - Jefferson's America 3

The following morning there's a knock on the door of the hotel suite.

Lorelei goes to see who it is. She's been up all night with no sign of tiredness.

"Mm?" Alex sits up in bed, accidentally knocking a few books from the covers to the floor. He reaches over the bedside dresser, feeling around for his glasses. He finds them and puts them on.

The young twins are standing outside in the hallway. "Hi." they say almost at the same time. Jennie continues, "We promised a guided tour of our city. We have a car downstairs waiting for you."

Deep in midnight mediatation, for sleep was nigh impossible with the bloodly images entrenched inside the girl's mind, Narosia stirs awake on the knock, blinking nakedly a few times. She still wears the evening dress of before.

Lorelei says, "Oh, is it time already? I've quite lost track - I'll see if the others are ready yet."

The twins nod and wait patiently for you all to get ready and organized.

Alex steps out of his room, in a t-shirt and flannel pyjama pants, looking still a little groggy. "Hmm? What time is it...?" He sees the young twins. "Gimme ten minutes."

Narosia slinks through the walls, her blacked outline reforming into Narosia's familiar face. Peering down, she nods in agreement with the sleepy Alex and slips back.

The youngsters giggle at Alex's attire and nod.

Lorelei grins. "Looks like it may be a few minutes."

Alex grunts at the twins' reaction. "Morning," he says to Lorelei. He spots Narosia as she appears. "Morning," he says before heading back into his room.

Jessie nods to Lorelei. "We have all morning. The meeting starts at two pm."

Inside Narosia rummages round her matress, pulling out a black hooded robe, sliding it over her head. It belongs in another place and time, yet having no other clean wear did limit her objections in the whole matter.

Lorelei says, "So, what do you have lined up for us?"

Jennie says, "We thought we'd start with the new Stadium. It's the most impressive building in the city and the high school team are going to be practicing this morning as well. They won the ESC bowl this year. Then maybe a trip out to the airport. As that place is what the meetings are all about. And then we can go anywhere you want to of course."

Lorelei nods. "We knew that - the high school team were celebrating here last night."

Alex hops in the shower quickly, will stretching an over to his closet to pick out an outfit. It's a bit awkward and messy, choosing clothing by feel, but he sets something out on the bed. There's the thump of books hitting the floor as he accidentally knocks more of them to the ground.

Jennie pouts. "Duh. And we missed it. We're always on duty when they play it seems. And I really like football. I'd have loved to have been here.

Jessie chuckles, "Speak for yourself. I like Baseball a lot more."

Lorelei shakes her head to herself a bit. Somehow it hadn't occurred to her that the twins here would differ in tastes.

Narosia finishes basic cleaning routines which consists of face splashing and heads for the main room, concealing Jefferson's letters rolled up inside her frayed sleeve. Alex's book thump causes a pause then amused grin. "Seems traits do cross dimensions." She murmurs quietly to herself.

The twins smile, nod, and say "Good morning." to Narosia.

Lorelei says, "What *is* Alex doing in there?"

Alex comes out of his room pulling on a tweed blazer. His hair is still a bit of a mess, and wet to boot. "Hey. Any chance we could stop for some coffee?"

Narosia says, "Showering? I heard him wake several times during night hours and move round. He needs the cleaning...speak of the devil?"

Alex looks around at everyone. "What?"

Lorelei nods. "Coffee would be good."

The twins nod. "The breakfast bar in the hotel is open." Jennie says, "We assumed you'd want to stop there before heading off on the tour."

Lorelei says, "Breakfast bar it is. All set now. Alex?"

Jennie say, "I'll call the elevator." and heads back down the hallway.

Alex nods. "After you, ladies." He gestures for the others to go ahead.

After a moment the 'ding' of an arriving elevator is heard.

Lorelei goes for the elevator - though rather more cautiously now after the events of the night before.

After the uneventful ride down the smell of coffee leads you all to the breakfast bar. There's a full choice on offer and the coffee smells fine.

Narosia eyes the elevator once they exit, disliking how nothing seems to support its moving weight. Glad to be out in safter quarters, the girl glides over the near abandoned tea section, picking out herbal.

Lorelei has a selection of the food and a goodly amount of coffee.

Alex picks out a few things for breakfast. Two apples, a bagel, and a cup of coffee. After getting his food, he returns to the others. "Jennie, Jessie... I was wondering. If there had been any further information discovered about the attack last night?"

The waiters and servers almost hover around your table. The slightest sign that Lorelei wants something, like a refill of coffee, and it's close to a skirmish of waiters dashing forward to assist.

The twins look confused, "Attack last night?" Jennie asks.

Lorelei is downright embarrassed at the extent of the attention. . o O (And I thought I got a lot of attention at home....)

Lorelei says to Jennie, "You haven't heard about it?"

Narosia says, "...News 'blackout'?"

The twins shake their heads. "Uh, no. I was on patrol last night and having today off I haven't attended the daily briefing this morning."

Alex nods. "They came in disguised as the band... If you could find out for us, that would be great."

The twins nod and mutter quietly to each other. Then Jessie gets up, "I'll see what I can find out." and she heads out of the room.

Lorelei sighs, and says to Jennie (since Jessie has gone), "They were Lincolnists, apparently. They attacked the mayor, and killed the heads of both delegations before we could stop them."

Jennie gasps, "Oh no! That's terrible. Lincolnists are the worse of the worse. They get more vicious with each atrocity."

Narosia sits sipping her tea, rustling the Jefferson papers from their hiding place, smoothing the wrinkled and curling documents. Leaning across to Alex, she says "I found these papers last night, a copy of Jefferson's letters. Care to look-they likely hold more meaning for you."

Alex shakes his head. "It was a real mess." He turns to Narosia and talks a look at the sheaf of papers. "What's this?"

Jennie glances at the pamphlet. "We learn what's in those at school. I think I could recite most of the contents from memory. After the Constitution those are the defining values of our society."

The pamphlet is a printing of the collected letters of Thomas Jefferson.

Jennie looks around, "If everyone has finished shall we start the tour? Jessie will probably be a while. She can catch up somewhere along the route.

Alex starts paging through the material. "Hmm." He nods to Jennie and pockets an apple for later.

Lorelei says, "Yes, let's."

The car is the same style of Limo that brought you to the hotel from the coffee shop. When you're comfortably seated the driver sets forth. The city is clean, neat, well maintained buildings, but most are a bit smaller than you'd see back 'home'. In general you've probably got the impression that the technology level over here is about ten to twenty years behind your dimension.

Lorelei is impressed it's even that good. Between lack of super-scientists and political fragmentation she'd expect worse. She keeps looking about, spotting similarities and differnces between the worlds.


 * beep* *beep* Jennie's cellphone rings.

"Jennie speaking... yes sir... with Lorelei... yes sir... have you called Jessie..? right away, yes sir." You hear one half the conversation.

Once in the car, Alex looks over to Narosia. "How are you doing?"

Jennie looks over towards Lorelei, "I've been called in. Do you want to continue or wait for me?"

Narosia exhales, "I am fine, if tired. You?"

Lorelei says, "Well - how long are you likely to be?"

Alex says, "About the same." He looks over to Jennie. "What's up?"

Jennie shrugs uncertainly, "I don't know. It's a hostage situation at the First National Bank. Normally the Mediator would come in on the situation and talk them out. With her away I don't know how long it might take."

Lorelei glances at the others. "Well, we could try to help."

Alex nods. "Let's head over there."

Jennie asks the driver to take the car to the bank.

Narosia thinks. o O (Another situation...joy.)

Lorelei says, "Do you know anything else about the situation?"

The exterior of the bank is surrounded by CBPA cars and agents. The SWAT team are there as well, along with ambulances and paramedics tending injured agents. The main doors of the bank are closed and blinds have been drawn across windows blocking the interior from view. The intended getaway vehicle is parked in front of the doors. The car is missing part of the engine compartment and the offside front wheel thanks to the use of a anti-vehicle rocket propelled grenade.

There's a number of CBPA agents being treated for burns, and evidence of charring and heat damage to a couple of the patrol cars. Jennie looks for, and finds, the head of the SWAT team, and leads you all over to him. "Capt Keegan, this is Lorelei and...

The SWAT leader nods interrupting, "I remember. I met her in the coffee shop last year."

Lorelei nods. "What's the situation?"

Capt Keehan explains the situation. "We responded to a alarm call from the bank. When we got here the robbers where about to make their getaway. We stopped that but while two had the usual weapons we normally face one of them just stood in front of our guns and blasted us with fire from his hands. When we shot back the bullets didn't seem to have any effect. There's three of them. They headed back into the bank."

Alex stands and waits for a breifing on the situation. Anxiously, he looks around for some spot to slip off into, for a place to change outfits.

Capt Keegan mutters under his breath, "I wish the rules would stop changing on us. I never know now /what/ we are going to be facing."

Narosia yanks up her hood on the robe, grim-faced at the news pouring forth. Using this outfit warrants a small degree of disguise, eyes nose and hair engulfed by shadow depths.

Lorelei says, "You get used to it. After a fashion. Our world had to cope with much the same, a bit over a century ago."

Narosia says, "Captain, have the robbers demanded anything yet?"

Alex glances briefly at Narosia before running off to go change.

The captain nods. "Why now? It could have waited a few years until I retired." he says with a wry smile to Lorelei. "You're the Mediator's alter-ego aren't you? Do you want to take charge here?"

Capt Keegan answers Narosia's question, "They haven't been in communication."

Lorelei says, "I don't know about 'take charge' as such, but we'll do what we can."

Lorelei puts her hand to her ear and talks in a low voice.

"Let...let me enter Lorelei. Survey their position, inform you before we arrive full force." Narosia's voice shakes minutely, gaze under the hood clearly apprehensive. On the other hand the compression of the mouth suggests an inner resolve to go through with the idea should the 'Mediator' accept.

[To Narosia] Lorelei says, "You can do that? Then by all means, please do - we don't want to go into this blind."

Lorelei says, "You really must tell me what you can do some time!"

Narosia says, "Maybe once I note down all the powers, you may have the copied booklet."

Rebound shows up. "This doesn't look like the way to Albuquerque. Hey everyone."

Lorelei says, "Hey Rebound. Narosia says she'll scout. I'm thinking you might be useful shielding any hostages, as the most bulletproof of us (as far as I know). How are you with fire?"

The SWAT team members look curiously and cautiously at Rebound but when Lorelei seems to accept his prsence they relax again.

Narosia nods to Rebound, "Hello again. Wish me luck...I will need it if the bank is well lit."

Lorelei thinks. o O (Whoops. ALex's costume change was maybe to protect his ID from Narosia? Did I goof in being so casual?)

Rebound says, "I'm not great with fire, but I'm probably the best one about."

[To Narosia] Lorelei says, "Good luck. Dont' take any chances, just find out what's going on, ok? Then we can work out how best to handle it."

Rebound nods to Narosia. "Ah... hey Narosia..." he says. o O ( If she hasn't figured it out by now... ) He sighs, and then offers a genuine smile. "Good luck."

Capt Keegan tells his men to stand by and wait for Lorelei and her companions to do whatever it is they are going to.

"Good luck with it hero." If Alex's idenity as Rebound is known, Narosia hides it well. Stepping into the shadows with a faint nod for both parties the girl rests her hands on the stone wall, turning a thrumming black shape then eases through like mist. Stepping out another motion and her body melds into nothingness within a fringed shade beneath a table inside the bank.

Narosia appears, or her torso does then slowly rest of the girl's body oozes out the stonework, wearing a deep frown. Walking over, she quickly relates the brief essence about her short look in there. "Three robbers, armed with guns-machine guns? Half a dozen hostages, unarmed and forced into a corner. All the people were placed in the front lobby."

Narosia thinks. o O (Did I get everything?)

Rebound nods. "Narosia... can you take anyone with you when you walk through walls like that?"

Narosia offers Rebound a headshake, "Given my luck, no. I never tried desolidfying object..ah." A flush spreads, seeming abashed talking openly about her differences.

Rebound looks to Lorelei. "Shall we try plan #3? I'll try to slip into the bank via the ventilation. Narosia, I suggest that you do the same and prepare to protect the hostages. Do you have any abilities that you can use to help protect the hostages? Like a force wall?"

Narosia says, "Yes-yes I do."

Narosia thinks. o O (Should I be talking with witnessess here? I'd rather avoid persecution here as well.)

Lorelei says, "Then let's do that. You two concentrate on protecting the hostages. I'll try talking to the robbers. I'll try the slow method first, to try to avoid violence. If that doesn't work - well, you know."

Narosia hesitates then tests out a tiny nod. Gathering her robe slash cloak round herself, the mageling sets to follow Rebound into this curiously named ventilation system.

Rebound nods. He bounds up to the rooftop and then stretches himself into the ventilation system.

Entry through the ventilation system proves easy for Alex, and also Narosia in her shadowy desolified form. There are no barriers such as you would find on the home dimension. Metapowers haven't been around long enough for counter-measures to be considered required part of basic security.

Rebound tries to slink into a vent the provides a line of sight to the area of the bank where the gunmen and hostages are.

Lorelei approaches the front door, hands in the air, calling out to robbers inside. She figures being a distraction will help the others get in unnoticed.

At least one of the robbers is keeping watch. A voice calls out from the bank. "Just you. Nobody else." to the street.

Lorelei says, "I'm alone." Which is true, as far as it goes. She approaches slowly, making it clear she not armed, and making no sudden moves.

Rebound watches the bank robbers through an air vent.

The same voice calls out, "Ok. You can enter." More quietly but audible to Alex and Narosia the robber acting as spokesperson tells the others, "It's the Mediator's kid sister. The one that was on TV last night on the news. That terrorist attack at a dinner."

Lorelei goes in, acting rather more nervous than she actually feels. She's only supposed t be the Mediator's sister after all, and an excessive show of confidence may make them nervous.

Once inside the bank in a position where she can see the robbers Lorelei begins a slow but invisible process of draining away their willpower.

The spokesperson lifts a hand and flame envelops his fingers. "I've got Comic Book powers. The bullets melt before they touch me. I'll use them again if I have to. We want a car to the city boundary and safe passage there." He tells Lorelei.

Lorelei looks about as she enters, both to get more of a sense of the layout and to hide the fact there's been any scouting. She nods to the flaming man, looking nervously at his fingers. "I don't know how quickly that can be arranged... I'm afraid your car seems to have a hole in it, but... well, I'm sure under the circumstances...

The spokesperson nods. "The hostages will be safe just as long as nobody tries anything. We're robbers not terrorists. We don't want to hurt anyone unless we have to."

One of the other robbers says, "We shouldn't let her leave now she knows where we are and where the hostages are. She can use the phone to talk to the CBPA so we can hear what's being said."

Lorelei says, "Do you even need the hostages? I mean, if bullets can't hurt you.... and I imagine the authorities would be much happier to negotiate if you don't seem to be endangering lives unnecessarily."

The robbers take time to think it over. Then the spokesperson nods to Lorelei, "The hostages can go if you take their place."

Rebound rests in the air shaft, just behind the vent, watching the scene in the bank.

Narosia stands behind Rebound, tensed and warily watching the fire ringleader.

Lorelei nods. "That seems fair."

Lorelei says, "So um... how do we do this? Should I go where the hostages are now?"

Rebound waits patiently.

The robbers tell the hostages to leave. All of them except one do so quickly. The standout is a short dark haired woman in her late twenties. She complains, "I want my pistol back before I set foot on the street."

Lorelei thinks. o O (Uh-oh. This world.....)

The spokesperson scowls. "Alright! Jeez. Unload her pistol and give her the weapon and cartridges separately."

The woman accepts that and also leaves.

Narosia thinks. o O (Women's cutting it fine, saying the least. She's lucky Lorelei was there.)

Lorelei says encouragingly, "THey'll probably take that as a show of good fauth on your part.

Two of the robbers are looking a bit glassy eyed. The spokesperson is the only one showing any initiative now.

"Make the call, lady." The spokesperson tells Lorelei.

Lorelei says, "OK.... Where's the phone?"

Rebound looks over to Narosia. He nods. o O ( Be ready. )

Lorelei says, "And um... what's the number? I don't live round here...."

The spokesperson points to a phone behind the counter.

Narosia nods back, leaning towards Rebound in a badly concealed bid for reassurance.

The spokesperson tells Lorelei, "911. Jeez. It's that all over the country. Where do you live. In a hole in the ground?"

Lorelei says, "Different country. Why do you think no one's heard the Mediator's had a sister before?"

Lorelei dials 911 and asks to be put through to Capt Keegan - this of course takes some more time.

The spokesperson nods, "Yeah. I guess that makes sense."

The last of the robbers goes glassy eyed too.

Lorelei says to the robber, "Are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean - you know, life of crime - even if you get to the city limits, out of the jurisdiction - who anywhere is going to trust you? Is this really the way you want to go with your life? Comic book villain?"

The robbers nod in agreement to Lorelei. "Yeah." "She's right I guess." "Yes."

Lorelei says, "I mean - I can still negotiate with the captain if you really want. But if you turn yourselves in now - well, no one was harmed, and I think people can appreciate how getting comic book powers suddenly might go to your head - I think you could expect leniency.... -- Oh, hello Captain, just a moment -- What do you think? It's up to you. I can present your demands, or try to perusade them to forgive and forget...."

The spokesperson tells Lorlei, "Yeah. Do that. We'll turn ourselves in, ok." The other two robbers nod.

Rebound looks to Narosia and smiles.

The robbers disarm and turn themselves in to the CBPA. The spokesman says, "You'll have to explain to Billy about what's happening."

Lorelei says, "Billy?"

Narosia mirrors Rebound's smile to her.

The robber nods, "Yeah, Billy. He got locked in the vault with the bank manager when someone pressed the alarm button."

Lorelei says, "Oh. Um, does Billy have comic book powers too, by any chance?"

The robber shakes his head, "Nah. Only I did."

Lorelei says, "Ok. We'll have to see what we can do..."

Lorelei step aside and talks to herself again.

The SWAT team come in and take the robbers into custody. Capt Keegan comes over to Lorelei, "Thanks. That leaves one huge problem. These people couldn't have picked a worse time to pull a robbery."

Lorelei says, "A worse time? How so?"

Rebound squeezes out of the air vent and onto his feet. He beckons for Narosia to follow. "Narosia, did you understand what the bandits were saying about the bank manager and the robber in the vault?"

Narosia clambers after Rebound, pulling her robe through and managing no tripping along the way. "My powers are needed again, yes?"

Capt Keegan explains, "When the alarm goes off the vault automatically shuts and locks on a time lock. It cannot be opened from outside for twenty-four hours. If someone is inside they can override the time clock. Only today the vault was being repaired and the controlling module for the clock had been taken out. There's a robber and the bank manager trapped in the vault I've been told, and no way to open the vault before they suffocate."

Rebound hmms, thinking. "So no matter what, we need to get the door open."

Rebound says, "Any chance we could get a replacement control module for the vault door here in time?"

Narosia says, "How strong is the door?"

Capt Keegan nods. "Any blast powerful to open the vault is likely to kill the people inside." He looks at Rebound, "The repaired module is in the back room ready to go back. But it's catch-66. It's on the outside and to open the vault door it needs to be on the inside."

Narosia sighs, "I will go through. Things attatched to myself also gain the same effect. Unless the module is large?

Rebound gives a thumbs up and smiles to the Captain. "Can the people inside the vault hear us? Maybe Lorelei should explain that we're sending someone inside, first."

The captain nods, "There's an intercom.

Lorelei says, "Ok, I'll do that then. If the module is small enough?"

The Cubb company technician brings the clock module out. It's the size of a hand calculator. He explains how to attach it to the timelock.

Narosia says, "W-well, my clothes are never left behind...I figure the effect has a limited range outside the flesh."

Lorelei says, "Ok, let's do this." She goes to the intercom, and says into it, "This is Lorelei, the Mediator's sister. Don't worry, we have a plan to get you out of there. It's going to involve someone with comic book powers teleporting into the vault though. Don't be alarmed - she's there to help."

Capt Keegan looks at Rebound and then Narosia. "What are you talking about?"

Narosia reddens, "D-did you have to mention 'comic books'?" She ask almost sulkily, drawing her hood further down.

Rebound folds his arms and smiles. "Watch and see, Captain." He turns and watches Lorelei talk on the phone.

From inside the vault two voices answer Lorelei, both sounding relived that help is promised.

[To Narosia] Lorelei says, "Don't blame me, it's what they call it here."

Narosia apologises to Lorelei and receiving the details from the Technician, places this metal device inside her sleeve. Inhaling deeply the girl turns her dark mist outline, slipping past the wall leading there as though they were airy illusions.

Lorelei monitors the intercom just in case there are any surprises.

Capt Keegan and the other SWAT team members in the bank stare in disbelief as Narosia slips through the wall of the vault. "What...!!! I'll be dipped in... uh," he looks apologetically at Lorelei, "milk. How the heck do you stop someone like that from walking into any bank in the city. Or out of a jail cell?"

Inside the vault two very relieved men watch as Narosia fits the module into the time clock and presses the time override button. The vault door slowly opens.

Rebound says, "Questonite, Captain. Or some kind of dimensional inhibitor field."

Lorelei says, "Well - there are technologies.... How do you catch criminals who have guns? Or lockpicks, or computers, or whatever? Every ability, every technology, provides new challenges. And people find ways to meet the challenges."

Capt Keegan sighs, "Tell me, is the main cause of retirement for protective agents in your dimension nervous breakdowns?" he asks skeptically.

Lorelei wonders whether the question was meant in general, as she answered it, or in particular as Rebound did. Either way, Keegan has an answer.

Lorelei says, "I could ask the same of here. The sheer number of firearms being carried - and the willingness to use them - frankly it frightens me. If you can cope with that, I don't see that a few 'comic book powers' will make things much worse."

When the vault door is open wide enough the two men emerge, the robber being placed under arrest. Capt Keegan comes over to Narosia, "You gave me a heck of a shock when you did that, Ma'am. But you saved two lives today and you ought to be mighty proud of that." He puts his hand out to shake hers.

Rebound says, "Well, in our world there are super criminals, but also super heroes to help out. Plus we've had a longer time for society to get used to them."

Narosia looks blankly at the hand stretched out...here where inuition comes to the fore, she placing her considerably smaller hand in his. "Thank you...forgive any shock I gave, rest easy that I-I do not exhibit them par usually." A smile breaks the solemn features, pride flushing her cheeks.

Rebound smiles too, and give Narosia an approving nod.

Capt Keegan shakes Narosia's small hand gently. "Thank you Ma;am."

Lorelei nods. "That's a good point. If I have any suggestion, it's to encourage people with powers to do things for the general good. DOn't be too scared of them, don't marginalise them. If they feel they can contribute with their powers - well, then you have superheroes!