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 Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:39 pm
"My business is keeping his business going," James said to the third.
"The virus is his business, and the two of you can tell me more about it than anyone else alive," James said to the second.
"And the behemoth..." His cell phone rang, already in hand, the moment a shadow was cast over the entire complex and the sun was blotted out from the sky above them.
"...that's because it's not a rescue mission unless you arrive in style."
A rush of air hit them all at once as the behemoth descended upon the building from above; James took advantage of the deafening gusts of wind to answer his phone. A momentary exchange, and then the sky fell.
KRR-KreeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~
A section of the airship's hull broke free and fell straight downwards to the roof of the A~E building. Like watching a plane crash in slow motion it seemed like it was going to smash straight through the roof and them with it; but momentarily sparks flew and the sound of metal screeching against metal pierced the clamor of the whirlwind around them and the separated piece of hull skidded to a stop on a set of steel cables. Only a few feet from the rooftop now, it descended the rest of the way slowly, and then opened the doors.
"Gentlemen," James shouted over the sound of the engines blasting gusts of wind down at them, "get their bags."
Mr. Black stepped aboard the strange 'dropship' that had fallen from the sky, and a pair of hulking, mechanical dolls stepped out of it.
Apparently the cargo elevator didn't stop at the roof.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:37 pm
Sometime during the late evening hours, perhaps right before everyone would be heading home (or changing shifts for the grave shift), one last person would lurch through the door. His gait would hit at someone who was zombified, and his ragged appearance only added to the ruse. Though his wince and ensuing cursing of the pain quickly erased the doubt.
The man, who had clearly been injured, approached the front desk. "I need to... I need to see Joseph Brown. When will he be in next?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:30 pm
Joseph watched as the section of deck fell to the roof while making a silent prayer it wouldn't leave too much of a mark. He seemed to be in luck as the CI crew were good at playing don't damage the landing pad chicken. Then there were the puppet things, hopefully they were there to make life easier.
Following James, Joseph stepped into the dropship.
"The need to know version is this," Joseph began flatly, "The Omnipraga is a virus split up into two functional variants, twelve and thirteen. Thirteen is benign and thus a powerful research tool, while twelve is malignant and could potentially wipe out humanity. We're going to visit a place with a whole lot of twelve."
A pause as Agent stepped in.
"But, I'm gonna go against what I've been advised to do by many, and actually trust you a little bit more than that. The reason those are the only two variants we bother talking about, is because they've reached a form of consciousness. Thus thirteen became the being known as V13, or simply V, that you may have come in contact with back in the day. Twelve is the real threat as not only can it think but it believes itself far superior to current life. Thus its infect and adapt mentality."
"So yeah, Agrippina's publicised "zombie" problem is more a "sentient virus changing the biological properties of organic matter" problem." Joseph pointed to the pocket James had stuffed their delivery into, "Our man believed he put an end to Twelve, and that battle nearly killed him and myself. Thus the city itself is pissed at the old demon."
--- Later on --- --- --- ---
"To talk to Mr. Brown you need..." That worker was quickly cut off by a larger lady, but one who many of the visitors were getting familiar with. She was the only desk worker that knew what the hell is going on.
"Mr. Brown is out on business, but if you give me your name I can see what I can do." She looked concerned at his injuries, "There are facilities here I can see if I can get you clearance for while you wait."
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:55 pm
"My... name..." he started, unsure of how to respond. Not hiding-the-truth unsure, but practically-out-of-it unsure. He simply blinked at her a few times, before wincing, shaking his head, and holding a cast which encassed his right hand up to his skull.
"Yeah, sorry. Yupa, Rain. I've spoken with Mr. Brown personally, so he'll know my name. Its not an immediate hurry, just whenever he shows up." He hesitated, looking around at the 'facilities' before continuing.
"If I can just get someplace where I can close my eyes and rest a spell, that will do nicely. It was hell getting here on foot at this time of night, know what I mean?" He didn't include the bit about checking out of the hospital early after only a day and a half, not realizing that it would be rather blatantly obvious by his attire (cast, arm in sling, mucho bandages, hospital gown, slippers).
Given a few more moments, he would give her a big, childlike grin to accompany his request.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:50 pm
"Good twin, evil twin," James clarified after Joseph stopped speaking; himself taking up a nice spot next to a railing with handles attached to it, much like a bus. Of course, this was no bus.
"If we're dealing with Twelve, then we're going to need Thirteen, is that what you're saying? After all, only the good twin can kill the evil one. It's just how these things go."
James grinned roguishly. Television had never steered him wrong before.
The Heavy units stepped out of the transport area and, just as they had looked like they were about to, began to load all of the equipment onto the lift. For machines like that none of it was a problem at all, and in just a minute everything was stacked neatly in the center of the lift and ready to go. The robots then returned to the sides of the transport area and into niches cut into the wall that would keep them from being jostled during transport.
"Well then, gentlemen..." James said as he reached across to a lighted screen and pressed a few commands, "Let's remove the prefix from some undead."
The doors slammed shut and sealed themselves tightly, and the sound of winches was accompanied by the sudden lurching feeling of movement.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:36 pm
"That's where Agent and these here crates come into play." Another motion towards the robots now bringing in the crates, "Thirteen's original body kind of demolished during the Grand Battle, but through the marvels of science some of the virus was preserved."
Of course he put a joking emphasis on science. He'd much rather tell a joke than say he infected himself with a sentient Virus to save the dollars spent tracking the damn thing.
"And from the good twin we've developed the pesudo-cure to the Omnipraga. Variant 13b if you will." He took out an auto-syrenge from his coat pocket, "Essentially the crates have a good deal of these boosters among other things. They contain a replicated short-living version of thirteen that has all the instinct to combat tissue twelve creates. One of these babies can increase your chance of survival from zero to roughly thirty."
"So... What's the service like on these airlines? Is the movie good?"
--- Later --- --- --- ---
"Just give me a moment Mr. Yupa..." The lady immediately went to typing through the system faster than Rain had probably seen anybody type. She looked pleasantly surprised at the end, "Well I'll be damned. Seems Mr. Brown had been expecting you to visit eventually."
She swirled around on her chair.
"Sally! Get me envelope 2375A!"
Back towards Rain.
"There has been a suite prepared for you, as well as access to most of the buildings facilities." She put her had up right as Sally was passing it to her, "This envelope contains a card key that will take you right to the floor you want, no buttons or anything."
She placed the envelope on the counter.
"Hope you feel better."
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:08 pm
"The most expensive ticket you'll ever buy unless Elvis decides to hold a benefit concert."
James cast an eye to the crates, and to the vial.
Well, at least he'd been right in that regard. The only good cure being the disease itself. It only made sense... no one would take the time to engineer a super-virus that could be eradicated without killing the host. The leap of logic that followed would be having to fight it back cell by cell.
"I hate to burst your bubble," he added after a moment of winch-filled silence, "but you're going to have a hell of a time convincing people to take the blue pill."
After all, he had no intention of fighting fire with fire as long as he was still stuck in the middle of it.
There was the sound of a heavy impact from outside. Machinery contacting the outside of the lift and latches snapping. The doors at the side of the transport area clicked open their locks and then slid noiselessly to the sides on well-oiled tracks.
"Welcome to the Paradigm," a man in black said as the bright lights outside flooded the dimly lit interior of the cargo elevator.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:58 pm
Rain looked dumbfounded at the envelope, sitting on the desk. He got what he was supposed to do with it, but he was at the point that most up-and-coming actors get when they forget a line in their first big performance.
His right hand was in a cast, and his left arm was in a sling due to his dislocation.
He sweatdropped behind his head, before bowing. "Uh... y-yes! Thank you very much for your hospitality." He stayed bowed for a moment, before leaning forward to nudge the manilla package closer to the edge of the desk with his chin. Once the tip of it hung over empty space, he grabbed it with his teeth by the corner.
He backed off from the desk, standing up straight once again, despite an obviously pained effort to do so. He kicked off one of his hospital slippers, and raised his leg up slowly. He would extend it all the way up, as if attempting an axe kick, except he reached as far as he could to grab the envelope between his toes. Almost... almost... SUCCESS!
He would then begin to try to tear the envelope open with his teeth, pulling on it like an animal or barbarian. Though one factor never taken into account was how often the floor of the main floor would be buffed, waxed, and cleaned to keep up its appearance. Thus, its near-natural slipperiness, on top of a wounded and still-somewhat-drugged man's lack of a secure sense of balance was not a good combination.
He teetered where he stood, before falling sideways down in front of the desk, vanishing from sight from the two secretaries.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:02 pm
"I called it the pesudo-cure for a reason." Joseph responded to James' disparaging of the blue pill, "These crates are here to save our asses if we get in a bind. With a special dose set aside for our main man just in case."
"Chances are twelve would create an immunity to this particular variant of a variant." surprisingly it was Agent speaking this time, "It's one thing to create a cure to regular viruses that just adapt over time, curing one that can make an honest effort to outthink your cure is near impossible. Publicly the Defence Force hasn't admitted it, but containment is the only thing they can do at the moment. Agrippina was doomed the minute Twelve was given an inch."
"Paradigm, eh?" The CEO looked to the man in black and then to Black, "I hope we have firepower."
--- Later --- --- --- ---
The secretary made a note of Rain's... well... Flailing attempts to open the envelope. Without even considering another option she waived someone over.
Thus Rain wouldn't fall. The minute he started wobbling there would be someone there to catch him. The lobby was about service, and A~E had an image to uphold. The person called in to assist him would then turn to the faltering man.
"Would you like some help with all this?" The aide asked.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:20 pm
Joseph Brown "Paradigm, eh?" The CEO looked to the man in black and then to Black, "I hope we have firepower."
"Angelo," he added firmly.There was a start from the vacant expression that had been on the boy's face when his name was called; pulling him back to reality from whatever place he had just been. He breathed deeply once, then turned in response to his name; letting his head turn slower than his body in order to get a good glimpse of the new guests. "Yes father," the boy responded obediently... before his fists suddenly clenched at his sides in a panic upon recognizing Brown. President White placed a hand reassuringly upon the boy's left shoulder while speaking. "If these two wish to see their quarters, take them to the rooms we've arranged. Otherwise you can bring them to the bridge."
Removing his hand and placing it back within his pocket, White looked to Black, then to Brown.
"I'm sure that in the interest of their own best health these two men will want to tell us all about the nasty things that lay in wait for us in the city of Agrippina.""Yes father," the boy said again. President White began to step into the hallway, but paused at the door just before leaving and turned back to James. "Group seven is waiting for you in sick bay, when you're ready.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:41 pm
~ Meanwhile ~ The Paradigm had already moved way from the Alpha ~ Epsilon complex and begun making its way south... to the Barthavos Desert and the city of St. Agrippina.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:02 pm
As Rain wobbled and teetered in place, he would begin to fall, only to be caught inches later by a set of strong hands. Rain sweatdropped (which, after it fell, would create a significant puddle on the floor; it probably should be cleaned up by a janitor before someone slipped on it and fell), chuckling innocently to himself more than anyone.
"Er, yeah. Assistance wouldn't hurt at the moment. This isn't as easy as I make it look." he replied to the aide. He bent his knee, holding out the envelope to the man with his foot. After it would be taken, he would slip his foot into his hospital slipper once again.
"Just, I need a place to have a good sitdown until Mr. Brown comes in. I walked in from Latent, so I'm bushed. This kind soul," he said, gesturing with his head towards the secretary, "was trying to direct me to a suite of somekind, and that's how I got myself into this pickle. So if you could help me find a chair to rest in, I'd appreciate it, friend."
Apparently, the concepts of 'suite' and 'most of the facilities' were lost on him in this state.
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:23 pm
themightyjello "More than enough for anything we might run into." "Good. We'll probably need it." Joseph interlaced his fingers and did one of those casual stretches, "And you probably want someone with one finger on the self destruct button. I've told James that this infection gets unmanageable fast, and unlike your classic science-zombie these guys have no bias against using technology. Though we won't have to worry about that though? Once of prevention being worth a pound of the very very awful cure." On the words 'awful cure' Joseph's spread outward from the cluster they had fallen in. It was after this little mime explosion that his attention would have been directed to Angelo. Now there was a face he hadn't seen in ages... Not since the father, son, and unholy ghost attempted to break into his old tower. Joseph's reaction. Joseph's reaction? Grin directly at him and give him a slack salute with his index and middle fingers. He had learned a lot from his very first encounter with Angelo; never trust second hand intel on top secret projects from a company that owns a country for example. "Is the bridge appropriate for briefing?" The bandaged man was more businesslike than his boss, "I don't want to explain this multiple times, nor do I want to alarm anyone who is just in this for the paycheque. That and a live satellite feed of the city would be nice, though we can provide stills in the absence of that convenience." And with that they flew off into another thread. --- The Final Later Heading --- --- ---((Begin travel post!)) "Right this way, sir." The aide said as he herded Rain towards one of fancier looking elevators. What made it fancy, why the fact it only had a cardkey slot and a button marked read. "The envelope if I may, sir?" Of course there wouldn't be a lot Rain could do to offer or retract the envelope from the man considering the state of his arms. Thus the paper would be grabbed and torn by the aide one way or the other, and from that envelope he pulled a cardkey which without any thought he jammed in the slot and mashed the read button. Wait. Wait. Ding. Doors now open the aide stepped forward to hold the door for Rain. The elevator was fairly standard, save for the fact one of the walls was an LCD screen. It displayed a glitzed up and cut to hell version of a the graphics Joseph displayed to Rain in the Firebrand, all while a woman's voice spun marketing messages about Evergreen Island. Seems the project had moved forward a bit since they last talked. The doors slid closed, and the elevator rose to the appropriate floor on it's own vocation. To which the aide would begin to herd again, this time down a hall of relatively nondescript doors till the aide found the one written on the keycard. A quick swipe and the door was open for rain. Suite may have been an understatement. This was more like a fully furnished, high-class condo with all the helpful devices that modern living requires. You could guess that this was recently prepared or never used before, as the cleaning job seemed just to sparkle. "This should be a good enough place to sit." The aide broke stoic character with that backhanded remark, "I'll leave the keycard right here beside the door, sir."
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:53 pm
Rain would follow and obey the aide, mostly silent unless eye contact was made; then, he would smile innocently.
He had no idea where he was going. This guy could be trying to lead him off to mug him for all he knew. But he was too exhausted to care, he simply followed suit.
As they entered the elite suite, Rain looked around. He blinked his eyes several times. One might take that as blinking in suprise, but it was more of a blink to see if he could focus on what he was seeing, if it was actually there or he was hallucinating it.
"Uh... yeah, I believe so. Thank you." Then the moment of awkwardness hit. Was he supposed to tip the man? Rain didn't have any money on him at the moment, let alone the ability to get it out if he had it, let alone the presence of pants to even keep money in if he did have it.
"Ummmmm..." he started, looking down at himself then back at the aide. "I feel bad now. Is there anything I can get you while I'm up here?"
Aaaaawwwkkkwwwaaaarrrdddd...
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:09 pm
The aide started to smile, but he fought it back. But as Rain moved along the obvious line of conversation that would lead to him admitting he couldn't tip the man... Well, the aide just started cracking up. Hell he was near buckled over.
"I'm... Phhhift.... I'm sorry man." the fellow stood up and attempted to regain his composure, "Did I really get you with all that "sir" crap? Man, this isn't a hotel, you don't have to worry about giving me anything. I work in accounting and live in one of the units a floor down."
He looked absolutely serious for a second.
"The only reason I did this was because that secretary scares the bejezzus out of me." He started stifling laughter again, "I'm sorry man."
"Anyway, phone's over there." He pointed, "Should be a little sheet thing that tells you how to get in contact with the different departments. Not sure if you got any food, but if you order something you have to get it delivered to the front desk and go and get it. It's kind of a pain in the a**."
"Well, enjoy your stay." He waved and began to close the door but not before adding a, "... Sir."
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