Dr Archeville Posted August 27, 2009 Author Posted August 27, 2009 Going against the flow, RRG trudges through the drainage river. He keeps telling himself that this is mostly run off water from drains, and at worse there'll be old motor oil people carelessly toss down drains, and not biological waste... but part of him is still on edge. Along the way, he does note several floating white objects: more bones. Judging by the size, rat bones; eventually a few skulls pop up confirming it. Eventually the "river" he is in ends as he reaches its source: several smaller drainage pipes, the biggest of which are barely big enough to him to stick his arm through.
Geez3r Posted August 29, 2009 Posted August 29, 2009 "Great... just great. I come all the way here and I find jack didly. Better do a once over before I head the otherway." says RRG to know one in particular as he searches the area. He makes sure to log the area on his GPS and then he heads back the way he came in, intent on following this until the he found something. He wanted to find something down here that made all this worth while.
Dr Archeville Posted August 30, 2009 Author Posted August 30, 2009 Going with the flow of the 'river,' RRG eventually -- it feels like hours, but his internal chronometer says it's only been about 30 minutes -- reaches the exit grate for the runoff, which feeds into Wading River. If not for the large and locked grate, RRG could easily step out into the fresh early evening air. As he looks about, he spots something outside, a small nonmoving pile of something... red? He can't tell what it is from here, but there are ways to bypass a gate.
Geez3r Posted August 30, 2009 Posted August 30, 2009 Ordinarily, Rocket would never result to measures such as this, but after mucking in the mud for a while, any excuse to get out of there was perfectly okay in his book. Rocket tore the lock right off the grate without a second thought. He stepped through and welcomed the fresh air and breathed several lung fulls before he turned his attention to the small bit of red stuff.
Dr Archeville Posted August 30, 2009 Author Posted August 30, 2009 Stepping out, RRG can now see what the red thing(s) are: three red wineskins. They have traces of slime around the spouts.
Geez3r Posted August 30, 2009 Posted August 30, 2009 Rocket bends down and looks over the wine skins. "If the slime is only around the spouts, then it is quite unlikely someone had these on their person and then were attacked by the creatures. And it's quite unlikely that the creatures wanted something that was inside of the skins. They would probably just gobble the whole thing up. So... what were they used for? Unless... wait, what if this was how the creatures were released? If that's true then these skins could very well lead us to the culprit. And if we analyzed the material then we could find a way to contain these creatures." Rocket gets on the radio and relays his findings to the Police.
Dr Archeville Posted August 31, 2009 Author Posted August 31, 2009 "Excellent find, Mr. Rocket," a familiar voice responded. It was the senior medical examiner he'd met earlier, "leave them there, don't touch them, we'll be by to do a proper collection, insure a solid chain of evidence." The medical examiner, and his young assistant Jimmy Pilgrim, eventually arrive and study and examine and collect the wineskins for further study and analysis back at the labs. Meanwhile, deep beneath Freedom City.... "Muah hah hah hah hah! Phase One of mein plan appears to be a resounding success, despite de interference of dat meddling Rocket-Man. Now, to begin Phase Two, I- ach! I am out of de necessary catalysts! I shall haff to go on a little 'shopping trip'....."
Geez3r Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 "Thank you for your help. I've yet to find any more traces of the creatures. I stink to high heaven and I'm running low on power. I'm going to return to base momentarily to refuel and I'll patrol the city. Something tells me we haven't seen the last of the creatures. If you discover anything, please let me know immediately. Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure." Rocket blasts off into the sky. Not more than a half hour later, he's back combing the city.
Dr Archeville Posted September 9, 2009 Author Posted September 9, 2009 A transmission ont he police bands suddenly burst across RRG's radio, "Request backup... ASTRO Laksshhh... men down... big metaksssh... kssshhbug... not going... several rounds... backup nAUGH!" And then there was nothing but a static hiss.
Geez3r Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 "Astro Labs is being attacked!" Rocket took off immediately without the slightest hesitation. He rose up high above the buildings of the city, lined himself up with Astro Labs and kicked the afterburners on full blast and creamed across the sky, hoping he would get there before it was too late.
Dr Archeville Posted September 13, 2009 Author Posted September 13, 2009 Long before reaching ASTRO Labs, RRG's sensors can clearly see.... nothing out of the ordinary. The police were nowhere near as fast as he, and whatever was going on must be completely inside, as everything on the outside looks fine. As he gets nearer and lower, and at an angle where he can into the building itself -- through windows and through glass doors -- he sees evidence of the caller's troubles. Bodies of security guards and scientists are strewn everywhere, though most all are still weakly moving.
Geez3r Posted September 15, 2009 Posted September 15, 2009 This isn't a smash and grab. This was a planned attack. Whoever it is must be after something specific. I've got to stop them. Rocket set down in the lobby and addressed those gathered there "Police and ambulence are on their way. You'll be okay. But I need to know what happened here."
Dr Archeville Posted September 15, 2009 Author Posted September 15, 2009 Most of the people in the lobby -- a roughly even mix of ASTRO Labs scientists, visitors, and security guards -- were in too bad a shape to reply, but one guard does hobble over to RRG. "Some big bug-man," he says, holding a nasty gash on his side, "said something about a catalyst, then took off that way." He pointed down one hallway, then partially collapsed against the reception desk. Looking down the hallway, RRG notes more bodies, all bleeding and battered, but still feebly moving.
Geez3r Posted September 15, 2009 Posted September 15, 2009 "Everyone hold tight, help is on the way. But I need to put a stop to this before anyone else is hurt. Just hang on, I'll be right back!" Rocket took off after this bug creature. He loathed having to leave the people behind but he knew very little about medicine and whatever this creature was after it couldn't be good. The last thing he wanted now was a second wave of creatures set loose on the city. He darted through the hallways trying desperately to catch the perpetrator before anyone else got hurt.
Dr Archeville Posted September 15, 2009 Author Posted September 15, 2009 Cautiously starting out, RRG finds his way through the twisting and turning ASTRO Labs hallways is made somewhat easier by all the bloodied and battered bodies, clearly marking the trail of the creature. The trail stops at Biochemistry Lab C... and there was the creature! It looked very much like a humanoid beetle of some kind, iridescent green with a thick, spiked carapace, clawed three-digit hands -- which currently held a terrified young female scientist -- and a mouth that opened far too wide and had far too many teeth. Oddly -- and, perhaps, most disturbingly -- its eyes were completely human.
Geez3r Posted September 15, 2009 Posted September 15, 2009 "Hey! Put the young lady down!" said Rocket dramatically as he landed on the scene. The creature's eyes had thrown him, maybe it could be reasoned with?
Dr Archeville Posted September 15, 2009 Author Posted September 15, 2009 "Fool! Chk-chk! Kafka fears no metal-man! Chk-chk!" Something about the "Kafka"'s voice seemed vaguely familiar to RRG, but amidst all the clicks and chirps he could not place what it was. But that would have to wait -- already the Bug-Man was bounding towards him, having shoved aside his hostage, and seemingly growing in size as he neared! He reared back with one massive clawed hand, and struck... "RARGH! Chk-chk!" ... but missed!
Geez3r Posted September 15, 2009 Posted September 15, 2009 Rocket quickly dodged to the side as the creature's claw came towards him. However, the manuever put him quite off balance. So, when he attempted to dart behind the creature, he nearly crashed head first into a nearby desk. A desk that was later kicked across the room as Rocket attempted to counter attack the creature. Not used to fighting in these enclosed spaces. Yeah that'll be my excuse. Rocket shoots the former hostage a look that says both "Run" and "Don't tell anyone how stupid I just looked."
Dr Archeville Posted September 17, 2009 Author Posted September 17, 2009 "RARGH! Chk-chk!" the bug-man roared as he again tried to claw at RRG, and again missed. "Metal-Man not worth Kafka's time! Chk-chk!," it hissed, backing away down the corridor, "Kafka have mission! Chk-chk!" And then he beat feet, down the hall about 20 feet, then around a corner and out of sight.
Geez3r Posted September 17, 2009 Posted September 17, 2009 "Oh you are so not completing your mission bug boy, get your butt back here!" says Rocket as he easily tears after the creature with his superior speed and agility. He charges up his blaster and unleashes a quick bolt of plasma at the fleeing creature. "Who are you working for?"
Dr Archeville Posted September 17, 2009 Author Posted September 17, 2009 The plasma-bolt slams into the Bug-Man's back, but it keeps moving, seemingly unfazed by it! It continues running, around another bend; RRG realizes it's going back the way it came, as they are passing some of the battered/bleeding and unconscious ASTRO Labs technicians he saw earlier.
Geez3r Posted September 17, 2009 Posted September 17, 2009 Grrr. This thing's tough. Gotta stop it from running! Rocket again tore after the creature and tried a different tactic this time. Rather than blasting or hitting it, Rocket wrapped his arms around it and tried to hold the creature down so it couldn't get close to any of the innocents that were back this way.
Dr Archeville Posted September 17, 2009 Author Posted September 17, 2009 RRG manages to connect with the Bug-Man and almost get his arms around it, but the creature twisted just and hopped out of the heroes clutches. "Must not be stopped! Chk-chk!" it cried as it continued down the hall and around another corner. "Cannot be stopped! Chk-chk!" Rounding the corner, RRG saw several smashed doors and more turns further up, but no Bug-Man. There were also three technicians here; two look like they'd been down for some time, but the third, an attractive woman, looks as if she'd just been knocked down! "Wh-what was that thing?!"
Geez3r Posted September 17, 2009 Posted September 17, 2009 Dammit he's slippery. Gotta catch up with him. Rocket rounded to find... that the creature had given him the slip. He stopped to help the woman to her feet "It's alright now, which way did the creature go? Find a safe place to hide and stay there."
Dr Archeville Posted September 18, 2009 Author Posted September 18, 2009 The woman, clearly freaking out, clung to RRG. "Safe? I don't think there is anywhere safe -- that thing was crashing through walls and doors like they were cardboard! And it tore through people like... like...." Her eyes went wide, then she began sobbing hysterically, "don't let it get me, please!"
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