ic Interrupting Cow (IC)

[Gizmo]

"That's not really how my--" Jack began, before being loudly interrupted by a practically sputtering Vince.

"Are... are you kidding me?!" the AI cried, simulated hands slapping his forehead. The stage behind him faded to blank white, as if he were too upset to bother maintaining his set pieces. "You're the one who designed the security system! And me!" He pointed an accusatory finger at the scientist while throwing his other arm up in the air. "And enough with the 'anti-tech cloaking blah de blah blah'! Can we please just call it magic? I don't care if there's a perfectly rational explanation, I'm talking about ease of reference here. And let's face it, you've never come up with an explanation for 'Malkie or Jackie Boy that amounted to more than 'a wizard did it' anyway!"

"Actually, that's still not really how my-- er... nevermind," Jack spoke up before being silenced by a glare from Vince.

[Geez3r]

"Nope. Can't see $%^& captain." says Dynamo with complete deadpan. Dynamo goes back over to the fridge and readjusts everything back to the way it was before Grim grabbed her apple. "I probably saw something move at some point, but if I see something outta place, I just put it back. There are 5 of us in here now ya know, 6 if ya count the chica. Sorry, can't think of her name." says Dynamo as an aside to Jack. "Hold on wait. I got just the idea." Dynamo went into the fridge, grabbed a clove of garlic and hung it by one of the air vents. "Problem. Solved." said Dynamo as he retook his seat at the table.

[quotemyname]

Colt frowned when a dry crackling sound emanated from his cigarette. It was out of fuel. Unlike real cigarettes, these did not burn, they simply consumed a liquid fuel that wasn't totally unlike the stuff inside a cigarette, only it was less filled with chemicals. If pure chemical could be less filled with chemical than cigarettes were...Colt shrugged, not wanting to think about it too hard. He realized now that he had been staring at the cigarette in his hand.

Colt returned the cigarette to the box in his pocket. He took his time sauntering back into the house, pulling the door open and letting it clatter shut behind him. His boots clomped on the wooden floors, his spurs jangled. Colt approached the kitchen and leaned up against the door frame behind Doctor Archeville.

"Hold on wait. I got just the idea." Dynamo went into the fridge, grabbed a clove of garlic and hung it by one of the air vents. "Problem. Solved." said Dynamo as he retook his seat at the table.

"Now I reckon if'n that were gonna work," Colt pointed a finger at the hanging garlic, the brim of his hat tipped down slightly, obscuring his face. "We wouldn't be havin' this meetin'."

"Now." Colt lifted the brim of his hat with the finger he'd used to point at the garlic. He slowly eyed each of the people in the room. Lastly his eyes touched on Grim, and they lingered longer than on the others. The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. He was done being upset. He'd had his cigarette. He was ready for some action. "Plannin' time."

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville seemed most surprised at Vince's outburst.

I told you we should have installed Loyalty Subroutines into his basecode.

An I told you that doing so would compromise the overall purpose of this experiment, to see if Vince is truly sapient or not. I cannot determine if Vince is truly making his own choices if I know some of his choices have been made for him, by you, no less.

"Ja, Vince, I know I designed de systems here, und you, und I am not excusing meinself from blame here," the Doktor replied in a slightly strained tone. "Though I also thought I programmed you to be more observant."

Oh, he is doing the best he can, you know that.

He should be doing the best of someone better. They all should!

He turned back to the others, "I do not know if he can turn to mist or not, like some legends say, or if such an ability is limited to nighttime hours, like de Stoker novel says. I do know dat garlic vill do nutzing, de few samples he gave me to study showed no adverse reactions to any member of de Alliaceae family, or any similar polysulfide compounds. He did tell me silver is effective against him, und it vas not until I used a silver scalpel on him dat I vas able to obtain his skin samples."

"Oh, und do not store whole garlic bulbs in de refrigerator," he added, "it makes dem sprout early und makes dem bitter, und causes it to turn blue-green vhen cooked."

Really? Gosh! Thanks, Doktor Food!

Must you be so sarcastic?

Considering the situation, yes!

Archeville left eye twitched ever-so-slightly, "right, not getting off-topic. Okay..." He took another deep breath, "I vould advise not focusing on Avenger per se, but on vhat he can do, und on similar abilities. Focusing solely on vays to keep Avenger out vill be of no help if Nacht-Krieger decides to come in und slaughter you all, und methods of detecting und stopping either of dem may be useless against de Power Corps or de Psions."

[quotemyname]

"Hmmm." Colt scratched at his chin. "If'n silver's effective at harmin' him. Maybe it's effective at wardin' him off too. We could give silver screens'a try. Hangin'em in front'a air vents'n all."

Colt found some paper and a pencil. He began scrawling a list of things on it. Heading up the paper was, "1. Silver - Preventative/Harmful?"

"If'n anyone thinks'a anythin' else, y'all c'n start writin'." Colt let the pencil fall onto the paper and moved a step back to let others access it.

[Gizmo]

Vince fumed of the monitor, clearly dissatisfied with Archeville's backhanded apology. Feeling as though he were intruding upon a family squabble, Jack deigned not to comment upon the exchange, and similarly ignored Dynamo's antics not wanting to encourage the speedster. Instead he turned to Colt and his piece of paper. "So your plan," he asked innocently, "is a to-do list. Colt, ol' buddy, never let them say you're not a tactical genius." The fencers eyebrows lowered as he thought on the matter more seriously. "Well, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that with enough of the right type of energy, you can hurt petty much anything. What about some sort of..." He gestured vaguely back and forth with one hand, trying to articulate his point. "...like, y'know, oscillating radiation bath... thing. Just enough to see what works, maybe screw with people with alternate forms." Jack shrugged, clearly not placing too much faith in his own expertise when it came to technological solutions.

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum scowled and crossed her arms, watching Dr. Archeville like a hawk. No, buying it didn't seem to be on Fulcrum's list. Although she did look a little more satisfied that he was at least trying to keep his cool. The man was definitely wound too tight.

Then something strange happened. Instead of contributing to the discussion, she more or less leaned against the counter, played with her iPhone and listened. Oh, yeah, she was thinking, judging from the far away look in her eyes at times. In truth she had shifted into 'Speed' mode as she called it. A little something she had discovered, that if concentrating, not only could she move fast but think incredibly fast too.

When Jack broached his idea, she lowered her iPhone and said, "If we can't see, hear or smell him, then we'll just have to use another sense or variation. How about air-flow monitors? We could use sensors that detected air movement and displacement. Say, from a stream of unusual 'mist'-like particles or the presence of a large, invisible object. If we hooked them into Vince, then even if he stood stock still in a corner, he'd be a huge 'hole' in Vince's senses of the house."

[Dr Archeville]

"Silver screens are an excellent suggestion, Herr Colt," the Doktor said, his tone becoming a hair lighter, "since de biocidal properties of silver vill also help against any airborne pathogens dat may be released in here. I vould also suggest rigging a high-voltage, low-current electrical shock to go through de silver mesh, as a further deterrent."

And, it'd really irritate the werewolves!

Oh, shoot! Oh, should I tell them about those?

Meh.

He turned to Jack, and stared at the swashbuckler a moment, trying to decipher what he was saying. Suddenly, "Ah! Ja! Program de lights to strobe in a pattern causing microseizures in de brain, specifically de parts regulating form changing. Vould help against shapeshifters, metamorphs, size-shifters. Und... against any verevolves who take offense to all de silver going into de house."

Oh, stop with the hand-holding! They'd find out about them on their own.

I would rather they not find out about them when they come breaking down the doors and windows!

When Fulcrum spoke, it was clear to all (well, maybe not to Dynamo; he was young yet) that the Doktor struggled to keep his semi-professional tone. "Anozher excellent idea. Perhaps some pressure plates, too?"

Watch it -- they're staring.

Aw, afraid to be seen as having a heart?

No, concerned about being seen as weak!

[Geez3r]

"There's always the direct approach too. Making the walls a bit tougher so it can stall a big bruiser for a moment might be a good thing too. In case y'all haven't noticed, most of the career villains in Freedom ain't exactly subtle. Maybe like some force fields like in the walls or in the interior of the place. Though it would make hanging junk on the wall a real pain." mused Dynamo, deciding not to voice some of his worries about Fulcrum. Something's off about her. Her eyes are all weird.

[Gizmo]

"Right!" Jack exclaimed as Archeville described potential security measures. The swordsman snapped his fingers and pounded the table with his fist. "Microseizures in the... brain with the... regulating... yes." He gestured emphatically, nodding along as the blond scientist spoke. After a pause he slumped back against the kitchen counter. "I gotta say, I don't feel like I'm contributing, here."

He turned his head to regard Dynamo when the speedster ventured another suggestion. "Well, the one's you know about aren't subtle, anyway. See how that works?"

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum patted Jack on the shoulder, "Don't feel bad. Both of us are rather pro-active aren't we? Why deal with a security system when we can simply stab or punch the threat?" Hopefully a little humor would get him back on track.

Turning to the group, she continued, "Hell, while we're at it, lets redesign the brownstone to be a self-contained module with full NBC ratings. A sealed ventilation system has already been mentioned. DNA key code the doors, monitor air flow, sound, oxygen levels, the electromagnetic spectrum and the kitchen sink to boot." The last bit was another attempt at levity, but maybe the idea had merit.

Opening the cupboard, she asked around, "Coffee anyone?"

[Heritage]

"I vould advise not focusing on Avenger per se, but on vhat he can do, und on similar abilities. Focusing solely on vays to keep Avenger out vill be of no help if Nacht-Krieger decides to come in und slaughter you all, und methods of detecting und stopping either of dem may be useless against de Power Corps or de Psions."

The mere mention of the Nazi killing machine made the color drain from Grim's face; she'd had nightmares for a full week when she first learned about him back in grade school. Pushing aside her fears, she returned to the discussion.

"Uh, Doc, could that strobe-y thing be used to actually hurt or stun an incorporeal ghostie? Or is there some way we could, I dunno, do some kind of 'psychic energy blast' that would give them blinding headaches even if they don't have a body? I really don't like the idea of folks walking through the walls and ripping us apart in our sleep."

"Coffee anyone?"

The changeling sighed as she climbed back up on a stool. "Yeah, I'll take a cup, Mona; lotsa cream and sugar, please."

Grim vigorously rubbed her face before continuing.

"Look, the fact of the matter is no matter how paranoid we try and be, if someone really wants to get us, they probably can; even if we try to consider every possible solution, a really determined psycho-genius, like for instance if Doc had an evil twin from a parallel universe-"

The thought caused her to stop, look over at their patron and visibly shiver at the very concept.

"Uh, the point is, complete and total security is an ideal which we can probably never achieve, so...well, I had a point, or at least I thought I did..."

She waved her hands in exasperation.

"That's alls I gots; I'm done, guys."

[Geez3r]

"Cream and 37 sugars." answered Dynamo over his shoulder. "Yeah Grim, we got it. Ain't nothing fool proof, but we can at least attempt to keep some of the fools out." replied Dynamo, with a smug look of "ya see what I did there?" plastered all over his face. Dynamo sat down at the table and pulled the piece of paper and pencil over to him. He flipped it over and his hand started flying over the page, drawing out schematics for the Brownstone and the Underground. They were actually pretty good too, not professional, but good enough. There was also details missing for the specific science stuff, but that was Doc's territory. A careful eye also noticed that the pencil was suddenly about 4 inches shorter and the eraser nearly gone. He slid the paper to the center of the table, so everyone else could look at it.

[Gizmo]

"I dunno," Jack drawled mildly, "we let you in." The swashbuckler folder his arms and tilted his head slightly to one side. "Look, forget frying their brains or whatever, we just need to know they're there in the first place, right? Alarm goes off, wakes us up, I stab whoever snuck in." The team had grown accustomed to Jack's 'every problem looks like a nail' philosophy; it probably would have been a lot less aggravating if 'stabbing' didn't end up working out for the fencer quite so often.

[Dr Archeville]

"Yes, vell, dat does bring us do de ozher part of de eqvation," the Doktor began, "de 'Human Factor'." He actually began to pace a bit, "A security system, like any piece of technology, is only as good as de von who uses it. I believe a shift in your training routines is in order -- or, for some of you," he looked to Dynamo and Fulcrum, "de start of a training routine."

Rally the troops!

They are not troops, they are... are... agents.

"Colt, Grim, Jack, you haff been mit de team from de very beginning, und I am proud of de good you haff done. Your vork on de 'Zombie Drug Ring' back in February alone was most impressive. Und I am glad to see you haff expanded de tea's roster, und de team's charter, making contacts mit more und more of de city's newest superheroes und establishing a netvork for dem. However, you must all remember dat dis is first und foremost a superhero team; I am not funding a social club. Ve can all be better dan vhat ve are now."

Archeville paused, and suddenly realized that, due to the gravity-defying nature of his Belt, he had paced himself up onto the ceiling.

[quotemyname]

As the suggestions poured in, Colt attacked the "to-do" list.

"So your plan," he asked innocently, "is a to-do list. Colt, ol' buddy, never let them say you're not a tactical genius." The fencers eyebrows lowered as he thought on the matter more seriously.

"Wouldn't wanna miss none'a them suggestions, naw would we?" He replied, missing the sarcasm because of his concentration on the paper.

Opening the cupboard, she asked around, "Coffee anyone?"

"Please," He said offhandedly, "Black, no sugar."

Colt only stopped writing to look up in annoyance when Dynamo finished an entire floor plan of the building in the time it took to write one sentence. "I reckon I gotta ask," He scowled at Dynamo, "Why'm I writin'? Seems ta me like y'all'd be done'a might faster."

Finally finished with the current list, Colt slid the paper to the center of the table and dropped the pencil once more.

"Colt, Grim, Jack, you haff been mit de team from de very beginning, und I am proud of de good you haff done. Your vork on de 'Zombie Drug Ring' back in February alone was most impressive. Und I am glad to see you haff expanded de tea's roster, und de team's charter, making contacts mit more und more of de city's newest superheroes und establishing a netvork for dem. However, you must all remember dat dis is first und foremost a superhero team; I am not funding a social club. Ve can all be better dan vhat ve are now."

"Mighty powerful idea ya got there, but I reckon we c'n cross that bridge when we're done buildin' this'n, Doc." Colt paused to look up at Dr. Archeville floating next to the ceiling. He turned his attention back to the paper, and then back to the doctor. "Doc...I reckon yer the one wit' th' brain'n knowhow." Colt paused to scan the paper on last time. "How much'a this do ya reckon we can git done'n a week?" The question even played across Colt's eyes as he looked back up at Dr. Archeville.

[Dr Archeville]

"Vell, given de two newest additions to de team," he said, nodding towards Dynamo and Fulcrum (and lingering a bit longer on her) from his spot on the ceiling, "I vould say ve can do qvite a bit in von veek."

One week is about the time I would need to properly indoctrinate them, too.

Except we are going to be busy with all the other upgrades. And I will make sure there are other things to distract you.

You sure you won't be too distracted by your girlfriend to do that?

"So," he flipped down to the floor, "more suggestions?"

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum completed the orders with gusto, that being a small-scale Dynamo as she zipped around the kitchen. The cups popped up next to their respective owners before the giantess settled against the counter with her own cup. She did stop and star at Dynamo's cup for a moment. The stuff looked like sludge to her. She joked, "You really drink this stuff? Don't like your pancreas or something?"

"Realistically, the only thing I can suggest is to make sure Avenger or anyone else isn't spying on us right now or while we do the upgrades." Looking around at her team mates, she shrugged and answered preemptively, "Hey, I would. 'Know your enemy' and all that."

She smiled at Dr. Archeville any time his gaze lingered on her. Still her face fell at the mention of training routines. Regimens were one of the few things that she absolutely despised, and that displeasure showed up as a sour expression. Oh, knowing Mona, she would train hard with the team. She'd just hate most every moment of it. Call her a spontaneous exerciser.

[Gizmo]

Jack snorted as he rolled his eyes ceiling-ward to address Archeville. "'Social club'? Like you didn't send Avenger over just so you'd have an excuse to visit Mo'." He looked around the room and shrugged. "What? I would have. Or are we pretending not to know you two are, y'know, wink wink, nudge nudge." The swashbuckler waggled his eyebrows and prepared to fend off a swipe from the statuesque paragon. The slightly mad doctor knew perfectly well how intense Jack's training regimen was; frankly the fencer felt as though he were being lectured by an absentee landlord.

[Geez3r]

"Oh holy ****!" said Dynamo springing to his feet as Fulcrum laid out the coffee. "I didn't know you could do that! That's friggen awesome! We should totally go into the Underground sometime to train. I gotta see how fast you are." Downing the cup of coffee he adds "Actually I hate the taste of coffee, this just sufficiently kills the taste and I need the energy."

Turning to Jack he adds "Ain't gonna touch that one."

[quotemyname]

As it turned out, it wasn't Fulcrum that Jack had to worry about. Colt's hand caught Jack lightly upside the head. "Reckon that ain't helpin'."

Colt returned to the table and lifted his coffee mug. Gazing over the lip of the mug, he thought about their situation. "I reckon this ain't gonna be easy, Doc. Even wit Fulcrum'n Dynamo ta do th' installs, there ain't no one what c'n invent this stuff but you." Colt looked up at the Doctor, lowing his mug, and dropping the paper to the table. "Naw I reckon this'd take a powerful long time. Maybe more'n a week. Unless y'all already got this stuff prepared..."

[Geez3r]

"You fool!" shouts a scandalized Dynamo at Colt. "SCIENCE! makes no excuses! Seriously dude, we've got a lightning powered wingnut, a cowboy, a giantess, a pixie ninja, an energy manipulator and a mad scientist all hunkered down in a secret underground base discussing how we're gonna ward the place against fricken vampires! ^%$#@ couldn't get more cash if we got Bruce Willis on speaker phone! Srsly dude, the glass is full dude, none a this half crap even enterin in the conversation. Get excited; we can do this brochaco!"

[Gizmo]

Knocking Colt's hand away with an impish grin, Jack's irreverent shrug was interrupted as he turned to glare at Dynamo irritably. "For the last time, I'm not-- oh, you meant Grim, right. Well. Never mind, then." Lacing his fingers together behind his head, the fencer raised an eyebrow. "How about some of those little security bots you've got at Archetech, Doc? Wouldn't mind them shooting someone else."

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville said nothing in response to Jack's jibe about doing all this as an excuse to see Mona, though he did let slip a look minor annoyance at the remark.

If I wanted time alone with the amazon, none of you would be conscious. Or on this planet!

No re-wiring the ArcheStern teleporters for mass abductions!

Instead, he focused on Colt's line of questioning. "I already haff plans for some upgrades ve could do, und some partially completed components dat could be installed, such as some improved sensors or non-lethal veapons to restrain targets. For dings I must design und build from scratch, a veek vill be ample time."

Jack's remark about robots -- the ones they both knew were programmed to imitate Jack's & Colt's fighting styles -- drew another look from the Doktor: a grin.

"Funny you should mention dem, since deir tested success is vhy I am putting you und Colt in charge of developing de new training regimen."

Ha! This'll be rich!

What? They are the most experienced, both in general and with the team, it makes sense to have them train the others.

Yeah, but if they all leave in disgust, or because Jack's "too hard," what good'll it be?!

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum's only response was to take a drink of coffee to hide her smirk and nod to Colt, "Thank you, my good sir. Even if it does sound plausible."

Turning her attention to Dynamo, she chuckled, "Oh, I'm not that fast. You have me beaten by many an order of magnitude. We can train any time you want, but be easy on the slow poke." A wink was added for emphasis.

Dynamo rallied the troops, and to be honest, she was rather excited at the prospect of testing the security against someone as competent as Avenger. Which made Viktor's grin rather infectious. Looking back-and-forth between the swordsman and cowboy, she asked, "So we have robot copies of these two sitting around? Okay, yeah, we definitely need to improve our security protocols. I sense mischief in the future if anyone discovers those critters."

Nudging Jack in the shoulder, she joked, "Remember Boss, da day is only 24 houas long."

"Well then, if we have goodies, lets do it to it."