High Noon (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

"I'm okay, really," said Mark, who'd decided to stay quiet and let other people's conversation go over his head, but he wasn't so annoyingly humble as to actually turn away Alex's healing. He sat up and looked around. "I could see everything. I really could, I could see and understand the whole universe, my life, the world, everything. I've never felt such a deep connection to the very nature of reality. For the first time in my life, I completely understood myself. And now it's gone." He paused a beat, then exclaimed, "So did we do it? Is it celebration time now? Young Freedom for life, right?"

[Cyroa]

James nodded, watching as Alex healed Mark's injuries. "You're fine Zoe. Didn't do anything wrong." He grinned at Mark. "Yeah, we did it. Well, more you guys than me anyway." He nodded, still grinning at Mark's words. "You better believe it. Freedom forever." He looked over at Alex curiously. "Do you think you'll be able to figure out who or what was behind all this?"

[N/A]

"I could see everything. I really could, I could see and understand the whole universe, my life, the world, everything. I've never felt such a deep connection to the very nature of reality. For the first time in my life, I completely understood myself. And now it's gone."

"Yeah, acid's a helluva drug." Zoe walked up to Edge, slowly enough for him to actually see her do it. She blushed, and rubbed the back of her neck. "So...you OK? We cool?"

"You're fine Zoe. Didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't blame you guys if the whole 'Charlie In The Trees!' thing is getting old already. You've have all seen some heavy sprak, but none of you came home wearing necklaces made of ears." She glanced over at Hellion. "Well, most of you, anyway." She grinned, then threw an arm around the demon-prince. "Aw, screw their moral high-ground."

"Yeah, we did it. Well, more you guys than me anyway."

Zephyr appeared behind Hellion half a second later, and playfully smacked him (gently) upside his demonic head. "Excuse me, Mr. False-Humility? Who put out the farking forest fire? Yeah, that's what I thought." She gave his shoulder a shove.

[Avenger Assembled]

"I'm fine," said Mark, cocking his head and studying Zoe uncertainly. "Psyche healed me up, so everything's better." He patted Zephyr on the arm, a little awkwardly. After a moment, Zoe realized that Mark had no idea she'd actually tried to hit him. He rubbed his jaw, hmming. "Could it have been the Grue coming back? Solaar returning to burn the world?! The ancient Egyptian gods of the sun here to burn us!" With Mark, as ever, it was hard to tell when he was joking.

[angrydurf]

Phalanx creased his brow at the theories Mark spouted and slowly shook his head, "They were useing tiny mirrors to reflect the light." He reminded them, "I think that rules out Gods or Solaar?" he said the last questioningly uncertain of exactly who that was. "Could be grue I guess but wasn't there a launch of some sort? Why would the grue need to launch something from earth?" he shrugged and looked to the others "Maybe the data the colonel sent to Psyche can help."

[alderwitch]

"There was a launch. Two, in fact and unless I am sorely mistaken, the next will no doubt be even more destructive as they refine the technique. Lets head to the headquarters. I can access AEON files from there," Alex said decisively, turning to the rest from where she'd been staring up at the sky still. "I don't want to sound dire, but I imagine they're working up to a global scale from city wide."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Just one more thing needs doing." Edge concentrated on the decapitated Centurion statue, the head rising in the air and landing on the neck. With a slow grinding sound, the two pieces cemented themselves back together a little awkwardly, prompting a wince from Mark. "Well, that's not that great...but Dr. Metropolis can patch it up all the way." He scratched his head. "I think we're ready."

[Cyroa]

James just chuckled at Zoe. "Putting out a little fire doesn't compare. But thanks," he said, rocking a little from her shove with a smile. He had no idea what had done this or who was behind it or if any of Mark's crazy ideas were right...though given his luck some could be dead on. He nodded in agreement. "Let's get going. Sooner we find out where the source is, the sooner we can deliver a message of our own." He made sure 'Seph had forwarded whatever sensor data she could. Plus he figured between her and Alex, there was nothing they couldn't analyze. He triggered his beacon along with the others.

[angrydurf]

Phalanx triggered his own beacon as well and hurried to the control room to offer his help. "Uhm so what are we looking for?" he inquired sorely out of his depth as he rapidly searched through the data that had been delivered for anything obvious but was far from knowledgeable in the material being covered and quickly realized that even if there was something in the readings out of hte ordinary he wouldn't recognize it.

He took a step back and waited as calmly as he could manage as Psyche and the others better suited than himself set to work.