The Long Arm of the Law [IC]

[N/A]

The Scarab chuckled softly. "And you even went so far as to furnish us with a witness, a third party with no vested interest who can attest to our 'public clash.' How generous of you. You really do think of everything, don't you?"

"...'They?' There are a lot of 'Them' in Freedom City. To which are you referring? Do you know what Their target is, or when they plan to strike?"

[alderwitch]

Bombshell chuckled, folding up her arms over her breasts, "Well, occasionally, I have a good idea or two. To be entirely fair, I really did need to talk to you tonight and while I could have loafed about your apartment until you arrived sometimes we both vanish for days on end. I don't mind but it does get inconvenient when there's a bit of a rush. Besides, I never get an opportunity to indulge in theatrics lately. It's as if the world conspires against me, I swear."

She shifted again, bringing one leg slightly up so she struck a rather iconic pose of her own, long blonde hair blowing out over one shoulder, "I don't know who's in charge, I haven't managed to get deep enough in yet to figure that out. I do know the where. I'm afraid bio-chemicals have outstripped my knowledge in thirty years but from what I've seen of their plans, I rather think dumping a big mess of some sort of cocktail in Freedom's water supply is bound to be bad. I thought you'd have a better line on just how bad than I would be able to stir up. You know, my contacts just aren't what they used to be."

[N/A]

Bombshell chuckled, folding up her arms over her breasts, "Well, occasionally, I have a good idea or two. To be entirely fair, I really did need to talk to you tonight and while I could have loafed about your apartment until you arrived sometimes we both vanish for days on end. I don't mind but it does get inconvenient when there's a bit of a rush.

"True, the apartment isn't usually the best place to find me. Although I've been spending significantly more time there of late, and that's entirely your fault."

"Besides, I never get an opportunity to indulge in theatrics lately. It's as if the world conspires against me, I swear."

"We live in a new age. One where most people, heroes and villains alike, underestimate the power of theatricality in one's interactions, friendly and hostile alike."

"I don't know who's in charge, I haven't managed to get deep enough in yet to figure that out. I do know the where. I'm afraid bio-chemicals have outstripped my knowledge in thirty years but from what I've seen of their plans, I rather think dumping a big mess of some sort of cocktail in Freedom's water supply is bound to be bad. I thought you'd have a better line on just how bad than I would be able to stir up. You know, my contacts just aren't what they used to be."

"I'll keep an eye on the reserviors and treatment plants. Keep me updated as the situation develops. I'll try not to use any information you uncover until I absolutely have to, so as not to blow your cover prematurely. And...thank you."

[alderwitch]

Bombshell smiled and shifted to begin pulling her tight leather glove off of one hand with practiced ease. She extended the bare fingertips out towards Scarab, a long slender hand more suited to piano than fisticuffs but she'd always relied on deceptive appearances. Scarab would know what the gesture meant, after all, it was easier to get in Talya's head when they were in physical contact. "For what you need to know, I think, your methods will be more elegant than mine."

With the sort of focus that was rare to unheard of in a non psychic, Talya held in her thoughts the few encounters she'd had. The mark they'd approached her about stealing was in one of Elena's own companies research labs. Talya's plan to take the compound was quite clear for Elena, as even Elena would understand the need to prove her trustworthy nature to the organization before she could get deeper in.

Now, they're good enough to know that I'd take something that would be certain to upset the Scarab off. The million dollar question - or rather, the question I'm staking my neck on - is did they do their research well enough to know that there are lines that I do not cross. I think, my dear, they hope to get your attention. I just rather hope that it's with this little vial and not my pretty head. Either way, I think you can count on this being an old enemy of one sort or another.

[N/A]

The Scarab reached her hand out to meet Bombshell's, the morphic molecule costume melting away from her lower arm until it was left bare. When their hands touched, The Scarab couldn't resist letting her fingers slip between Bombshell's to grasp the thief's hand tightly.

She conducted the telepathic probe with the utmost care, summoning her legendary willpower to avoid looking at more than Bombshell actively showed her. The effort to resist the temptation to see just a little more, and the distraction of Bombshell's skin touching hers, almost made her lose the telekinetic "grip" that kept Bombshell suspended over a thousand feet above the streets of Freedom City.

I understand. I'll make sure security is lax that night, but not too lax. Just enough resistance to feel authentic to your new "benefactors," but not enough to spoil your plan. Meanwhile, I'll dig up every scrap of information I can on what that chemical is and why the sort of people who would have me as an enemy would want it.

"Well, fortunately, the...complicated nature of our relationship is not a matter of public record. So while it is reasonable to assume that they would want to use you against me, we can also assume that they would use you as an ally, not a hostage or an example."

[alderwitch]

"That's rather my hope but you know what they say. Hope for the best, plan for the worst." Bombshell replied and replaced her glove after giving the Scarab's fingers an affectionate squeeze. "Don't worry, darling, I know what I'm doing. Now, as lovely as the company is, I had best be on my way. Give us a toss?"

Bombshell grinned with a daredevil's abandon as she relaxed her stance and requested a telekinetic lob toward's one of the near by buildings.

[N/A]

The Scarab nodded, let the morphic molecules wash over her hand to cover it once more, then swept her arm in front of her. Bombshell went flying down toward the nearest rooftop. The Scarab knew from experience that she could handle the landing on her own. Unable to resist the urge, she made momentary contact with Bombshells' mind. Despite the distance and barriers between them, as she dove, Bombshell could swear she felt Elena kiss her on the cheek, and heard her whisper Be careful.

With that, The Scarab soared another thousand feet or so into the air, tapped her beacon, and opened a portal back to her Lair. She made a few quick phonecalls, pulled some strings, and got enough of the security personnel at the lab reassigned for the evening to give Bombshell the openings she would need. Then she sat in her command center and pulled up every scrap of information she could find on exactly what this lab was working on.

[alderwitch]

Bombshell tucked and twisted with the momentum like a cat. As Scarab brushed her thoughts, she could sense the sheer exhilaration that her heedless flight engendered as well as a pulse of genuine and deep affection. Bombshell landed on the rooftop neatly. She straightened from her landing to blow a kiss back before neatly stepping off the roof and vanishing into the night.

Later, in the Lair, Elena searched through all the work of the minor firm whose large scale focus seemed to be reengineering water purification techniques. The vial in question seemed to be the vector for the chemical bombs they were working on that they hoped would be able to clean waterways in the same way that contamination spread. They were still working on the actual purification process but they had some definate and encouraging progress in the last month and a half.

[N/A]

So someone plans to pervert a tool of healing into an insidious weapon of war. How diabolical.

Elena Guerrero sat at the primary workstation of her Lair's command center, clad up to her neck in the vestments of The Scarab. The psychoreactive morphic molecules that made up her costume waited for the telepathic command that would send them stretching to envelop her head. At the moment, an elastic band studded with circuitry rested over her brow, with wires trailing back into the supercomputers. Doktor Archeville's device allowed the processing powers of the computers to aid her clairvoyance. Her powerful mind, freed from the constraints of her flesh, roamed the halls of the laboratory in anticipation of the planned incursion by Bombshell and her new employers. She discreetly peeked at the surface thoughts of the on-duty lab technicians, scientists, and security personnel, searching for anything that might reveal a traitor in their midst.

She kept one hand over the teleporter controls, ready to open a portal into the laboratory complex if Bombshell's "coworkers" showed any signs of double-crossing her. Be careful, Talya.

[alderwitch]

Drawing on the plans from Bombshell's mind, Elena knew her strategy and from the decades of Rhodes experience with the pretty thief, she knew the sort of tell tale passing of the woman to look for. The videotape of the museum had been an exercise in athleticism and showmanship. This was nothing less than a world class thief and ex-spy at the top of her game.

In the minute shifts of wind current and flashes of movement in mirrors and the occasional camera, Elena had a nail biting front row seat for Bombshell's daring raid. As always, she worked alone and with a blink and you'll miss it movement, the vial vanished with only a white calling card floating down in it's place. With another whisper of movement, she was gone to her new 'employers', to work her way into their midst.

[N/A]

That's my girl. Elena smiled as she watched the theft go off without a hitch. I never thought I'd see myself happy to see her get away with a crime. I guess that's part of why I've never been able to get her out of my mind - after five-thousand years, this is a woman who can still surprise me.

Elena diverted her attention away from the laboratory, focusing on other areas of the city. Freedom was a big place, and there was always a lot going on. She was sure she'd find something to distract herself with. Something to think about other than worrying over Talya.