I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings [IC]

[Dr Archeville]

Gah, I feel so... so... filthy!

You either embrace your heritage or you ignore it. And we all know what happens when we ignore the past.

I think I hear Santayana spinning in his grave.

Maybe, but I'm trying to keep us out of ours.

Good thing I'm here, to help make sure they stay out of theirs.

With surprising nimbleness, Archeville leaps up onto the table where Dryad had been, away from the ivy which was bursting up out of the sinks, down through the ceiling, and even from the un-treated samples of Dryad's body on the table. With less nimbleness he set himself into a crouching position on the table, looking straight at Dryad.

"Cut it out, Phyllis," he said to her, hoping that A) using an incorrect name would tip her off and simultaneously that the other inmates didn't know that wasn't her real name and in turn be tipped off to what he was trying. "You want to make the Green Man pay for vhat he did to you, right? Make him pay for changing you from a beautiful white woman into this plant-monster?" He wasn't sure what race she'd been before her change, but if he could make White Knight and his crew think she had been white, it might make them more willing to accept her into their fold. "Vell, if ve help these fine young men make the Red Man, the Yellow Man, the Brown Man und the Black Man pay for vhat they haff done to this fine country, if ve follow them und go along vith their plans, I'm sure they'd be villing to help you und me in our goals."

---

Bluff/Innuendo check to see if Dryad got the "follow along with me" message: 14

[Heridfel]

Dryad's vines snake from above and below, entangling nearly every surface in the infirmary. White Knight steps back from the vines, and the ones that touch him quickly burn away. Similarly, the bendable man near the nurse seems to be incapable of being caught by them.

Unfortunately, only one of the other prisoners is caught up by her attempt to hold them all, but he's incapable of moving. He lets forth a blistering stream of profanity against the green woman.

[nareik123]

Dryad looked like she was going to tear and rip this man apart when Archville spoke.

"Phyllis? PHYLLIS?" She was screaming that one word mentally. Then she saw the doctors eyes. That look, she knew it was a look of guile. A very handy look in her opinion.

She sighed loudly.

"Fine, if the boss man says so, no point trying to thorn all of you" She hissed, releasing the vines of the other man.

"Now, please, if you get off me..." She hissed.

[Heridfel]

White Knight looks at Dryad suspiciously. Something's not right here... but he puts his misgivings aside for the moment, filing them away.

"It seems to me like you've got a lot of your power back there, Phyllis," he says, grinning as he says the name. "Do that to any guards that try to rush us. We want to keep moving towards the elevators, and keep the hostages with us. Strip 'em out of their armor, and Gumby, wrap that nurse up. We don't want her screaming a warning if we're sneaking up on someone."

The stretchy man nods and wraps around the nurse. Part of his arm is wrapped around her mouth. She can still breathe, but only through her nose.

White Knight looks at Dr. Archeville. "So what is it you do anyway, Jerry?"

[Dr Archeville]

You, uh, do have a plan, right?

Oh, I've got lots of plans.

I mean a plan to get us -- meaning Dryad, those guards, and our own self -- out of here safely? One that also results in getting all those boneheads depowered and back in their cells?

It's entirely possible I have a plan like that, yes.

"Do? Oh, zhe usual," he says nonchalantly as he watches the guards get stripped of their armor, and made mental notes of what few components he could see from the distance. "Biological warfare, chemical warfare, nuclear weapons... force fields and robots... teleportation und time travel... improving that which is Superior and discarding those that are inferior... you know, the stuff so often labeled as 'mad science' by folks too timid to push the limits of what society says is proper."

Archeville's mind raced as he talked, okay, maybe I can palm some radio components from the guard's armor, contact the warden and let him in on what's going on... or make a deafening blast to disorient them. Or find some way to boost Dryad's powers so she can exhale her nauseating gases to a wide area. Of course, if I can get him to get me near one of the power damper control panels, find out how they got free in the first place and how to reverse whatever happened....

"And as a scientist," he continued, "I'm very interested in vhat has happened here. I'm sure that the men vith you now are not your only Brothers -- there are others spaced throughout zhe complex, ja? Und I'm sure you'd like to free zhem so you can all get out of here, ja?"

[Heridfel]

"Nah, they can go hang for all I care," White Knight says. "Just 'cause a man's white don't make him my brother. You were smart enough to listen to me and follow me. If they'd done that, they'd be getting out with us. Besides, the longer we yap, the better the chances that some heroes will be waiting for us at the surface, or the guards get the nulls fixed. You guys done back there?"

The two men who had been removing the guards from the wrecked power armor finish pulling apart what was once state-of-the-art machinery and is now so much scrap. White Knight looks over them quickly, then nods.

"Both still alive. Good. Dead hostages don't help much," he says. "We got to get moving to the elevators. Phyllis, Jerry, you lead the way," he says. It's clear that he'll be right behind them, watching them just in case.

[Dr Archeville]

We can't let these guys out, we've got to keep them in here!

Yeah, yeah, I know; you think I want this bozork setting fire to the city? I like the city!

So, what are you going to do?

Oh, I'm sure I can find ways to keep him here, at least for a bit longer.

"Elevators? Going topside already?" he asked, moving along as prodded. "Why tip your hand so soon? Cut zhe alarms und communications qvickly enough, no one outside vill know vhat has transpired here, und you und your brothers can fortify this place quite nicely."

[Heridfel]

The White Knight snickers, "Yeah, fortify a jail. You might be real smart, but you have no common sense. We're trying to get out of here, not stay here for the rest of our lives. The longer we stay down here, the better chance that they figure out a way to get around whatever it is you did to give us back our powers. We need to move fast - they've probably already radioed for help from the Freedom League."

The mention of the Freedom League seems to put a hop in the step of White Knight's lackeys. Most of them probably haven't even fought against them, but none of the super-criminals want to mess with them when they're so close to getting free. The Freedom League is out of their league, no pun intended.

If Dr. Archeville and Dryad don't start moving or seem to be dawdling, the White Knight will take a closer look at them.

[Dr Archeville]

Gah, how much longer are we gonna do this?

You got a better plan? It's not like we've got much of anything to work with, especially with our gear confiscated.

Well, we can't let 'em get out!

I don't intend for them to, but for now we keep doing things my way.

Well, as long as you don't have us-

Archeville clicked his heels together and gave a slight bow to White Knight, "Of course, sir. Would you care to share what route ve vill be taking out of here? As I said, mein gear was confiscated, und I vould prefer to reclaim it."

[Heridfel]

"If you were able to get us all our powers back without most of your gear, I'd say you probably don't need it," White Knight says. One of the thugs - one who isn't holding a hostage - says, "Yeah, but if he did get it back, think of what else he could do..." White Knight turns back to him and squints at him with one eye.

"That's actually a good point," White Knight says, sounding somewhat surprised and a little gratified. "We get your stuff, then you get us to the elevator and out. Where is it being held?"

[Dr Archeville]

We can not let them out!

... Can't we? I mean, this guy's a loon, sure, but if properly channeled....

Ohhhh no! Don't you dare be thinking that! Besides, you said it yourself, he'd burn the city, and we like the city!

Yeah, yeah, okay. Well, we could- oh! What is it that guy who wrote that biography on the Raven said? That criminals are a superstitious, cravenly lot?

Yeah?

And remember that tv special we saw about infamous serial killers of the 20th century? Specifically, the one who was killed here during the Blackstone Riot of '83?

Unfortunately, yes. What are you gett- wait... you want to gaslight 'em? That... that... that's actually not a bad idea.

"I vould of course be happy to help, Herr Knight," Archeville says, "but I am not entirely certain vhere mein gear was taken. They took it from me as I vas signed in; they didn't vant to 'risk it falling into the wrong hands.'" Archeville does in fact make 'air-quote' gestures. "I did ask for them to keep it close by in case I needed it, though, und I overheard one of the guards say they vould put it in the guard's armory on this floor."

"If I may make a suggestion: I could run off to the armory and get mein gear and mislead any guards that are there, have them run off to the wrong parts of the prison. If any of your Brothers here haff any type of invisibility or shapeshifting powers, or even something like wall-crawling, he could discretely follow along to insure that I don't try anything funny. Not that I'd do so anyway," he quickly added, "for my part in all this I haff just as much to lose as you all. Vord gets out that I helped you all, I'll lose all mein titles und honors, I'd be lucky to get a job teaching high school chemistry after I got out of prison."

You're leading them to the armory?!

They likely know where is is anyway, and I seriously doubt it's got anything that would significantly increase their existing capabilities. Besides, we need all the stuff we can get our hands on. Some gas grenades would be very useful.

[Heridfel]

White Knight pauses as he weighs Dr. Archeville's words. He looks like he's coming to a conclusion he doesn't like.

"I wish there was one white teleporter worth his salt in there," he scowls. "We're taking too long to get out. But if they bring the power dampeners back on, then they can take us down fast, hostages or no hostages. We all go to the armory and get weapons; then we can get out of that elevator fast."

For all of his failings (and his obvious unconscious racism is a large one), White Knight is not a stupid man. Even though what he stands for is totally repugnant to Dr. Archeville, there's still a certain charisma to him. It's clear why the other inmates are following him. Even if he weren't also very powerful, he exudes confidence in all that he does.

[Dr Archeville]

"Get me to mein gear, I can teleport us. If you think I'm White enough, of course."

ARGH!!!

Calm down, you're gonna ruin the one slim chance we've got of getting things back under control.

'Calm down'? You are telling me to 'calm down'? When did we get to Anti-Earth?!

"So, er, just how long haff you men been in here? Months? Years?" Archeville asked, sounding very much like the New Prison Inmate from tv and movies. "I don't suppose any of you were here during de Invasion of '93, or de Riot of '83, no? Those must haff been a sight!"

[[ I don't think there's anything unconscious about WK's racism ]]

[Heridfel]

"Just keep moving," one of the other super-strong inmates says. "We can stand around yapping once you get us out." The guy next to him, who is carrying the male guard, chuckles.

"He's been here for years," he says. "None of the rest of us have been here more than 5." The first inmate scowls, but controls himself rather than do anything more rash. The considering look that he gives the second inmate doesn't bode well for that inmate once they're out.

All of them are moving at a fairly rapid pace. Dr. Archeville can almost ignore the flashing lights and klaxons sounding through the hallways. Despite how it has seemed so far, the prison is not empty. As Dr. Archeville rounds a corner with White Knight just behind, three guards have their pistols drawn and pointed at him. When White Knight sees them, he smiles.

"Get out of the way now. We're getting out of here, and I don't want to hurt any of you," he says as his hair ignites. Though he is burning, he isn't harmed. Dr. Archeville sees that all three men are white - one small favor in a world that's quickly spiraling out of control.

[Dr Archeville]

Crap crap crap!

Ah, I believe I've detected a snag in our plan.

What?!

Yeah, see, in order to scare them with images of a ghostly Doc Abattoir, they need to know who he was in the first place. I mean, seeing a ghost of Some Guy is one thing, but seeing the ghost of Someone Special is quite another. But I don't think anyone here is old enough to remember him, and I doubt any of them would have seen the same special we had. So let's just get our stuff and go home. I'm getting hungry anyway.

Go? GO?! Ohhh no! I'm not about to let you ruin things more than you already have! You got us into this mess-

Yeah, and I'm going to get us out.

No! Not like that! Your plan's a good one, I'm sure it'll work -- there are killers here, chances are some of them knew who Abattoir was, maybe even admired his work.

Maybe, maybe not. Too many variables for my comfort.

Alright, then, how about this: you try your plan, it doesn't work, we can still teleport out and warn the guards and Warden Drummer.

Or we teleport out now. I think there's enough roast beef left for a nice big sandwich...

Argh! Look, you hedonistic sot, we are not leaving this island until all these prisoners are back in their cells! By hook or by crook, with honey or with vinegar, we will put things right! And so help me, if you try and weasel something out of this, try and play both sides against the other so we come out looking good to both sides so you can try and later recruit some of these creeps for some future villainy of yours, I'll sing the entire Gershwin collection!

You wouldn't.

I would, and you know it. Besides, if we don't work to stop these guys, there's enough evidence from the wall-mounted cameras and the guard's own testimony to get us locked away for some time.

... okay, alright, we'll do it your way. Once we get our gear, we try to spook 'em. Maybe the guards will be able to get away in the chaos. Once the way is clear, we'll pop outside to give Warden Drummer a full account, then pop back in here to work on rebooting the power dampers and getting these crooks shut down.

Archeville takes a few steps forward, still behind White Knight but better able to see the guards. "I vould do as he says, gentlemen," he said in what he'd hoped was a fairly even blend of 'commanding tone' and 'pleading tone', "dere are already a goodly number of hostages here."

[Heridfel]

The guards already have weapons drawn, but they hesitate as they see that they're outnumbered, outgunned, and depending on the mercy of supervillains to keep their fellow guards safe. One of the guards looks at Dr. Archeville as he speaks. Herr Doktor's the only one of the group not wearing a prison uniform, and it seems to have the guards puzzled.

"Drop the weapons," one of the super-strength villains says. If Dr. Archeville had to guess, he's probably one of the weaker villains in White Knight's little group, which would explain why he's most unnerved by the villains. White Knight quickly picks up on it.

"I'd listen to him if I were you," White Knight says. Slowly and grudgingly, the guards do what he says. The one guard pauses for a moment, then looks straight at Dr. Archeville.

"You! You're that German scientist. You're working for them?" he asks in disbelief. White Knight smiles at him, then laughs out loud.

"Who do you think got us out?" he chuckles. The guards finally put their weapons on the ground and step back, but they're looking at Dr. Archeville with undisguised loathing.

[Dr Archeville]

I knew it! I knew this was a bad idea from the start! Now they'll never, ever-

Pipe down. The one regret I have is that Dryad seems to've slipped away in the confusion. Though I'm not sure I'd call that a bad thing, mind you.

What? Dryad's gone? But she was just-

Observant as ever, I see. We're so lucky I'm here. And if this place is laid out the way I'd lay it out, there should be a control panel for the power dampers in that armory.

Which means we could fix this all right now!

Archeville stays behind White Knight, waiting to see if either he'll move in first or if he'll send some of his men in first. He says nothing, makes no move.

[Heridfel]

White Knight glances back to the only super-villain who still has his hands empty. He gestures with a nod, "Pick them up." He does so without complaint, checking them to see whether they have safeties, and if so, whether they are set. He takes one in each hand and sticks the third one awkwardly in his jumpsuit. It looks like it is in there precariously.

White Knight juggles a small ball of flame as he waits, then waves the rest of his men on, including Dr. Archeville. "Pleasure to meet you fine gents. We won't be seeing you for a while though," he says. "After all, that armory ain't far off. Once our buddy here has his gear, we won't stay long."

[Dr Archeville]

Yes, we've made it! Now to find the damper control panel...

Yes, we've made it! Now to find our stuff...

Archeville walks in to the armory, head up, looking straight ahead. As he goes, he says, softly, "Ich bin traurig. Ich bin sehr traurig. Ich bin ein schaf in der kleidung eines wolfs."

"What's that? What'd you say?" one of White Knight's brothers shouts.

"Ist bin taugen," he calls behind him to White Knight's men, "Ist bin sehr taugen. 'It is suitable, good, it is very suitable'. Ich bin in der shaffen kleben zu sie in voll: 'I have in war become stuck to them fully'. Apologies, vhen I get excited I tend to slip back into mein native tongue."

Looking around the armory quickly, he finds his belt and 'screwdriver.' "I vill need a moment," he calls out, "to make sure dese men haff not broken mein gear. De last time I handed mein equipment to someone, it took me a veek to get it back vorking to unscramble de mess dey made by trying to examine it." Archeville makes a show of checking his gear, while darting his eyes about in search of a power damper control panel, or a comm system.

[[ See OOC thread for Bluff/Innuendo check result. ]]

[Heridfel]

Doctor Archeville's keen eyes pick out a piece of machinery with way too many power lines feeding into it to be anything but a junction box capable of powering a small third-world country, or a node of a power suppression system. As he pretends to fiddle with his gear, the villains make themselves busy. White Knight takes a vicious looking stun rifle from the wall, while the other super-villains re-arrange their unconscious burdens so that they carry them with one arm, then put a pistol in the now-free hand.

White Knight walks over to the one super-villain with stretching powers. His kidnappee is still awake. After White Knight fiddles with the setting on the rifle, he shoots her at point-blank range. The nurse falls unconscious. She's still alive, Dr. Archeville can tell, but it was also clearly overkill.

[nareik123]

A strange looking spider crawls up to the small group. It looks like it is glistening wet with a liquid.

The liquid is sap, an unusual liquid coating a spider so far away from trees. It was even stranger when the sap slimed off the spider and out of its mouth. Slowly the sap expanded until it was a puddle. Then, the sap started to rise, forming two legs. It raised to a torso, and then a head. Dryad smiled, her two vicious fangs glinting.

"So, have I missed a party?" She asked, letting the spider crawl onto her fingers.

[Heridfel]

The criminals whirl around as Dryad reforms herself. One of them fires off a shot at her, but it goes astray. The one who fired it doesn't take a second shot once he sees who it is.

"Geez, lady. You tryin' to get yourself all shot up?" he asks. He still looks a little shaky on the trigger, and he re-arranges his hostage as he glances at her nervously.

"One more mistake like that, and we'll leave you here," White Knight scowls. "They're all trying to shoot us down, and you'll do their job for them."

He looks over to Dr. Archeville. "Is your check done, Fritz? We've got to move."

[Dr Archeville]

Quick, while they're distracted, let's reboot the dampers!

Yeah, yeah, hold yer horses.

Seizing upon the brief opportunity created by Dryad's distracting reappearance, Archeville hustled over to the power suppression system node. His eyes raced over every bit of it he tried to figure out the operations, especially how to reboot/reset it so he could remove the villains' powers.

[[ OOC: If it can be rebooted before WK speaks to Doc, he'll do it immediately. Otherwise... ]]

[Heridfel]

Doctor Archeville's mind moves as swiftly as a super-computer. Certainly, he had not intended to cause such a horrible problem within the prison, but based on the limited knowledge that he had of the functioning of the power suppressors, mistakes could (and did) happen.

It's suddenly clear to him. He had been working on removing Dryad's powers, and had nearly succeeded. For a brief instant, her powers must have been gone completely. Once that was true, the nanothaumic quantum inhibitors would have disentangled themselves from her. Then, when her powers returned, there would be nothing stopping them from being fully expressed. The fact that it spread throughout the prison (and seemingly radiating from the infirmary) suggests that she was exuding some sort of chemical compound which induced a similar change in the rest of the inmates.

Of course, that means that in order to re-inhibit the inmates' powers, he'd either have to find a way to reverse Dryad's effects on the inmates (a risky business, given that he did not succeed the first time) or update the profiling system that the power suppressors used to identify metahuman abilities. If the population is currently out-of-synch with the current metahuman profile, Dr. Archeville just has to acquire one example of a metahuman whose powers aren't being suppressed and tell the computer to start suppressing away. Fortunately, he has several possible candidates... unfortunately, it will take some time for the system to process the incoming data, a function of the isolated nature of this control node. It will probably be another five to ten minutes for the entire prison's suppressors to be working at full efficiency.

[Dr Archeville]

Yes! We've got it! Now we just need to stall them a bit longer-

Leave that to me.

"Is your check done, Fritz? We've got to move."

"Mein check is done, but it vould seem they tampered vith mein gear -- the teleportation system is shot, I can't even use it to fly. But, dere is somethink here even better for us. Ve need a distraction, need cover from any heroes comink here, und I can use dis panel" he said as he flipped the last switch on the panel, "to shut down de power dampers across de entire prison. De heroes vill be far too busy to vith all of dem to focus much on us. Besides, some of dis 'surplus population' of prisoners could use some... thinning out, ja?"