[Asylum] The night is brisk, some twelve degrees below freezing. Clear of sky with a Crescent moon overhead though the city lights wouldn't let one observe as much. The wind - for Chicago - is mild: Gusts aren't reaching 15mph though if you turn down certain blocks and alleys you'd encounter wind tunnels of frigid currents biting enough to steal the breath. The Windy City in winter is brutal: Beloved only, perhaps, by Canadians, Penguins and Israel Cohen.
However they approach the parameter's of the Asylum's expansive, derelict, gone-to-waste-and-ruin grounds this much is clear to the three men as they approach: The Fence is still there. It is still 'rigged' and it is operational [Atlas can sense the electrical currents held in bay; Nathan and Solomon can see the Weaving of the alien 'Rote' itself though the former lacks a sense of Forces and the latter a sense of Time to truly comprehend the whole of it. It's enough to know the gist of how it works, though. Any Awakened to approach within a foot of the fence will be massively electrocuted] -- though tonight it will hopefully not be chain link equivalent of the Death Star.
The grounds beyond are dark: Decades of overgrowth aid in deepening shadows. Not a sound from the building though Atlas and Nathan expect this having noticed last time that the Union had apparently thought to null sound from leaving the building proper. Any and all sensory effects hit a 'Null Zone' somewhere about five feet just before the walls of the main building, all around.
[Nathan Spriggs] They say third time's the charm, and tonight, Nathan can only hope the old saying has some actual validity to it. City's frozen winds sweeping to and from in the streets, he can feel himself shaking from the cold against his better senses, the cold soaks down to his bones. The only protection is the clothes he wears tonight, black and, even to the untrained eye, finely crafted, with a texture reminiscent of silk, along with matching black leather gloves and boots.
Still, as they approach this place of Nightmares and Dreams come to life, he can't help but to fall back to thoughts of the Node. All was coming to an end. Tonight, if all went well, when the sun rose in the morning, Chicago would see itself with one less Node and Technocracy with one less place to set up a true foothold. It didn't change the inherent regret in sinking in that he felt deep down, though.
Thoughts put on the backburner only by their arrival to Ground Zero, a familiar perimeter fence greeting them as he casts a look back to Solomon then, a confirmation of something, before turning back to it.
"So, who wants to go first?" He says, watching his breath and words dissolve into white mist in front of him and suppressing a shiver.
[Atlas Mason] Atlas has checked and rechecked his gear, the burlap satchel that he carries with him filled with useful and deadly tools of his trade, melt and reform charm's made so long ago to defeat the demonic manifestations times past, grenades left over from the trip into the bowels of a labyrinth, and several large and menacing packages of directional faceted demolition charges built to spec for just this occasion lay amongst his more 'ordinary' devices and tools.
He is dressed much as he was before, black suede pant's cover a pair of ancient combat boots, and a heavy black sweater covers his torso while his head is covered by his L.A.D.I, and a thin toque. He is prepared, as well as can be expected for someone who has not properly tasted true war in over five decades, even if they were bloody and violent of their own accord.
He waits now, standing by the electrical fence, his gaze drifting over to Nathan as he waits for the man to disable the fence once more, or for the fence itself to cut out as it had done before, eitherway he was as ready as he was going to be. Ready to go to war once more...something he had hoped would not come again in his lifetime.
[Solomon Ward] Solomon stood there gazing at the fence for a long moment, his mind open to he Seeing that allowed him to take in both its physical sight and the Workings that overlapped it. Tonight, unlike usual, Solomon avoided the suit and the tie and the usual formality of apparel. Similar to Atlas he work a black sweater, light and turtlenecked, though hidden under the black all weather coat that was usual for him. The fedora was gone, and the black beanie was more for the cold than any sort of classical burglary look. The dress shoes were exchanged for brand new, sturdy, high top shoes. The slacks abandoned for militaristic cargo pants. The pockets bulged slightly with assorted tools and foci.
Israel's new Wonder was worn on his right arm, though where it was an arm band for her it was more a bracelet for himself, hidden under the sleeves.
"All of us, I think" he says in response to Nathan's question.
"If what I'm looking at is correct, we have to enter a close proximity to activate the fence. It, like the ward, is literally tied to the fences physical structure. I think if we can clear the fence by a foot we'll be fine. Concurrence?"
[Molly Quincannon] Molly's not out in the below-freezing air. She's not at home, either. Instead, she's somewhere warm, private and anonymous, with a big cup of coffee and a lot of Jolt Cola, all tucked up under a Correspondence ward. Anyone comes looking for me can eat metaphysical IP tracker! Mwahaha!
...Maybe she doesn't actually need that much caffeine. But it's there regardless, and being slowly consumed as she works on a rote that's ... not exactly what was asked for, but will still do the same job - just with an optional extra for the nosey. There's a lot of rackatack on her keyboard, but she's listening for her cue from Solomon, from the UberWireless CohenNet. She doesn't want to bring down her intended effect until just before the bomb goes off, or if the boys are spotted (Kibo forbid). If it's sensed too early, it might give the boys away, and she doesn't want that. So she works, and she waits.
[Nathan Spriggs] "Right, follow me then. I remember the exact path we took last time," he says, with a nod to Solomon, before positioning himself to wait for the others. Once they're all ready to go, he feeds the fence and waits for it to shut down before beginning his ascent.
[Atlas Mason] Atlas didn't even need to respond to Solomon's words, he simply clicked over a few switches on his headset and a few more lenses click into position over his right eye. He turns then to Solomon and nods his agreement and stepped towards the fence line.
When the fence shuts down, Atlas is over the top mere seconds after Nathan making certain that his bag does not catch as he doe so.
[Nathan Spriggs] [Just Prime?; diff 6 (vulgar?; -2 Resonance, +1 Resonance), -1 focus)]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 2, 5 (Success x 2 at target 4) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] (Rolling it first)
[Kangarrrooooo Leap! Vulgar w/o 4 + Prime 3 = 7, -rote, -foci, -resonance = Dif 4. ]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 4, 9 (Success x 2 at target 4)
[Solomon Ward] Solomon blinked. He'd been expecting agreement or disagreement before they formulated what to do. Instead Nathan simply tripped the trap, so to speak, and scaled it with Atlas right behind him. He also knew, from their reports, that there wasn't an alarm tied to it. The Technocrats had figured any one caught in it would die or scream... go figure.
Solomon doesn't bother climbing the thing. He just squats down slightly, whispering a Keying in Greek, like he's getting ready to leap the damn fence...
..and does so.
Once on the correct side, and the other two are climbing or leaping down, he indicates to the two men to go first.
"You know this place better than I do. Nathan, take point. Dr. Mason, I'll be with you..."
Then, across the mental link Israel had established. His augmented senses and the network of magic would be a nightmare to measure and control and formulate if he hadn't augmented his ability to perceive and categorize the things.
We're over the fence, and heading towards the objective area. Be prepared.
[Asylum] [[Fate Roll]]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Molly Quincannon] This isn't a side of Molly that Solomon's ever heard before. He's heard overcaffeinated, overstressed and casual. He hasn't heard Molly 'in the zone' before. It's a crisp and professional sort of 'tone' to her thoughts just about now, with an undercurrent of distraction as she processes code in the 'background'.
Understood. Cue me when it's in place and tell me how long the timer's set for. I can take it from there.
And all the while, takkita-takkita-tack.
[Solomon Ward] [I'm a lethal librarian, not a ninja assassin]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 1, 7 (Failure at target 7)
[Atlas Mason] [Dex +1 Diff for NO stealth]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 7)
[Nathan Spriggs] [I'm screwed; diff +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 7)
[Asylum] To Solomon and Molly comes Israel's own response, her thoughts much the same as her speaking voice: Soft, clear and, right now, Centered: We're standing ready.
Nathan remembers the path they took behind Tom last time with ease: Though the terrain is still both a blessing and a curse. The darkness and abundance of cover in the overgrowth helps them. The abundance of rubbish and dry winter twigs beneath doesn't. Unsurprisingly one of them - Solomon - steps loudly on one such twig which snaps in the brisk night air.
Sound has a way of carrying in the cold.
Sound has a way of amplifying in our own ears when we are holding our breathes and longing to go unnoticed.
[Nathan Spriggs] With a glance over his shoulder and back to Solomon, Nathan, for the first time since they've met no doubt, gets to be the one throwing the glance that says 'you're gonna fuck this up, do it right' to Solomon. Maybe if he hadn't scurried to cover ground and their trace in the aftermath of it, he'd have taken a moment to enjoy the moment.
Take it in, absorb it. Bask in it.
Unfortunately, he doesn't get that chance, as the sound leaves him with a cringe and that sensation in the back of your mind (Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, they're gonna find us) that makes one feel the cold sweat beginning even in the coldest of nights and makes your nerves stand more on edge than you thought they could, farther still than even just doing all this made them.
A glance around as he takes watch for trouble, his mind still grasping for the Awareness of danger but he, sometimes, preferred to rely on his eyes, and ears, and things he could feel, truly feel, than the senses that Magic gave.
[Nathan Spriggs] Addendum:
Unfortunately, he'll never get to truly give the glance, or at least in a way that Solomon understands why he does it. Instead, he whispers through the darkness and (ruining his chances, saving their hides). "Watch the twigs, Solomon. Don't want them on us this soon."
[Atlas Mason] Atlas watches Solomon leap the fence in a single bound and raises a singular brow, as if the man had done something foolish or simply strange but he simply shakes his head as he falls from the fence and lands quietly. He takes a moment to adjust his satchel before moving off at a measured pace, the pack held close to his body to keep noise to a minimum.
It had been his uncertain footfalls that had alerted the patrols to their position before, but he had learned the terrain when last here, and the pitfalls and branches he had hit last time, were deftly avoided now. It was a shame he had not thought to tell Solomon about that one branch covered with dry twigs just waiting to snap, he cringed as the snap pushed through the air, and he watched the sound radiate out into the darkness. He looked at Solomon for one long moment, silent as he did so, before turning and picking up the pace, a sense of urgency in the need to get to that wall.
"Singular lensed infrared spectrum based remote detection devices. Initial device five standard yards to our direct right physical facing at concurrent heading, alter course to avoid." Atlas gestures to where they would have to go to avoid it. "Second device ten standard yard measures in addition, left physical facing." He also gestures where they will have to go to avoid them.
[Solomon Ward] Solomon was about to step down when Nathan gave the warning... and instead stepped over the dried up and likely crunch worthy stick. This was why he told Nathan to take the lead... . The cautious and paranoid man, not different from Solomon himself but with its own unique flavor to it, had a tendency to know what was about to happen... It's the blessing and curse that keeps him receiving 'you go first' from the crusader.
Then to Atlas' words he nods, actually able to more or less understand what the man means for once. He changes his path and follows accordingly.
[Asylum] Much like it happened the last time Nathan and Atlas were doing much the same footwork with Tom it comes to pass that everyone covers for the others weaker points in some form or another. Nathan clues in to Solomon's misstep before it happens [which - if you know how the Orphan's Rote works, has to make you wonder just how bad the outcome might have been]. Atlas picks up on the non-magical infrared spectral array from the two nearest cameras and warns them so that they move accordingly...
...without further mishap, they reach the Southwest Asylum wall: Which, they will notice, is no longer in the state of horrible repair it was the last time. The wall has been built up again fully to the second floor. Tooled to look old and decayed but far, far more solid than last time.
Magical senses are null and void here: None of their senses can penetrate from five feet from the wall, let alone past it. To the naked eye, at least, it sure looks like it'll come down like any other wall given the right touch from Dr. Mason - demolitions man. Combat Engineer, as Israel referred to him.
[Nathan Spriggs] Nathan leads them through the works, the little stops and pauses they might encounter, the path he recalls even above and beyond the changes that have occurred. Those cameras, they weren't there, were they? Not that he pays it mind for long, nothing was ringing in the Spidey Sense.
On and on, they go. Right until the proverbial and literal wall in the path. The dead end. This wasn't here before... Neither were the cameras... Nathan glances back behind them, a shiver passing through his spine that isn't just the cold, call it fear... foreboding, though not quite. Had they been tagged properly before?
Was it just coincidence?
"Well, Doctor, do your thing please. I'll keep watch while you set up shop," he says, a barely audible whisper to the group, let alone to any would-be eavesdroppers without Magic in the works.
[Atlas Mason] Atlas arrives at the wall and frowns slightly, he puts his hand up against the wall as he looks over its surface the L.A.D.I.'s gears whirling as he consider's this new development. He had planned for a specific load out, a very specific set of conditions...good thing he always packs extra party favors.
He looks briefly to the other two men who were with him, the men he was trusting to ensure that he didn't take a bullet in his back as he was setting up and finding the best position for his toys. The moment passed and Atlas set down his satchel and removed four large bricks of what could be nothing short of C-4 explosive, each rigged with detonator's.
"The necessary distribution and saturation of high energy materiel to concrete structural integrity has shifted by two point's on the Ditran's scale, this will necessitate the addition of several temporal units at this juncture."
He pulls out a remote and hands it to Solomon. "This should be utilized in the pre-projected temporal instance of unit verification and discovery, activation of this device will detonate all explosive devices currently within the structure of this facility, providing the necessary distraction for our physical extraction from this locality." He gives the man a firm nod, his words quiet but intent.
He then sets about planting his C4, hoping they have time to do the deed before they are found.
[Solomon Ward] Solomon nodded to Atlas and pocketed the device. Ideally he'd have it in hand for if., and when, it was necessary, but Solomon needs both hands. He has a very rare and unique talent. John Woo and Spaghetti Westerns have long promulgated the idea of the two pistol shooting fiasco. It wasn't as easy as it looked, nor was it often even effective, for most people. For a talented few, it was death walking.
Which explains why he has unbuttoned his coat and taken then out of the docker's clutch, shoulder rigs, he has there. That and a half revealed disc of raw metal hanging by a leather cord around his neck.
"Do what you need, Doctor. We have you."
We're in position. Planting explosives. It will take a little longer than expected. stand by.
His thought-voice is similar enough to his true voice, though unlike Israel it isn't a solid reflection. His is cleaner, richer, almost warm in baritone. The rough gravel sound of his scarred larynx doesn't reach it. His usual firm seriousness, however, does.
[Molly Quincannon] Molly's Darth-Vader-slipper-clad foot taps, trying to expend some of the caffeine energy (the coffee is gone, as is about a third of her Jolt supply), but her mind-voice is cool.
Standing by. Hit me with the countdown when ready.
She's as ready as she's ever going to be, really.
[Asylum] It takes the Doctor his aforementioned allotment of time to set up the charges in which time things are - this close to the wall - eerily quiet. And to those so used to relying on Mystical Awareness and Senses at times like this the eeriness escalates to a nerve-wracking level. To feel cut off, as it were, from the Source. There's a sense of Wrongness here. Not Taint or Corruption of any kind just.. wrongness. Tampering. Sterility.
10....9.... 8... 7.... 6....
Molly finishes her prolonged Rote, fingers no doubt flying over the keyboard as she sets up the Ward at last to hopefully block outgoing transmissions from their source and to her own ears/read behind what she can only hope is the safety of her own protective ward...
[...then again an Adepts Shields didn't work so well last time, did they?]
5....4....3....2....
To their ears the sound of the blast resounds as the wall crumbles, groans, mortar and brick and metal-frame shrapnel specifically flying inward to the building just as the Etherite had so deigned..... for one split second the 'Enlightened' Barrier blocks the sound so that it warps weirdly in their ears. For one instant there is only inky black -- too dark -- where the wall was rent and broken and, now, no more. For one instant after the blast their Senses do not return to them and they might wonder what went wrong... what they missed.
...Sound flexes. Ricochets back on them.
Illumination: Not from the blast itself but through the falling dust and dirt and debris that dulls the otherwise blindingly bright lights of a fully fluoresced room: Not at all what Nathan and Atlas encountered last time. This large room is now fully operational and, yes, the Doctor gets his wish: He's taken people down with this blast. As the debris settles they can see the bodies of at least four people dressed in what looks like low-level clean suits. Among boxes: Large wooden crates, some of which have been crushed or otherwise damaged by the explosion. Packing straw floats down like sun motes with the rest of the settling stuff and further into the room they can hear voices: Energetic and stressed. Definitely more people back there.
At this moment confusion reigns.
Their respective Senses are returned to them in full.
Ruin is displayed before them but at this immediate moment there is a lack of response...
Then a voice, above the rest:
"HQ? HQ? Permission to engage!"
A piercing siren wail of an alarm starts to churn throughout the building.
[Nathan Spriggs] [I am alert, yus I am; Perc + Alertness]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Nathan Spriggs] [Higher diff works... really! Perc + Alertness, +1 diff reroll]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5 (Botch x 1 at target 8)
[Atlas Mason] [Per+Alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 7) Re-rolls: 1
[Solomon Ward] [Perc + Alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 7)
[Nathan Spriggs] Suddenly, he's forced to remember that conversation on Forces that he'd had with Molly. About radiation and it's effects, and all those little sciencey facts about it. Doesn't help keep him calm here, though, honestly.
With a leap back, he points up to where he swears he saw the symbol. Then, a whisper-yell if such a thing is possible, "There's goddamn radioactive material in there! We need to get the fuck out of Dodge, now!"
[Atlas Mason] "Actualize and activate the secondary radio detonator!" Atlas call's out to Solomon as he adjusts his headset and pulls out his side arm. The headset activates and a wide beam of light flashes over the opening, to the others it might just seem pretty, to Atlas, it is very very important that this be put in place.
[Solomon Ward] "We can't!" he yelled in response to Atlas, his ears still ringing slightly. He'd seen some thing in side there when the entire damn wall went down. It was time to be going, by the way, but that was secondary after what he had seen amongst the crates and rubble and bodies and men... .
"I'll explain later, but its a horrible idea!" he yells to Atlas, who's likely only feet away.
"Up and out, go go go!"
Because that was the point, wasn't it? Blow the wall, get the hell out. Why are they talking?
[Atlas Mason] [Forces, I ain't glowin in the dark. Diff 5 -1 for foci]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 4, 4 (Success x 3 at target 4) [WP]
[Molly Quincannon] Really? All Molly can do is giggle at the point when she starts hearing them call to HQ for permission to engage. Cry for your mamas, boys; it's just Mad Maudlin listening. I'm in ur comz, pwning ur transmissions!
This, it should be noted, is not going over the Mind-spawned comms link. It'd just piss Solomon off. But it does give Molly the giggles, and that's worth a lot.
[Asylum] "ENGAGE! I REPEAT: ENGAGE!"
There's your response.
Nathan's Time Rote is hurling warnings and premonitions his way.
[then again it could be all that horrible, horrible Radioactive doom]
Moving to clear crates and debris and fallen comrades the people in the back are rising and firing.
[Molly Quincannon] ((Okay, so she didn't hear them calling to HQ. She's still thinking this, and giggling.))
[Nathan Spriggs] [RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN! Dex + Ath WHICH DOESN'T EXIST]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 7, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] (Dex+Athletics)
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 7, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 7)
[Atlas Mason] [Dex+Ath...no Ath]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 5, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Asylum] It takes a beat, a tick, a moment after the intial "WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED HERE?" for the first of the transmissions to come through...
"Sector 7 this is Building Q14. Southwest wall is breached. Sectarians are engaged. Suspected infiltration from local Deviant numbers. Requesting Reinforcements. Requesting IMMEDIATE Reinforcements. Over."
Fast on it's heels then when there's no immediate response:
"Sector 7 this is Building Q14. Repeat: UNDER ATTACK. Dimensional aggression fully active. New threat at Southwest corridor. REQUESTING IMMEDIATE REINDFORCEMENTS. Over."
And more of the same...
"Do you read? Do you read Sector 7? Building Q14, Over!" Desperation filling a female voice.
....soon after than,
"...we cannot hold a dual sided push Sector 7...." Desperation with tinges of panic.
to Molly Quincannon
[Asylum] [[Shooting Atlas]]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Damage]]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Asylum] After about three tries someone starts trying to transmit via Morse code of all things: The same message. Meanwhile the woman transmitting keeps attempting as per already heard.
to Molly Quincannon
[Asylum] In fleeing they escape the initial round of firing now coming from behind them - except Atlas who finds himself shot in the posterior one second, healed the next which is - in and of itself - rather an unsettling feeling. However, they do not find the way clear as they flee. External patrols are minimal but existent and they've converged quickly.
They are facing fire from ahead and behind now.
[Solomon Ward] [Init]+8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Asylum] Patrol 1 and 2 (Ahead of the fleeing party):
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 7
[Nathan Spriggs] [+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Atlas Mason] [Init plus five]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Asylum] Agents 1, 2 and 3 [behind fleeing party]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 4, 8
[Asylum] [[Sol
Agent 2
Patrol 2
Patrol 1
Nathan
Atlas
Agent 1]]
[Asylum] Declares!
Agent 1: Shoot Atlas again!
[Atlas Mason] [Grenade Patrol 2]
[Nathan Spriggs] [Turn Patrol 2 into a twitchy corpse, with two shots]
[Asylum] Patrol 1: Shoot Sol twice
Patrol 2: Shoot Nathan twice
Agent 2: Shoot Sol twice
[Solomon Ward] Shoot Patrol 1, Like only Solomon can
Dice Pools: 7 (Thank you ambidexteritry), 4,3,2
Shot 1
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Damage 6+2 overflow
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 4, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Asylum] [Soak Patrol 1]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Shot 2
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Shot 3
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 4, 9 (Failure at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Last
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] Damage 6+2 overflow
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Asylum]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 5, 5, 6 (Failure at target 6)
[Asylum] Agent 2 Shooting Sol.
Shot 1.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Asylum] [Damage]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Asylum] In the darkness and the black glare from the bright fluorescent lights of the torn wall of the building behind the Agent cannot be sure if his shot missed or if the man targeted has some form of armor as they themselves do...
...in the darkness and shadows and back glare no one sees the bullet hit an invisible wall of Kinetic draining Shield about a foot in front of the Knight and simply... drop.
[[Shot 2]]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Damage?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[Nathan Spriggs] [Disparo numero 1, BUENOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO; Dex + Firearms, -2 split]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 7, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6) [WP]
[Nathan Spriggs] [EXCELENTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Soak?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Nathan Spriggs] [Disparo numero 2! GOGOGO; Dex + Firearms, -3 split]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 3, 5 (Failure at target 6)
[Asylum] [[P2. 1st Shot. -2 split, -2 wounds]]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 4, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Damage]]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Nathan Spriggs] [Stamina + Armor]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 5, 7, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Shot 2. WP]]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 5, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6) [WP]
[Asylum] [[Damage]]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Atlas Mason] [Dex+Ath]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 6, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Atlas Mason]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[Atlas Mason]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[AHAHAHA -- um.. Soakies?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[NOOOOOOEEESSSS... soakies?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Atlas Mason] The grenade flies from Atlas' hand and a moment later the krump of its detonation sends the satisfying if grisly evidence of its success spinning through the air. Just as smoothly as the first, Atlas' second grenade is primed, and let loose on the poor under equipped agents of the technocracy.
[Targetting patrol man 2]
[Nathan Spriggs] Shots are flying everywhere now, and in the chaos that falls, in between the massive explosions that rip Technocratic agents to shreds no doubt, Nathan ducks and brings his rifle up to the same man as before. His eyes follow him for a moment, an instant before he squeezes the trigger thrice.
[More of a good thing, three shots this time; Patrol 2]
[Asylum] Well and thoroughly shot up by a man whom he seems to all bit miss entirely, the remaining Patrolman swallows both in apprehension and acrid pain. He's heard about people like this....
Getting caught by them would be worse than being gunned down like a dog.
He thumbs a deceptively small item on his belt.
[[Patrolman 2: Self detonate. It's like a grenade but juicier]]
------------
"SHIT..." ... it is the least of the expletives that erupt form the mouth of the agent [[i]yes, in suit and all]] who takes a keen hit from the grenade shrapnel that just tore his partner to chunks and bits. Covered in as much of anothers blood and organic matter as his own he shakingly thumbs a switch on his weapon and aims from the prone running on pure adrenaline.
[[Agent 2: It's amazing how compact they make flame throwers these days...]]
[Solomon Ward] Shoot Patrol man 2 x2
Shoot Agent x2
Same as last, go go go
Shot 1 (7 dice, god damn he's fast...)
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 6, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Damage
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Shot 2, Agent 2 (I dislike kamakazis)
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 5, 5, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Asylum] [[Soak]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4 (Botch x 1 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] Shooting the other guy...(in my defense hes shooting and turning, damn low pools, haha)
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 4, 7 (Failure at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] WWHYYYY GOD WWHHYY
Last shot
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] Damage
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Asylum] At some point in this: While Solomon is shooting and Molly is, perhaps, giggling about the use of Morse Code, they may perhaps notice a... flutter? In the Telepathic connection. A snap of fading like the 'connection' is about to close out all of a sudden and then it's back in once more. A stutter.
to Molly Quincannon, Solomon Ward
[Asylum] [[Soak]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 9 (Failure at target 6)
[Molly Quincannon] Flutter and stutter in the telepathic connection, followed by, from Molly - all giggles gone now - Transmissions say that the Node's launched an attack of its own. They're fighting on two fronts now. The stutter might be that as much as the 'Shades.
to Asylum, Solomon Ward
[Asylum] In total it takes mere seconds to deal with the dual front threat which, in the end, turned out to be precious little threat at all. And for whatever reason this much is true: There's no sound or sign of anyone else coming. No reinforcements from without; none from within. They can hear a distant sound of commotion within the Asylum: not coming from the area with the blown out wall so the sounds are largely still dampened from the remaining sectors of the Warding.
Whatever the reason and whatever is going on in there the way is clear for the men to make their intended escape through shadows, rubble and - now - gore.
--------------
All is not entirely over. Presumably Israel, Ashley and Emily are even now draining out the Node to shut it down. Molly's work has kept rapid reinforcements from finding their way their... unfortunately what Molly didn't bank on was someone within the building becoming highly suspicious when cellphones are operational but not a single call is being answered...
...and that someone acts very quickly.
Molly can feel it as they begin work on viciously tearing down her Ward/rerouting system.
[Asylum] [[Spiked.]]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 3) [WP]
[Molly Quincannon] [[I don't liiiiiike this...]]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Molly Quincannon] [[*whimper*?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Solomon Ward] Solomon reholsters the guns, now that most of the ensuing violence, fast and uncompromising and with out prejudice, has died down. The men behind them, trailing, chasing, are no longer there. Neither are the ones that attempted to stop them from leaving.
The irony of it is, Solomon despises violence. He's killed too many men far too often since coming to this city, and regardless of the war or the reasons or the over all purpose, one does tire of it. Grow weary, and generally get sick of. He isn't adverse to the violence itself, or even the over all need for it.
What tires him is the harvesting of lives. Even after every one has 'chosen their team' so to speak, the shards of bone and the blood splatters and the torn meat still get old.
Still, congratulations are in order for bringing a fucking grenade though. I need to get some of those.. for you know... odd jobs.
This was supposed to be a quick in and out.
"Cmon, lets get...." Thats as far as he gets before stopping dead in his tracks. Weaves of Light shift in his vision. Not true sight, but the Seeing he has erected to trace the etherial flows of magic. The connection he placed along Molly's barrier of wards and communications, felt along back towards the path of her since it was open to Israel's mind link, to allies.
Webs of connection and magic that twitched and twanged and glistened just so in his enchanted vision.
He stops, searching for it, as though it can be seen like a ribbon or a map line, searches, finds it...
reach it...reach... there, now...
Words whispered, a hand digging out one of the preforged Goetian discs, Keyed to Gabriel this time, the Keying of his Work sent out across the connections towards the attack on Molly...
(Counter Magic)
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 3, 8 (Success x 2 at target 8) [WP]
[Asylum] [[Tearing down a ward!]]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 5, 6, 10 (Success x 4 at target 3) [WP]
to Molly Quincannon
[Molly Quincannon] Across the stuttering telepathic connection (because she doesn't know Solomon's watching her wards, oh no; she's not a suspicious person ... mostly) comes, after the warning about the Node and the stutter, They're looking for me and they can all fuck right off. You guys clear yet, Solomon?
This even as she's back at work on the keyboard: Keeping the little bastards out of her metaphysical firewalls is a matter of personal pride now.
[[Coincidental so diff 5, -1 focus, -1 practiced so diff 3, +WP 'cos ... well, shit, Mirrorshades.]]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 2, 2 (Success x 1 at target 3) [WP]
[Asylum] Over the connection in response to Molly's previous speculation on the stutter: The stutter was from our end. Gone now. Pushing through.
Israel's mental voice sounds clipped but otherwise purely concentrated. [And Solomon - who knows the woman better than anyone else - may or may not know there's something she left out]
Meanwhile the assault continues on Molly's Ward though she manages to rebuild some modicum of what they've already torn through. A tete a tete that could take quite some time in and of itself except....
....they don't really play fair. Molly is receiving the Transmissions herself, not just blocking them. Someone had the vicious if clever idea of amping up the electronic pulse of the next outgoing transmission to the point of damaging whoever was on the receiving end. It paid no head to where she was: It simply sought to hurt the source.
Thankfully Solomon perceives what is going on and manages to leech away the worst of the Transmissions 'spiked' surprise, but even so Molly is hit by a small - but nasty - electric shock along with an earful of skull splitting drone.
--------------
[[Molly takes 1 Agg]]
to Molly Quincannon, Solomon Ward
[Asylum] Over the connection in response to Molly's previous speculation on the stutter: The stutter was from our end. Gone now. Pushing through.
Israel's mental voice sounds clipped but otherwise purely concentrated. [And Solomon - who knows the woman better than anyone else - may or may not know there's something she left out]
Meanwhile the assault continues on Molly's Ward though she manages to rebuild some modicum of what they've already torn through. A tete a tete that could take quite some time in and of itself except....
....they don't really play fair. Molly is receiving the Transmissions herself, not just blocking them. Someone had the vicious if clever idea of amping up the electronic pulse of the next outgoing transmission to the point of damaging whoever was on the receiving end. It paid no head to where she was: It simply sought to hurt the source.
Thankfully Solomon perceives what is going on and manages to leech away the worst of the Transmissions 'spiked' surprise, but even so Molly is hit by a small - but nasty - electric shock along with an earful of skull splitting drone.
--------------
[[Molly takes 1 Agg]]
[Solomon Ward] Understood. They've clued in to Molly. Let me know when you're done.
So Solomon knows, and now so does Molly, as he doesn't take the time or effort to distinguish who gets the message across the network. The man has a link, a separate connection from the one Israel forged as the node of their telepathic communication. Some thing to monitor, and if need be, influence the growing network of scrying, tracing, and far-casting that was taking place here.
And now that Molly knows what to look for, if she bothers to sense and trace what Solomon is doing, she can see that he has, in his own mystical ways, 'piggybacked' her connection to the area, using Israel's magic to find Molly, and Molly's magic to find the source of her attacker... .
Molly... hold it for another minute, if you can.... .
The thoughts that come after it are empowered. The man's mind, what can be sensed of it across the network, are dogged. Unrelenting. The sort of determination not to many have in this world, not in this day or age. The sort of mind that moves mountains simply because, regardless of how or why, they must be moved.
Discipline. He doesn't simply speak the words in Latin, he thinks them in the language itself. For some it may have been an archaic invocation, for others a prayer. For Solomon it's one and the same.
He invokes Gabriel, more than invokes, forms a synthesis. Divine Authority.
Lightening comes to hand. Literally.
[Forces 3/ Prime 2 - Look ma', lightening]
Vulgar w/o 4+3 = 7, -1 foci, -1 resonance (righteous), -1 rote = 4. ]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 6, 6 (Success x 3 at target 4) [WP]
[Molly Quincannon] "Mmmmmmmmmotheroffuck! Right in my headmeats!"
That's just screamed aloud. Solomon and Israel may get an afterecho of its intent - because man, that hurt - but once Solomon asks her to hold it, she just says, For as long as it takes and pushes the pain in her head away to experience later.
She doesn't have time to trace what Sol's doing, but he knows he's watching. She'll figure it out later. No time. For now, the world is her, her keyboard and all the things she'll think of later. While she's taking huge doses of painkillers.
[[Still working away. Diff up to 4. WP again.]]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 3, 10 (Success x 2 at target 4) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] [+8]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Asylum] [Adept, Disciple]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 4, 10
[Molly Quincannon] [+ 5]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Asylum] [[Disciple
Adept
Sol
Molly]]
DECLARES!
[Solomon Ward] [Perc+Awareness , per ST]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 5, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Solomon Ward] (I have tone, firing....the focres / corro rote)
[Molly Quincannon] [[Already posted intent - hold the line. Roll reserved provided that something doesn't kill her before she makes it. Screaming colour commentary sort of happens anyway.]]
[Asylum] Adept Declare: Another Spiked Transmission
Disciple Declare: Continue Tearing Down the Node
--------------
Disciple Roll:
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 6, 7 (Success x 2 at target 4) [WP]
[Asylum] Adept Roll:
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 4) [WP]
[Solomon Ward] [I has Lightening, now I'm shooting it...]
Last roll was 1 to conjure, 1 to hold it, 1 to damage build up.
(This Roll is Forces 2/ Corro 2 - Dif 6, -3 (resonance, rote, foci) = Diff 3 + 1 (Dont have Corro 3 for long range stuff =4. Sux are 1 to make link with his resonance, and the rest is damage as lightening is channeled across it)
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 5, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6) [WP]
[Asylum] Adept = x.x
[[Scene ends: 4Agg for Molly, 1 dead Technocrat, but ... phone numbers! Eeeheehee!]]
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