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Post by Jordanna on Jun 18, 2009 23:12:26 GMT -5
"If you got any sense of it, I'd like to know what department of the government sanctioned this monstrosity," Vance remarked bitterly.
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Post by skybright on Jun 18, 2009 23:23:54 GMT -5
Cole rubbed his eyes with one hand. "The higher-ups Voegel is familiar with are Generals, for the most part, or ex-military who are still with the Department of Defense. I . . . hate to say this to you, Major, but I think this was a military enterprise from the beginning."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 19, 2009 21:09:03 GMT -5
Vance exchanged a bitter look with Nate. "I'm not surprised at this point."
The Major and his son were both in danger of sinking into a stormy silence then. In an effort to refocus them, Proteus asked Cole another question.
"Do you know anything about the particular powers of the mutant guards at this place?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 0:53:26 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "There are about a dozen of them. Several firestarters, two teleporters, a few with super-strength, at least one with super-speed, one who can generate a personal force field, and a gravity manipulator. All of them apparently quite powerful."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2009 21:59:08 GMT -5
"I'd say we can match that roster." Vance raised an eyebrow. "Are their teleporters just stationed in an area without anti-teleport measures, or do they have some way to circumvent it themselves? If they do, that'd be a useful thing to get our hands on."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 22:05:01 GMT -5
"The teleportation shields are set up around the outside of the building -- to keep teleporters from getting in or out of the complex -- and around some of the more sensitive areas inside." Cole replied. "Their teleporters seem to have the run of the rest of the place."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2009 22:20:23 GMT -5
"My man Flash can use his powers if we get him inside, then," Vance mused.
He thought for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "Okay... What about outside communication? Do their alarms automatically tip off any third parties someplace else?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 22:28:59 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "It sends out a call to a squad of guards who are stationed off-site. They, in turn, can alert the regular military or the local law if it's appropriate -- but they seem to want to avoid that, if they can."
"Probably not ready for the regular populace to find out about their little creepshow." Daws muttered. "Any idea where the backup guards are located?"
Cole shook his head. "Security isn't really Voegel's area. He knows they're somewhere nearby, but that's about it."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2009 22:35:43 GMT -5
"That'll be a problem," Vance muttered. "Either we've gotta find their auxiliary goons somehow, or try to disable the alarms before they get a chance to go off."
Proteus frowned. "Even if I could get inside posing as Voegel, I wouldn't know where or how to do that."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 22:43:51 GMT -5
"I suppose the place has generators, so taking out the local power wouldn't be enough to do it?" Daws asked.
Cole nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "That's a safe assumption, yes."
Daws sighed. "Timothy Landon might be able to block the alarms -- but only if the signal is some form of wireless. And that's an awful big order even so."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2009 22:50:02 GMT -5
"We might be able to take out any land lines," Nate pondered, rubbing his chin. "One of our guys can trace the signals in phone and power lines. If he can point us at 'em, we can cut 'em out."
Vance grunted. "Possible, but still a tall order. Could be trouble if we can't take all the lines out at once--and trying to wander around mapping 'em out is a fine way to get noticed by all the wrong people."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 23:08:34 GMT -5
"There's always the possibility of setting the alarm off on purpose." Cole mused. "Say for something small that they wouldn't call in the Army or the police to help with -- and then hitting while the reinforcements are already there."
Daws made an incredulous noise. "Cole, I didn't think you thought we were that suicidal."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2009 23:17:07 GMT -5
Vance grimaced. "It's crazy, alright--but it's another idea, and we can't have enough of those."
"Supposing we did manage to get the cops involved?" Nate asked. "Mr. Cole, you think there's any way we could get a few good ones on the scene--ones who'd do the right thing if we managed to land some hard evidence in front of them?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2009 23:26:25 GMT -5
Cole frowned. "That would be tricky. Judging from the location, it would be mostly Jersey state troopers. I know a few in the heirarchy, but not many men on the ground . . . and it would take time to find out if anyone I know would be among the responders."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2009 22:04:25 GMT -5
"Like I said, any chance is worth looking into." Vance sighed and slouched lower on his chair, rubbing his neck. "At this point, I wouldn't even be above using the Bat to fish out more information--if we could only tip him off in such a way that he wouldn't have all the pieces before we've finished the job ourselves."
Proteus frowned at that idea, but he withheld any comments for the moment.
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2009 22:15:24 GMT -5
"It's possible he's learned more from his other contacts since I talked to him." Daws pointed out. "Probably too soon for me to go in again, but maybe Cole could check it out."
The telepath winced visibly at that suggestion and quickly changed the subject. "What did your police contact say on the phone?"
Daws shrugged. "They've got a beat cop keeping an eye on Voegel's apartment, but that's it. They already had a team go through the place, but from what Bell said it was a pretty quick once-over to see if there was anything related to his disappearance, and they didn't find anything suspicious or take much in the way of evidence. There's a decent chance that they didn't even look twice at the stuff that would be useful to us."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2009 22:37:12 GMT -5
"That's a break for us," Vance muttered. "Tonight we'll have to put together a little raiding party... Regina, I take it you're up for that job."
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2009 22:44:29 GMT -5
Daws grinned ferally. "You know I am. We shouldn't have much trouble avoiding one beat cop -- and it'd make our lives a whole lot easier if we can get hold of that keycard."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2009 22:58:10 GMT -5
Vance nodded. "At least we can try. If we're doing some burgling, it's a prime job for Flash. As long as these maniacs didn't rig up any of that anti-teleporting at Voegel's place, he can get us in easy."
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2009 23:01:27 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "If that fails, I can always break us in the old-fashioned way -- but Flash can do it a lot quicker and quieter. We'll need someone along who can get us into the safe, too. Locks I can handle, but I'm not much of a safecracker."
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