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Post by Jordanna on May 31, 2009 6:57:02 GMT -5
"Next time, try putting your secret lab and private ammo dump someplace that isn't the inside a mountain saturated with explosive coal dust," Vance shot back.
Proteus sighed and shifted his shoulders wearily, giving Voegel a thoughtful look. "I've wondered if anybody on your side of it got out of there alive."
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Post by skybright on Jun 2, 2009 22:34:50 GMT -5
"Four men." Voegel grated, glaring at Vance. "Out of dozens. And three of 'em didn't live out the night."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 3, 2009 9:31:29 GMT -5
Proteus shook his head regretfully, his silver eyes hard. "Whether you care or not, we tried to save them... and I'm sorry we couldn't."
Vance looked as if he wanted to mutter something under his breath at that, but with an effort, he refrained from comment.
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Post by skybright on Jun 3, 2009 18:45:02 GMT -5
Voegel snorted. "Well, you did a fine job of it." He replied.
Before he could say more his features twisted in a sudden grimace, and he pulled ineffectively at his bonds. With some effort, he lifted his head to glare daggers at Cole. "Stay out of my head, freak."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 3, 2009 22:32:00 GMT -5
"What kind of lies did you tell the soldiers you've butchered, Voegel?" Vance spoke up heatedly. "What did you make them think they were agreeing to?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 3, 2009 23:53:39 GMT -5
Cole winced as a flare of anger and irritation swept through Voegel's mind -- but also realized with a sense of triumph that the flare had drawn part of Voegel's attention away from him. Apparently the man's strong feelings of antipathy for Vance were enough to distract him from the cursory training he'd had in resisting telepathic probing.
The resulting gaps in Voegel's defenses were tiny -- but they were there, and Cole threw himself at them with all he had.
Voegel, meanwhile, favored Vance with a grim smile. "What would you tell someone you needed to be compliant?" He replied. "That they were serving their country, or contributing their talents to science . . . or saving someone else, if that was what it took. But we never had to lie to get your kind to go along with us."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 4, 2009 22:20:18 GMT -5
Vance's fists tightened, and he moved toward Voegel--only to be stopped by Proteus, who rose swiftly to put an arm like iron across the Major's chest.
"Don't give him the satisfaction," Proteus said quietly.
For a precarious moment, Vance was still, but at last he turned and threw himself back onto his chair. His fingernails dug into the chair arms as he glared at Voegel from behind his mask.
"You're the reason norms will be extinct one day... if some other mutants get their way."
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Post by skybright on Jun 4, 2009 22:35:15 GMT -5
Cole's head was beginning to pound as he fought his way through Voegel's defenses, but the pressure slacked off somewhat as Voegel rose to the bait -- and Cole mentally caught "sight" of the information he had glimpsed earlier.
Steeling himself against his growing migraine, the telepath redoubled his efforts.
Voegel grimaced as he sensed Cole's renewed telepathic invasion -- but his attention was still split between his resistance to the telepathy, and his rivalry with Vance. "That'd break your heart, would it?" He snapped, "No more of us to get in your way?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 4, 2009 22:43:21 GMT -5
"Actually, a coupla my best friends are norms," Vance muttered, his fury calming just a little. "But seeing as how they treat mutants like human beings, I'll bet you wouldn't like them any more than you like us--and they sure don't like you. People like you make 'em feel ashamed, Voegel."
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Post by skybright on Jun 4, 2009 22:50:14 GMT -5
Voegel scowled. "People like them can never hope to understand what it's like to work for years towards a goal like ours."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 4, 2009 22:58:54 GMT -5
"No--they wouldn't. They just work for goals like understanding, and coexistence, and seeing that no one hurts the mutant friends and relatives they love." Vance shook his head. "Knowing people like that is the only thing that gives us the strength to face people like you--or the other mutants who'd rather see you and them both dead."
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Post by skybright on Jun 4, 2009 23:05:15 GMT -5
Voegel snorted. "Those are all sweet sentiments, mutie, but they won't win wars. Weapons like the one that destroyed Mount Bliss will."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 4, 2009 23:08:57 GMT -5
"War against who?" Proteus asked firmly. "Is this just another plot to use mutants against mutants--or do you actually want to use their power against your own kind?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 4, 2009 23:15:42 GMT -5
Voegel sighed impatiently and turned his head away from Proteus. "You're never going to get anywhere if this is the kind of soldier you're trying to fight with." He told Vance.
Then his face twisted in an abrupt grimace and his head tossed on the pillow -- apparently agitated by whatever Cole was doing within his mind.
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 5, 2009 22:10:44 GMT -5
"You've got it wrong, bub," Vance muttered. "We're fighters, but we're not soldiers. We're loyal to a cause, not a government. Because you betrayed us--but not everyone is like you."
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Post by skybright on Jun 6, 2009 0:27:08 GMT -5
"No." Voegel grinned mockingly, "But enough of us are. And we're going to win this, mutie -- no matter what this supposed enemy of yours does. No matter what you and this little penny-ante outfit do to try and stop it."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 6, 2009 21:57:36 GMT -5
"Listen to yourself," Vance snarled. "You think Hitler and his cronies didn't talk the same way? They didn't manage to convince the rest of the world--and you won't either."
He smiled bitterly. "The fact is, no matter how much I despise you... your kind still don't have the power to erase the good I've seen in other norms."
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Post by skybright on Jun 7, 2009 14:15:09 GMT -5
"You know what faith in humanity makes you, mutie?" Voegel smiled unpleasantly. "Easier to manipulate. Easier to control."
As the captive had continued his verbal sparring with Vance, Cole had continued his forays into Voegel's mind. It was exhausting and difficult work, slipping past the other man's every effort to block him, and the effort was beginning to wear on the telepath.
He had gleaned some useful information in his struggle; but now he abruptly came up against a mental block -- a wall more solid than Voegel's other attempts at blocking him had been. And somewhere behind it, Cole knew -- with an inborn instinct he would never have been able to explain -- lay all the details that the resistance needed to have any real hope of stopping Voegel's associates.
He also knew that the only hope he had of breaking through the barrier was throwing himself at it with everything he had; but he had no real idea of what that might to to Voegel -- or to him. His head was already pounding with the length and strain of the contact, and his reserves of energy were beginning to fail him. Physical contact with Voegel might give him enough extra power to break the wall -- but it would also put additional strain on both of them.
It's not too late to get out. Part of him whispered, Tell Vance you couldn't do it. Find some other way.
He shoved the thought down impatiently. This was no time for making the political choice . . . it was time for action.
Forcefully putting aside any thought except getting through the barrier to the information they needed, Cole climbed somewhat unsteadily to his feet and crossed the room with brisk, purposeful strides.
Cole was far too absorbed in the mental struggle to take any notice of what reaction Vance or Proteus might have had to the movement. Voegel mentally sensed what was coming, and his mind roiled with the force of his attempted resistance -- but Cole ignored him. Instead, he reached out and placed the palm of his hand flat against Voegel's forehead -- and then, as the mental connection between them grew stronger with the contact, he gathered his flagging strength and threw himself against the wall in Voegel's mind.
The scientist let out a brief, strangled noise of resistance -- and then his spine arced in a convulsive movement, throwing his head back into the pillow.
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 7, 2009 22:26:58 GMT -5
When Cole rose and approached Voegel, Proteus had been wary; but as the scientist thrashed against Cole's touch, Proteus swiftly and instinctively drew back his own hand from Voegel's arm. "What are you doing?"
Vance was on his feet instantly, and came closer, but he hesitated to intervene. Whatever was happening to Voegel couldn't be good, and harming him would risk Proteus' wrath--but he couldn't be sure how much danger there was, or whether it might not be even more harmful to interfere.
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Post by skybright on Jun 7, 2009 22:36:43 GMT -5
"Just . . . need a little time." Cole murmured with obvious effort. "Trust me . . ."
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