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Post by skybright on May 18, 2010 22:44:10 GMT -5
Thatcher scowled blackly, clenching his hands at his sides. "You don't understand." He rose abruptly, pacing. "You can't."
"Look," Daws began, "We know having your brother involved makes this personal, but --"
"No," Thatcher snapped coldly, "Don't you dare act like you know. Doctor G. knew Matt was my brother. He knew and he made sure I saw every step as he broke him into a thousand pieces. If you think I'm letting anyone else fight this battle in my place, you're dead wrong -- and I'll walk out of here right now if you try and make me."
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Post by Jordanna on May 18, 2010 22:59:27 GMT -5
Nate moved as if to stand up--but his father's restraining hand fell gently on his shoulder.
"I know what it's like to have people used and hurt, just because they were close to me." Vance gave Thatcher a hard look. "I'm not going to argue. If that's your choice, so be it. Just get this: when we're in the thick of it, don't be stupid. I'm not gonna lose anybody else because of you."
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Post by skybright on May 18, 2010 23:08:30 GMT -5
Thatcher nodded grimly. "Don't worry -- I don't intend on putting anyone else in harm's way. You just use your people where they'll do the most good at taking down the Project, and don't worry about trying to shield me. I'll take care of myself."
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Post by Jordanna on May 19, 2010 20:27:11 GMT -5
"That's not how it works--" Proteus started to mutter, but Vance waved a quieting hand to him.
"It's his choice to make... just like all of us."
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Post by skybright on May 19, 2010 23:44:09 GMT -5
Thatcher's stony expression softened just a fraction at that. "I appreciate that." He said roughly. "I won't make you regret it."
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Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2010 22:14:13 GMT -5
"Get yourself killed if you insist. Just don't take any of my people down with you," Vance retorted harshly.
He turned away dismissively before Thatcher could reply, and addressed Caddy. "Doc, how long will it take you to make your simulation of G's poison?"
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Post by skybright on May 20, 2010 22:24:48 GMT -5
Caddy rubbed his forehead thoughtfully through his mask. "Given what we've already got? I could probably have it decently perfected by tomorrow evening. I'm going to have to mess with delivery options, because you obviously can't administer it the same way he does -- and I need to make sure injection wouldn't kill someone."
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Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2010 22:38:26 GMT -5
Proteus made a displeased noise at the thought of accidentally overdosing one of their targets.
"I can see where that'd be the tricky part," Vance sighed. "We'll work with whatever you can come up with, Doc. And thanks for the rush job--we're not really sure yet how soon we're going to act."
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Post by skybright on May 20, 2010 23:02:58 GMT -5
Caddy waved one hand. "Sure, sure. Same as usual with this bunch, right? Have to wait for the window of opportunity and then rush in as soon as we've got it." He grinned weakly. "I'm starting to get the hang of this whole guerrilla science thing, y'know."
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Post by Jordanna on May 21, 2010 21:31:52 GMT -5
"We'd be in a real spot without you," Vance murmured.
Proteus scowled, folding his arms. "Thatcher--what are these slaves of Doctor G's liable to be like after we catch them? Will they lose any of their fight without him pulling their strings?"
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Post by skybright on May 22, 2010 21:50:41 GMT -5
Thatcher grimaced. "I . . . don't know for certain. They still patrol the building even when he's not there, but that's never long-term. Separated from him permanently . . ." His expression darkened. "You have to understand -- he's put a lot of painstaking work into breaking the Hounds and reshaping them to follow him. I don't know how they'd react without him. I don't know if they'd even be able to function."
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Post by Jordanna on May 23, 2010 19:53:25 GMT -5
Vance tried to keep his worried scowl unseen behind his mask.
"We've got some smart, dedicated people on our side," he said to Thatcher. "If it's possible to fix G's victims, they're the ones to find the way."
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Post by skybright on May 23, 2010 22:14:58 GMT -5
Thatcher sighed tiredly and rubbed his face with one hand. "I'll settle for just . . . getting them away." He admitted quietly. "My brother wouldn't want this. I'm sure none of them would."
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Post by Jordanna on May 24, 2010 20:16:10 GMT -5
"It doesn't hurt to have a little hope," Proteus said gently.
Vance sighed. "If G's pawns do go on being violent in the meantime... We'll have a real fun time trying to keep a lid on 'em. Between Voegel and those two kids we picked up from the clinic, we're already sitting on too many people. This kidnapping racket is getting out of hand."
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Post by skybright on May 24, 2010 22:58:19 GMT -5
"No kidding." Caddy sighed. "Even if they're not violent, anyone who's been strung out on the toxin is going to need long-term care coming off it. With the potential of a dozen of 'em coming in, we're going to need someplace bigger than mine to do that."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2010 22:23:45 GMT -5
The Major winced. "Sorry, Doc, but I'm fresh out of suggestions for that. Whatever resources I have are military, not medical."
Proteus frowned. "Nocturne would have the resources--but we know what he'd do with Doctor G's slaves. He wouldn't care about helping them, but only using them or the toxin they're on as weapons in the other direction."
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Post by skybright on May 25, 2010 22:34:44 GMT -5
"Can't let that happen." Caddy's expression was troubled behind his mask. "We'd have the resources at work -- I mean, it's what we do, basically, sick mutants and all. But we can't keep them there without press and police and probably Nocturne too getting wind of it."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2010 22:47:59 GMT -5
Nate leaned his elbows on the back of the chair he was straddling, and scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully.
"You don't figure there's any way we could kind of... hijack anything useful from Nocturne, do you? I mean, even with Proteus' abilities, we can't exactly make off with a whole lab. But if his mad scientists have anything else that'd help..."
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Post by skybright on May 25, 2010 22:53:34 GMT -5
Daws made a doubtful noise in her throat. "Not unless he's gotten a lot sloppier than usual with security in the past couple days." She rubbed the back of her neck thoughtfully. "I can talk to some people on my end, see if we can get hold of an empty house or something to set up a makeshift clinic-type deal. It'd be better than nothing."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2010 23:05:49 GMT -5
"And the one thing I can offer is manpower to help contain any prisoner-patients we end up with," Vance said. Then he sighed and shook his head. "But all this is getting ahead of ourselves. We'd better worry about taking these guys, and doing whatever else we're going to do--and coming back alive--before we pick over the details of what to do with 'em next."
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