Primary: Energy
Secondary: Fire
Phillip Alexander Greene is the younger brother of Nathan Greene (Masonry). Although he kept abreast of his brother's exploits as Masonry, he was extremely jealous of him. He volunteered himself to S.E.R.A.P.H. for experimental procedures, for the express purpose of eventually outshining his brother. Fortunately for him, Masonry is interred in the Zig to stand on trial for multiple counts of murder, and Phillip's enhancements have finally come into their own. Phillip has taken the name "Metacomet" (both because of his fiery abilities and that he was named after King Phillip, whose Indian name was Metacomet). He strives to prove that he's better than he's brother, and doesn't let anything silly like tactics get in his way. ((He's built to pull.))
(This takes place at least three months after Ben and all that.)
Although it was "solitary", it really wasn't. Between times he was allowed "out", he often sat with Lodestar, running through his many memories like going through someone's attic, listening to him narrate and answer questions about the time and place. He was never alone, and, instead of how he felt about He Who Shall Not Be Named, he welcomed it.
It was during one of these times that he became aware of a change in the room. He felt someone nudge him, and he came back out of his reverie. Three guards stood around him, his usual escort through the teleporter. "You have a visitor."
He stood up in midair and floated down to the floor, his white eyes dimming to their normal brown. "A visitor?"
"Is there an echo? Move."
Masonry allowed them to take him through the teleporter. This teleport dropped him off in a four-by-six cell with a single chair and a rickety table. One wall had been replaced by typical prison bars, but when he walked up to them, he got shocked before he even got within a foot of them. He couldn't see around the walls, so he waited. He could hear gates opening and closing around him. "Noisy," he whispered to himself and to Lodestar.
He saw as a pair of guards escorted someone who carried a chair. He set the chair down across from Masonry's cell, while the guards stood back against the wall on the other side, watching him warily. The man had short black hair and a small red mask around his eyes, and was in a typical heroic spandex outfit, red with yellow and orange flames all over him.
He sat down on the chair and put his feet up on the bars. "So, bro. Screwed up big this time."
Masonry stared at him. "Phil?"
The young man grinned. "In the flesh. And on the outside."
"I haven't seen you since..."
"Mom's funeral." He shook his head, thought Masonry wasn't sure if he was sad or laughing at him. "Good thing she's not here to see this."
"Yeah," he replied, looking away. Lodestar helped him to look at his brother again. "So you're a hero?"
"Yeah. I did it the right way." He wrapped a hand around one of his forearms. "I volunteered. And because I volunteered, they were very careful with me. The suit generates enough energy to power a small foreign country."
"So what's your job?"
"To take down people like you."
Masonry felt the arrow hit the mark. He closed his eyes - his habit when he felt the rage begin to build. He put his hands squarely on his thighs and breathed. "Phil. I made a mistake."
"One?"
"Okay, a few."
Phil pulled his feet down from the bars. "You were a hero. People trusted you with their lives and you betrayed them."
"I'm well aware of it, Phil, and that's why I'm here."
"They still take you out there."
"I'm watched constantly. It's not as great as you think. And when I'm done with this I go back to my cell - alone."
"The point is that you're still going out there to fight. You should be rotting in jail --"
"The point is that someone somewhere thinks I can be redeemed."
"The point is that you were trusted and you blew it."
He stood up, opened his arms. "I did. So shoot me."
"I'd love to, just to take out a weak man like you. You always surrendered."
"Sometimes it's easier."
Phil got up. "I'll never surrender. Ever."
Masonry gave him a small smile. "Wait, wait until you're out there in the field and some Sky Raider captain comes at you with a blade he stole from the Vahzilok, and the rest of your team is lying unconscious at your feet, or they've been teleported to the hospital - you tell me how good it sounds right about then."
Grabbing the back of his chair, Phil stated slowly, "I will do everything to save my team and myself."
He chuckled. "Hopefully in that order."
"I'm done here," he said to the guards. "I thought I'd get some pearls of wisdom out of you."
"Sorry all you got was the usual drivel." As he started away, "Oh, hey, what's the name I should be listening for the prisoners cursing?"
He turned around and faced him. "Metacomet."
Rules of Engagement
"I will kill you!"
The two men outside looked at each other and raised their guns. The huge creature lumbered forward on legs too small for its huge frame and swung one huge arm at one of them. The bullets bounced off its armor, as one claw caught the top of the man's shoulder and its momentum ripped through the man's chest to his waist, splashing the creature's armor with blood. As the body fell, the creature stomped on it, turning its attention to the other man with the gun.
The armored creature roared, and all the blood fled from the other henchman's face. Another swing, and this man's heart was also torn out of his chest.
So tired. Then the creatue saw a flash out of the corner of his eye. He stumbled forward - and couldn't hold onto the form anymore.
Masonry appeared, looking back and forth, slightly confused at how he got here - everything seemed to have been a dream, until he saw the open, unseeing eyes of the dead man in front of him. Oh my God...oh, my God... He closed his eyes to stop himself from hyperventilating, trying to calm the thought of I did that? And I enjoyed it?
He pushed open the door slowly and got shot repeatedly by bullets from an automatic rifle. He let the door swing wide as he stepped back outside - the bullets hadn't quite bounced off him, but they didn't hurt as much when they hit. He heard the clinking of casings rolling around on the floor, and the sound of men in heavy boots trying to be quiet.
He saw movement above, near the cabin. As he turned his attention from the boathouse to the cabin, he flew directly upward and headed right toward the opposite side of the cabin. Whatever it was wouldn't be alive after he got through with it, guaranteed.
This was written by Ice:
Scott landed in a small clearing in the trees just within sight of the cabin. From that distance, it appeared that the cabin seemed intact—well, as intact as Betsy had last reported it. No smoke billowed from the cabin or the boathouse, which he took as a good sign.
His brother alit beside him, frowning. "It's too quiet," Thad whispered.
Scott nodded silently in return. Based solely on Emerald's message, he expected some kind of activity, but the place seemed deserted. He considered calling ahead, but breaking communications silence might both betray their position and possibly endanger Emerald and the others.
"You getting anything?" he asked his brother, peering through the bright sunlight toward the cabin.
Thad nodded, his expression one of concentration and mild puzzlement. "Yeah, something . . . not sure what."
"Bits or Kit?"
There was a brief pause before Thad answered, shaking his head slowly. "Don't think so. Not sure."
Scott frowned, considering the situation. Emerald seemed urgent, but not panicked, so it couldn't be too bad. Yet he also knew how quickly the situation could change on the battlefield. Standing where they were and continuing to just look, though, was unlikely to solve anything. "Okay," he said quietly. "Let's go in."
He led the way, beginning to perspire in his armor in the hot afternoon sun. That damned winged thing must have damaged the air flow system. He looked around the area, seeing signs of debris. That alone did not worry him. Betsy had told them that she had made a mess of things. And she's not exactly the tidiest person in the world. It took him a moment to release that the dark lump a few meters ahead was not a garbage bag of cast-off parts.
"Bro!" he hissed to his brother, motioning toward the still figure lying on the dirt. They both hurried over, Thad kneeling to examine it.
He looked up at Scott, shaking his head. Scott felt something hollow inside his stomach. What happened? Were they too late? He saw a similar look in his brother's eyes. Without another word, they raced toward the cabin. Their speed increased as they saw the door ajar. Dashing inside, they came to a quick halt at the sight of two additional bodies inside.
"Oh gods, Bits . . ." Scott whispered.
Thad moved ahead toward the kitchen, swearing under his breath. Scott could feel his brother's fury building, followed not too distantly by his own.
"No one's here," Thad announced, standing in the empty kitchen. Dark smears through the floor told a story that something had happened here. "Damn it, bro!" He grunted. "We're too late."
Scott allowed himself a deep breath. But no bodies yet . . . He was startled by the sharp chime from his comm unit. "Yeah?" he asked, silently hoping for a familiar voice.
"Scott, it's Emerald."
Scott released a deep sigh of relief. "Where are you?"
"I'm at the base." There was a brief pause before she continued. "I have someone here you two should meet."
Scott turned toward his brother, his expression lightening into a smile. "Okay," he said, almost laughing with relief. "Bits, and everyone else with you?"
There was another pause. "Betsy, Anne, and Hope are with me." Another pause. "Kit is safe . . . for the moment."
Thad stared at Scott with suspicion and concern at the announcement. "Explain that, Em." He shouted into the open comm link.
Pause. "I think we'd better discuss it here."
Scott saw Thad's jaw tighten and he nearly snarled with frustration. "Fine," he snapped. "We're on our way." He turned to Scott. "Let's go."
Scott studied his brother for a moment. He wanted to stay a little longer and see what else they could find, but could see that Thad was not about to be deterred. "Okay," he said evenly. "Em," he spoke into the comm unit. "Prepare for transport."
Before he received her acknowledgment, he heard a deep, animal-like roar and a large, muscular figure stormed through the doorway. It did not slow and Scott had no time to react as it hit him straight-on. He felt himself lifted across the room, landing against the far wall. The wall started to crumble behind him as the full weight of his armor struck it.
He blinked, trying to focus on the shape taking large, lumbering steps toward him. He turned, trying to dodge the next blow, but blackness overtook him.
My response (and I spit it out in 20 minutes):
He flew into the cabin and his consciousness was yanked back, as if someone had pulled him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him like a rag doll to the floor. This time Ben didn't bother to cushion it in cotton, dreamlike stuff; he went running into the kitchen at seeing a flash of green and black.
stop...
Masonry's voice was pitifully lost among the roar of the creature as it slammed into the green and black figure standing there. Ben swung his huge arm and cold-cocked Scott for good measure.
It's Scott! Stop!!!!
The creature turned to see Thad, and chuckled. Of course, Nathan, and fled as Thad sent out a painful mind scream at him. Masonry got the full brunt of the attack, which felt like it scrambled every synapse and neuron in his body and also threw him against the wall opposite Scott. He slumped against the wall, dazed.
"Oh, shit, Mase?"
He moaned in reply. He seriously thought that if someone would rip his head from his neck, he'd feel a whole lot better. He opened his eyes to see the world fuzzy and with purple auras around them. Better to close them, I think...
"Mase, what--"
"Scott," he moaned. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's just unc--"
Then they all heard a blood-curdling scream that made Masonry snap his eyes open despite the pain. Now the world was just fuzzy.
"That bitch!"
"You brought friends?" Masonry tried to joke as he stood up. Kheldians were nothing if not tough, and he had been tough enough to take punishment before anyway.
Then the roof gave way as a red streak plowed through it, heading right for Scott. Masonry flew and broad-sided her, wrapping his big hands around her shoulders and neck, yanking her up and away, so they both made the front doorway about five feet wider.
"Get him out!" Masonry yelled, then released the creature and assessed it.
Damn. What a big woman. Pretty wings. Under other circumstances...
She roared at him.
"My what big teeth you have, grandma."
The creature tackled him and he let her carry him out to the lake. Give them time, Mase, give them time...
Joseph William Simon, known as "Powerhouse Jack", died peacefully in his sleep yesterday. He was 89.
Powerhouse Jack was one of the surviving members of First Hero Brigade's Sand Kings, a special unit operating in North Africa during World War II. He received a Congressional Medal of Honor for defeating a platoon of German panzers singlehandedly, and extracting American soldiers from behind enemy lines. He also received the British Victoria Cross for carrying a British tank full of British soldiers back over to the allied lines. He later assisted in the battles for Italy and the liberation of south German concentration camps.
After the war, he remained with First Hero Brigade, rising to the rank of colonel. He recruited many heroes into the Army, instilling tactics rather than brute force. He assisted in the defeat of Reichsmann and the Amerika Korps, and later helped to regain Washington DC from Nemesis.
He taught in West Point from 1953 to 1962, and again from 1970 to 1986, being assistant superintendent, hero liaison, from 1980 to 1986. He also and continued to be a consultant for Hero Corps, testifying before the United Nations' Special Council on Super Human Activities.
Although never officially a member of the Freedom Phalanx or Hero Corps, he was considered an important contributor to their organizations. When the Rikti invaded, due to his age and diminishing abilities, he ran the War Room and directed the battles from there. His knowledge of heroes' abilities proved indispensable as he was able to send heroes with proper abilities into appropriate situations. For his work behind the scenes, he was awarded The Freedom Phalanx Medal of Honor, Hero Corps Merit Award, and honorary titles and positions in many of the larger super groups.
In 2003, he officially retired, dedicating his life to mentoring heroes all across the globe.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow at the Founders' Falls Memorial Plaza. The body will be interred under his statue in Talos Island. The governor has requested that flags be flown at half mast in remembrance.
"I swear on everything that's holy, Sunstorm, this is his absolutely last chance. He will go on trial and be found guilty of murder. Period."
"I understand," Sunstorm said, walking away. He turned down a corridor and went into a conference room. Closing the door, he flipped out his cell phone and pressed a button. "Lodestar."
The lights in Masonry's cell brightened, so he knew a teleport was coming through. He turned and sat up, expecting Pinkerton, the prison shrink. Instead he saw two pairs of glowing white eyes appear before the bodies formed.
Masonry's eyes narrowed. "Great. Want to gloat over your failed experiment? See the human whose life you people destroyed?"
Sunstorm had appeared and was standing behind a chair. Seated in that chair was an older man, almost bald. He looked like he had been a strong man once, with broad shoulders and thick legs, but age had made him brittle. Sunstorm spoke, "Masonry. We are very sorry."
"Sure. I'll remember that when they strap me down to get me ready for the lethal injection." He nodded to the man in the chair. "Who's that?"
"He used to be --"
The man put a hand on Sunstorm's arm and smiled. "I can still speak for myself, my friend." Sunstorm bowed his head and stepped back.
"Masonry, I've heard many things about you. Many good things."
"Good. It's over now. I'm an evil villain and not worth your time."
"I beg to differ." The man got up shakily, holding onto the back of the shair for support. Masonry watched him gather his strength, and noticed that his eyes glowed even brighter. "My apologies, but we're getting weaker by the day."
"Oh, no, I'm not falling for that shit again."
"It's a statement of fact, not an evocation for guilt. The human part of me wishes to die. I would be happy to go with him into that good night, but Sunstorm told me what has happened to you."
"And you want to help. How heroic."
"That is what we are, Masonry, heroes." He started toward Masonry, but faltered. Masonry moved like a flash and caught him before he fell.
"You look familiar," Masonry said quietly, letting the old man lean on him.
"You might have seen me around."
"What's your name?""Jack Simon. I used to be known as Powerhouse Jack."
Masonry's eyes went wide. "I used to read about you in the comic books. That was World War II stuff. You were in the Sand Kings, the ones who went behind the lines in Africa and captured Nazi soldiers." He studied him. "Most of them are dead and gone. Did you...have you always been..?"
Jack nodded sagely. "You should know from your prior bonding that we've been around for years."
Sunstorm spoke up. "Benakasar had only recently arrived in this system and had never bonded."
"That explains much. Can I sit down?"Masonry guided him to the edge of the prison cot. As he settled in, he said, "So Sunstorm tells me you've had a hell of a time. First you take something so that you can enact your version of justice against those who abused you, then your friend's armor begins to slowly kill you, as well as the drugs you're taking which cause you great pain. So to heal yourself and help a wounded creature you join instantly with a Kheldian that threatened to kill your friends, and you gave up and became the bully that you had striven to destroy those many years ago. Do I have it?"
Masonry closed his eyes and heard E-VAC's words, "How does it feel to be the big kid in the sandbox?" "I wanted to help people," he said quietly, opening his eyes.
"I know, Masonry, I know. You need to let go of the anger."
"How can I? They goad me and insult me--"
Jack shook his head. "This isn't about our friends, Masonry. If they're your true friends - and from what I've heard and seen, they are - they'll stick with you."
"I've said I'm sorry over and over-"
"And then you do things to prove you're not."
"Like what?"
"Oh, like threatening to skip town to make Guardian Pace look bad."
He closed his eyes. "That was stupid on my part."
"Yes, it was."
"He won't forgive me."
"I wouldn't. You need to prove it to him, and that'll take time."
"He doesn't want to see me anymore.""We can ask him if he's sure about that. I'm sure he's not." He studied Masonry. "But it's not about them. It's about you."
"I'm a murderer, a villain."
"If you were a villain you wouldn't have caught be before I fell."
His eyes narrowed. "So that was a test, then?"
"Not at all, Masonry. I'm getting old. I was 25 when I threw Panzers across dunes. I worked until about fifteen years ago, retired and did a lot of philanthropic work, mentoring new heroes. It's time for me to go."
"So you want my body?"
Jack folded his arms across his chest. "No. I want to help save a good man."
Masonry got up and paced the room. "How long have you been on Earth?"
"My first host was a farmboy in Greece just before the Trojan War. I've been everything from that simple farm boy to a famous military leader."
"Who, Cesear?"
"No. Timur-e Lang."
Masonry furrowed his brow.
"Also known as Tamberlaine, a Persian who conquered much of Asia after Genghis Khan."
"Oh. You've always been in the military?"
"Mostly, but not always." He smiled. "I left my resume in my other pants."
Masonry turned back to him. "I can't believe you want to help me like this, a perfect stranger."
"Like I said earlier, it's what heroes do."
The silence lasted a long time. Masonry wanted to be a hero again - he didn't remember how he had changed, why he did - all he felt was power, the want and need to destroy and show the world--
"I won't let you use me, either, Masonry."
Masonry blinked. "How did you --"
"Because I've seen that look in men's eyes when presented with the kind of power the bonding offers."
Masonry looked down.
Jack smiled. "I've been around the block a few times, Masonry. You can't fool me, and neither can the Renegade."
"He's dead."
"No, he's not."
"Yes, he is."
"Part of him will always be in you. It's why you still want to kill your friends because of what they're doing. He took the anger you felt about your abusers and put it on everyone who tells you what to do. That includes your friends."
"I guess I'm stupid."
"No, Masonry, gullible. And you want to please people."
He nodded. Jack stood up shakily. "Masonry, you don't have to make a decision right now. I'm not going anywhere."
"Can...can you stay here? Talk with me some more?"
He glanced at Sunstorm, who gave the most imperceptive nod. Jack sat back down again. "I'll be happy to. Sunstorm, could you please see if we can have some lunch?"
"Of course, Lodestar."
Masonry tilted his head. "Is that your Kheldian name?"
"Yes."
As Sunstorm disappeared in a teleporting light, Jack turned to Masonry. "Do you have any girlfriends?"
"Two of them."
He chuckled. "Do you get their names confused?"
Masonry snorted. "I thought you'd get all holier-than-thou on me."
"No. You're a handsome man. I'm surprised you don't have a list as long as your arm." Jack sat back. "Tell me about them."
He won't kill you, he's a hero. Heroes don't kill heroes.
Masonry closed his eyes at the voice, the one that invaded his consciousness constantly, on its own volition. He could never initiate the conversation, but he could continue talking with it until it got bored and left.
He was in the Skyway City Freedom Force barracks, where he had surrendered himself a few short days ago.
"Good morning, Mr. Greene - or is it Masonry."
The woman who stepped into the room looked about 20ish, with almond-shaped blue eyes. She did not smile. "I am Doctor Marian Donovan. I am a specialist in erroneous bondings."
"Oh, that's nice."
"Mr. Greene, please. The less emotion the better. Emotion is what sets Benakasar off."
"No kidding."
She opened her pad. "I wish to speak with Benakasar."
Masonry felt the cramp start in his head, when it meant that he would change form. He constantly tried to fight it, but he couldn't most times; Ben surged forward so quickly that he almost didn't feel the pain of the cramp.
Glowing white eyes in a huge armored beast with tiny legs appeared before her. It exuded tendrils of white smoke around it and smelled of wet dog that had rolled in a compost pile. It looked down at its arms, still bound. "Release me," it growled.
"I don't have the authority to do that. I wish to ask you some questions."
"Go ahead."
"Who are you?"
"Benakasar. I am an artist."
"Were you injured trying to save another Kheldian?"
"No. I made the hero think so. I was trying to run away from the Void Hunter that was going after my patron, Whitesonic. The hero thought I was trying to save him, but Whitesonic died anyway. The Longbow hero informed Sunstorm. Sunstorm found Masonry. When Masonry came to see me, I saw that he was almost perfect, but he was tainted. I healed him. Now he's beautiful." He opened his hands, but they were bound. "Don't you think so, Doctor?"
She looked at the White Dwarf with no emotion whatsoever in her eyes. "So you wish to remain with that host?"
"Of course. He is so malleable. I can use him for whatever I wish and he never knows. I put him to sleep. Whatever I do is a cloudy dream to him." The Dwarf chuckled which sounded like a low growl. "He is so strong. He can do anything."
She finished scribbling. "And what do you plan on accomplishing?"
"I will bring beauty into this world. I will destroy evil and darkness."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
The Dwarf tilted its head. "What does that mean?"
"It's an old Earth saying and is not important. Allow Masonry to return."
"Must I? I happen to like seeing beauty such as yours, although cold."
She folded her arms across her chest.
The beast exhaled sharply and changed its form back into a human's. The doctor got up as Masonry opened his eyes and focused on her. "What happened?"
"The Kheldian that has bonded with you is insane."
He felt like he did when Hope's Fury had told him he was dying. I knew it but I didn't think it would be true... "So what do I do?"
She started to leave. "Control it or it must be extracted."
"Go ahead and extract it."
She opened the door. "I'll have you know, Masonry, that the average success rate for an extraction - both for human and Kheldian - is less than one percent."
--------------------------------------
"Mase. Mase! MASE!"
Nathan struggled up through the dark cloud of dreams at Scott Raynes' call. I have the form, I have control of it...
Obsydian Fyre put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "That's not Mase. That's Benakasar, aka Sewer-Breath." With a toss of the Dwarf's head, Benakasar fled, taking the form with him.
Futura looked at Masonry with a mixture of confusion and concern. The bodies of vampyri and Council soldiers littered the area - they weren't moving. The sight of the blood pooling at his feet made him sick.
"Dammit!" he snapped, as a battle raged above his head.
They both ran up the ramp, and he saw Notion heading into the fray. No, Thad, no!
I can protect him.
Shut the hell up.
I can save him.
Shut up! Masonry ran into the battle, trying to intercede between Thad and a Council warwolf, but Notion got cold-cocked and stunned. With a roar, Masonry dove in, his white fire exploding in fury - and then Benakasar took over.
Watch, he said, and proceeded to stomp on the floor, shaking it and sending Council flying. Masonry couldn't pull himself forward, but merely watched impotently, as Benakasar waded through the groups, hardly getting touched.
This is what you were - Masonry, indestructible, strong, able to take down anything, anyone, even these wolves - and what are you now?
I have white fire and energy -
Worthless. Wouldn't you rather do this? He swung a claw and tore off the head of a Council soldier. Feel their blood at your feet?
No! I don't need to do that!
I know you, Nathan. I have all your memories. I know how you felt when you crushed the life out of those two little girls a year ago. You felt satisfaction.
That wasn't me, that was the drugs.
Keep saying that, maybe you will believe it. I know how you felt when you beat those who harmed you into the ground. I know how you feel about Kit and Thad, and how you'd like to tear his --
Stop it! I would never hurt them!
--head off because of the way he treats Kit - but then do you not believe that she is what she wishes? Look at them, look at how they are around each other, both perfect for each other, both perfect, and you do not like perfection, do you? You do not like or understand such beauty. You do not understand that Darcy is imperfect -
You attacked him! You tried to kill him!
He is imperfect and should have been left for the vermin that attacked the Longbow that guarded him. Now, the Longbow... His voice grew wistful. The Longbow are perfect in their ac--
Masonry took the opportunity to yank Benakasar out of the driver's seat. He returned his attention to the people around him. They were outside the office now. Thad was grinning, E and Fyre were glaring at him angrily like they usually did, Kit and Futura stared at him, concerned. Masonry hung his head down. I can't control him...
------------------------------------------
The office was full of people running by in a panic. E-VAC helped to guide them out as Obsydian Fyre glared at Masonry. "I'm so angry at you, if you weren't... weren't..."
"What, so stupid to listen to a voice that makes promises?"
E-VAC had returned at the tail end of that conversation and told him, "It's not a promise if he doesn't have any intentions of keeping it."
Masonry advanced. "I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO KILL YOU!" he screamed. "I believed him, BELIEVED HIM!"
"Back up, Mason, Nathan, Ben, whoever you are." Fyre's voice was the coldest he had ever heard.
Masonry responded in the same tone. "No, and let E blast me into Kingdom Come."
"E's not going to do it this time. I am. It's going to be more permanent."
Masonry stepped back. "You...you..." He studied her glare, utterly cold, unfeeling, like that doctor who had studied him.
She wouldn't. She likes you too much.
"Ben, she would." He stepped away and tried to control himself, clenching his fists at his sides and closing his eyes, I won't let him out, I won't--
He felt his consciousness snap back as the Dwarf form appeared. I will protect you, Nathan. Then he turned his attention to Fyre. "Nictus!"
She retorted, with no emotion behind her voice, "Psycho."
He went to reach for her again, but Masonry yanked him back. "Bastard!" he yelled at himself.
"Let him out. We'll see what he does. If he kills me, E can bring me back, and then you'll have to believe that Ben's not 'good', he's not 'misunderstood.'"
"All right." Masonry stepped aside.
Ben surged forward in the wake of emotion that could be only described as glee. Kill the Nictus!
No!
Fyre stared at him in horror. "Mase, you idiot!"
"Finally," Ben growled. A citizen came running by them, and he reached out and grabbed him. The man - more like a young adult - stared up at him in terror. The Dwarf began to squeeze, and if it could grin maniacally, it would. "Stop me," he taunted.
Masonry tried to claw through - he could see everything going on and was helpless. I can't control him, kill him, Fyre, kill him!
"All right," she stated, and attacked him with Nictus energy, then yanked the energy back into herself. Ben dropped the man and fell to his knees while the form fled, stunned more that she actually did it. She would kill you?
Masonry tore his way forward with the thought, And I would let her if it meant to stop you!
He focused on Fyre, who glowed with the energy taken from Ben. Then E walked up to him. "Get up," he snapped.
Masonry got up, looked over at E. E hauled off and slapped him with the arm encased in metal, so it stunned him and actually hurt.
"You deserved that. You attacked a civilian. This will be on your permanent record."
He looked from E to Fyre and Keen Frost who had just arrived and had no idea what was going on but was smart enough to stay out of the way. Masonry stood straight and squared his shoulders. He had made his decision. "Let's finish this."
Less than one percent success rate, Nathan. You'll die.
So will you, you fucking bastard.
Ben knocked at the edge of his consciousness. Never again, Ben. Never, ever again.
Nathan heard distant laughter in his mind. Even he knew that promise wouldn't last. So he had to do it.
They finished the assignment, releasing some hostages, and Masonry stood outside of the office. E glared at Masonry. "I need to go to King's Row to make my report. Don't leave town, Mason."
"If you want me I'll be in the hospital."
Fyre said, "Better call him in, E. In case Ben has other ideas."
You can't extract me. You'll die.
Masonry ignored Ben's repeated warnings as he flew to Skyway City hospital and arrived at the registration counter. "Hi, I'm checking in. Doctor Marian Donovan will be performing a Kheldian extraction tomorrow..."
------------------------------
The steel table Nathan Green was strapped down to tilted slowly into a vertical position. He had been bound and transported by helicopter to the S.E.R.A.P.H. office in Galaxy City, then brought to the hospital. All night, it was hell. He would change to Ben and demand to be released, and then return to human form to tell them not to. People would come by the secure room to check on him, check his vitals. Once he changed to Ben and tried to pull himself off the stretcher, but the nurse zapped him with electricity from her hands.
Now he lay naked in a cold, brightly lit room. Dr. Donovan walked around the different consoles, checking screens and watching her assistants. A machine started to whir and Masonry looked up. Some huge wired helmet that looked like it should have come out of a B-grade movie slid slowly down from the ceiling.
"Nathan, listen to me," said Donovan, as he struggled to stop Ben from changing him or from even coming out. "Nathan, you must push him out. You must want him out more badly than he wishes to stay. Can you do that?"
He nodded as best he could with his head strapped down.
Something grabbed his bicep and he felt thick spikes enter his arm. "What the--"
"That will stop you from changing form."
No one noticed Moonfire come into the room.
The helmet came down and covered his face to his chin. Then it clamped down tightly. Nathan began to panic as he felt something else come up from below his feet and snake its way up. It's a coffin, they're putting me in a coffin! He began to struggle against the bonds but the metal case was coming up to his hips, his abdomen, now his chest. It crawled up and covered up to his neck.
He heard a voice in the headset, "Breathe, Nathan."
He took in a deep breath, it was like cold mountain air. "We will begin the extraction process. We will guide you with imagery to assist you."
Meanwhile, outside of the helmet, on a huge screen before them images flashed and interwove. Darcy lying on the ground while the point of view lurched violently to the right and focused on fallen Longbow. Blood in a puddle as he knelt in it. Blond hair from a small child spread out behind her head which is twisted at an awkward angle from the body lying on blanket. Artemis in his arms, smiling at a response to a kiss. His face in the hair of Serena Star as they look out at the ocean at Peregrine Island. Fyre laughing at a joke, E-VAC raising his hands to raise him from another failed attack, Kit's tears...
I can save you!
Nathan shoved the voice back, and kept on shoving. As he shoved, he felt something enter his skull - like the thick needles in his arm. Then he felt something else pull as he pushed. Ben screamed in his mind and Nathan echoed it verbally.
You wanted me to help you!
Not like this!
You wanted them to die!
Nathan stopped stopped pushing, but the machine didn't stop pulling. "Nathan!" came a voice in his headset, "Remember what he did to your friends!"
While Moonfire watched, Nathan gathered his anger and rage and shoved at Ben again, screaming in agony and fury. She winced in sympathy.
-----------------------------------
Jeff Davis felt the migraine come on like a Mack truck. He hadn't had one of these since college, and even then, it was probably more of a hangover than a migraine.
He was sitting in the cafeteria, reading a magazine and nursing his coffee. He had five minutes left for break. He closed his eyes and could see nothing for a moment, was sick to his stomach.
He waited for the moment to pass, and then he opened his eyes. The coffee seemed to waver in his vision. I better tell Mike I'm sick - if I can get up. He looked up, and everything around him seemed to turn into a carnival mirror - fat in places they shouldn't be, skinny in others. He closed his eyes again and got hit with another wave of nausea.
He got up and headed toward the bathroom, ignoring how everything looked as he did. He ran into it, heading right for a stall and skidding to his knees before the toilet bowl.
Relax.
Suddenly, a wave of peace came over him, something that he had never felt before, and he let out a sigh of pure contentment. Then something tore his consciousness out of his body.
The man that was called Jeff Davis opened his eyes, and they glowed purple.
-------------------------------------------
"He's awake."
Nathan felt something zap him in the arm. His eyes snapped open and he saw a peeling lime-green ceiling above his head. He turned to the direction of where the zap came, and saw a man in a suit and a metal hand - encased in a bubble - standing over him. "You are one tough son of a bitch," he said. "Sit up."
"Okay, okay," Nathan responded, sitting up. He was in only a pair of briefs.
The man in the suit motioned to a rickety chair behind him. "Suit up," he ordered.
Nathan got up shakily and focused on the chair. Folded on its seat were orange clothes. Then he noticed the guards with submachine guns at the door. He stared at the chair, recognition hitting him.
"The Zig," he whispered.
"Smart, too. C'mon, get dressed or you'll miss dinner."
"Dinner? How long have I been out?"
"All day. You hearin' voices?"
He closed his eyes for a moment. "No..."
"Good. Cuz otherwise I would have to kill you." He walked out of the room. "My job's done for now, boys. Call me when he does hear voices."
The guards waved the guns at Nathan. "C'mon prisoner 7281835, move your ass."
Nathan stepped out of the cell with them flanking him. Four guards escorted him along a catwalk. Nathan looked down - it was a very long way down. He heard people yelling, all the words were incoherent. He followed the ramp down, and then he heard someone say, "Masonry!"
He turned to look at a man in a gated cell. "Don't remember me, do you?"
"Should I?"
"Well, I don't have my raptor pack or my uniform on, but you put me in here you son of a bitch! Now you're here!" He started laughing. "Wait until Lt. Carson hears about this! You don't have long to live in here, pal, you'll be dead in a week!"
The guards shoved Nathan past him. The man kept yelling, "You're gonna die, Masonry!"
"Ma...son...ry!"
A chant started, so by the time he got to the bottom floor, the entire huge room rang with his name. He hung his head down, his fists clenched at his sides, struggling to hold back...but one tear snuck out to stain the collar of his orange jumpsuit.
-----------------------------------------------
Jason Pace stared at box in his hands. He wondered if his boss had a sadistic streak in him. He knew who Pace had to visit; he knew whose stuff was in the box, and he knew the connection they had. Pace sighed and opened the glass door to the offices of Futura Force, Inc.He noticed the young man standing by the water cooler, looking like he was taking a breather from work. "Oh, hey, E. How are you?"
"Fine, Notion. Is Soldier around?"
"Sure. Scottie! Somebody here to see you! Let me take that box."
E-VAC handed the box over. Heavy and awkward, Thad almost wasn't able to hold it. "Wow, what's in here?"
The side office opened and Scott Raynes, dressed in casual clothes, came out to the main office. "Hey, E. How's it going?"
"Good." He glanced at the box and then studied Scott. "I guess you heard Mase is in jail."
"Yeah, they said either you or me could sign him out, though. He worked with Song of Reason and Cimbala just yesterday - "
"Not anymore." He put his hands behind his back and stood in formal at ease. "He's in solitary confinement."
Thad asked, "What did he do?"
"Not what he did, but what he can do. He's a danger to society."
Said Scott, "But that evil Peacebringer's gone--"
"Yes, but he wouldn't have let that Peacebringer in if he hadn't told Nathan what he wanted to hear." E looked into Scott's blue eyes. "Nathan's got a lot of psychological problems. He's undergoing a series of evaluations to see if he's competent."
The room was silent for half a second as that statement sunk in. Then Thad thundered, "To stand trial? For murder?"
E turned to Thad. Thad only returned the glare to E, daring him to accuse him of reading his mind. E knew Thad read surface thoughts, and it was hard to hide his own feelings over the matter. Thad tore his gaze away from him. "Yes," E stated. "Murder and attempted murder."
"But the drugs controlled him," Scott offered. "And then the Kheldian."
E smiled gently. "Why did he take the drugs in the first place, do you know?"
"He was beaten up when he was a kid," said Thad.
"Revenge isn't a reason to be a hero."
"But he didn't want anyone else to have to go through what he did."
"Neither is martyrdom."
Thad waved his hand at E. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand what he went through."
"I understand perfectly."
The two studied each other, and Thad turned away again, leaving the room. There was no doubt in E's mind what Thad saw.
E returned his attention to Scott. "Futura, I'll do everything I can to help him, but he needs to help himself first."
"Maybe I can talk to him."
He shook his head. "He's in solitary. No outside contact, meals teleported to him. The only person who sees him is the psychologist. I'm sorry, Futura."
Scott only nodded. "Can you get a message to him?"
"I'll try."
"Tell him we're rooting for him, and we'll do whatever needs to be done to get him out."
E smiled. "I think he already knows that, but I'll try and remind him." As Scott opened the box to see the spiked shoulder boards that Masonry used to wear as part of his costume, E started to the door. "Oh, Futura, there is one thing you can do to help him."
"What's that?"
"Get him a good lawyer."
Masonry Redux
Masonry (They might be different. I'm not sure yet)
Rusty Gears
Suicidal Wombat
Fethshael
Frozen Decibel
Ges (I don't play him much, but I love his character concept)
and maybe one or two random ones that happen to give me a good answer.
If your character had a favorite theme song, what would it be?
The funny thing is, we have discussed this on Futura Force boards. My answer's slightly changed since then.
Masonry Redux: Phoenix by e.s. Posthomous (sp).
Masonry: Flower by Moby
Rusty Gears: Viva las Vegas by ZZ Top (how obvious)
Wombat: Waltzing Matilda? No!
Fethshael: Born Too Slow - Chemical Brothers
Frozen Decibel:
Ges:
and...hm...
Kill Favored: Wings by Live
I actually have a playlist called "Games" and one also for each character. I just finished building Rusty's. A lot of the playlists have crossovers (Chemical Brothers, Posthumos, Moby) but some are original (Womby has "Something's Burning" by Kenny Rogers which also fits Masonry Redux but not Rusty. "Cherry Cherry" by Neil Diamond is on Womby's, but not MR or Rusty. Feth has a lot of classic rock - "Hot for Teacher" is one.)
Wings is what I listened to constantly during the summer of 2006, mostly because of the line "The weights on your shoulders could be the wings that carry you home." For Kill at that time, it was perfect.
I will probably have to revisit this question for Ges and Decibel.
03-15-2007 21:35:39 [Team]E.VAC: Good evening, doctor. If doctor you are.
03-15-2007 21:35:43 [Team]Sunfallen: Good afternoon.
-15-2007 21:36:11 [Team]Sunfallen: What credentials would you like me to tell you about?
03-15-2007 21:36:29 [Team]E.VAC: None. My boss at Longbow is running a background check.
03-15-2007 21:36:47 [Team]E.VAC: No offense is meant. We just have to be very careful around Ben's ability to deceive.
03-15-2007 21:36:49 [Team]Sunfallen: I've received my medical degree from Harvard.
03-15-2007 21:36:58 [Team]Sunfallen: I understand entirely.
03-15-2007 21:37:01 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: Mostly, we're concerned that you weren't another one of Ben's illusions.
03-15-2007 21:37:05 [Tell]Keen Frost: wasn't Sunfallen an alt of yours?
03-15-2007 21:37:11 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: bingo! :)
((I love Keen to pieces. He is amazing in his trying to acclemate himself to American lingo and English - I wish I could do that. Too bad he's so young and a plane trip to Brazil wasn't so expensive, not to mention I don't know a word of Portugese - no, correction, I do. Va. To go.))
03-15-2007 21:37:17 [Team]E.VAC: What is it that you wanted to talk about?
03-15-2007 21:37:25 [Tell]Keen Frost: who's playing it then? :)
03-15-2007 21:37:49 [Team]Sunfallen: I wanted to discuss Masonry's case with you, Doctor Page. He speaks very highly of you.
03-15-2007 21:37:57 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: Me on my laptop.
03-15-2007 21:38:05 [Team]E.VAC: Pace.
03-15-2007 21:38:06 [Tell]Keen Frost: oh! Altitis Multiplus! :P
03-15-2007 21:38:16 [Tell]Keen Frost: (coolness! :D)
03-15-2007 21:38:28 [Team]Sunfallen: As you know, Masonry is not the best reporter of information.
03-15-2007 21:38:43 [Team]Sunfallen: I sincerely apologize for that
03-15-2007 21:39:02 [Team]Masonry Redux: Hey, Doc.
03-15-2007 21:39:08 [Team]E.VAC: Believe me. I've watched Mason deny he needed help when he was on fire.
03-15-2007 21:39:22 [Team]Masonry Redux: Hey!
03-15-2007 21:39:39 [Team]Sunfallen: ::: chuckles:: Classic.
-15-2007 21:40:00 [Team]E.VAC: Kind of on a clock here, doc. What did you need to talk to us about?
03-15-2007 21:40:03 [Team]Sunfallen: Regardless, allow me to simplify my findings for you; I will be happy to send you a full report.
03-15-2007 21:40:27 [Team]Sunfallen: One: The Kheldian who's joined with this host is insane.
03-15-2007 21:40:36 [Team]E.VAC: Duh.
03-15-2007 21:40:45 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: I'm not a doctor, and I could've told you that.
03-15-2007 21:40:55 [Team]Sunfallen: Two: My specialty is extractions of Nictus. I have not had a good success rate with it.
03-15-2007 21:41:19 [Team]Sunfallen: However, I have taken something you suggested to him, and it seems to have worked.
03-15-2007 21:41:27 [Team]E.VAC: ...you're looking to turn Mason into a case-study. A guinea pig. ((You know, this is a good idea.))
03-15-2007 21:41:56 E.VAC is astounded that someone might've listened to one of his suggestions. :D
03-15-2007 21:41:57 [Team]Sunfallen: Masonry does not take advice when it's given, you know. But thinks about it and mentioned it to me.
03-15-2007 21:42:17 [Team]E.VAC: What's that? What'd I say?
-15-2007 21:42:22 [Team]Masonry Redux: I hate being talked about in the third person.
03-15-2007 21:42:40 [Team]Sunfallen: We got him some paint.
03-15-2007 21:42:51 [Team]E.VAC: Oh. Cool.
03-15-2007 21:42:51 [Team]Masonry Redux: And I lost five hours of my life!
03-15-2007 21:43:11 [Team]E.VAC: Better than losing all of the rest of your life.
03-15-2007 21:43:19 [Team]Sunfallen: The piece is still in development, and when it is finished, he'll show you. But Ben did it.
03-15-2007 21:43:30 [Team]Masonry Redux: He took me over, totally!
03-15-2007 21:43:30 [Team]E.VAC: ...oh. Imagine my joy.
03-15-2007 21:44:04 Obsydian Fyre mutters something about pictures of dead kittens.
03-15-2007 21:44:10 [Team]Sunfallen: Doctor, rehabilitation such as this means we need to take small steps. If this begins to calm that Nictus in him then so be it.
3-15-2007 21:44:53 [Team]E.VAC: You weren't there for the "admitting he has a problem" step.
03-15-2007 21:45:09 [Team]E.VAC: Sounds like you got off light. So far.
03-15-2007 21:45:42 [Team]Sunfallen: No. Guess what, Doctor. You're helping him whether you like it or not. And if I have to put an order in to Longbow for it, I will.
03-15-2007 21:46:06 [Team]Sunfallen: I could turn his case entirely over to you if you wanted.
03-15-2007 21:46:33 [Team]E.VAC: Don't get pushy with me, doc. I'm betting I outrank you. If you want my help, ask for it. Ordering me around is the wrong way.
03-15-2007 21:46:35 [Team]Sunfallen: You seem to know him well enough to help him. Provided he accepts your help.
03-15-2007 21:46:51 [Team]Masonry Redux: Pissing contest...
03-15-2007 21:46:58 [Team]E.VAC: Shut up, Mason.
03-15-2007 21:47:14 [Team]Sunfallen: Do you want his case or not?
03-15-2007 21:47:28 [Team]E.VAC: A doctor should never get too close to his patient. I'll help, especially in the field, but I can not and will not take lead.
03-15-2007 21:47:33 [Team]Masonry Redux: Jesus, isn't she pushy.
03-15-2007 21:47:54 [Team]E.VAC: If you push the case on me, I'll just have Mason committed.
03-15-2007 21:48:00 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: Let's hope she doesn't act like that with Ben. Ben'll probably eat her.
03-15-2007 21:48:04 [Team]Sunfallen: If it's necessary.
03-15-2007 21:48:11 [Team]Masonry Redux: Committed!
03-15-2007 21:48:14 [Team]Masonry Redux: Wait just a second!
03-15-2007 21:48:27 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: E, wait... you wouldn't do that, would you?
03-15-2007 21:48:34 [Team]Sunfallen: Ben and I have already discussed his situation
.03-15-2007 21:49:05 [Team]E.VAC: I can't be your personal physician, Mason. We're friends. I'm too close to you to give you adequate medical care. Regardless of how it happens, some other doctor has to be in charge of you. Period.
03-15-2007 21:49:10 [Team]Sunfallen: He's in his own little world.
03-15-2007 21:49:21 [Team]Masonry Redux: But you can't commit me!
03-15-2007 21:49:32 [Team]E.VAC: I can and will. If I have to.
03-15-2007 21:49:37 [Team]Sunfallen: If necessary, Masonry, we've already discussed this.
03-15-2007 21:49:42 [Tell]Keen Frost: commit as in... getting married? :P
03-15-2007 21:49:53 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: No, as in go into a mental hospital.
03-15-2007 21:50:01 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: He won't committ you, Mase. He's just trying to get your.... doctor off his case.
03-15-2007 21:50:02 [Team]Sunfallen: We have also discussed extraction.
03-15-2007 21:50:08 [Tell]Keen Frost: oh, didn't know that.
03-15-2007 21:50:18 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: no problem.
03-15-2007 21:50:45 [Team]Sunfallen: I will be his lead physician, you may do what you've been doing. Masonry, you must do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:50:52 [Team]Masonry Redux: Oh come on...
03-15-2007 21:50:57 E.VAC chuckles evilly
03-15-2007 21:51:04 E.VAC coughs
03-15-2007 21:51:15 Obsydian Fyre glares at E. "Stop that."
03-15-2007 21:51:21 E.VAC grins
03-15-2007 21:51:27 [Team]Sunfallen: You have everything allowed to you and more to function in society, Masonry. Enough chances have been given.
03-15-2007 21:51:45 [Team]Masonry Redux: Yeah, yeah, I don't need the lecture from you, I already got it from Manticore, thank you.
03-15-2007 21:52:10 [Team]Sunfallen: So, is it agreed that you will accept responsiblity for him in the field, Doctor?
03-15-2007 21:52:30 [Team]Masonry Redux: I'm a damn...
03-15-2007 21:52:37 [Team]Masonry Redux: I dont' know what I am.
03-15-2007 21:52:43 [Team]E.VAC: I would appreciate you sending me everything you have on the case, doctor. Leave it care of me at the Longbow HQ in King's Row. I'll pick it up later tonight.
03-15-2007 21:52:58 [Team]Sunfallen: Agreed. Masonry, do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:53:04 [Team]E.VAC: Once Longbow has confirmed your identity and credentials, I'll give you everything *I* have.
03-15-2007 21:53:09 [Team]Masonry Redux: Jawohl, Herr Komandant.
03-15-2007 21:53:14 [Team]Sunfallen: Masonry....
03-15-2007 21:53:26 [Team]Masonry Redux: Yes, yes, I'll do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:53:49 [Team]Sunfallen: Good. Clear.
03-15-2007 21:53:51 Sunfallen has quit the team