Getting Strong Now (Ch. 2: Day 9)

Mie · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:59 pm

As opportune as it would have been to stick her nose up in the air, puff out her chest, act all self-important, and effectively show Rouge how she came across, an embittered, hardened look blipped across Jam's face at Rock's mention.

She turned in her seat, and directed a narrowed stare away from the table, huffing a plainly aggravated sigh. Despite all the physical cues that pointed to withdrawal from the conversation, however, she suddenly added, "We-- I was hoping you knew about this... That that eagle might've told you something about them -- Anything to help track 'em down, or at least find out what we're up against."

Casting a fleetingly inquisitive glance back to the bat, as if asking for verification, she shook her head and continued.

"He was too well equipped and informed to be independent," she muttered thoughtfully, drumming her fingers agitatedly against the top of her bench. "And I've got a sneaking suspicion we'll be running into each other again."

Rouge · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:30 am

Rouge's smile took on a slightly regretful tinge for a second, before returning to its normal placid smirk.

"Sorry, dear," she said, "I was hiding up in the ceiling the whole time, staying away from the cameras -- not exactly the best place to have a one-on-one. I was hoping one of you could tell me something."

"But oh well," she sang, offering a glance to the stars overhead, "looks like I'll have to scrounge up some clues somewhere else!"

psikeout · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:32 am

"If you want clues," Rock mumbled, reaching down to the floor where he had dumped his duffel, "I took some samples before GUN's clean-up crew could come sanitize everything."

He produced and laid on the table a glass vial (borrowed from Coop's explosives lab, but filled with a liquid entirely foreign), a thick optical lens (cracked, with a warped metal frame), and a relatively intact-looking printed circuit board.

Greens · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:33 am

After a small stint of quietude, (though he did readily offer several concerned, furrow-browed glances in Rouge's direction, with her tales of betrayal and prophecies,) Ace spoke up, looking similarly troubled as Jam was, but with a dash of curiosity.

"You picked those off a' the eagle?" he inquired.

Rouge · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:38 am

Rouge stopped, fixated on the equipment Rock had just deposited on the table. She pressed a finger to her chin, as a gleam of excitement lit up her eyes

psikeout · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:41 am

"No," said Rock with a shake of his head. "Off of the corpse of one of the troops."

He picked up the vial of viscous, colorless liquid and raised it toward Rouge. It had a single curling tendril of something red drifting inside, possibly solid. Whatever it was, it was alien and slightly unpleasant to look at. "I dunno if it was actually human, or some kind of artificial lifeform, or biomachine, or what," he explained. "It was wearin' some kinda airtight body suit with a helmet; when I pulled the helmet off, there was no body inside. This... I dunno... soup... came pouring out."

Greens · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:05 am

"Gross," Ace added with an off-put slant.

Mie · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:34 am

"Disgusting," agreed Jam, throwing an unsettled glance at Rock. "Figures your reaction is to whip out a vial, and take some home."

psikeout · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:00 pm

"Hey." Rock's objection was jovially flat. "You never know what's gonna be important."

Rouge · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:52 pm

"Ugch," said Rouge, without much feeling, and took the vial between a finger and thumb. She clasped it gently through the sheer material of the glove, twisting it back and forth, and watching the little red swirl shift inside. Her face crinkled up in some indecipherable emotion.

"Hmm," she said, softly, and then, much louder:

"Well, I hope you don't mind if I keep this."

Without waiting for an answer, she tucked the vial inside the cuff of one of her gloves, and picked up the optical lens.

"And what's this from?" She asked, not looking at Rock as she spoke. The bat rolled it back and forth, looking at it through the light of one of the luminous palm trees, and pried gently at the lens where the metal frame had buckled away from it.

psikeout · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:50 pm

"I pulled that and the circuitry from the thing's helmet," clarified Rock. He leaned forward a little to point at a specific part of the lens's frame. "It's got a manufacturer's stamp. Same goes for the board. There's also some serials on that one."

He settled back into his seat again. "I've tried to investigate that company for... other reasons a while back, but no luck. I was hopin' you'd have the resources to get into their records and find out who it was sold to."

Rouge · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:20 pm

"Mmmmmm-hm!"

Rouge snapped her fingers, and the bit of glass disappeared. She picked up the circuit board, and after a few moments, it was also hidden somewhere around her person.

"Well," she said, "I'm going to be sent back to the United Federation after today -- GUN's decided that my contract's no good, so… Well, I guess there's not much keeping me around this place! Talk about shabby," she added, to no-one in particular, "if any place could use some extra life, it's Westside Island."

She stepped up to the edge of the roof-top, and leaned out theatrically.

"At least the President will be happy to have me back, and I'm sure I can find out something while I'm there."

She paused, and glanced back over her shoulder.

"I'm probably not going to be around for a while. Any last requests before I'm gone?"

Greens · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:36 pm

"...What kinda requests do you do?" asked the serval with an inquisitive glance.

psikeout · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:39 pm

Rock watched... indirectly, sort of out of the corners of his eyes, as Rouge made smalltalk and prepared to depart. With ill timing, the waiter returned and placed the bat's refilled cocktail on the table. Then Ace said what only an Ace would say, and the simian's previously blank face seemed to melt downward a little with tired exasperation.

"Just drink your damn drink, Ace," Rock mumbled and shoved the glass toward him. "Not drunk enough to justify this yet."

Greens · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:42 pm

"I think it's a fair question...," he mumbled with a sip.

Getting Strong Now (Ch. 2: Day 9)

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