A few days after the debriefing, government sources contact the heroes (possibly through the hero's contacts, possibly through official channels).

The heroes receive the following information
• The East Coast of the United States is currently being blackmailed by a previously unknown group known as The Force. This group has stolen a deadly bacteriological agent (S-97) from the military and has planted it and a medium sized nuclear weapon somewhere on the East Coast.
• The weapon will be detonated in such as way as to spread the agent over an approximate 100 mile radius. This particular agent was originally created by Mechanon, and the effects are too horrible to reveal to the public.

This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 05:26, Thu 27 June 2019.

Freddie couldn't believe his good luck. He was being asked to fill in as a temp Crusader, and was living at their headquarters. It was amazing! It was ultra-modern, with everything sleek and shiny, it had training facilities, corridors big enough to fly through, and it was free! It was like a dream come true.

All he had to do was earn it, by responding to the emergencies that came in... like this one, involving a horrible virus and a nuclear bomb.

Was it too late to quit?

No. Rather, yes, it was. He was going to DO this. He was going to be somebody. He was going to be a hero, dammit.

He flew into the main meeting room (the one with the round table with the giant 'C' on it) and slapped the red EMERGENCY button, summoning the team. Anyone who wanted to be a part of the greatest team in history (and who wasn't on vacation, or whatever the original guys were doing) now knew that it was time to come together and... something.

He was still a little vague on the details of what they were going to do about the bomb and the bug (although that sounded like the official name of the caper for their records, didn't it?) but something heroic needed to be done, and he was one of the guys to do it.

Whatever it was.

Leisurely walking through the room with a cup of coffee, Enforcer flipped the cutoff switch to silence the alarm. He gives Free Bird a smile, and responds to the astonished look of the hero. "Yeah, I know what Manta Man said, I just don't do personal business. Still can't figure out where he thought I was going to go."
Taking in the younger man's agitation, and weighing it against his own thoughts, he nods to the Emergency Button. "It's usually best to give that thing about thirty seconds, then kill it. Anyone that hasn't heard it, isn't going to. Anyone that has would be on their way here, but may take some time. Is this about the news bulletin on The Force?"

"Yeah, the Force." Free Bird nodded in agreement. "And it really ticks me off that they'd name themselves that and ruin Star Wars for everybody, y'know?"

Shade appeared out of a shadow in the lobby. He waved at the cameras, trying to make sure the automated defenses did not decide to start shooting and asking questions later. That was also the reason he did not transport directly into the tower itself. Last thing he wanted to do was annoy the team via his normal means of travel.

Once the elevator arrived, he slid into it as he normal did without moving through one of his shadow gates. Slid was the operative word, as his lower half was sort of snake-like. Instead of feet he had a pool of shadow, but he moved at the speed of a normal person. Not having two legs also did not seem to effect his balance.

He pressed the button, hummed along to the elevator music, and went into the HQ itself when he arrived at the upper levels.

"Ok, can I just ask who left out a deadly virus AND a spare nuke!? I hope somebody is getting fired..." He said to whoever he ran across.

Mystika Teleported in clad in her fighting clothes well mostly shape hugging material and mage bits for flair she might as well look good while fighting the forces of villainy.

"What is the big emergency that drew me away from eating an Earth delicacy the Corn Dog, why do they call it that when there isn't any dog in it?," she gets lost for a moment to that mystery and why they eat pets. Before well coming back down to Earth and focusing on why the big red button was hit.

(ooc: A nod to a scene in Battle Beyond the Stars.)

In reply to Mystika (msg # 328):
As she speaks a portal opens. About to pass through Drifter takes her inquiry seriously
"Because humans put a sausage called a Hotdog into corn batter and fry it.

 Hot dog in corn batter... The end result being the Corndog   Not really all that much of a
 mystery I am afraid to say Lady Mystika.

Just please do not ask why they call a sausage a hot dog.  Mighty as well ask why some people call a fruit pudding a spotted dick.  It all comes down to labels and classifying things I guess? So what is happening? who called the Emergency and Why?  Is Earth in danger of Destruction again?  It must be Thursday!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:24, Thu 27 June 2019.

After taking a room for her own use in the Citadel, Knockout took some time to explore the place and make a note of things to be improved or reinforced. But the horrific idea that a nuclear detonation coupled with a bio hazard threat would happen wouldn't let her sleep well at night.

She tried to pull strings among her contact in the Defense department, as to find out if more was known about the group that was presenting this threat.

OOC : 09:47, Today: Knockout rolled 10 (with 3 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system.  Contact Roll, Col. Shane Silverman.

Nobody's contacts know anything about "The Force".
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:47, Sat 29 June 2019.

Shade looks around the base, flowing from shadow to shadow until he gets used to the area. He figures now that he is an official part of the team he can stop using the elevator. He plans to transport directly into the main meeting room and hope no automated defenses take offense...literally.
"Well, from what I know a rogue nuke is called a Broken Arrow in military jargon. Yeah, its sorta scary that it happens so often they have a term for it. Some of us should go to the lab where the virus was, and the rest should find out what the military knows about the nuke. I have a few people who keep their ears to the ground about what the pentagon is up to. I figure this is such a big deal the whole place is hopping by now." He pointed out.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:44, Fri 28 June 2019.

"I call dibs on the Nuke team," Free Bird said. "I wouldn't know a virus if I tripped over one."

He was assuming he'd recognize a nuclear bomb, of course. Or at least that he would know enough not to trip over it.

In reply to Free Bird (msg # 333):
"I don't want you tripping over any rogue nukes ether. So just be careful around radioactive stuff, ok?" He took out his phone and paused. "Can anyone survive in a radioactive environment? I am pretty sure I am cool with it, but it might come up..." He paused. "Mystika, can you magic up a safe environmental bubble if we need it?"

(OOC-Using my group contacts to find out if the pentagon has any leads on rogue nuke, or is asking about possible leads themselves via my advanced cell phone.

10:34, Today: Shade rolled 9 using 3d6.  Group media contacts 13-)
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Fri 28 June 2019.

"I will work on a Rote for that, but we need to consider how to get rid of the device if I get some time I could teleport it into deep space maybe the black hole in the center of our Galaxy. That would remove the threat. Alternatively move it into maybe the heart of the Sun. But if these Nanites can survive a nuclear blast they might survive that. I would suggest we investigate this group who has the device then figure where to go from there.

I will create a Computer Gremlin to search the internet and deep web for information if they are on your information networks they will have footprints somewhere. I will take time n that it needs to be done carefully.," Mystika said as she started the needed calculations in her head.

A light begins to flash blue on one of the repaired consoles. Enforcer raises his eyebrows then sends out a bubble of force, flipping a switch next to the light. The voice that comes on is torn, as if the man behind the voice can't decide whether or not he really wishes to speak. From the speakers, the halting voice says, "I don't think I've much time. There's information, I have it, it's about Force. The Crusaders need to know. I'll wait in the street."
Then the line goes dead.

Darryl Starre pulls up in a sports coupe and puts his key card in the slot to access the underground parking lot. He keys the elevator and rides up to Crusader Citadel's Computer level. He had some data searching to do.

In reply to The Great Karnac (msg # 336):

(OOC-are we present to hear this? With my fully penetrative and telescopic hearing, should I make a roll to hear it if its not the case?)

Looking around at the assembled heroes, Enforcer grunts. "If Manta Man were here, he'd jump up and send Dreamweaver to scout the street and try to locate the guy and check for baddies. Then he'd have Laserfire take off for eyes in the sky. Blizzard would take monitor duty while he and Evergreen went down to meet the guy."
"Then he'd look at me and say, 'just do whatever the hell it is you're the best at'."
"I hated it when he said that, and he knew I did."
"I'm not gonna tell you guys what you need to do, but I'm following Carter's advice."
Standing up, Enforcer walks out. On his way to where he's going, he meets a certain reporter. "Starre. You may want to go out front. The new guys are going to hit their first real mystery, if I'm not mistaken."

OOC: Yes, everyone hears the message from the man out front.

Darryl is unflappable. "What's out front?" he asks casually, heading back to the elevator.

"Oh dear K9 time to go to work. If you could just stay here until I get back?" reaching down to touch his sensor array in apology before I go Ethereal and jaunt (Teleport) outside.

Gosh using that term from the British sci-fi Tomorrow people was so droll. I Will just have to do it again.

As he walks away, Enforcer waves his hand in a noncommittal gesture and turns away, opining over his shoulder "dead man walking or a nut job, can't say which."

In reply to Drifter (msg # 341):
"Master? Should I introduce myself to your allies?"
As Drifter disappears, the antennae on the dogbot's head swivel back and forth.
"Master?                      Master?"

"Hey, cool. It's Dynomutt. Hello, talking robo-doggie."

Coolest. Day. Ever.

As he gets into the elevator, a happy grim plasters across Starre's face. "Wow, K-9! How surreal. You're a good dog, K-9. Just wish Romana was with you." He punched the button for the Lobby.

Hmm The thought just crossed my mind so will just check to see.
Activating his radio he connects to the station. As he looks around to assess the situation
 A monitoring agent at HQ could be useful.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:26, Sat 29 June 2019.

The little antennae on top of the dogbot's head swivel back and forth.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Sat 29 June 2019.