"You are making this too easy. Not that I am complaining."

"You say that now, but you'll be the ones to actually contain and arrest them when the time comes, as I cannot contribute much on that end."

"Don't sell yourself short," Frank said. "You 'contain' pretty well, and you do it without lifting a finger. You make the rest of us look like slackers."

"We're not going to sit here, in this parking lot, until one of them blurts something about their heist Price said in a dissatisfied tone of voice "This could take hours, or days.  And we might never learn of the entire plan before they're ready to execute it.  Any chance you can peak into their minds?"

"OK. That may alert them to our presence, as it's much more intrusive than just looking and listening. I'll give it a shot." She tries to dig into Mike Columbus's mind to pick up on their plans before they even know they're being watched.

d10 Wits
d10 Telepathy
d8 One Step Ahead of You

09:35, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 2,5,7 using d10,d10,d8 with rolls of 2,5,7.  Reading Mike Columbus.

That's a 12 with a d10 effect die.

Still at 1 PP.

The only difficultly Ana faced with reading Mike's thoughts was that he didn't have much of them.  The man was mainly concerned with what he was going to eat for dinner, and who's going to win the world series.  She had to access his long term memories to retrieve the information she needed.  Memories she could only hope were not entirely unreliable...


Basilisk rolled 3,3,3 using 1d6,1d8,1d6 with rolls of 3,3,3.  Reaction to Ana's telepathy.
Wits 1d6, Dimwitted distinction 1d8 (doesn't have coherent thoughts to read), 1d6 Novice Psych
Total 6 vs 12, telepathy action successful.

"You know," came Danny's voice over the comms, "If Newton can create some kind of immense gravitational force JUST on that floor, I think I could enter that area, without being affected".
He wondered if Price would remember an ability Danny had demonstrated to 'the boss' in his office not so long ago.

"It'd be awesome if we could find somewhere for he and I to 'test run' my theory prior ... but it's an option.

If it worked, I could possibly render whomever is on that floor unconscious while they are pinned down by the gravity field.
And if Windtalker can affect those within the gravity field, on a mental level ...."

"Well, Mike Columbus certainly isn't the mastermind behind anything here, more along for the ride. The Brotherhood are going to storm the UN headquarters at the annual general debate of the General Assembly, which is in less than a week. The Brotherhood are planning on giving their own speech, with the entire world watching them. Looks like I'll need to move on to Randall Darby."

Letting Mike Columbus go, she hear's Danny's suggestion. Any sort of nonlethal containment like that sounds good. Then she attempts to find out what she can from Randall Darby while they still don't know what she's up to.

d10 Wits
d10 Telepathy
d8 One Step Ahead of You

08:36, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 8,10,2 using d10,d10,d8 with rolls of 8,10,2.  Reading Randall Darby.

That's a 18 with a d8 effect die.

Still at 1 PP.

Edit: Just remembered I keep forgetting Psych. I need to stop forgetting to use that.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:38, Wed 21 July 2021.

Darby (unknowingly) confirms what Ana already known; that the Brotherhood are going to hold half the world's leaders hostage at the UN headquarters while they make their proclamation.  The Brotherhood cell is unconcerned about security - they are quite sure they can easily overpower any resistance.  Nonetheless, John, Jamie, and Eileen all went to gather some intel before the operation - just to be on the safe side.

Shocker rolled 7,4,5 using 1d8,1d8,1d6 with rolls of 7,4,5.  Reaction to Ana's telepathy.  Wits 1d8, Psych 1d6, Hardened Mutant Guerilla distinction 1d8
Total = 12 vs 18.  Telepathy successful.

"So, it seems the others are out doing intel on the UN. We might as well stake this spot out until they return and see what they might say to each other then. Or at least I could with some backup if others want to start working on related plans."

"Uniform gravity field over a simple shape shouldn't be a problem. You can rely on having that if any of you are making a plan" Newton said. Then hummed a bit, seemingly thinking about something before addressing the team.

"So, bunch of Legion copies are on watch and the main gang is trying to gather some intel. Do we know if they are operating in line if site of each other or is it possible to ambush them one by one? If we can ambush them one by one, we can have Ana hypontise them or something, sorry I lack the proper terminology, and release them until we ambush everyone."

"Please, Windspeaker, what can you achieve?
Are you able to protect others from mental powers?  Can you mentally put someone to sleep?"

"I might well be able to put someone to sleep. I've never tried. I don't think I could make a shield against mental powers, but I might be able to help someone break free of something. I've never tried to be very forceful with mind control, as it bothers me."

"This is bad" Douglas shook his head  "I must make a few calls.   If we fail to stop the Brotherhood this could be a disaster on a global scale.  President Davis  might want to cancel the event altogether.  It would be the safer choice"

It would look very bad, considering many of the world leader's already arrived in New York.  President Davis will also take a big hit on the polls.  But considering the alternative...

"I'm going to step out for a minute.  You guys sit tight till the rest of the cell comes back, see what else we can learn to our advantage.  Windtalker; no more mind reading.  If you think they might be able to suspect you fiddling in their heads, I'd rather not take that risk currently.  Understood?"

"Can the President cancel an event at the United Nations?" Frank asked. He was pretty sure that wasn't how it worked. "Probably the best we can do is to advise the Secretary General and hope he cancels.

"...I think."

“Whatever.  I’m going to call Valerie and let her handle this.  You guys stay put while Ana eavesdrop on the Brotherhood cell.  I will rejoin you shortly, I hope”

Price slips out of the van, leaving the keys in the ignition.  He isn't gone for a long while.  A few minutes later he climbs back to his seat, grumpier than before

“Valerie will check what she can do.  Thing is, there are many VIPs already in New York, and more arriving daily.  If we do manage to postpone the annual debate, the Brotherhood might do something unexpected, like kidnap one of the dignitaries”

He shakes his head

“We need more information. It’s going to be a long night…”

Freedom Force spends the rest of the day in the van, waiting for the three missing members of the cell to make it back to the apartment building.  Fortunately for them, the temperatures at the beginning of October were rather mild.  Having to stake out the building in the sweltering heat of a New York summer, without the benefit of air conditioning (Price had to turn the engine off to save on gas), would have been a grueling experience.  It was already uncomfortable enough, with Ana needing to focus the entire time, and Price shushing anyone who talked above a whisper to avoid breaking her concentration.

Eventually, their efforts do pay off.  Madrox, Eileen, John  - they all make it back and start preparing for dinner (Madrox, being a culinary chef among other things, have them all eating like royalty).  Some friendly banter during dinner follows, but the real interesting bits only start after its concluded.

Transcript follows:

JA: Thanks for dinner Jamie.  The Squid ravioli in lemon grass broth was especially good.  Think I gained like five pounds in the last month
JM: Hah! My pleasure, as always
RD: *impatiently* Well?  Are you going to tell me what’s going on already?
JM: Yes, yes, I was getting to that.  So I caught sight of the ‘Red Guardian’ today.  Part of President ‘Pukin’ delegation.  Another member of his secret service looked suspicious to me also.
RD: First – who the $@#! Is the ‘Red Guardian’, and second – ‘suspicious’ how?
JM: The ‘Red Guardian’?  Russian Super Solider? No? Think Captain America, but with less scruples.
EH: He’s beneath consideration
JM: Right. I mean, probably.  The other was a young woman.  Doesn’t fit the profile of someone  working security - not unless she’s special in some way.
RD: so that’s two.  And the chinaman makes three.  This is starting to look a bit dicey, to be honest.
MC: Are you going to finish that?
JA:  For god’s sake, can you concentrate on something other than your stomach, just this once?
EH: They won’t know what hit them until its too late.  You know that.
RD: Yes, but still.  And if the Avengers make it out...
JA: Use a napkin!!
MC: <unintelligible>
JM: They won’t make it out.
RD: But what if they will?
JM: They won’t.
EH: OK, that’s enough of that.  Legion – you should have everything you need after today.  I’m counting on you.  Everyone else; keep a low profile from here on.  No one is going anywhere without me saying so.  Understood?
JM: Yea, yea.
RD: Yes Ma’am
EH: Mike?
MC: What?
EH: Have you been listening to anything we just said?
MC: Umm…yes.
JA: *sigh*
RD: This is going to be just like Clarksville all over again
<End transcript>

Across town, Danny had an easier time that those in the van.
For one thing (and to avoid suspiciously loitering in one spot) he stayed a little mobile on his bike.  That meant he got to move between the shade and the sunny spots ... and, staying close to his bike, stop for some lunch or a coffee when he wanted one.

"Why, sir, do we not share what we know with these delegations?
Then, if they want to postpone, it's their own choice ... similarly, if things go down, it was their choice to continue.
On top of that, it'd defeat the whole 'They won’t know what hit them until its too late' thing".



Please, this 'transcript' ... do we have the room tapped?   Or is that shared with us by Ana, who is mentally eavesdropping?

Ana Sofía has been relaying this information verbally as she observes with her Clairvoyant Senses, as this isn't nearly so intrusive and potentially obvious as digging into someone's mind.

Danny's question wasn't a bad one, but it was perhaps a little naïve.

"If we start the U.N. delegations changing their plans, then the Brotherhood will start changing theirs, too," he explained into his mic. "Worse, they might realize that someone has them tapped."

"That, and we will also create panic, which would undoubtedly spark an international incident" Price rasped into his own mic "Right now, it doesn't look like we have any good options.  Only bad, and worse. I think our best bet would be to enlist the Avengers. S.H.I.E.L.D.  Whomever we can.  Try to take down the Brotherhood cell right now, before they have a chance to make their move"
He checked the rest of the team on the rearview mirror, though they could all hear him just fine on their headsets

"Any better ideas?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Tue 27 July 2021.

"Not a one."

Frank had a decent idea for a Plan B — that being 'call the X-Men' — but the Avengers made a much better Plan A.

"Me neither"

"Seems like a good plan. I should continue to eavesdrop to see where they might head if we are going to try to contain them."

Newton nodded.

We need to do something decisive again Legion. Rest we can deal with it somehow but this guy itself is a security nightmare.