Two years on, we take the time to look back at how much the world and our city has changed after the fallout from the Unity Invasion. Many see the day as reason to celebrate, with good cause too, but for others it is a time of loss and mourning. Despite Unity’s defeat the effects from that day are still felt throughout our great city and I have made it my personal mission as Mayor to try and build us up stronger than ever before. I truly believe it is the peoples victory, not Spectrums, that has shined brightest of all.
My gentrification project in The Basement has been a massive success. New, affordable, homes have been built in the area. Our focus on community areas such as The Gardens has been a particular highlight. Not only has it improved just one area of Newhaven but the effects have rippled through to other districts. Statistics show that in the last few months alone the homeless population has decreased by more than half. Police reports confirm there is almost no one at all left in The Valley, a once well known hotspot for antisocial behaviour, and our business districts seem to grow from strength to strength.
As Mayor of this city I take great pride in the fact we are one of the leaders in the technological industry, just as we have been leaders in previous industries. We are a city of hardworking, law abiding people - which is why I want to take the time in this letter to address my next focus for Newhaven. There are some, a minority, who would deem it fit to tackle problems in unorthodox ways. This kind of activity has only increased in the two years following Unity’s attack and is the only blight left in our wonderful home. These, self dubbed, ‘Vigilantes’ deem themselves outside of the law - undermining the hard work our police force and other emergency services provide on a daily basis.
They run amok in our streets, terrorising anyone they believe they have the right to. Newhaven is becoming trapped in a turf war between those who have these ‘abilities’. It has become nothing but a playground for those who see themselves as all powerful, and as Mayor it is my duty to step in and protect you - the normal, everyday citizen. They destroy public property, break into private buildings & estates and paint targets onto the backs of the very people they claim to ‘protect’. Surely, if they believed they were doing things for the good of the city they would do so without a mask? They hide their identities because they know their intentions are never completely good.
That is why, as I am running unopposed this year, following my reelection I promise to bring forward a new law to put an end to Vigilantes and bring in regulation within Newhaven for anyone with ‘abilities’. That isn’t to say we will be disbanding the idea of using those with gifts to fight crime altogether, but I have been working closely with NHPD official to come up with a compromise involving registering and volunteering alongside the police. We wish to bring in official tests, to seek out those with abilities and prevent them from committing crimes before it is too late, and register all metahumans in a singular database for reference. This is being presented, as always, with the best interest of Newhaven at heart.
Until that point anyone seen in public wearing a face mask to conceal an identity, anyone infiltrating a crime scene or anyone using abilities or illegal weapons on another member of the public will be arrested on sight.
I hope such news will reassure everyone that this years festivities, held in our Harbour district, will go forward without a hitch.
It’s time for our 4th event and sticking to our promise of rotating the platforms this will be a dash only event. The event itself will run both in game and OOC from 17th September - 21st September. Please tag all new open & closed starters for this event with #startervig.
We ask that you still adhere to the usual starter rules, and every other rule, whilst posting new open starters focused around the event. As always we will have a catch up period after the event close to tie up any loose ends but we do encourage you to try and keep threads short & sweet to make this easier. All previous events, completed threads and roleplay-wide plot drops will be canon as of the first day of the event.
Please don’t hesitate to message the main if you have any questions for the admins and as always have fun!
EVENT 004: HARBOUR FESTIVAL
The Harbour Feastival has been a tradition in Newhaven that goes back to its founding. In more recent years the focus has shifted to also include the memorial for those lost during the Unity attack but the overall vibe of the festival has stayed very true to its original goal: to celebrate and bring together the people within the city.
Stalls with vibrant colours now fill every inch of the harbour and overnight the fairground rides have been erected. The stalls hold a wide range of treasure and fun to explore, from food to trinkets, arts & crafts and various body painting. The festival itself is famous for its week long festivities and both day & evening events.
Though not all who attend will wish to partake in the festivities at hand. In the wake of the Mayors public address there are those who oppose the more extreme ideas he’s put forward and wish to use the opportunity of him appearing publicly to protest. Whilst he’s running unopposed and a shoe-in to win in the upcoming election there is still time to make their voices heard and put a stop to anything that could potentially harm those born with abilities.
Whether you choose to attend for fun or for political reasons, there’s no denying that the stalls are less crowded than usual this year. The lines for the ferris wheel and tilt-o-whirl have never been shorter. Could it be that interest is down, or is there something more sinister afoot?
Following the letter from Mayor Winsor, all Vigilante activity is being cracked down on harder than ever before. The police have been instructed to act on any reports tied towards the masked heroes of Newhaven but until the law has been officially passed they cannot be arrested for anything that would stick. Yet. Where they may have once been gratefully thanked for saving a civilian they may now encounter someone who is thoroughly against everything they do, or simply prejudiced against those with special gifts.
Tensions are clearly on the rise between those in the city who believe the Vigilantes are a source for good and those who see them, and those with powers, as a blight to Newhaven. With the recent published address from the Mayor's office, those against have been given a new platform and confidence to voice their opinion more openly. However with the upcoming annual festival there is an opportunity for those opposed to the proposal to stage protests that could gain the right kinds of attention. Those who wish to take to social platforms to raise awareness to the cause, and perhaps sway a few in the undecided camp in their direction, are encouraged to do so.
Any and all future threads involving one or more of the Vigilantes should be written with the potential added danger and implications this roleplay wide plot drop bring - you’re encouraged to find ways to implement this plot drop into your threads (both closed and open) going forward.
Our 2nd event is finally here! New members have joined at an excellent time to get in on the fun too. This event will be a combination discord / dash event, and will also be a little different than most event’s you’ve had previously. Inspired by D&D, we’ve tried to incorporate a ‘choose your own adventure’ style which takes into account your characters stats to customise your outcome.
Our event will run from Saturday 19th May until Sunday 27th May, with the start of the event taking place over Discord and the fallout following this played out on the dash. We will be sending out links to the Discord server specifically created for this event from Friday 18th May, but we do ask that no posts are made in there until you get the go ahead from the Admins.
If you are unable to partake in the Discord portion of the event, which will only be running on the Saturday, we ask you inform the main by Wednesday to avoid confusion. Please note you will not be excluded from partaking in the dash portion of the event if you do not partake in the discord section.
The window for the discord part of the event will be quite wide, running from 6:00pm GMT / 1:00pm EST / 10:00am PST until 1:00am GMT / 8:00pm EST / 5:00pm PST. Where both admins will be online to play as the NPC, guide you through the choices and event, and let you know the outcome and when things are done. You can then feel free to post a transcript of the interaction to your blog for reference if you’d like. We estimate that any interaction shouldn’t take much longer than an hour or so of your time, though we do ask for patience whilst we put together the NPC replies (and note we may have more than one of you at a time to get to.)
More information, along with a clearer outline of what to do and expect, will be given far closer to the time. Everyone will have their own private chats and each scenario will be personal to your character, only when everything is done and settled will the other members know the results of your experience.
Gif-chats, threads and the like are encouraged between all characters to take place during the event as well as continuing your outside event interactions. You may partake in the actual event as a normal civilian, you are also encouraged to take part with your Vigilante too. Please ensure you’re continuing to follow the rules re: starters and replying to as many as you’re able without repeating before posting your own.
You may absolutely continue your older threads and finish them up too or postpone them until the event is done if your partner is okay with that. We ask that any event threads created during this coming week are kept short & sweet and wrapped up relatively quickly.
EVENT 002: WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Despite the uptake in crime, and the masked heroes who choose to fight it, there has been one notable absence in Newhaven following Spectrum’s departure. Mainframe has, until now, remained underground and out of sight since that fateful day. For many that’s considered a good thing, as they believe without Spectrum around to thwart him there would be no stopping the technopath, but for others the cynical caution has kept him on the edge of their thoughts.
He’s been plotting and quietly judging the new wave of Vigilantes. Every camera in Newhaven is a second pair of eyes for the Villain, every smartphone lending him ears to the ground. And finally, after months of planning, his tests are ready. Each package is left in a location specific to a Vigilante, a warning from Mainframe that perhaps he’s aware of more than you’re comfortable with him knowing.
In an age of paranoia it doesn’t take long for the packages to gain attention and rouse suspicion. The city is ground to a halt as police and bomb specialists attend to the sites of each package, their pause only comes when they see who each box is addressed to. The names of a Vigilante is printed neatly on the label, the brown packaging stripped away to show an ornate puzzle box within. The letter atop challenging the named Vigilante for each location to rise to the challenge, the ticking and beeping within causing alarm to those who do not wish to see their city implode.
Despite many cries of outrage Bobby Barkley once again stirs the hornet's nest by making the suggestion they allow the Vigilante’s a chance to face the test. It takes little to no time for word to spread through news outlets, online activity and chinese whispers. If the Vigilante’s choose to show, and whether or not they are able to rise to Mainframes challenge, will change the shape of Newhaven in the future.
TL;DR: What started as a chance for Lyra to relax and have a couple of drinks with Thalia (maybe get a massage) makes a quick turn for the worst when she sees Talon yet again. After awkward conversation, she sees Thalia in the lobby and her friend seems to know Talon as well. Before things could get worse, the lights go out. In trying to set up a plan for themselves, they hear someone calling out from the elevator. Max is trapped. Through vigilante teamwork, they manage to get Max out of the elevator and Lyra takes it upon herself to fix the generator to turn the lights on. Before she has the chance, she is knocked out by a mysterious person. Lyra, Aiden, and Thalia are tied together in the basement with Max trying to break down the door and Caspian and Pitch searching for them. Aiden is knocked out, but Lyra and Thalia try to get out of their bonds when Pitch finds them and manages to get them loose. Lyra makes quick work to get the lights on as the rest of the party joins them in the basement.
They discover that there was a crispy body in the secret passage to the basement which leads them to believe that Mainframe was behind their disastrous night. Max (and secretly Hannah and Lyra) take this news pretty hard and Lyra does her best to get Max to calm down. Eventually they all go upstairs where the police come to the scene.
The hotel is obviously shut down.
#GUEST BAR
ADMIN 10:47 AM
@everyone The hotel is beyond beautiful. Restored with obvious love and attention to detail, it carries with it the echoes of the era it was originally built whilst carrying it forward into the 21st century. The glitz and glamour makes it easy to overlook that it’s completely… lifeless. A single person stands diligently behind the receptionist desk, greeting each invited guest with the same smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes and robotic check-in spiel. Glasses of juice, champagne and a house cocktail are available to grab upon arrival.
It would seem that only one man is working that evening as once he is done checking someone in and handing over the glossy key card he swiftly takes up the overnight bag to the rooms. The same man, dressed neatly in a uniform with impossibly shiny buttons, pops up with a tray in hand to refill any taken drinks without prompting.
The promise of an evening full of pampering and fun is enough to steer attention away from the odd lack of staff and the glittering chandelier provides itself as a starting talking point to distract from anything that would seem out of place. For now, at least.
Lyra 12:22 PM
Lyra skipped the lobby. Mostly on accident. She wanted to take a look at the grounds first before going inside. Call her suspicious, but she wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything fishy going on. Considering the last time she was invited somewhere, she ended up stupid for a week, she figured it would better to be safe than sorry. Unfortunately, she got lost after admiring a garden and basically walked into the first opening she could find. The staff, while confused by her presence, took her bags and told her to make herself at home. The irony in finding the bar first wasn’t lost on her, but she shrugged it off and figured that a little alcohol could make her feel better.
@THALIA She smiled when she saw her friend already there, spinning around on the bar stool. “Hey! You got invited to this thing too?”
Thalia 12:27 PM
Thalia was caught off guard by the sound of a bag in the bar more than anything else but it lead to the sight of her dear friend, which more than made up for the intrusion of noise over the soft classical music playing. She beamed, bright and joyfully, at Lyra and sprung from the stool almost instantly. “I did… I didn’t realise you were, I would’ve said something or made plans to come with you if I did and saved on an Uber.” She closed the gap and pulled Lyra in for a brief hug - it was nice to know she wouldn’t be left alone with a bunch of elitist hotel guests after all.
>“Have you only just got here… did you not even bother checking in or just have some high-tec gizmos in your bag you didn’t want to lose sight of?” She joked, but half hoped that Lyra had already completed the designs for the promised hoverboard. “I’m not actually drinking drinking but you know, we can get you something and hang out?”
Lyra 12:45 PM
Her smile was bright as her friends jumped from the stool and enveloped her in a hug. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to come,” she admitted. “Engineers aren’t usually invited to places like these.” Her insecurities about the event were calmed knowing that there was a familiar face around. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. “I wanted to look around for a bit before checking in. Then I got lost. This place is bigger than I thought it would be.” She looked around at the renovated hotel with a nod. It was much nicer than any place she ever stayed at. “You’re at the bar and you’re not drinking?” she asked with a little laugh. “Not even coffee?”
Thalia 12:49 PM
“Well I always assume my invite as the mayors daughter is going to go one of two ways, they either love or hate my father and want to talk to me about it… I very much don’t want to ever do that.” She giggled nervously, a truthful comment she’d never make in the presence of someone who wasn’t a dear friend. “I mean I’m having a mocktail, it’s really just sugar and juice with ice but it came with one of those cute little umbrellas.” Thalia smiled and showed off the half empty glass, the umbrella in question as bright & colourful as one would expect.
“Did you want to continue exploring… or getting lost? You don’t have to sit here with little old me if you wanted to carry on. You should at least go get your room number and stuff at some point, maybe the person behind the desk has some sort of map for you just in case?”
Lyra 12:56 PM
“I wouldn’t blame you. It must be exhausting talking about him all the time. And you are badass in your own right. They should be fawning over your hospital stories like I always do.” She gave her an encouraging smile. Her own experience with fancy events usually began and ended with elder men unable to fathom that she was the infamous Dr. Rey who had written most of the papers in the past decade. She could relate to not wanting to tell someone for the umpteenth time that she could talk about other things too.
“Mocktails are fun. I’ll have one too,” she said nodding to the guy behind the bar. “The umbrellas are the best part.” She glanced at her bag, knowing that she should go check in, but not wanting to try hunting down the lobby from here. “Maybe I’ll go check in really quick. Just to be free of this,” she said kicking her bag.
Thalia 1:02 PM
Almost instantly the drink appeared on the bar, two umbrellas and a smile from the bartender for Lyra, and Thalia giggled slightly before sipping again on her bright red drink. “No one fawns over me quite like you do, I wouldn’t let them anyway.” She confessed, leaning against the dark wood and glancing out towards the tall pillars at the doorway. “The desk is through there, skip down the hallway and you can’t miss the giant light fixture.” Thalia figured giving her directions may at the very least help her friend out.
“We can finish these drinks and maybe meet up properly after you’re done? I heard there was a whole spa section and a pool. I brought a swimsuit too, just in case.”
Lyra 1:27 PM
Grinning, she took the drink from the bartender and took a sip of the drink. “Well they ought to. It’s about time people recognize your brilliance.” Her gaze followed hers toward the tall pillars, nodding at her words. “So I guess I made it close after all.” She stood up and took the bag with her. “Yeah I like your plan. I’ll check in really quick, maybe actually figure out where I’ll be staying and we can meet up somewhere after.”
Thalia 1:29 PM
Thalia finished the drink, the rush of sugar hitting her in a far more enjoyable way than alcohol ever would, and grinned at Lyra and the promise to spend time together later. Knowing her friend was at the hotel made the thought of branching out less daunting, if she ran into anyone unsavoury she could simply turn on her heel and escape. “I promise I’ll find you later, no matter how lost you get.” She said, touching her friends arm affectionately before placing her empty glass down to leave in the opposite direction.
Lyra 1:31 PM
“And I promise I will try my hardest not to get lost.” She smiled before downing her drink and heading toward the lobby.
#MAIN LOBBY
Lyra 1:35 PM
With her bag in one hand, she finally made it to the main lobby. Her eyes narrowed in on the check in desk where the employee graciously took her bag and handed her a key with absolutely no judgement as to how late she was. He also gave her a map of the place which she took with a shy smile before her eyes finally went up, taking in the chandelier that Thalia had told her about. That was definitely a sight to see.
Max 1:42 PM
Max nodded along, heavily amused by the banter between the two reporters. It was charming. Though he felt a paternal urge to reprimand the male of the two for winking at Amelia. Just instinct, he figured. “The remodeling was a good effort, and it’s clear the designers did have both the integrity of the place and a need for modernity in mind. However, had I been assigned the project, so would have melded the two elements in a… different manner.” He tried to sound as eloquent as possible in case the quote was on record. @AMELIA @TALON
Lyra 1:46 PM
Once she stopped staring like an idiot she finally noticed a familiar face. She noticed that he was around other people, but she was always taught that it was rude to not say hi at least. Maybe a quick hello then she could go explore the rest of the hotel. Or maybe if she ran he wouldn’t notice her and she could just pretend she didn’t see him. Forcing herself to go over there, she lightly touched his shoulder. “Hey. What are you doing here?” @TALON
Amelia 1:46 PM
Amelia nodded to herself, finishing the mini quiche and beginning to scribble down his words as he spoke. When they’d both finished, she looked up from her notebook again. “Mind if I quote you on that?” @TALON @MAXWELL @LYRA
Talon 1:47 PM
“So to paraphrase… you’d have done it better?” Talon said, taking another bite of his food when the light touch on his shoulder made him choke. He noticed his shadow on the floor holding its face in shock horror, when he turned around and saw that it was Lyra, of all people, greeting him. @MAXWELL @AMELIA @LYRA
“Me? I’m… here for work. My other work. The Buzznews work.” He rambled, still coughing lightly from choking. “What are you doing here?” @LYRA
“I mean… you look stunning, don’t get me wrong.” He gave her a quick once over and a small smile. “I’m jsut… surprised to see you. Again.” @LYRA
Max 1:51 PM
“Not at all,” Max replied smoothly, watching Amelia write. The least he could do was help her along with her article. Steely blue eyes skirted to Talon. “That’s it necessarily what I’m saying,” he clarified, but winked because, yeah, of course he did. @AMELIA @TALON @LYRA
Lyra 1:52 PM
Judging by the look on his face maybe she should have gone with her other plan and ran away. Suddenly the confidence she had from before was gone. “I was invited. Don’t know why, but here I am.” She chuckled a little anxiously and shrugged. “I’m beginning to think Newhaven really is just this small.” @TALON
She glanced to the other two people who he was speaking with previously and smiled. “Hi. I’m Lyra.” The man looked familiar. She could have sworn she met him before, why couldn’t she put her finger on where. @AMELIA @MAXWELL
Max 1:54 PM
With that said, he peered over Talon’s shoulder and noticed another female behind him. How was it that he recognized everyone at this party? It rubbed him the wrong way, for sure. Still, Lyra looked… well, just about as comfortable as she had been at the bar. But in much finer clothing. “Good evening, Lyra. It is a small world, after all.” He chuckled dryly, brushing off her not remembering him. @TALON @AMELIA @LYRA
Amelia 1:55 PM
“Hello.” Amelia smiled at the new arrival. She hadn’t seen her before, but anyone who could make Talon stutter like that was probably worth knowing. "Amelia Reid.“ She held out a hand for the other woman to shake. "Reporter at Buzz News. How do you know my colleague?” @TALON @MAXWELL @LYRA
Talon 1:57 PM
“She’s my uh… We’re…” He started, blanking on how exactly one describes what happened in formal company. “…?” He looked to Lyra hoping she’d have the answers. she was the smart one after all @LYRA
Lyra 1:59 PM
Max! That’s right. His name came to her almost immediately after he spoke. Talon’s spluttering made her nervous too. How was she supposed to know what to call them. She was an engineer, not an English major. “We’re friends?” she said a little unsurely. She wouldn’t really call it that, but at this point they met enough times to be something. @TALON @AMELIA @MAXWELL
Max 1:59 PM
Max took that as his cue, nodding and bowing out. “Good to see you all,” He half-mumbled before stepping aside and finally out of the lobby. “You look lovely tonight, Lyra,” he let slip as he passed, just barely touching her shoulder. Wait, why the hell has he done that? By the time he went out into the hallway, his brain had flooded with confusion. That was quite unlike him. @TALON @AMELIA @LYRA
Lyra 2:02 PM
Lyra smiled at Max, feeling even more guilty for not remembering him immediately. Regardless she smiled and thanked him for the compliment. Although, she wasn’t sure if the blush was from his words or how awkward she was finding this conversation.
Talon 2:03 PM
“Oh! Later Max, good seeing you again.” Talon said, feeling relieved. Not that he was happy to be rid of him, but for getting through the awkward curveball of the night. He’d catch up with him later no doubt, but for now one thing a a time to be tackled was the way out in one piece. “You really do look great in that dress.” He added on, hoping Amelia wasn’t clocking how much he was flailing.“ @AMELIA @LYRA @MAXWELL
Amelia 2:05 PM
Amelia cocked an eyebrow at the flustered pair, before being reminded of her purpose as she watched Max depart. "I should be moving along too. There’s a lot more hotel to be seen, and I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t go see it. Besides, I could do with another one of those mini quiches. Or four.” She smiled, letting her nose crinkle playfully. "It was a pleasure to meet you Lyra,“ she gave a faint wave of her pen as she turned on her heel, "Oh and Talon,” she added smugly, just before disappearing into the crowd, “be good.” @TALON @LYRA
Lyra 2:11 PM
How did this happen? She was just going to say hi and leave now she’s alone with them. Screw her parents rules about being polite. She was never going to do something like this again. “Yeah it was nice meeting you,” she told Amelia as she left. She stared at her hands and noticed the key she was still clenching. “Sorry for making things weird,” she blurted out. “I think I should just…” Just what? She was definitely never doing this ever again. @TALON @AMELIA
Talon 2:16 PM
“You didn’t make anything weird. You handled that better than I did, so props to you.” Clocking her unease, Talon cocked his head and looked at her. “Hey, don’t sweat it, really. If you were about to say you were going to go, don’t let a little awkwardness stop you from enjoying the night. Have you tried the food? Pool? Spa? Oh- Have you seen your room yet?” He fought the urge to ask her if she’d like him to go with her to check it out since it might have been in poor taste considering their history. “Can I get you a drink at least? Might calm the nerves.” @LYRA
Lyra 2:26 PM
“Yeah I didn’t think that was possible. I’m supposed to be the awkward one here.” She laughed at her own expense and tried to force herself to relax. It was a big hotel, maybe they wouldn’t even have to see each other again. Although she though Newhaven was big too and now look at them. “I didn’t realize there was food. Maybe I’ll go check it out.” She chose to ignore the thing about her room. Mostly because she didn’t know how to answer. “Maybe later. I’m going to see what’s so great about this hotel first.” She took a step away from him. “See you around.” @TALON
Talon 2:29 PM
“Yeah totally I’ll catch you later.” He waved as she left before cringing at himself. Catch you later? What Am I 15? He looked to his shadow who shrugged at him from the floor. Speaking of younger ages, he wondered to himself if Bo managed to dupe the bartender yet for alcohol as he took a bite from his plate. At some point he’d need to get some work done too, but after that tense moment, he didn’t feel like doing much of anything but recharging. @LYRA
Thalia 2:29 PM
Thalia found her way, thankfully, back towards the main lobby - which meant she wasn’t far from her two goals. Sorting her clothes and hair out and food. Whilst Evans had managed to remove most of the water from her, the damp curls and dress were still not the idea ‘hotel opening evening’ look. Especially when everyone else was looking as lovely as they were. She walked, heels in hand, across the smooth floor and came to a sudden stop when she saw the two stood in the lobby together. Shock and surprise were not even close to describing the expression on her face. What were the odds? @Lyra @Talon
Lyra 2:38 PM
She was so close to her escape. Lyra felt the end to the conversation and she was just about to turn away from him and make her way to the spa for a much needed massage. Her face lit up when she saw Thalia, figuring that she would be more than willing to go to the spa with her. She noticed her wet hair before seeing her surprised expression and she couldn’t help but blurt out, “Did you take a dip in the pool?” @THALIA @TALON
Bo 2:40 PM
Wandering away from the elevator bay, Bo decided to cut through the lobby to get to the pool. Seeing Talon talking with Lyra and a blonde he could only assume was Thalia, he decided not to interrupt and turned down the hall.
Thalia 2:41 PM
She ruffled the towel against her hair with a small half laugh and nodded, looking between two of her favourite people once more before answering. “Oh… yeah you could say that. It’s nice for what it’s worth but if you’re planning on going down I’d do so in the bathing suit. You’ll end up like me otherwise.” She smiled, pulling at the clinging dress before glancing at Talon. “I didn’t realise you’d be coming. I really could’ve made a massive saving on the uber between the two of you.” Thalia said good naturedly before remembering her manners. “Have you two met before? Because that just makes the world super small.” @Talon @Lyra
Hannah 2:48 PM
Admittedly, Hannah felt weird. Why of all people had she been chosen randomly for this? She stepped into the lobby wearing a plain black dress that went a bit past her knees. It was her signature color, and one of the only thing she felt comfortable in. And since she figured formality was needed…well, there she was. She looked around and spotted a few people that looked vaguely familiar, but she shrugged it off as convenience. Maybe she needed a drink…she headed towards the guest bar. It may help.
Talon 2:50 PM
This was it. This was his punishment for being fast and loose below the belt. The worst possible meeting between two people he had different attachments to. “Hey Thalia.” He smiled, genuinely happy to see her, but like her, wished he would have known she was coming beforehand. It would have saved him a lot the anxiety he was feeling now. @LYRA @THALIA
Lyra 2:50 PM
Lyra took a double take between Thalia and Talon, unable to believe her horrible bad luck. They knew each other? She hoped they weren’t close otherwise she was going to be walking home tonight. She glanced at Talon. “We’ve met a couple times. How do you know each other?” @TALON @THALIA
ADMIN 2:52 PM
@everyone It happens suddenly. The music and lights cut out in a split second, the computers and screens switched off too. The sound of the air con and water filters come to a grinding halt. One would think it was a rolling black out except for the fact the power does not come back on. The guests are left in complete and utter darkness and with no power. Strangely it seems what little staff were onsite have… disappeared?
Talon 2:52 PM
“Yeah we uh… bumped into each other at Beacon.” He explained hoping wouldn’t have to explain much more than that to satisfy her curiosity. He started bouncing lightly on his feet. @THALIA @LYRA
His throat was feeling dry and he was praying for something, anything to break them free from this moment that would keep him from having to live through it much longer. @THALIA @LYRA
Hannah 2:55 PM
Hannah sprinted into the lobby as best she could, wishing she had her night vision goggles with her. She stayed to the side, not wanting anyone to see her, but not wanting to look suspicious either. She simply clung to a wall, heart racing.
Thalia 2:55 PM
Thalia looked between the two, feeling the tension rolling off them and making her tense up in turn. There was something off, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was weird that Talon wasn’t instantly… affectionate, it was weird that Lyra was nervous. The question died on her lips as the lights suddenly cut out, leaving them all in pitch blackness @Lyra @Talon
Lyra 2:56 PM
Oh this wasn’t good. But at the same time, Lyra couldn’t help but be a little relieved at an excuse to get away. “This isn’t good. I wonder if I should take a look at the generator.” @THALIA @TALON
Talon 2:58 PM
His instincts kicked in, and he looked around the room for the source. It could happen, the power going out in a grand re-opening. It could be the sign of electrical work gone overlooked, but with the money and time put into this event and remodel, the chances were too slim to count as a coincidence.
He was tempted to reach into the inbetween to grab his suit and change, but it would be worth it to scope around and look first without changing into Pitch, especially if the lights came on and he was litearlly caught with his pants down.
Thalia 2:59 PM
“If anyone could fix anything, even an old generator, it would be you Lyra. Maybe we should just sit tight until the power comes back on… it’s bound to.” She said, unsure of herself but not wanting to cause panic in either of them. “The Elevator won’t be working, so the stairs are the only way around… maybe finding a member of staff or… something is the smarter thing to do?” Thalia put to them both, looking at Talon and trying to bring his attention back to her through the dark. @Lyra @Talon
Hannah 3:02 PM
Voices. Three of them. Hannah moved along the wall slowly, hoping to avoid them or any furniture, but it definitely wasn’t easy, as she quickly found herself stumbling over a few chairs. Fuck these heels….
Lyra 3:04 PM
“If only I hadn’t given them my bag,” she grumbled under her breath. Still, she did have her phone on her and she used the light on the back to illuminate them. “If the power doesn’t turn on in a minute, I’m taking a look.” She knew she should haven taken a look at the electrical system before coming in. Older buildings always had a problem @TALON @THALIA
Talon 3:05 PM
His eyes only took a second to adjust as he noticed the loud noises of someone sneaking across the lobby… The only think obscuring their face was how quickly they were moving in heels, but one suspicious thing to address at a time. Find the source, then locate this person later… When Lyra flashed on her phone, the light made him hold up his hands from the sensitivity…
Thalia 3:06 PM
She turned suddenly, on hyper alert now, towards the sound of footsteps behind them. “Did anyone else here the creepy chair scuff and sound of someone walking?” Thalia asked, tensing up slightly and moving herself forward. The irony she would try to protect them was lost on her. Talon wincing at the light went unnoticed as she struggled to find the source of the sound. @LYRA @Hannah @Talon
Talon 3:07 PM
“…. We should try to find out if anyone is in danger.” He said, making sure not to accidentally turn on his Pitch voice despite the environment. “Someone was definitely sneaking but it’s probably someone just stumbling in the dark. Lyra, can you light the way to the Concierge desk? I’ll be right behind you guys… @LYRA @THALIA @HANNAH
Hannah 3:08 PM
Hannah froze up like a creature of prey when she saw the light and realized she’d made noise. But she couldn’t just…pretend she wasn’t there. Still, she was nervous… "Uh…sorry. Not used to walking in heels…” God she hoped her excuse was okay. @LYRA @THALIA @TALON
Talon 3:09 PM
When she turned towards them, Talon felt his blood run cold. He knew that face. He’d seen her. Recently. @HANNAH
He wasn’t going to give up the jig. Now wasn’t the time. Get everyone in the hotel to safety, interrogate her later. It wasn’t a coincidence that the only person here who could tamper with electronics was invited to the event.
Thalia 3:10 PM
As if on cue after Talons words Thalia could hear the faint echo of someone shouting for help. It was tinny and distant but her instincts told her not to ignore it. “You guys go ahead… together… um I can stay here, in case anyone else comes through.” She said nervously, looking towards the elevator and praying it wasn’t the source of the voice. She couldn’t help anyone with them there to witness it. Hopefully they would just think Thalia was too scared to move on.@Talon @Lyra @Hannah
Lyra 3:10 PM
Lyra flashed her light toward the desk when she noticed the other woman in the room. She recognized her from before and she thought it was weird how many people she recognized were here. But then she thought she heard something else. A sound toward the elevator. “Did you guys hear that?” @THALIA @TALON @HANNAH
Hannah 3:12 PM
The way he looked at her sent a chill down her spine. That couldn’t be good.
Hannah could barely hear it, but the woman was right. She definitely heard something. “Is someone…stuck?” @THALIA @TALON @LYRA
Talon 3:14 PM
“I hear it too. Come on let’s- What? No don’t stay back, splitting up is not a good idea.” He reached out and grabbed her hand effortlessly in the dark to let her know he was there, then reached for Lyra’s free one not holding the torch. “Stick together. The last thing we need is someone getting lost.” He wanted to say kidnapped, but if he let them know he was jumping to someone being behind this right away he would have had to explain too much. @LYRA @THALIA @HANNAH
Hannah 3:15 PM
Hannah moved closer towards the group. She didn’t feel completely safe with them, but…the man had a point. “Probably a safe bet.” She tried to make herself visible to them, knowing now that sneaking wouldn’t be a good idea. @LYRA @TALON @THALIA
Lyra 3:16 PM
Without taking another minute to spare, she started toward the elevator, slipping off her heels so that she could jog toward the doors. “Hello?” she called, banging on them. She didn’t know which elevator they were in. Or if it was even from the elevator at all. She glanced toward the others. “Think you guys can help open the door.” @THALIA @TALON @HANNAH @MAXWELL
Max 3:17 PM
Max nearly let out a sob of joy. Someone! Lyra! “Yes, hello! I’m stuck! I’m in the shaft, but the doors are jammed!” @THALIA @TALON @LYRA @HANNAH
Thalia 3:19 PM
Thalia flustered at the hand in hers, the idea of sending off the others so she could help someone in danger had been the only one she had. How on earth could she act anywhere near like a hero with two people she was close to? If the person stuck was hurt they’d need her help… Her internal rambling was cut off by the voice returning to answer lyra’s shout. She started forward, pulling Talon by the hand with her, perhaps as a group they could at the very least pry the doors open. “Are you hurt at all?” She called down once they’d reached Lyra. @Max @Talon @Hannah @Lyra
Talon 3:22 PM
Listening to Lyra’s suggestion, he mustered his strength he reserved for his hero persona and pried at the door. It would be easy to explain since it was dark and tensions were high. An adrenaline rush maybe. "Hang on, I think I found a good spot.“ He grunted and pulled, only being answered by the slow creaking and groaning. @LYRA @THALIA @HANNAH @MAXWELL
Max 3:23 PM
“I’m fine, I’m fine!” He assured, though his voice cracked. Damn it; he was too nervous. “Just a bit shaken. Is there any way we can get the doors —“ he was cut off by the sound of creaking metal. Okay. Someone was pulling, which meant he could at least help without anyone getting suspicious. Light, he thought, willing the doors to lose some of their weight. @TALON @THALIA @LYRA @HANNAH
Dimetre 3:25 PM
@Max @Talon @Thalia @Lyra @Bo @Amelia
When the group came across the disaster that had occurred in the elevator Dimetre dropped their hands and hurried over. It didn’t take him long to realize that someone had gotten stuck, horrible luck for them really. Surveying the crowd he realized the one trapped was Max for a brief second he thought about leaving but shook it and poured out half a bottle of water, willing the liquid to pull on one of the elevator’s doors. “Just tell me if I’m in the way.” He mumbled.
Bo 3:26 PM
Heart sinking as he realized it was the professor in the elevator, he clutched the candles until his knuckles went white. "I didn’t go with him.” he muttered to himself under his breath. “I didn’t go with him and now he’s alone in there…”
Thalia 3:26 PM
“Why don’t you use the fancy looking coat rack?” She asked Talon, though knowing from the noise he was probably too busy exerting himself to take heed. Through the dark she shuffled towards the desk, to grab the large pole which would make the opening of the doors much easier than brute strength alone. @Dimetre @Talon @Bo @Lyra @Max @Hannah/
Hannah 3:27 PM
Hannah froze up again. There were now a ton more people. She took a few steps back, hesitating, then looked over. Was that…Evans? And did he just…no. He couldn’t….nope he definitely did. She didn’t know if she could help any, so she let herself stay still and nervous for a moment.
Talon 3:29 PM
He was the one who could see perfectly in the dark and didn’t notice the coat rack. His luck was horrible tonight. “Good idea Thalia.” He said as he reached over, having that same feeling of deja vu…
Lyra 3:29 PM
Lyra, meanwhile, used what she had around her to to pry open the electrical box that controlled the elevator. If she could at least figure out how to open the doors, it could be a lot easier for them. With one hand she followed the trail of wires while her other hand held her phone.
Bo 3:29 PM
Pulling at Amelia’s sleeve, he tried to pull her back down the hallway. “I need your flashlight, I’ve got a friend in the lounge- unless he’s already left, but he’s not here and I don’t think he’s got anyone with him…” @AMELIA
Max 3:30 PM
Max could feel himself sweating, his concentration pinpointed on the doors. They must be getting lighter by now, surely! “I think you’re making progress!” He encouraged, trying to sound like he was just standing there Was that… Water? How many people were on the other side of that door?
Talon 3:31 PM
He oriented the coat rack so it would lever the door open, paired with whatever electrical work and water lubricating the joints streched the door open enough for the rest of them to pull Max through. “Quick, someone help him out!”
Amelia 3:31 PM
“Hey.” She said started, trying to reassure him as she let Bo tug her further from the scene; there wasn’t much they could do to help no anyway. “One less person means the oxygen will last longer and less weight on the supports.” She thought another moment before adding “And half as much time holding the doors open, okay. Besides, it’s not like you could have known.” She brandished her light in the direction he was heading, glad to see him focusing on something else. “Okay. We should go together. And leave the candles here.” @Bo
Talon 3:32 PM
His grip was firm and true, but it certainly wasn’t a position he wanted to hold much longer.
Bo 3:33 PM
“Okay, okay, you’re right,” he breathed. stacking the candles out of the way along the wall, he beckoned her down the hallway. “Aiden? Can you hear me?” @AMELIA
Lyra 3:33 PM
Lyra wasn’t very strong but she wanted to help pull him up anyway. She left the electrical box and held her hand out to Max. “Can you reach?” @MAXWELL
Dimetre 3:33 PM
Dimetre’s control was slipping, he shouldn’t have gotten so invested in the water fight. He shut his eyes tight and groaned.
Thalia 3:33 PM
With so many people suddenly focusing on helping Thalia saw an opening to try and get to the bottom of why the power cut had happened. She handed the pole to Talon to use, noticing that Lyra was busy doing her best and Evans had arrived to lend a super hand as well. She turned to the unnamed woman and asked; “Hey… when he comes out make sure he sits down and has a glass of water. If he’s shaken or in shock for any reason come find me. Otherwise he should be fine.” She left the towel and shoes on the ground before making a beeline for the stairwell door. @Hannah @Max @Talon @Dimetre @Lyra
Max 3:34 PM
Max reached up, grabbed Talon and Myra’s hands. Thank God There was small enough a gap. He huffed and jumped, used his power just a hair to make him easier to pull up.
Amelia 3:34 PM
Amelia followed closely behind Bo, letting him lead the way. She kept a firm grip on his hand with her left, holding the flashlight’s beam ahead of them and her dress away from her feet with her right. “When did you last see him?” @Bo
Max 3:35 PM
“Damn. Thanks,” He exhaled, looking up at his rescuers. “Sorry about the stress, everyone.” @TALON @LYRA
Hannah 3:35 PM
Hannah nodded. “Alright…I’ll do what I can.” She turned towards Max– she was no nurse, but she had to try. “Are you okay?” @THALIA @MAXWELL
Talon 3:36 PM
When he looked up to hear who’s footfalls were making noise, he could see Thalia retreating… away? Before he could shout or give away his ability to see her, the commotion of max getting out occupied his attention. He dropped the coat rack and let the elevator doors slam shut after he was safely out. He looked down at his hands to check for blisters… this sort of thing was much easier with his gloves.
Lyra 3:37 PM
By some miracle, she managed to help him get out of the elevator shaft. Lyra smiled at him. “I’m glad you’re okay.” @MAXWELL
Dimetre 3:39 PM
@Max Dimetre took out the water bottle with the little water that was left and handed it to Max. “Sorry it’s not much. Guess I wasn’t too off about the structures failing?” He let out an awkward laugh hoping it would lighten the situation.
Max 3:40 PM
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. Thank you. Just a little shaken.” Max nodded, tried to get his heart rate down. “And a bit paranoid. Why the hell would they cut the power?” That wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, but he did nod a thank you to Dimetre. “No, I suppose not.” He actually smiled a bit, despite himself. “My apologies. And thank you. You’re a hero after all, I guess.” @DIMETRE
Lyra 3:40 PM
Now that she knew Max was safe, she wanted to figure out what was going on with the lights. Walking back toward where she left her phone, she looked around for where the stairs might be. “I’m going to take a look at the generator,” she told no one in particular. “I’ll be back.”
Hannah 3:42 PM
“Why don’t you sit down?” Hannah said, trying to follow instructions. The blonde woman had looked familiar, and Hannah instinctively trusted her. “Do you need water? Well, beyond…” She looked over at Dimetre. @MAXWELL @DIMETRE
Max 3:42 PM
Max held up the half-full bottle of water in his hand. “I think I’m okay. But thank you.” @HANNAH @DIMETRE
Dimetre 3:43 PM
@Max @Hannah “It’s not the time to butter me up sweetheart,” he winked despite the feeling of dread building up in his stomach. “Sitting down is a good idea but I don’t know for how long? You know the metaphor sitting ducks, I’m afraid that’s what we currently are.”
Lyra 3:44 PM
She walked toward where the stairs were on the other side of the elevators, not giving anyone else a second glance as she started down the stairs.
#BASEMENT
Lyra 3:51 PM
She walked down the stairs until she ended up at the basement door. She moved to open it and was incredibly annoyed to find it locked. The electricity went out and of course the deadbolts still work. She really wished she had brought her bag with her. She noticed that she still had her key with her. Maybe she could get it open with the key
Max 3:55 PM
It took seconds before Max found the basement. “Lyra!” He shouted.
ADMIN 3:58 PM
They had not been expecting company in the basement so soon, not with the distraction the elevator had provided. Their first two victims - fool enough to wander away from the party - had been easy enough to pick off. Creeping through the shadows and striking at the woman prying at the basement door was easy enough with the staff secret doors. With a swift knock on the head, Lyra too was knocked out before she could answer. With great ease they unlocked the basement door with their keycard and locked it behind them. Leaving her to join the two others they’d found lurking. @Lyra @everyone
Max 4:00 PM
Max heard a thwack and a door slam. “No! Fuck!” He growled, careful as he ran down the rest of the stairs and pounded on the door. “Get back here, you fuck!” The weight suddenly focused on his fists left dents in the metal.
This wasn’t good. He pounded harder, bending the door. But he quickly realized nothing would get done with no lights and no ‘buddy’. He ran back up the stairs.
Thalia 4:04 PM
@Lyra @Aiden Thalia woke up at the sudden sound of banging, was that the source of the pain throbbing through her head? She made a move to reach up towards the back of her hair and realised she couldn’t move her wrists much further. Her blood ran cold, it was too soon after the last time to be locked up in chains. There were two other figures very close to her, all of them lay across the cold cement floor. They were in the basement.
Lyra 4:08 PM
Everything hurt. Groaning, she moved to cradle her pounding head only to find that she couldn’t. Her eyes shot open as she tried to pull out of the restraints someone had put on her. Shit. Shit Shit. She tried to sit herself up, noticing that there were two others near her. “Hello?” she said as softly as she could so that whoever captured her wouldn’t hear.
Max 4:08 PM
Max was winded from all this running. Fuck’s sake. The door was still locked. Lyra, at least, was in there. He had to do something. “Fuck it! Fuck this!”
HEAVY. It’d been a long while since he’d thought this loud. He could hear the metal whining. He had to get in here. “Get out here, you piece of shit!”
Frankly, he didn’t notice, but in his anger he started to sound more and more like Downfall.
Aiden 4:11 PM
Aiden groaned and tried to run his hands down his face, the clinking chain waking him up completely. “Um.” He looked down to the handcuffs, his eyes widening in realization. He glanced around, trying to get his bearings. “Well fuck,” he whispered under his breath.
Thalia 4:12 PM
The sounds of banging and shouting made her tense up and her head feel like it was splitting in two. It was too loud, the banging was too much and overwhelming. The cold feeling of chains against her wrists made her chest and stomach knot with the sensation of an oncoming panic attack. The only thing that quelled it was the sound of Lyra’s soft voice. “… Lyra?… Are you hurt?” She asked in between the sound of banging, unaware that Aiden was awake and with them too. @Lyra @Aiden
Max 4:14 PM
Max could feel his heartbeat in his temples, eyes squinting as he heard a nail on one of the latches pop off. This was taking too long. Where the hell was everyone?? And clearly the fucker inside wasn’t answering. He hated this, and really wished he’d brought his mask with him.
Lyra 4:16 PM
The banging seemed to only make her headache worse. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on something that wasn’t causing her pain. The sound of Thalia’s voice made her open her eyes immediately. "Thalia? I… There’s a headache, but I think I’m okay.“ She tested her restraints again, trying to figure out a way she might be able to get out of them. @THALIA @AIDEN
Max 4:18 PM
It was only then Max heard something. Voices?? “Lyra?” His voice was loud enough to get through the door, but down a few decibels. If she was awake, she’d be in pain, surely. @LYRA @AIDEN @THALIA
Thalia 4:20 PM
"Were you trying to fix the generator?” She asked, wiggling on the floor and trying her best to get closer to her friend. If her head hurt nearly half as badly as Thalia’s did then she could use some pain relief. She swallowed thickly, half expecting whoever it was that had attacked to be lurking in the shadows waiting to yank her back. She strained as much as she could, pulling on the chains towards Lyra and not realising she was pulling Aiden along with her. Thalia froze like a deer in headlights at the sound of someone calling for Lyra through the door. @Max @Aiden @Lyra
Lyra 4:21 PM
Lyra followed Thalia’s motions and tried to get closer to her. “I was but the door was locked. They got me as I was trying to force it open.” She recognized the voice and she couldn’t help but find the irony in him saving her right after she helped save him. “Max?” she whispered as loudly as she could, still not wanting to alert whoever had taken them to their presence. @MAXWELL @THALIA @AIDEN
Max 4:22 PM
Oh, thank God. She was awake. “Hang on!” He urged, dropping his voice. If she was awake, So was the asshole that got her. Focus, Max, focus! With a loud crunch, the door folded, compacted to the floor. @THALIA @LYRA @AIDEN
ADMIN 4:26 PM
The movement was swift, the secret door sliding open from the hallway behind just as the basement door hit the floor. The shadow of the attacker was all that could be seen through the dark by those in the room. Max had exerted so much energy that the thwack to the back of his head seemed cruel. The attacker remained silent as he regarded the three captives before slipping back into the secret doorway. @Max @everyone
Aiden 4:27 PM
Aiden finally turned to…was that Thalia that he was attatched to? He shook his head to clear out any remaining fuzziness and opened his mouth to speak. “What the hell is going on?” He hissed, trying to get the other captive’s attention. @Lyra @Thalia
Pitch 4:28 PM
@DIMETRE The noises were enough to follow that Pitch knew Evans’ hunch was right. Why people would tempt fate enough to go to the basement he didn’t understand, but a step forward was a step closer.
“People have definitely been here, but I don’t know what could have done this to the door… I’ll go first. I can see in the dark. Just stay close behind and stay alert as you can.”
Thalia 4:31 PM
Thalia let out a half scream, the warning of 'hes behind you’ died in her throat as she saw Max crumple beneath the hit. Fear flooded through her as they slipped away again, she forced herself to look at Aiden to keep calm. What the hell was going on indeed? She couldn’t help anyone chained up like this and knowing Max was hurt after the ordeal he’d already endured made her feel extra useless. “I don’t know Aiden but we can get out of this… maybe if we pull on the chains the right way… maybe now the doors open the others can come together and get us out of this… hellhole.” @Aiden @Lyra @Max
Dimetre 4:33 PM
@Pitch “Will do babe. I’m going to transfer my currents over to you, especially if you are planning to take the lead through all of this.” With a flick of his wrist the water that surrounded Dimetre moved over to the darker vigilante.
Pitch 4:36 PM
“Hey thanks sugar.” The shadows were working to his advantage, paired with his help would only make them a stronger duo. Still he couldn’t help but think how much more secure he felt with his cleric, but Dimetre was a better substitute than he could have dreamed in their situation. Keeping a hand to the wall and Dimetre’s back against his, Pitch felt more secure albeit nervous at what could be lurking and waiting for them.
Clearly whatever scuffle that crumpled the door was well and gone now.
They still had the element of surprise. He desperately wanted to call out to her to know if she was alive, but their position was crucial, and he couldn’t risk giving it away.
In the middle of their sneaking, Pitch lost his footing, though briefly, over an unknown shape on the floor.
Lyra 4:39 PM
Lyra felt her heart sunk as she watched Max be taken out also, the guilt of not being able to help him eating at her. She needed to get out. “That can work. You think there might be a way to get out of these” @Thalia @Aiden @Max
Pitch 4:40 PM
As he stumbled to the ground, he got a better look at the shape as he swore under his breath. “…Max?” Shaking him lightly, he attempted to wake him up in case he caught a glimpse of whoever knocked him out. @MAXWELL
Max 4:41 PM
The blow to his middle and the shaking woke Max up, his guy and the back of his head aching. “Mother… fucker…” he grumbled, clutching his head and referring to whomever knocked him out. “I’m up, I’m up!”
Pitch 4:42 PM
Pitch settled him down. “Take it easy.” @MAXWELL
The last thing he needed was an overzealous mundy biting off more than he could chew
He had the spirit though… but physically Max had been through a lot, And Pitch wasn’t going to exploit that for an easier ride.
Max 4:44 PM
His vision focused on Pitch in front of him. Oh, great. “Easy? Please.” He dropped his voice so only the vigilante could hear him. “Between you and me, I just got that door open. So, yeah, I’ll take it fucking easy.” @Pitch
Pitch 4:45 PM
Pitch looked up between Max and the door.
“…sure pal.”
Dimetre 4:46 PM
@Max Dimetre peeked our from behind Pitch and gave he other a pitting look. “Today just really isn’t your day bud, do you need some water?” He knelt down to Max’s level quickly looking him over for injuries.
Max 4:47 PM
Max sighed, annoyed at the whole situation. “Not my fault extra effort is my downfall,” he grumbled, hoping Pitch would get the hint without Caspian hearing him.
“No kidding. Today is the worst. But no.” @Pitch @DIMETRE
Thalia 4:47 PM
Thalia tensed up at the sound of voices in the dark. Looking between the two chained to her and trying her best to squeeze her wrist through the chains. “I think.. I’ve almost got one…” She winced, the old bruises from last time making it more painful to try and push her thumb against the restraints. “Do you think either of you can move closer…. to make them looser?” @Lyra @Aiden
Pitch 4:48 PM
The lump on his head explained the delusions, but a liability was a liability. He clenched his jaw when he revealed who he was. Was this guy serious? Four vigilantes here at once? and now he knew that Max was more than an architect.
“Please stay here. we’re here to help. Just… try not to make any sudden moves, don’t fall asleep…” He tried rattling off all the things one shouldn’t do with a concussion that Thalia taught him, making him all the more anxious to find her. @MAXWELL
Lyra 4:49 PM
The voices were making her anxious to be free. She took a deep breath and scooted closer to Thalia. “I’ll get as close as I can,” she murmured, her voice strained from the effort. When she gets free, she’s making a laser bracelet so that she doesn’t have to worry about this anymore. @THALIA @AIDEN
Max 4:50 PM
Max nodded, regretting that instantly by the pain in his cranium. “You got it. Just get her… and whomever else, out.” @TALON
Dimetre 4:52 PM
@Max @Pitch “Scream if you need help, we shouldn’t be too far and I’ll run over. Pitch can handle the rest by himself, I’m sure of it.” He turned back toward the vigilante and gave him a worried look. “I’m afraid the others may be even more worse off. It may be best to keep them put if we do find them, we wouldn’t want to make the injuries worse.” He knew he was only useful for cleaning wounds and nothing more.
Thalia 4:52 PM
The chains gave just the smallest amount as Lyra scooted closer. Her wrist slipped through, only possible she was sure because of the pool earlier. Thalia let out a sigh of relief, one free one more to go and then she could help the others out. Instinctively she moved her hand to touch Lyra’s, trying her best to nullify some of the pain she may be feeling from the attack, and giving herself a breather before trying the other wrist. “I got one hand free, I think if Aiden moves closer I can get the other out too… maybe…” @Lyra @Aiden
Lyra 4:59 PM
At her sigh of relief, Lyra could see her hand for free and smiled. Yes! One more step toward freedom. As she placed her hand on top of hers, she could feel herself relax a little the pain that had been pounding against her skull no longer as painful. She figured that it was because she knew Thalia was going to be free soon. Her gaze turned toward Aiden and tried shove her shoulder into him to see if he was awake. “Aiden?” @AIDEN @THALIA
Pitch 5:00 PM
Pitch gave Dimetre an incredulous look he knew he couldn’t see, but couldn’t help expressing anyway. The element of surprise was still in their favor, but his pulse was quickening too quickly, and he took a step forward into the room, keeping his footsteps light and his silhouette imperceptible in the shadows.
“Thalia?” He whispered hoping she’d somehow hear him from whatever hidden corner she was… @THALIA
Thalia 5:05 PM
The pain she was taking from Lyra, along with her own, caused Thalia’s vision to swirl. The shadows she could see in the darkness became harder to make out and in truth all she wanted to do was fall asleep. She took a deep breath and slumped her shoulders backwards, hand finally falling from Lyra’s to give herself a breather. “Did you say something?” She asked Lyra, it may have been nothing but Thalia was certain someone had just said her name. She closed her eyes for just a second, not that it made much difference to what she could and couldn’t see. @Lyra @Pitch @Dimetre
Lyra 5:08 PM
The minute her hand slipped from hers, she could feel her panic and pain become prevalent once again, seeing her friend begin to slump forward. She was going to call her name but someone already did. A knot grew in her stomach. “It wasn’t me,” she whispered. “Someone else called you.” @THALIA
Pitch 5:12 PM
The whispers cut through the dark and Pitch knew he was closing in on a location. They were close by, just… in a separate part of the room? /could they see him? No… he’d see them first, he’s the one that could see in the dark.
When he finally closed in, he could see them from his hidden position, the three of them, still tied up. With an exhale of relief he was careful in his approach if the person who put them there was waiting in the shadows like he was…
Dimetre 5:15 PM
@Pitch @Lyra @Thalia “Pitch,” He gently tapped the other’s shoulder, quietly whispering. “I’m dropping the currents so there is a stream of water I can use incase we’re attacked. It may alert the other’s that we’re here for them as well.” There we no sound when the water fell but a small sigh for the water bender. A twinge if fear forming now that Pitch didn’t have an extra form of protection.
Pitch 5:17 PM
and then he felt… exposed.
Thalia 5:18 PM
Someone else? Surely after Max’s attack there was no one else in there with them… unless other guests had been brought down too. “Talon?” She mumbled, the concern for exactly where he was and if he was safe only spurring her to be half awake. She was sure if anyone were resourceful enough to avoid getting whacked it would be him. Thalia thought about calling out, just in case, but the energy required to do so just wasn’t in her. Slowly she became to squirm her other tied up wrist, a weak attempt against the chain that made no difference. @Lyra @Dimetre @Pitch
“Lyra, I can’t do it… can you try your wrists instead… ” She said, admitting defeat and frowning at herself. If Lyra could get free she had the best chance of anyone to switch the lights on. Thalia knew she could maybe handle healing her so she could get out okay. @Lyra
Lyra 5:23 PM
“I’ll try,” she whispered, taking a deep breath as she tried to pull her hand free. With Thalia’s hand out of one of the chains, it was easier to get one of her hands out. One hand free. @THALIA
Pitch 5:24 PM
at the sound of his name, he stepped forward towards the reckless rather than cautious. Dimetre couldn’t protect him and he left himself exposed but springing to action was the only option now. He started with Lyra’s bonds still linked to Thalia. Clearly they’ve been working to free themselves for god knows how long… Now that he thought about it he couldn’t even think about how long they were in this mess.
He put his hand on Lyra’s and pulled with her, both of them giving relief and purchase to the breaking chains.
The angle obscured him, but Talon could see Aiden and worked on him now that he could Tell they were, for the most part, free. Still keeping from speaking, the only noise he let out were the grunts of trying to pry apart metal… which he’d been doing an annoying amount of lately.
Lyra 5:27 PM
Someone was there. She couldn’t tell who it was in the lack of light, but whoever it was managed to break her out of her other chain. “Thanks,” she murmured. She didn’t know who it was, but that didn’t matter. Her eyes narrowed in on the generators. Time to get working on those.
Dimetre 5:27 PM
@Pitch @Lyra @Thalia “My first thought after being exposed is usually not ‘I’m going to jump into action’ but I appreciate your enthusiasm and need to protect- Thalia? This is where you went, princess?” Pulling his arms upwards the current returned but this time around the four of them. It clearly wasn’t as strong but it would give them enough time to run.
Lyra 5:29 PM
She felt around for her phone that she had put away when she thought she was going to get the door open and turned on the light. Without acknowledging anyone else, she immediately started pulling apart the generator with whatever tools she could find around her.
Thalia 5:31 PM
Thalia felt a stronger pull at the chains on either side of her and then, to her dread, Lyra leave her side. She tried her hardest to open her eyes once again to see where she’d gone - where they’d taken her - but suddenly the sensation of someone working on more chains closer to her put her on high alert. Weakly she curled her free hand into a fist and swung at their arm. “Bring her back.” She snapped, trying not to sound as weary as she felt, before freezing at the sound of Evans greeting her. They weren’t being moved, they were being saved. Thalia suddenly felt terrible for the, soft, punch aimed at his companion. @Lyra @Dimetre @Pitch
Lyra 5:31 PM
Staring at the wires put her at ease, the calm that she only ever reached when she was working on a problem enveloping her like a blanket. She could see the problem and the fix was easy in her mind. She only needed a few minutes
Amelia 5:34 PM
“Main frame. Lovely.” Amelia had been hoping tonight would give her something more than just scenic-city fluff piece since she’d gotten the invite, but this hadn’t been what she’d had in mind. As they continued forward, she noticed something. “Does this feel…tilted, to you guys? Like we’re going dow-” She cut herself off as she heard noise up ahead. @BO @HANNAH
Pitch 5:35 PM
Her fist connected to his face and he felt the soft crush and the coppery taste of blood trickle into his mouth. How she was able to pull a punch like that in her state he didn’t know… perhaps his luck truly was that bad. Spitting out what blood filled his mouth he addressed them all in a whisper.
“ouch.” He replied, glad to know that she was at the very least alive enough to hit him in the first place. “Can everyone move on their own? We need to get out of here.”
Lyra 5:36 PM
The dead wires were replaced with new ones that she managed to find around her, only vaguely aware that more people were joining in with them in the basement. Ten seconds. She got onto her feet, the rush of doing so only making her head worse. She clenched her teeth and pulled the light switch. Seconds later the room was illuminated once again. @everyone
Max 5:37 PM
It took a good few minutes before Max could actually move again. And then, the lights were on. “Way to go, Lyra,” He exhaled, hoping she could hear him. @LYRA
Hannah 5:37 PM
Hannah jumped back slightly, startled by the sudden illumination of the basement. She looked around and was surprised to see a larger group of people. “What….what’s going on?” She asked, not expecting an answer, but hoping for one anyway
Thalia 5:38 PM
Thalia let out a feeble sound as the lights flickered to life, the throbbing in her head increasing tenfold the second it did. She squinted, barely, at the masked figure addressing her. “Pitch…? What are you… How?” She asked in a murmur, trying to shake her head at his question. “Aiden isn’t okay… I can probably stand… I need a minute.” @Pitch
Bo 5:39 PM
Bo had taken a few steps into the larger space when the lights came on, following the voices. “Uh, hey guys,” he muttered while blinking. “Um, there’s a body back that way, I’m pretty sure the one guy they had on staff tonight set this whole thing up. Looks like electrical burns, Hannah and I are thinking it was Mainframe, but I haven’t seen any sign of him. Are we all here?” @everyone
Lyra 5:40 PM
She felt herself sigh in relief, the jolt of adrenaline from knowing she fixed a problem filling her. She smiled before noticing Max on the floor. “Max! Are you okay?” She went to his side to make sure he was alright. @MAXWELL
Pitch 5:40 PM
The lights were blinding and Pitch brought up his hand to block them from his eyes. It wasn’t until a few moments later when he realized just how weirdly powerless he was now that the lights were back on… and people could see him.
Max 5:41 PM
Max got to his feet as soon as he heard that name. Mainframe. His body filled completely with rage. “Where,” he growled, hands balling into fists as he eyed Bo. His skin got goosebumps at Lyra’s proximity. “I will be. Once we find that motherfucker.” @BO @LYRA
Hannah 5:41 PM
Hannah felt her whole body tighten. She had to hope nobody knew. Nobody could’ve known….right? God all she wanted was to get out of here alive….
Dimetre 5:42 PM
Dimetre rubbed at his eyes, happy that the lights were on but upset by the sudden blindness. “Wait? Did someone say Mainframe? Like Spectrum’s Mainframe?” The currents dropped around them with a thud. “So much for a nice vacation day.” He grumbled.
Lyra 5:43 PM
The name Mainframe made her heart sink. Not again. Why was he doing this? At Max’s expression, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “He’s probably not here anymore. He’s a techno path. He doesn’t need to be around to do that kind of stuff.” But if he was…. @MAXWELL
Amelia 5:44 PM
Amelia could see the lights turn on from where she stood behind Hannah, and was glad she was still in the hallway, as it made the sudden difference a bit less extreme for her. When her eyes had adjusted to the new light, she darted around the other woman, gently pulling her into the more open space as well. “What would he even want from all of this.” Her journalism training kicked in as she began filing the questions that flooded her mind into a neat order. Then she noticed Pitch. When had he gotten here? Did the rest of the city know? Or had he been inside?
Bo 5:45 PM
“We need to get everyone out of here. Uh… Pitch? Evans? Can you guys help carry injured people? If we’re all okay to leave our bags here then I saw we leave them and get out… Does anyone have things they can’t leave behind, cause I really want to leave this creepy deathtrap.” @PITCH @DIMETRE
Hannah 5:45 PM
As Amelia led Hannah further into the room, she spotted Pitch. Then her eyes widened. The man. That’s how he knew she was Shutdown. She quickly blinked a few times, pretending to be adjusting to the light, but really, the sinking feeling was coming back.
She looked over to Amelia. “You don’t think he’s brought us here for a reason, do you?” @AMELIA
Max 5:46 PM
“I don’t care.” Max was talking through gritted teeth. “If he’s here, I’m finding him. And if he’s not, I will.” His whole body tensed. That absolute monster of a man took his family. He knocked him out. He was going to *pay•. “I’m going to kill him.” @LYRA
Pitch 5:48 PM
Not answering verbally, Pitch didn’t need to be asked twice. He locked eyes with Hannah and shook his head, almost imperceptibly once, knowing they’d be caught in a game of secret keeping for each other now. Shifting his focus and not wanting anyone else to draw lines, he knew he needed to make an exit and and alibi for Talon and fast. Thalia’s minute had been up, and he placed his hand behind her in case she fell backwards, opening the option of being carried just in case.
There was no use for shadow travel until they got to a darker spot where he could make his exit.
Bo 5:50 PM
Making his way towards Aiden, Bo winced at the bloody injury on his head. “He needs medical attention,” he muttered, eyeing Thalia. “He’s not the only one, we need to get at least these two to safety.” @PITCH @DIMETRE
Lyra 5:50 PM
“Max…” she started slowly, trying to say something. He was injured. He couldn’t just hunt down her exmentor to kill him. The thought made her a little sick. “You’re in no position to fight anyone. We should get out of here.” @MAXWELL
She glanced at everyone in the room. “We should get out of here. I doubt Mainframe is still in the area if he already killed the only witness.” She figured that he knew he would get the lights on and once she did, it wouldn’t be smart to stick around. @everyone
Thalia 5:52 PM
Thalia stirred at Bo’s comment. “I can do that…” She muttered, moving towards Aiden but swaying after a step. Uselessly she fell back against Pitch and the hand he’d put around her just in case. She shook her head gingerly, it turns out she couldn’t do much and the thought of walking all the way out made her stomach churn. “Can you?” She asked Pitch quietly, embarrassed at the need for help. @Pitch @Bo
Hannah 5:53 PM
Hannah looked over to Lyra. “But…he’s not the only witness. We’re all witnesses too. Witnesses to what, I don’t know, but…” @LYRA
Dimetre 5:53 PM
@Bo @Pitch Dimetre hadn’t seen Aiden at first and he was glad he didn’t because he immediately lost his composure. There was no brave Caspian there anymore, only the terrified Dimetre. “P-pitch.” His voice wavered “If you get Thalia I’ll get A-Ai….shit. I’m sorry.” He had to look away before leaning down to pick up the injured Aiden carefully. He winced when the man was in his arms, knowing very well this went against all proper medical procedures.
Amelia 5:54 PM
“I’d rather not, but I don’t see another option.” She spoke quietly to the nervous woman. She wanted to calm her, but denying the truth wouldn’t help anyone. Mainframe’s interference though…would that explain the seemingly inexplicable guest list? Had everyone on it done something to earn his ire? She couldn’t think of anything she would have done…not as Amelia Reid, anyway. She pushed that thought out of her head; she couldn’t start panicking about that right now. Linda…no, Lyra, she remembered the other woman’s name, was right. They needed to go. “This passage goes back up to the bar.” She gestured at the way they came.
Bo 5:55 PM
“There’s no stairs in the tunnel,” Bo nodded. “But you have to watch your step at the corner and there’s broken glass in the bar…”
Lyra 5:56 PM
@HANNAH “If he wanted us dead, we’d be dead already,” she said plainly. As much as Mainframe confused her, she knew how her professor thought.”
Hannah 5:57 PM
Hannah nodded. She was definitely right. But he wanted them here for something. So there had to be something all of these people had in common.
Lyra 5:57 PM
“We can also go up the stairs. It’ll lead us to the main lobby.”
Max 5:57 PM
Any pain Max had been feeling got numbed by the adrenaline running through his veins. “He deserves to get his head split open,” he growled, feeling his whole body heat. Way in the back of his brain, he knew that, logically, running blind was a terrible idea. “… Fine.” He tried to relax, feeling his feet slight press into the floor. “Everyone gets to safety first, then we find him.”
Pitch 5:58 PM
He put a hand on Dimetre’s shoulder in a gesture to calm him. After all, he wasn’t far from feeling the same. Slipping his other hand behind her leg, Pitch answered Thalia with his actions, not wanting her to get a good look at him even in her delirious state. He led the way back from when they came, nodding his head for whoever was ready to follow him back up.
He couldn’t listen to them speculate about Mainframe now. He could only tackle on thing at a time, and now that he knew everyone for the most part was safe, the priority was getting them out, his alibi, then Mainframe.
Bo 6:00 PM
When the two vigilantes- that all these people knew about anyway, started to move the injured, Bo tapped Lyra on the shoulder. “I need to track down where he put my stuff, do you need yours?” If he knew Lyra at all, she probably had a prototype for that hoverboard she’d mentioned. And it was always better not to leave those things behind. @LYRA
Hannah 6:02 PM
Hannah couldn’t help but overhear Bo mention bags. Where had the bags ended up? She’d brought one very important thing with her, something she was too scared to leave at home. She walked up closer to them. “I need to grab my bags too…if you don’t mind me tagging along again.” @BO @LYRA
Amelia 6:02 PM
“I’d like my stuff back too.” There wasn’t anything particularly important in her bag; Amelia hadn’t expected to get any writing done, so she’d left her laptop at home. However, there wasn’t much she could to do to help the injured, and as long as she was still here, she’d take any chance she could to find out more. @BO @LYRA @HANNAH
Lyra 6:02 PM
@MAXWELL “I’m sure that he will get everything he has coming for him,” she tried to assure him. She wondered what he had done to the man to trigger such anger. She almost didn’t want to know. She knew her mentor was evil, but she still held some affection for him. “He won’t get away with what he’s done.”
@Bo @Hannah @Amelia “Yea I need my bag as well. I hope they put in the room like they said and didn’t toss it out the window.” She nodded at the little group that also said the needed their bags.
Max 6:04 PM
“He has so far,” he hissed, eyes trained on the stairs. He sighed, heavy. Might as well get it in the air. “He’s the reason my wife and daughter are dead. I want to snap his body in half.” He didn’t care how graphic that sounded. It was true. @LYRA
Amelia 6:06 PM
“We should check if there’s a storage room behind the receptionist desk first. Sometimes hotels will hold bags there if rooms aren’t ready.” And it would give her a chance to take a closer look at the desk. @BO @LYRA @HANNAH
Bo 6:08 PM
Throwing a sharp look at Lyra, he tried to convey that she should stay and help the professor calm down. “Yeah, good idea, Amelia. We’ll meet you two in the lobby or outside when we find them.” Moving to head up the stairs, he took the lead- Amelia’s directional sense hadn’t worked so well last time. @AMELIA @HANNAH @LYRA @MAXWELL
Hannah 6:09 PM
Hannah simply nodded and stayed with Bo and Amelia. She needed to stay away from the angry man for a while. He definitely had reason to hate Mainframe, but…she still couldn’t listen to people talk about him that way.
Lyra 6:10 PM
Her voice caught in her throat at his description, definitely not prepared for any of this. Was this Mainframe’s plan? To make her see the monster that he was so she could finally let him go and let go of her stupid escapade to maintain his memory. She made eye contact with Bo and watched them leave. @BO @Amelia @Hannah
“I know you’re angry,” she said quietly. “He took everything you had and made you question your life.” She swallowed nervously. “What he did was awful.” @MAXWELL
Amelia 6:13 PM
Amelia glanced over her shoulder as Bo darted past her on the stairs. Lyra seemed to be staying with Max, who looked furious. She hadn’t heard what he’d said to her, having already started up the stairs, but the look on the other woman’s face said it wasn’t good. Pursing her lips, she turned back to follow Bo. “Suppose I should let you lead, this time.” She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. @BO @HANNAH
Max 6:14 PM
“That is putting it lightly,” he sighed, finally feeling the anger dissipate enough so that logic came back into his brain. “Damn… fuck, I am so sorry. You shouldn’t have had to hear that.” He put his hand to his head, tried to breathe. “I lost control for a second. I’m sorry.” He turned to her, blue eyes sparkling with guilt and residual pain. “We should go. I don’t want you — us — to get knocked out again.”
Lyra 6:25 PM
She could see him slowly come back to himself and she wasn’t sure if it was her or maybe his own self control that was doing so. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder even as she could feel herself begin to question her entire life’s choices once again. “It’s okay. I understand. Well I don’t understand because no one really can but I can empathize I guess.” She nodded at him and looked at the stairs. “I think we’ll be fine. There was only one employee and I guess he’s dead.”
Max 6:26 PM
Max nodded, eyed the stairs again. “Let’s get upstairs. Make sure everyone is okay.”
Lyra 6:29 PM
She nodded as she started walking toward the stairs, taking one last look at the basement to make sure she didn’t forget anything.
#MAIN LOBBY
Lyra 6:38 PM
Lyra made up the stairs and made a mental count of all the people here. She hoped there weren’t any guests that were missed around the hotel. She spotted Thalia and went to her immediately. “Are you okay?” She asked worriedly. “I was so caught up with the lights I…” she stopped herself from admitting she forgot about her. “You’re alright, right?” @THALIA
Hannah 6:40 PM
Seeing more people walk up to the woman on the couch, Hannah took it as her moment to stand up. “If you ever need anything, my name is Hannah Yu,” she said to the woman. “I’m happy to help.”
She looked between Lyra and Talon. “Make sure she’s safe at the hospital, ok?” She smiled softly, then walked over to where Bo was to find her bag.
Talon 6:40 PM
“You hogged it all for yourself. Hiding worked out for me pretty well since you got yourself bonked in the head.” He opened his mouth to answer her question. He didn’t know if he could come to the hospital with her. He’d need to be admitted for his own minor injuries and to make a statement, but he felt like he’d spend more time at the police station than with the rest of them. “Yeah, I’ll be there. He will be. The ambulance will be here any minute now. I’ll stick around until the last possible second, okay?”
The rustling caught his attention form across the room. Rather than ask what he found over there, he decided it would be better if he didn’t have his hand in every cookie jar with what went on. Everyone was all right from what he could tell and for now that would be enough. He had the clue and lead on Mainframe, and when the time came, Pitch would be there to hand deliver justice for what he’s done. @THALIA
Thalia 6:46 PM
She shifted again at Lyra’s arrival, relieved that she was well enough to be up and about with little trouble. Maybe she’d overdone it on the sneak healing but it was worth it if Lyra was okay. She reached out to take her hand as the woman - Hannah - stood to leave them. She called out a soft thank you, there was an odd sense of familiarity with her that Thalia couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was just from the rush of everything that had happened that evening.
“I am okay, I promise… I just need a long nap and something to get rid of the pain.” She squeezed Lyra’s hand softly and looked back at Talon. The odd tension from before everything went horribly wrong wasn’t forgotten but that was not the moment to ask them about it. “You could ride in the ambulance with me, if you wanted to keep me company.” @Talon @Lyra
Amelia 6:46 PM
Amelia was happy to see that Max seemed to have calmed down, but she didn’t let that distract her from the task at hand. Finally, one of the drawers she pulled wasn’t empty: tucked into its back corner was a leather folder, with The Redstone Hotel embossed into the front. She pulled it out quickly, dropping it on the desk and opening it to reveal a neat stack of documents. They appeared mostly official: correspondences, plans, and transactions pertaining to the restoration and reopening. She pulled her phone out of her purse and started photographing them, one by one. She’d have to turn the folder over to the police when they arrived, but with the wonders of technology, sharing was easier than they liked to think. @BO @MAXWELL
Max 6:49 PM
“No, really, it’s okay. It wouldn’t have ended well either way, evidently,” he placated, rubbing the boy’s shoulder before grabbing his bag. His Downfall gear was in there. He wanted to ignore Amelia taking photos, but…
“Ever the journalist, eh?” He teased, using humor to calm him the rest of the way down. @BO @AMELIA
ADMIN 6:49 PM
@everyone The sirens all close in on the Redstone Hotel and the authorities scope the perimeter before rushing in to help the guests still inside. The police rush in first, their guns drawn looking for the one responsible for putting the party in danger.
The EMTs come in after the all clear, one by one escorting the guests outside into the fresh Newhaven night air, taking the concussed and unconscious to Sacred Heart for treatment for their various head wounds and the like. The others without need of immediate medical attention are met outside by a very concerned yet relieved looking Bobby Barkley, who informs them that he’d glad everyone’s made it out with their lives, but that they’ll all need to make a statement.
The Redstone Hotel has been closed indefinitely until further notice.
Following the helpful feedback from the survey at the end of last month it was clear that another Discord based event would be the most popular choice for our 3rd event. This may be the last event we can hold in this format for a while so we really wanted to try and make the most of it! The time has been selected from the most popular answers and we do apologise to anyone who cannot make it, we promise there will be more dash based events following this one!
The event will take place on Saturday 28th July starting at 8:00pm GMT / 3:00pm EST / 12:00pm PST until 12:00am GMT / 7:00pm EST / 4:00pm PST. We will be creating a seperate Discord server for this and inviting all members to join an hour or so beforehand. If you can’t make it dead on the start time then do not worry! We’ve created an event where some characters can arrive later or other can slip away earlier than some. You do not need to be present throughout the entire window, though obviously it’ll be great fun and amazing if you can!
We want to keep trying different style so unlike the previous Discord event this will be a more free-flowing event than the last, with lots of different interaction opportunities between characters that may not have had chance to meet before and of course provide a new setting for those who already have. Admins will be participating within the event as well but will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have at any point. You can do this by messaging us directly on Discord, we only ask you give us a few minutes to pick it up in between writing replies. All further rules and important information will be available to you when you first access the server.
EVENT 003: THE GRAND REOPENING
The Redstone Hotel is one of the oldest buildings in Newhaven. It has a history of grand reopenings and even grander reasons for closing. The last time this building was open for business was in 1990 before a fire tore through and destroyed almost all of the heritage. Located in The Basement area of Newhaven, it’s rebuilding and reopening has been funded by the mayors gentrification scheme going on in the area. The private and unknown buyer of the building has kept out of the limelight completely and to this day their identity remains a mystery. There has been a lot of local buzz about when the work will be complete, with talks of modern upgrades and a new spa facility creating the right kind of hype.
Rumour has it that the grand reopening has been reserved for selected guests only. Despite an extensive attempt via social media many have failed to crack the code behind the selection process. Most notably Ricky Plaide, of BuzzNews fame, has come up blank to the connections as it would truly seem... random. From very specific emails sent to tenured and green individuals at BuzzNews, the more obvious celebrity invites of local fame, recognition in achievement to those who’ve shown great success professionally and academically, to the true wildcard of a zip code lottery.
Whilst the approach has been considered unorthodox it has achieved its goal of creating hype around the reopening. The lucky few will be treated to a free stay in the luxurious rooms, complimentary access to the spa facilities and dining for the evening. With something so wonderful on the horizon for the luckiest in Newhaven, the mere idea that something more sinister lurking beneath the surface of such luck and generosity is as far from the minds of those holding the golden tickets as can be.
There’s a lull of silence, a break in the buzz of excited and nervous whispers, at Newhaven City Library when Watcher arrives. The police have cordoned off the area where the parcel was originally found. The brown paper packaging resting in shreds around the box, the letter that came alongside it has been opened but remains in place to be read by the addressed.
There’s a crowd gathering and whilst the police are doing their best to move people along, quickly and without causing a mass panic, the number only seems to increase as the minutes tick by. Leaving crowd control to the police would buy precious seconds with the package, but the noise alone is enough to shatter one’s concentration. The police are concerned with keeping as many people safe as possible but despite their best efforts their warnings fall on deaf ears. Bobby Barkley spares a moment to look over to Watcher, as if pleading for a moment of their time to help with the matter at hand. The high pitched beeping of the package serves as a looming reminder that there truly isn’t a second to spare.
Watcher sits towards the bottom of the vigilante chain, he KNOWS it. So having this crowd, all the noise, this entire setup focused on him is more than a little overwhelming. Too many things could go wrong so easily, and he can hardly be responsible for himself, much less all of these civilians. Hoping that the police can keep the people back and praying that the familiarity of the library and its quiet halls will calm his own mind, Watcher moves towards the package with cautious, soft steps to read the letter.
Crowd control conditions are less than ideal as the number of spectators continues to grow. Frustrated exclamations and camera flashes fill the sky.
The collective curiosity over the commotion grows and the people are doing whatever they can to get a closer look. Newhaven Police Department officially has their hands full, and while the some officers on duty understand your need to focus on the task at hand, there are those that will take this as you not prioritizing civilians and is something they’ll keep note of in the future.
With the number of people growing at a dangerous rate, the police eventually have no choice but to shut down the surrounding block. Whilst this prevents people from entering the area it’s also shut those unlucky enough to be in with Watcher and the box in. The civilians are now vulnerable to anything that could go wrong.
Eventually Watcher approaches the box at the center of all the drama, with the on looking and curious eyes of the crowd and officers watching their every move. Upon closer inspection it becomes clear that despite the plain paper packaging it arrived in the box itself is ornate and rather beautiful. There’s a loud and consistent beeping coming from within, going off every second. Suddenly the presence of NHPD’s bomb squad is made all the more understandable. Mainframe’s letter still rests on top awaiting to be read by Watcher. There’s a palpable tension in the air, only increasing with each passing second spent reading.
“Congratulations. You have been selected for further study and gifted the opportunity to be assessed by myself. Thank you for accepting the invitation so graciously extended but do note than by the time you’re reading this you will have very little time left to prove yourself. The challenge before you is not a test you can win but rather a test to see if you are worthy of being beaten by myself. Do not waste it. - Mainframe.”
After reading the letter, searching and scanning for any hidden messages or meanings or simply taking it at face value, three options become clear to move forward for what to do with the box.
Watcher could investigate further, as there’s no guarantee that it’s a bomb. It’s possible the timer could be ticking to something else that’s absolutely worth investigating in to, and even taking the extra time may be helpful once the true nature of the box is discovered… or any investigation could be a colossal waste of time.
Another option would be not to take any risks at all and destroy the bomb whose detonation marked by the incessant beeping, serving as a reminder that it’s borrowed to to be worked with. There’s no telling what consequences lie with this assumption, as if it turns out to be something more than a bomb, the outcome could be more dire than anticipated.
It could be possible however for Watcher to both assume it’s a bomb and proceed with a cautious investigation. This would certainly take the longest amount of time, as making sure any prying hands don’t accidentally trip a detonation sequence would be the primary focus… there’s just no telling how much of that precious time there is left to spare.
Mainframe. Shit. It would be one thing if this was just some random threat from a crimunal whose toes he'd stepped on, but Mainframe could go up against Spectrum and still be around to cause immense levels of problems for Newhaven. Wishing he'd known what to prepare for, Watcher dashed over to the nearest officer.
Speaking lowly, Watcher prayed he sounded older and more knowledgeable- more heroic than he felt. "I know there's only so much you can do to keep these people safe, but if this is really Mainframe, the most important thing is to not start a panic. I'll do the best I can, and if that's not enough..." He tried to express what exactly that would entail, but all he could manage was a thick, silent pause. "Well if it's not enough, I'll do everything I can to minimize the impact." Setting his jaw, he walked back to the box. If all he could put between this possible bomb and these hundreds of people was his body, then that was the least he could do.
But it was worth a shot to put his brain to work as well, and Watcher mentally flipped through at least three notebooks, trying to recall as much as he could about Mainframe and bombs as he could as he knelt down, surrounding the box with his body as he inspected it. "Pop quiz, let's do this," he muttered.
The box could be anything if Mainframe is the mastermind behind its contents. Not wanting to go with the obvious conclusion right away, Watcher delicately traces their hands around the box’s sides to see if there is any other clues. The beeping continues as careful fingers feel around the smooth edges, the ornate detailing giving nothing obvious away at first. Just when all is starting to feel fruitless, Watcher's hands find purchase on a catch. His countless hours of study and research has paid of in a satisfying way. When the catch is tripped, it released a mechanism to begin working the puzzle on the box. It is meant to be opened.
Watcher's breath caught as quickly as the latch, a disbelieving grin starting to spread under the mask. Waving one of the more In-Charge officers over, he whispered, "I've found something, but I don't know if we're at the end of this yet. Can you still keep everyone back for me?" Barely keeping enough attention to finish the conversation, as soon as the officer stepped away, he crouched again.
Crooning at the box like a small animal, he turns a delicate touch and keen eye to the next layer of whatever Mainframe has planned for him.
It takes a while and for a moment many onlookers believe that Watcher will fail. Nothing seems to happen despite methodically checking every side, catch and detail. It’s subtle but with the fading light the answer suddenly becomes clear.
A faint gold light shines beneath the gold ornate detailing, lighting and dimming under each touch. Tracing delicate patterns along the puzzle box proves to be a fruitful endeavor as shortly after every inch has been explored a different kind of beeping rings out.
Several middle-aged officers chatter in the background about how some kid managed to crack something from Mainframe. It seems Watcher has impressed a lot of people, and the NHPD will remember his fortitude under pressure.
“You have proven yourself worthy of further assessment. Congratulations are not in order. This was not a trail you could win, even in defeat of one plan I am victorious in another. Enjoy the next week for what it is worth, it will pave the way for your undoing. – Mainframe”
Reading the note takes long enough for the nano-bots to do their work. It’s subtle at first, not even the onlooking police force notice the small changes taking effect with Watcher. They absorb into the fibers of Watcher's costume and make skin contact. It's all they'll need.
It seems the puzzle box was just a means to an end for Mainframe, the true test is enduring the after effects of whatever serum he’s created and had injected through his nano-bots.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Watcher gives a small wave to the crowd and the police, some of whom he can already see are starting to resent him specifically for this fiasco, rather than just because he's a vigilante. A pause and nod of respect goes towards Bobby. Watcher knows he couldn't have done anything here if it wasnt for him. And as quickly as he can, Watcher melts into the quiet corners of Newhaven, taking the most roundabout way home he can think of to lose any tails.
The nano bots seep through Watcher's skin and dilute into his bloodstream. Mainframe noticed his cheeky attitude, thinking that he could run with the big boys and grown ups. In his mind, there was no better way to for Watcher to learn his lesson than by giving him a strong taste of its reality.
He didn't know it now, but the nano bots were working through his tissues and synapses, administering a prototype hormone that Mainframe has been developing himself. In a few hours, Watcher would truly be a Wonder.
The small tickle of a headache flashes behind Watchers eyes.. and almost burning sensation. His arms and legs grow heavier with denser muscle and tendons. A sign of the hormone slowly starting to work. By the time her gets home, he doesn't realize how much like the vigilantes he looks up to he truly will become.
There’s a lull of silence, a break in the buzz of excited and nervous whispers, at Newhaven City Hall when Nightingale arrives. The police have cordoned off the area where the parcel was originally found. The brown paper packaging resting in shreds around the box, the letter that came alongside it has been opened but remains in place to be read by the addressed.
There’s a crowd gathering and whilst the police are doing their best to move people along, quickly and without causing a mass panic, the number only seems to increase as the minutes tick by. Leaving crowd control to the police would buy precious seconds with the package, but the noise alone is enough to shatter one’s concentration. The police are concerned with keeping as many people safe as possible but despite their best efforts their warnings fall on deaf ears. Bobby Barkley spares a moment to look over to Nightingale, as if pleading for a moment of their time to help with the matter at hand. The high pitched beeping of the package serves as a looming reminder that there truly isn’t a second to spare.
Nightingale stares at the security cameras as she enters town hall, careful to angle her masked face away from the lens whenever she can. She's too closely connected to those who work in the building to risk being discovered, that thought alone almost put her off attending. But Mainframe was too big of a threat to ignore, she would do Spectrum injustice by not trying to stop him now.
The police presence is expected and whilst she knew there would be straggling employees and maybe press trying to get the first look at the scene, she hadn't been prepared for the sheer amount of people who had stayed behind. The camera phones blocked there faces but the constant chatter was hard to ignore. She stares at Bobby for the longest time, though in truth her focus isn't on his pleading look so much as appriciating him. It's besides the point and there is a task at hand to focus on. She clenches and unclenches her fists methodically, fingernails digging into sweaty palms as the ground continues to grow.
Nervously she steps away from them and the police at the barrier and towards the box, unable to find her voice or the confidence to speak to a crowd.
Crowd control conditions are less than ideal as the number of spectators continues to grow. Frustrated exclamations and camera flashes fill the sky. The collective curiosity over the commotion grows and the people are doing whatever they can to get a closer look. Newhaven Police Department officially has their hands full, and while the some officers on duty understand your need to focus on the task at hand, there are those that will take this as you not prioritizing civilians and is something they’ll keep note of in the future. With the number of people growing at a dangerous rate, the police eventually have no choice but to shut down the surrounding block. Whilst this prevents people from entering the area it’s also shut those unlucky enough to be in with Nightingale and the box in. The civilians are now vulnerable to anything that could go wrong.
Eventually Nightingale approaches the box at the center of all the drama, with the on looking eyes of the crowd watching their every move. Upon closer inspection it becomes clear that despite the plain paper packaging it arrived in the box itself is ornate and rather beautiful. There’s a loud and consistent beeping coming from within, going off every second. Suddenly the presence of NHPD’s bomb squad is made all the more understandable. Mainframe’s letter still rests on top awaiting to be read by Nightingale. There’s a palpable tension in the air, only increasing with each passing second spent reading.
“Congratulations. You have been selected for further study and gifted the opportunity to be assessed by myself. Thank you for accepting the invitation so graciously extended but do note than by the time you’re reading this you will have very little time left to prove yourself. The challenge before you is not a test you can win but rather a test to see if you are worthy of being beaten by myself. Do not waste it. - Mainframe.”
After reading the letter, searching and scanning for any hidden messages or meanings or simply taking it at face value, three options become clear to move forward for what to do with the box.
Nightingale could investigate further, as there’s no guarantee that it’s a bomb. It’s possible the timer could be ticking to something else that’s absolutely worth investigating in to, and even taking the extra time may be helpful once the true nature of the box is discovered… or any investigation could be a colossal waste of time. Another option would be not to take any risks at all and destroy the bomb whose detonation marked by the incessant beeping, serving as a reminder that it’s borrowed to to be worked with. There’s no telling what consequences lie with this assumption, as if it turns out to be something more than a bomb, the outcome could be more dire than anticipated.
It could be possible however for Nightingale to both assume it’s a bomb and proceed with a cautious investigation. This would certainly take the longest amount of time, as making sure any prying hands don’t accidentally trip a detonation sequence would be the primary focus… there’s just no telling how much of that precious time there is left to spare.
Nightingale spent the longest time reading over the letter. Not trusting anything the technopath puts in front of her she takes the time to hold the letter up to the window, looking for hidden messages or other kinds of trickery. She ignores the inciting comments of the note, the blonde vigilante has been dealing with the egomaniac long enough to know this is just another taunt.
She keeps her gaze between the letter and the box, refusing to look up and acknowledge the crowd. She'd grown so used to working alongside someone that it felt off balance not having Pitch or Red or Watcher by her side for support. But this was a test for her and according to the news they had their own tests.
Wasting no further time she paces back towards the box and kneels down to get a better look. After nothing leaps out at her she finally outstretches a cautious hand to trace alongside the patterns on the box. Under different circumstances she'd admit it was quite beautiful, something she'd even have on display in her own home, but her intentions now were focused on thwarting Mainframe not redecorating. Nightingale is certain there is more to the box than just a bomb and patiently she continues her checks.
The box could be anything if Mainframe is the mastermind behind its contents. Not wanting to go with the obvious conclusion right away, Nightingale delicately traces their hands around the box’s sides to see if there is any other clues. The beeping continues as careful fingers feel around the smooth edges, the ornate detailing giving nothing obvious away at first.
Just when all is starting to feel fruitless, Nightingale's hands find purchase on a catch. The box chimes and shines with a soft green light, releasing the mechanism to begin working the puzzle on the box. It is meant to be opened.
She almost rolls her eyes at how predictable it is, because of course Mainframe wouldn't just send a normal bomb like any other criminal would. Her lips purse in concentration, fingertips tracing every inch methodically. She's found one catch, how much harder could it be to find more? It's clear the puzzle is there to test someone's intelligence since Mainframe prizes his so much.
Nightingale turns the box in her hands, looking for sliding pieces or sections to remove. She pushes gently but is cautious to not apply pressure in her examination as the slightest wrong move could spell game over for her. This is just a fancy rubix cube and something she knows she can tackle so long as the time doesn't run out.
It takes a while and for a moment many onlookers believe that Nightingale will fail. Murmurs about Spectrum and Sidekick amidst the persistent beeping. Nothing seems to happen despite methodically checking every side, catch and detail. It’s subtle but with the fading light the answer suddenly becomes clear.
A faint gold light shines beneath the gold ornate detailing, lighting and dimming under each touch. Tracing delicate patterns along the puzzle box proves to be a fruitful endeavor as shortly after every inch has been explored a different kind of beeping rings out.
The box chimes thrice again and the a digital voice addresses her.
“You have proven yourself worthy of further assessment. Congratulations are not in order. This was not a trail you could win, even in defeat of one plan I am victorious in another. Enjoy the next week for what it is worth, it will pave the way for your undoing. – Mainframe”
Nightingale allows herself to smile, victorious in her endeavour to solve the puzzle box. The chiming only aiding in lighting the mood. No one misses the beeping. She glances at Bobby and the crowd of people still present, choosing to ignore the comments said only moments ago. She is proud to have proven herself and holds the box up as a trophy almost.
Mainframe has always been bitter in defeat and, stupidly, she does not heed his words as any real threat.
The box react in her hand and faster than reaction time could allow, the nano-bots to do their work. They weave their way into her costumes fabric and make skin contact, bonding to her and gathering what they need. It’s subtle at first, not even the onlooking police force notice the small changes taking effect with Nightingale. It seems the puzzle box was just a means to an end for Mainframe, the true test is enduring the after effects of whatever serum he’s created and had injected through his nano-bots.
Small enough to seep through her skin like vapor, the bots first make their way to her main arteries to take route. It doesn't take long for the bots to seep into her bloodstream and administer the hormone through her system.
The serum works quietly and slowly, but the personality changes she'd experience over the next several days are going to hinder the heroine soon enough.
The hormones were strong enough to serve as another identity for Nightingale, one in which every instinct and trait was reversed. As the glue that often holds a group of them together, Mainframe knew that having an "Anti-Nightingale" of sorts would be the key to their demise. However the fallout of this affected her personal life was of no consequence for the reward.
The tickle of a headache forms behind her eyes as the process slowly begins.
