Rich yawned, and headed for bed. It had been a long, tiring, and ultimately-strange, week. It seemed like every week now for the last few months had just gotten stranger and stranger. Last Saturday they had been terrified after that weird… thing, had entered into their new roommate- Adrian. After he had fallen unconscious, Hal picked him up without a word, and ran directly through his door to the Library.
Rich had tried to explain calmly to Jeremy what had happened, but everyone else had kept interrupting him. Finally Jeremy calmed everyone, and Hal explained roughly what happened. Just like when Rich had tried to tell Jeremiah about it last time, the man seemed confused.
He had said, "You know I'm tempted to disbelieve you, just based on Occam's Razor. But, it is true that you are all so adamant about it and well- I must admit, this one's pattern does appear rather odd. Though I cannot detect anything within him, it is possible the spirit you speak of has already bonded with him so fully that I wouldn't be able to tell. You are quite certain you saw a spirit enter his body?"
They had all been sure of what they had seen. Jeremiah said that he didn't know what to tell them. He had claimed that all they could do was watch Adrian, and report to Jeremy immediately if anything strange happened to him. They hadn't been terribly happy about that, but what could they do?
When Adrian had finally come to, he had started babbling, saying something about strange dreams, and then- he remembered. It took Hal, Rich and Collin combined to get him to stop yelling and clawing at his chest when he remembered what had happened to him. During the rest of the week- Rich observed that Adrian's…incident, had a few effects on Apartment 104. Firstly, it brought Adrian into the Hermetic and magic world in a "bucket of water in face" kind of way. It was ironic that Rich and the rest of the apartment had spent so much time and effort trying to keep all that stuff away from Adrian, and in the end he had walked right into the very thick of it all by himself. They had Jeremy give Adrian the very same speech he had given the rest of them months ago. This time Jeremy's flame had gotten a little out of hand, and it set fire to the curtains. Dan had put it out with a little wink. It was great.
Rich hadn't gotten much chance to talk to Adrian, but when he had- Adrian looked like a man who had accepted the things that had happened to him only because he was forced into it. Judging by Jeremy's talk with them while Adrian was unconscious- Rich guessed that Adrian was less than satisfied with the answers Jeremy gave him about the Chameleon… thing currently resided in his chest.
Anyway- the second effect that the incident seemed to have- was that it brought Adrian "into the fold" a lot faster than normal. He was already joking around with Collin, and exchanging tough guy stories with Hal. Rich had just been busy this week.
After thinking about all this for a while, Rich finally drifted off to sleep. He dreamed that he faced himself in the mirror, and that his other self carried a stopwatch. His doppleganger kept pointing to it while a massive TICK TOCK sound reverberated in his room, making the walls shake and the furniture slowly slide. The sounds got louder and louder, TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, TICK…
Rich woke up, startled. What a strange dream, he- Something was wrong. He still heard loud noises, only it wasn't clock sounds.
It was Collin, he was calling for help.
"Collin- LISTEN TO ME. CALM THE HELL DOWN."
Hal shook Collin, who was gibbering. Rich walked around them in the hall, and leaned over the railing to stare at the scene below.
Someone or… some THING, had broken into their apartment. On the wall next to the door below there was a huge scorch mark. On the ground there was a slash in the floorboard; Rich couldn't imagine anyone ever doing that with a sword. It spanned half the length of the floor, and the gap was huge- it looked like what a two by four would do- if it was sharp and... wielded by someone flying along the ground. Rich shook his head; he was hanging around Collin too much.
Rich headed down the stairs cautiously. It looked like whatever had been here was gone now. There were pieces of metal in the slash mark on the ground though. Along with… blood. Yech.
Rich bent down to look at the pieces of metal. He picked up a piece and rolled it over in his fingers. It didn't look like anything he had ever seen before. It wasn't iron or steel or anything like that. It had a strange sheen to it.
He glanced behind him then, and noticed Collin and Hal, looking at him. That's funny. Where was Adrian?
Then Rich really saw his roommates' expressions for the first time. This was bad.
They rushed into the Library and Michael was there. Apparently Jeremiah had gone out, or home, or wherever he went when he wasn't working.
Michael was sitting in front of his massive computer set up; he greeted them as they approached, without even turning around.
"Yo boys. What's up?" Michael hit controls on his set up and touched portions of the screen in front of him, making all sorts of weird characters scroll down his litany of screens.
"Michael, Adrian has been kidnapped. We don't know by whom. We did get these from the scene of the crime, however." Rich said, trying to sound calm and controlled.
Michael spun around on his chair to face them. His left hand still danced over the touch screen behind him, seemingly independent of his body. With his right hand, Michael accepted the things Rich gave him.
It was the bits of metal they had found, along with a sample of the blood that was in the little gap the slash mark had made in the floor. He had put on some plastic gloves that were in the kitchen cabinet, and got a little of the blood and put it in a plastic bag. He figured Michael could help them figure out what was going on with it.
Michael spun back around in his chair, putting the metal and the blood into a little compartment that looked like a microwave under his computer screens. He then began touching the 5 screens in front of him in a dizzying series of hand movements. After a moment he raised his left hand and put it into a duck shape. He turned it towards the three of them behind him, and opened and closed his hand.
"Bye bye" was all he said. He put his visor back down over his head, and replaced a pair of giant headphones over his ears. Loud techno music began pouring out of the phones, loud enough that it was clearly audible to Rich.
After a moment Rich shrugged at the rest of his roommates, and began heading back to Hal's door. They were all still sleepy, and so it hadn't really sunk in yet just how much this whole thing sucked.
Right as Rich was about to pass through the window, Hal and Collin right behind him, a voice spoke up, seeming to come directly out of nowhere. It was Michael's. It said- "Oh and don't call the police. They can't help you with this. Come back in the morning."
And with that it cut out. They looked back at where Michael was seated, in front of his screens, past all the desks which were all empty now. He was still vibrating to his techno music, his hands playing over the screens.
Rich scratched his head. Creepy.
When they got back into Hal's room, Hal turned to address Rich and Collin.
"Ok, what we should do now, is-"
Rich cut him off. "What we should do now, is go to bed."
Hal started protesting, but Rich stared right at him.
"Hal- we can't do anything right now. You heard Michael- we can't call the police. And we have no idea, no inkling as to who took Adrian, why, or where. We can't just wander the streets, calling out his name. And Michael is analyzing the stuff we gave him, but it is going to take time. We are going to need our rest for tomorrow. Because we ARE going to find Adrian."
He turned to look at Collin. Collin looked away uncomfortably.
Hal grumbled during Rich's speech, but he seemed unable to argue with Rich's reasoning. But he nodded now "Ok, man- I guess you're right. And damn straight we're going to find Adrian. We can't just leave him; he's only been with us for a freakin week. I'm going to knock out the teeth of whoever grabbed him. "
And with that, they all went to sleep. Hal still seemed uncertain about it, like he really hated sleeping while Adrian might be out there somewhere; being hurt by god knows what. But Rich was satisfied with his own reasoning, so he went back to bed and slept dreamlessly.
"Nope, it's totally for sure. This is technocrat metal. They use it for their machiney thingers. You know the ones that go-"Michael made a series of child-like noises and hand gestures that were apparently supposed to mimic a metal suit.
Rich nodded uncertainly. "Ok… and the blood?"
"Probably your granny's!" Michael said, laughing hysterically and sending his chair into a dizzying whirl.
Rich was confused. "My grandmother- what do you mean, I don't know-"
There was a heavy sigh from behind them. "That is Michael-speak for 'I don't know'.
Rich whirled. It was Jeremy.
Jeremy smiled thinly. "But what it does mean- is that it is not Adrian's because we would know that much."
"Jeremy!" said Hal, rushing forward to shake his hand. "Hey man, you gotta help us, Adrian-"
Jeremy held up his hand to halt Rich. "Yes I know Hal. I have been working on it since I got here this morning. Michael did some looking, and he managed to find where your friend is being held. He is in a Technocratic facility in the northwestern United States. Since none of you were attacked, I can only assume that they do not know that you are awakened mages. Following from this, it is likely that they tracked the Chameleon spirit residing within your associate, and are interested in studying it further. "
Hal looked alarmed. "That means-"
Jeremy nodded. "I'm afraid so. He is probably being tested, perhaps not in an altogether humane or safe way."
Hal looked furious. "Jeremy- we have to get him out, right friggin NOW."
Jeremy smiled. "I figured you would say that. Michael has a fix on the facility's location. He can open a portal to it shortly. But please be patient for just a moment. I want to show you something, and introduce you to two other Hermetics like yourself."
Jeremy led them into through the big wooden doors to the actual library. In the back there was a table that had something on it that looked like a coat hanger. Hanging from each rung was a tag. There were ten rows of hooks, and at least a dozen hooks in each row.
Jeremy gestured to the coat hanger. "This is our tag system. It indicates jobs that we, or other houses or associates need done. Each has a reward attached to it, to be giving upon successful completion. Rewards can be access to certain items, information, and usually- cash compensation. But as you'll find, most of those working within Blue House no longer really care a lot about the rewards. Mostly the tags prove to myself and the other leaders of House Blue, that you have reached a certain level in your training. We take your completion of tags into account when we consider what to train you, and when to let you take part in tournaments. As you'll also find- it serves to establish a bit of a pecking order around here. Many in House Blue take great pride in accomplishing difficult tags. And if you talk to people like Kristyna, Erica, or others, I am sure they will tell you that the main reason they do these tags, is to give back to Blue House, since it has kept them safe and let them live and learn in the way that they want.
Hal nodded impatiently. Jeremy held up a tag. "This is a level 6 tag. It means that only Hermetics in Blue House with a ranking of 6 or above can choose to do this mission. I posted it this morning. The mission is the location and liberation of one Adrian Zade. The reward is in the amount of 50,000 dollars."
Rich and his friends gaped.
Jeremy chuckled. "You will find that here at house Blue, we have a most effective way of garnering funds. But still, it is a good sum because it is a difficult mission. In fact, there are already two individuals who have agreed to take it on."
At that point there was a noise, and Rich looked back through the rows of books towards the library door. It was opening, and someone was coming in, someone huge. He had to duck slightly, to enter the door. He stood well over 7 feet tall, and moved with a slow grace. The kind of grace a huge man needed to have, to avoid knocking over things. He wore a large black shirt, black pants, and the more interesting part- a black plaster mask. It more or less fit his face's form, and made him look like a giant, evil, phantom of the opera. Jeremy stepped briskly out into the open, where the big guy could see him more clearly.
Rich and the others followed. Jeremy stopped in front of the big guy, and closed his eyes. Hal walked up from behind Rich.
"Hey there buddy, how's it goin? What's your name?" The giant figure was looking at Jeremy; he turned slowly away to look at Hal. Slowly, he put out a massive hand. Hal shrugged, and took it. His hand was bigger than Hal's by at least 3 fold.
Jeremy's eyes snapped open. He looked at Hal. "He is mute, Hal. He cannot talk. He has to use…other methods. In any case, his friend will be along shortly. In the mean time, would it be alright if he and I accompanied you back to your apartment? We need to confirm a few things."
Rich watched Hal looking at the big guy in front of him dumbly, and then slowly nod. The big black monstrosity turned slowly, and lumbered off back towards the offices.
Collin had lots of questions for Jeremy on the way there, few of which he could, or was willing, to answer. When Rich stepped through behind everyone else into Hal's room, he saw the big guy reach out with his hands. From between his hands, another man that looked exactly like him appeared, his hands in the same position, facing in the same direction, so they looked like a giant bobsled team, or like they were forming a Congo line. This happened twice more, the fourth giant phantom of the opera appearing the hallway, since there was no more space. All four quickly moved out, spreading through the apartment. One remained in Hal's room, one moved over into Adrian's room, and the other two went downstairs. Rich and the others walked carefully around the one that was in Hal's room, and went to the stairs railing to look over it at the happenings below.
One of the big guys was looking at the burn and slash marks below with Jeremy, the other three were moving in an out of rooms, a lot faster than Rich would've figured someone of that size could move. After a while, the big guy put out his hands again, and his other three copies vanished. Jeremy walked up the stairs, with the giant behind him.
"Ok. We have determined that most likely your roommate, Adrian, did not allow himself to be taken without a fight. It is as I suspected- he was taken because of the spirit within him. It is likely that that spirit severely injured a Technocrat in a mechanical suit, while the other technocrat, a Black Hat, was able to subdue him. It is unlikely Adrian was conscious for any of this- and even more unlikely that the Chameleon spirit within him was actually prepared for such an attack. If you decide to tag along on this mission, I advise caution when you find Adrian. He will most likely not be in control of himself, and the spirit within him may be very dangerous indeed when it is not taken unawares, as happened last night.
Rich nodded at all of this, but Hal looked angry.
"What do you mean "if"? We ARE goin."
Jeremy nodded, keeping his opinion on the matter to himself, and they all went back to the Library.
No sooner had they arrived there, then the air around them seem to shimmer as if it were water and someone had just tossed a very large stone in it. Rich turned his attention to the middle of the large room, beside the cluster of cubicles.
A man popped into existence there vibrating forward, as if he were a rubber band. His body seemed to stretch out, making it look like there was hundreds of him, spread out the length of the room. Presently there was a small popping sound, and the other shadowy images of him all snapped back, as if the rubber band had snapped them back into his one body.
He turned toward them and smiled. "Hello friends!" He said, grinning. He wore form-fitting silver armor bordered in white. Behind him trailed a long white cape. He looked like some kind of freaky silver knight. He took off a gauntlet, and used his bare hand to lift up his visor. He had a friendly face.
"Oh, I see my partner is already here." The giant nodded solemnly at the knight, his expression hidden behind the dark porcelain mask. The knight grinned at him.
"So are you ready, big man? Let's go. I'm eager to get this kid out of there." He paused, his expression looking serious. "No matter what it takes," he finished.
"Good" said Hal. "And we're going with you."
Jeremy interjected, walking in between Hal and the newcomer. "I refrained from saying this earlier, but I am concerned about you three going with these gentlemen. They are both level 7, whereas you are still beginners. Don't get me wrong, you have all made great strides in the last few months, but this mission is dangerous. They will bring your friend back. They are very efficient. You need not risk-"
Rich cut him off. "Jeremiah, we appreciate it, really. But we have to go. Adrian is there in part because of us, because of the choices we made. We can't abandon him now."
Jeremiah nodded. The silver knight looked at Rich. "As you wish. But I would ask that you please stay back out of our way. This may be difficult enough without us having to protect you as well." Rich and Hal began to protest, but the man held up a hand. "You can help us, but you MUST do as we instruct. Otherwise we cannot ensure your safety." He turned and walked towards where Michael was stationed at the end of the room.
"Now then, Michael- if you would?" Michael tapped at his screens, and a portal split the area in front of him. The giant and the knight walked through. Rich, Hal, and Collin moved in behind him, with Jeremiah standing there behind them all, looking worried.
"Be careful" Rich heard him say, just as he passed through the portal.
As the portal closed behind them, Rich took the chance to take a look around. It was cold here. Rich could see his breath. They were in a dense forest; trees towered all around them, and obstructed vision for more than a few feet.
"Hey Hal, where-". Rich began, but stopped when the silver knight appeared in front of him with a finger pressed to his lips.
"Shh" he said softly. He pointed to his right and then moved that way. Rich followed him.
Collin, Hal, and the Giant were clustered in a small clearing right near the edge of the tree line a ways away. Rich kneeled near them, and together they watched the giant and the knight.
The knight crept forward towards the tree line, and then sat down carefully behind a huge tree. He closed his eyes and clasped his hands together, concentrating on something. Rich glanced over at the giant, who was several meters to the left now. He also had his eyes closed, and his hands were moving.
Rich turned his attention to look through the trees in front of him. There trees ended in a wide valley, and at the bottom he could see a huge white building. It was mansion sized, but looked anything like a mansion. It was a simple giant white square, with no windows, and no doors save one, in the very front. Other than that, it had no adornments to speak of whatsoever. It looked more like a giant refrigerator than it did a building.
After a moment, the giant and the knight looked at each other and began gesturing. Had they figured out what was in the area? And were they telling each other with some system Rich couldn't understand?
After they had finished "communicating", they both started moving out of cover. Apparently they were confident there was no one in the area watching them. Rich, Collin and Hal began to follow.
BANG. A shot rang out, echoing through the woods. Pieces of plaster flew everywhere, as a bullet passed directly through the head of the giant in front of them.
'OH SHIT" Hal yelled, scrambling back and keeping his head down.
Rich did likewise. It must be a sniper. He glanced over at the big black clothed form on the tree line. He was clearly dead. Blood began pooling behind his head and trickling down the hill into the small valley below.
"I thought I told you to be quiet!" said a voice to Rich's right. It was the knight.
Rich pointed at the dead giant that was slowly leaking blood out of his head.
"Oh No." The knight said softly. He turned and ran toward the clearing in front of him, where he had been leaving cover a minute ago. He immediately put his hands out in front and began chanting loudly in some language Rich didn't understand. A second shot rang out, but it curved around his form, hitting a tree right behind Rich. Rich scrambled away from the knight, trying to find cover. This wasn't good. Not good at-
"You IDIOTS! Get OUT OF HERE" The knight screamed, throwing a hand up in their direction. Rich felt a giant invisible hand scoop him up and toss him through the woods. He flew backward several yards deeper into the forest, bounced off a tree and hit the ground painfully. After a moment he looked up.
The white knight was scrambling to try and get out of sniper range. A few more shots rang out, which he deflected. But then- a small green spherical object fell towards him from the air.
"Oh SHIT" He said, chanting loudly, the spherical object arced slightly away from him, down to the right of his midsection…
And exploded.
Rich's teeth rattled painfully under the blast, and he felt heat wash over him. After a moment he got enough nerve to look up again.
Where the knight had been, there were now only pieces of charred metal, and a smoking body.
Rich stayed where he was, too terrified to move. They were really fucked now.