[20th March 2011]
[SHIELD Portal Security, Orange Zone, Gotham City, New Jersey, United States of America, Earth-16]
If you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself Amanda Waller found as she strode through the construction site that, right now, was serving as their defence against this other world. Not only had the idiots she'd left in charge let in the Batman and his sidekick, but they were behind schedule as well in getting said defences build up like she'd ordered. Washington, already in chaos as the President Imbecile's impeachment wound its way through the Senate, was in a panic now they gotten confirmation of another world, and one filled with their own meta-humans it seemed.
Not only panic, but greed too as Senators from nearby States saw only the funds they could pork-barrel if they could open trade with this other America, foolishly not considering the huge risks all this could bring. Yes, she could see the benefit of course, but they were leveraging this danger for access to the other portal, under British control, along with bribing the Irish for access to the wizard with dimensional knowledge and magic. A minor cost in the long term should the other side prove...acceptable...and no cost at all if they could figure a way to slam it closed should they not.
"You are taking unacceptable risks Mrs. Waller..." the Batman monotone at her scowling "...with young lives, as well my city's security"
Thankfully she'd experienced imitations of this 'Bat Glare' before, and perhaps this man was better at it than others she'd met, but she hadn't been Warden of Belle Reve for her stunning good looks after all. So she merely looked back indifferently, then up at the screen showing the data-feed coming through the other side of the portal "Lives that were already risked in a more dangerous dimension I would remind you, and works for SHIELD not the Justice League. But precautions have been taken, and extraction occurred with only minor difficulties. Pretending this rift does not exist will not make the situation any safer for Gotham, the troops and funds we are bringing in, will"
The first HumInt mission into this, apparently alternate United States of America, let alone earth, had very nearly been FUBAR, but both the Loaned Agent and the Assassin had eliminated the problem without indicating any powers or meta-human nature. A threat had arisen, and been swiftly dealt with non-lethal takedowns, allowing both to extract without notice; and for all the Batman would complain of such 'brutality' gangbangers out looking for trouble in a city filled with potential meta-humans?
'Cretins like that deserve some broken bones as a lesson' she thought studying the ordinariness of the images captured by the small cameras and the two new 'drones' they'd been sold by the Irish company. They'd have their own soon, surprisingly simple, and cheap more importantly, things to build and very much a 'why didn't we think of it earlier' matter for some her eggheads who so loved their 'NEXT BIG THING' or 'WONDERWEAPON' to solve all problems. No matter, they had footage, and they now had native cellphones when both Agents had taken them, guns, wallets, and everything they could from the gang members Cheshire had crippled. A pleasant surprise there...she really should have tried to force the girl into the Suicide Squad.
'No use crying over spilt milk. At least Mr. Fortune's arcane abilities proved able to keep the prisoner obedient...and we really need to learn those workings to support the nano-bombs in the Squad' she reminded herself ignoring the waffle coming back from the black cowled vigilante about the dangers posed. She resisted snapping back that, yes, obviously, it was a danger, and that, No, the Justice League taking control would not be in everyone's interest. Working together was acceptable now when a potential enemy had their own Justice League analogue on call and America needed to counter that danger, but this was her project now, and she wasn't letting these egomaniacs with hero complexes screw it up.
"There will be another incursion..." she stated firmly not bothering looking at the costumed man, hands behind her back "...with the objective of accessing public records on the other side with the aim of making contact with legitimate authorities once we are assured they are unlikely to react with violence, or threaten us. Ideally after this facility is secured..." now she glanced at the glaring man "...as we have explained to Mr. Zatara when he aided our agents in casting this...Veil...upon the opposite side's entrance I would remind you"
The longer till they could delay making First Contact, the more they could learn more about their opposites on the other side and the lesser the chance of violence due to misunderstandings. What they'd seen already from the city and collected information indicated a number of concerns, though the blood samples Cheshire had taken, and the local produce, at least showed lack of dangerous contaminants and diseases. So far at least, though quarantine was being maintained here just as the Portal Site to Sigil in Scotland was doing; in the end she'd simply copied and modified slightly the procedures from that site for US law...
--
[20th March 2011]
[Secure Meeting Room, Cauldron Compound, Multiversal Lattice]
Alexandria frowned at Contessa's words "Something is happening in Brockton Bay"
"Something?"
It seemed the obvious question, and it was concerning to have an unscheduled meeting, sans Legend at that, as those usual indicated the move towards an Endbringer attack, or other disasters. Such as now when Contessa shook her head "We don't know, a number of Thinkers have had felt an effect of some sort throwing off their powers, my own included"
"Yes, that is a problem..." the Doctor murmured calmly as she administered a booster shot to Eidolon "...but we will solve whatever it is of course. What do we know upon this disturbance?"
"Reports from those affected see it as some kind of static, or interference, as predictions are set...and then begin to see fluctuations followed by a sudden reversion..." Numbers Man stated "...as evidenced by a number of WEDGDG scenario projections over the past three days"
"I have to agree, it is as if the information is incomplete, or somehow missing an element of the equation..." Contessa volunteered, rubbing at her temple under her fedora "...as when I follow a path, the steps just...ends...all of a sudden. Coil was a step, as a Thinker had recruited by name of Tattletale had some knowledge relating to two, unknown, para-humans encountered in the city. But when I seek to go beyond that..."
She winced, bringing her hands down to the table "Painful static let us describe it as"
"Are we looking at an Endbringer attack outside of projected?" Alexandria found herself asking hiding her concern "...or at an effect related to someone affected by the Simurgh that we haven't yet dealt with?"
Contessa shook her "I...do not think so, but the matter needs to be thoroughly investigated, and investigated immediately without revealing our hand"
"The problem lies in that nothing unusual appears to have occurred in Brockton Bay to track back to this Disturbance..." Numbers Man clarified, unbothered as ever it seemed to Alexandria's eyes "...ABB and Empire moves and violence are within predicted levels, Coils operations have also been within expected parameters, and nothing has shown up on the local PRT's reports"
"Yes, I can attest to that, as I reviewed anything related to the area prior to attending..." Alexandria confirmed for her other role within the Protectorate "...we could generate some crime related to this Disturbance and that would enable direction of local forces to investigate along our desired lines"
Contessa paused, then nodded "Six steps, it can be arranged..."
--
[21st March 2011]
[Downtown, Brockton Bay, Maine, United States of America, Earth Bet]
Jade Nyugen, to her surprise, found she was enjoying her new life. Somewhat anyway, as she'd have never imagined accessing a public library would be up there as one of her more dangerous missions. Though it was more Fortune was accessing the library, Brockton Bay Central Library per the sign, while she did overwatch while under an invisibility field he'd created. He was the wizard with the bizzaro powers after all, and had gone over there looking like a bored teenager seeking free access to the local communications network. She could understand the need, and it was a busy day on the street below, and one of the nicer areas she'd seen so far.
Being stuck with John, for a mission, then quarantine, then another mission had been frustrating, yet entertaining as he had the option of getting a fancier area while she stayed in a cell, but had opted for a shared 'apartment' of a converted cargo container. Till he'd firmly remained her during the decontamination shower that she was compelled to obey his commands, she couldn't lie to him, and attempts to embarrass him and Artemis were a No-No. Jade grinned at that; he'd put her in her place, showed who the boss was between them...that'd been a surprise.
'Now, how to persuade him to grant me powers like he did for Mother' she thought silently moving back and forth on the rooftop to check the various approaches. After their little fight...and that been such fun, as it appeared Yakusa sex slaver scum existed here as well as 'back home' in the real dimension as she thought of it..she'd been worried there be issues. But he'd fully supported her bout of stress relief, and between that, the Hell Thing, and the Horror Magic of Cats that still gave her nightmares, she was enjoying this working relationship. It was certainly better than the goody-goody be a nice girl crap she'd feared...
{Right, I've done my thing, withdrawing...} John's voice came into her helmet, as she saw 'him' stand up through the window opposite, schoolbag coming over his shoulder {...as we've hit the time limit, and I've downloaded to the local data storage device. Sitrep?}
[Clear as best I can tell, beyond the local security or gang enforcers around the shops we observed on our approach. Police car present further up the street outside a restaurant, large crowd schoolchildren present to blend in with as per times you saw on library. You'll blend right in, now move if you're moving, I'll watch for trouble]
{Copy that}
'The more things change the more they stay the same' she thought crouching down and surveying the area as John Fortune's disguised self came down the steps of the library, schoolbag full of print-offs and stored information over his back to blend into the crowd below. Turning left...
[Turn Right, we've a local hero flying in waving to the crowd further up the street to the left, fucking Barbie doll in a fucking tiara would you believe] she sub-vocalised watching as a Wonder Woman knock off in a white dress flew around slow, then stopping to descend to take photographs with the crowd as another one came up behind her as Jade tracked by adjusting the zoom on her modified helmet [Make that two flying metas, women, playing to crowd]
{Okay, turning right}
It was harder here to just vanish than around the area where the portal was; more cameras, more security, more watchful eyes. Oh, and the local superheroes seemed to patrol during the daytime as this was the second cluster they'd seen while making their way across town to this location. But they weren't doing a very good job of it, or this place was just Gotham on steroids, as even here, in what seemed to be better of trading area, there were gang tags and gang members in public view. Whatever...she had her own task, and that involved descending from the rooftop of this surprisingly fortress-like apartment building for middle-class people down to the street below.
After a short while Fortune's fake self came before her, slipping around the corner as if he was going for a smoke or something to that effect she guessed. There were no cameras here, nor many windows to look out at the back of the shops locked up side entrance, so seconds later she'd joined him in a school outfit, disguised as locals as the invisibility dropped, and made their way out into the crowd and made to move towards 'home' further away. That madwoman Waller wanted things along the way, and more than them robbing, surprisingly watched by cameras in this city, garbage bins and the like. With supes about, and potential mages, blending in rather than trying simply going invisible seemed the best bet to add the extra layer of being amongst a crowd...
--