MysticScribe

“Good to know I haven’t completely lost my empathetic touch,” she chuckled, reaching out to give Kelli’s arm a light squeeze.  Tilting her head, she considered the other girl as an idea hatched.  “Let me guess, my darling, you’ve been cooped up in here for days?  What would you say to a little outing?  I can alter people’s perception of your appearance enough to give you what I’m guessing is much-needed anonymity.”

She smiled brightly at the suggestion. Some fresh air, sunshine, not being hounded about her vigilante activities or her past. It all sounded like just what she needed. “That sounds great actually. I was going a bit stir crazy but considering the phone calls I didn’t want to risk going out.” Now that she thought about it Kelli couldn’t recall the last time she spent some quality time outside. Between being imprisoned by H.A.M.E.R. and her self imposed sentence in the heroes’ base her world had become mostly windowless concrete and metal walls. “Do you think we could go to the Biodome? I could use some time in the presence of nature.”

When the tournament had occurred, Vincent had stayed home, blood sports not really being his thing.  With everything that had ended up happening, he was doubly glad he’d stayed away.  “Well, when you hit bottom like that the only place you can go is up.  Besides, I knew you’d be back on your feet in no time.  You’re too much of a badass not to be.”

Vincent paled a little when Kelli asked about his work.  The last thing he had expected to be doing was sharing his art with one of the subjects of it, at least as far as his graphic novel went.  Though that wasn’t entirely true, the real last thing was figuring out that he worked side by side with members of the Hero Squad at the bar.  “That’s wonderful news sweetheart.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve drawn something simply to toss it in the digital trash heap once I was done with it.  Your art is for you after all.”  Taking a large swig of his coffee, Vincent heaved a sigh before nodding.  “As for my project, well… I suppose it’s only fair I show you considering the subject matter.  Just, do me a favor and don’t freak out when you see it.”  Turning the screen back on, he slid the tablet over to her showing the models he had been working on now that he had figured out who the Heroes really were.

Kelli took his tablet and look at what he was working on, her eyes widening a little as she realized just what it was. She had seen a lot of art on some of the Squad’s fan sites but she hadn’t knowingly met any of the artists in real life. “I’m not freaking out but this is great!” It was always a little flattering seeing what people came up with, even if some of it wasn’t accurate or believable. “Honestly I’ve done some commissions for fan art of the Heroes myself, and as I say that I realize that sounds self-centered, but it’s easier when you have accurate models to work from as I’m sure you know.”

"Yeah it feels like a blast from the past instead a jump to the future. I wouldn't know the difference if it wasn't for my dead grandparents." Nick said quietly picking up a framed picture of him with his grandparents. He ran his fingers over it before slamming the frame down on the desk. Causing the glass to break he took the picture out and stuffed it in his back pocket. Then he turned to Alice "yeah the C.A.R.M.A thing really worked out for me. Although I'm not to sure if I'm still part of the organization. In this timeline I can't find my gear, and to be honest I wasn't really a fan of my human co-workers. With H.A.M.E.R running around picking off C.A.R.M.A Meta agents. I feel like someone in C.A.R.M.A is helping those cowards, and from the looks of the future. I might be right" which was a shame for once Nick didn't want to be right.

Nick could tell that she was more upset than she was letting on. Hell it was taking all those meditation skills he learned in therapy. Not to lose his cool right now because Alice was right. They were supposed to be done with all the hiding and constantly fighting for their right to even exist. He walked over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey look on the bright side now that we know what the future is like in five years. We'll be better equipped to prevent all this from happening. There has to be way to stop H.A.M.E.R, and we're going to start working on it. As soon as we get back" he hoped that they would remember all this. Once the time jump was over "this future isn't set in stone" he said softly looking her in the eyes. "We can have plenty of time to fix this and we will."

“You’re right,” she nodded a little, feeling much more reassured. “We can still fix this....you’re right. We have to get to work though, whatever we’re gonna do.” 

The gears in Alice’s mind started turning as a plan began to form in her mind. “You may not be part of C.A.R.M.A. in the future but I am.” She thought back to the ID card on her desk and the work emails she had gone through. “I can probably get us into the facility and we can find more information about any attacks, or raids C.A.R.M.A.’s done, or any H.A.M.E.R. members that were arrested.” There was no guarantee they were going to remember anything when they returned, and she highly doubted they would be able to bring back anything from the future, but it wasn’t going to stop her from trying.

Hope couldn’t help but smile. She agreed with Kelli completely. With everything that went on in their lives, not even including the last five years that she couldn’t remember, Kelli was her constant. Kelli was the one that never left her, that always understood and was patient, the one she could count on. She hoped with all her heart that her friend thought of her the same way. 

“Well,” Hope considered the question. Things had happened that she hadn’t gotten around to telling anyone yet but if the heroes were good at anything, it was secrets. “Yea actually…” She paused what she was doing and looked up with a deep breath, “I found my dad…alive.” There was a lot more too it than that but that was all that Hope could get out. The heroes knew that her father had been killed 3 years ago and her family was still mourning and searching for answers. They knew that Hope was trying desperately to come to terms with it and the fact that it couldn’t change her relationship with the rest of her family. 

Originally posted by selenaigomez

“Oh shit seriously?!” she gasped and put down the glasses and bottles before any more bombshells were dropped and shock caused her to fumble. With that kind of news she could only imagine how Hope was feeling. “That’s huge! Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m always here for that.”

Atlas looked at Kelli like she was speaking a foreign language before firmly shaking his head.  Not only was it not his place to try to remove one of the founding members, but it made more sense for her to stay with them.  “I cannot see anyone agreeing that that is the right course of action.  I know I certainly don’t.  We’re going to be targeted regardless because we’re metas and because we put ourselves in between between those who would harm the innocent and those who are just trying to live their lives.  You’re a part of us, whether or not you have your abilities.”

“Yeah she would,” Erick chuckled as he pulled the car out into traffic.  “Ellie is a tough old bird, though she’s liable to slap me if she heard me say that."  He couldn’t help but laugh at Skye’s comment.  "You now, ut’s nice to know that somebody thinks that.  Most people just think I’m too stubborn to take care of myself properly."  Looking over at Skye he snorted a laugh.  "Just do me a favor.  If I do pass out, don’t try to haul me around unless I’m gonna die.”

Keeping rhythm with the song by smacking his hands on the steering wheel, a small smirk turned up the corner of his lips.  “Careful darlin, you keep talking like that and I’m gonna think you’re flirting with me,” he tossed a Skye a wink as he continued to drive through the city.  Truth be told, Erick didn’t handle compliments very well, tending to laugh them off or turn them around like he just had.  “Yeah I know.  Just not real good with the whole sitting back and leaving it to someone else thing.  I’m like a great white shark, if I’m not moving I’m dead.”

“Got it, we’ll just chill until you come to. Maybe some street food would wake you up. I went to this food truck the other day and got like the best gyro ever, and I went to Greece for a summer once! If I see it again we have to stop, my treat.” Skye turned her attention out the window again, partially looking for her favorite food truck but also anything out of the ordinary.

Now it was Skye’s turn to snort a little before she looked back at the other agent. “You’re good looking Magnusson I’ll give you that, but I’m a bit more into the ladies.”

Future Bio: Skylar Walton

Age: 33

Status: Alive / Super Soldier

Affiliation: C.A.R.M.A.

Thanks to recommendations from Kaden Valentine and Samara Rhodes, Skye was given the opportunity to take part in the Super Soldier Program.

Future Bio: David Linden

Age: 41

Status: Alive

Affiliation: H.A.M.E.R. (Captain)

Once there were other trusted H.A.M.E.R. agents in C.A.R.M.A. David felt comfortable leaving the agency to better run H.A.M.E.R. and see to its success.

Still wanting to have some influence if needed he ran for state senator in 2049 and won.

Future Bio: Caitlin Winchester

Age: 55

Status: Alive / Metahuman

Affiliation: None

With the increased aggression towards metas Caitlin has worked towards expanding the MetAid Clinic to even more locations around the country. She hopes that once a cure for depowered metas is found her clinics can help distribute them faster.

Future Event Bio: Alice Rybak

Age: 34

Status: Alive / Metahuman

Affiliation: Rebel Army

Shortly after H.A.M.E.R.’s appearance Alice began devoting more and more time developing tech for C.A.R.M.A. along with smaller self-defense projects for herself and the metahuman public at large.

After a while it became too much for her to run her shop and develop for C.A.R.M.A. so she sold her store and began working for C.A.R.M.A. full time. However she does still a side project here and there, especially if someone asks for it.

As the tensions between H.A.M.E.R. and C.A.R.M.A. heated up Alice would occasionally step out of the lab to help agents and other former rebels with H.A.M.E.R. related mission.

When she’s not building or in the field she focuses on tracking down H.A.M.E.R.’s online presence through their forums and encrypted communications.

Future Event Bio: Kelli Byrd

Age: 30

Status: Alive / ‘Cured’ Metahuman

Affiliation: Hero Squad “Firehawk”

Since being ‘cured’ by H.A.M.E.R. Kelli has become a liaison between the vigilante heroes of Pansaw and C.A.R.M.A. which became increasingly more useful in the fight against H.A.M.E.R.

Being not only one of the firsts affected by H.A.M.E.R. but also a known vigilante she’s used her position in the public’s eye to keep attention on the harm H.A.M.E.R. does and the plight of the metahumans nationwide. She’s helped lead many protests, and assists in keeping detailed track of all the metahumans that have gone missing or been ‘cured’.

Although she tried for a year or so to continue with her nightly patrols as Firehawk, Kelli found it difficult to keep up and be as effective as she was without her powers. She has stepped back a bit from fighting crime on the streets, preferring instead to train younger heroes and step in only for large ops with a power pill to aid her.

Vincent was in his own little world when he got sucked into his drawing, completely ignoring his surroundings in favor of getting lost in his work and his thoughts.  He hadn’t even noticed Kelli joining him at his table until she spoke to him a second time.  “What…  Oh yes please, sit.”  Hitting the button to turn off the screen to his tablet, Vincent turned his attention to Kelli, slapping his usual flirtatious grin on his face.  Hopefully she hadn’t noticed what he had been drawing before he realized he’d had an audience.  “Oh you know me sweetheart, always being dramatic.”  Grabbing his own coffee, Vincent took a sip, grimacing now that it had gone cold.  “Just had a breakthrough with one of my art projects.  How are you doing with everything?”

How was she doing with everything. Kelli knew what he meant by that. It was nice to see Vincent acting normally around her though, instead of the pitying looks and condolences from some other people she had talked with. “I’m still picking up the pieces but doing a lot better than when it first all went down, you know? Thanks for asking. Everyday you wake up on the right side of the dirt is a good day or something like that.” 

Erick returned Skye’s smile, giving her a nod as she headed off to requisition their vehicle.  Part of him felt off, like he was taking advantage of Skye a little.  Though it was her choice to accompany him, he didn’t want the rookie taking flack for helping him.  When she tossed the keys he instinctively tried reaching out with his power to catch them.  Sighing when the keys hit the ground, Erick scooped them up and headed toward the car.  “You can play DJ but I still retain veto powers,” he teased, trying to smother over his misstep and the feeling of loss that sprang from it.

Erick smiled and nodded at Skye’s comment.  “Yeah.  I’m not one for lounging about if I can help it.  Though I’m sure the Commander is going to chew my ass out for leaving before I was cleared."  His hands tightened on the steering wheel when she spoke again, repressing the urge to growl.  "I’m good to talk about what happened,” he remarked, letting the music calm his nerves.  “Though I do have to thank you.  I’ve been getting a lot of pitying looks from people.  They forget that I was military trained before I ever got my powers.”

“Let’s be real though Commander Sinclair would be doing the same thing if she was in your shoes. Hell, I think any one of us would be,” she pointed out while nodding her head along with the beat of the song. “You know yourself better than doctors, you can handle yourself. And if not I’m here to make sure you don’t like pass out.” She highly doubted it would come to that though, especially if they were just sweeping an area for clues.

When he mentioned the other reactions people were giving him she totally understood even if she couldn’t relate. She even still felt guilty for not being able to help more during the tournament but it wasn’t something she wanted to put on his shoulders. “Honestly, maybe if you were still in the infirmary I’d have a bit of a pitying look but the fact that you’re already up hunting down the bastards that did this just shows again what a badass you are.” Skye wasn’t exactly good at hiding her true emotions, not that she would want to anyway. “Besides even though they don’t know how to help now doesn’t mean they won’t later. Think of all the advances we’ve made just in like the last ten years with bionics, AI, diseases, even Dr. Parker’s enhancement serum. It might just take some time.”

Atlas nodded his head in agreement with Kelli, smiling when she was able to nod as well.  “I know it can’t be easy.  I’ve done some digging into what CARMA used to do to their meta agents, the techniques they used.  It… leaves people in a susceptible state and that kind of damage can and does linger for a long time.”  Atlas was not a vindictive kind of person but he had a special hatred for people that messed with the minds of others like that.  It was why he hid his own abilities from people, the fear that he could manipulate their minds through their fear.  “Some people might sure, but others will see the good that you’ve done since then.”