Late one evening long after Henk had closed his bookstore and was processing some special orders in the small back room he will hear a sudden loud crash from the main room of his store, as if an entire bookshelf had been toppled over.  

--Last edited by Radiationjunkie on 2008-12-22 12:32:16 --

Yes, this is Radiation skinriding Henk, No, i cant steal all your passwords... Or CAN I!?
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Henk will jump, nearly dropping the heavy book he was looking over. He is first suprised that whatever fell didnt trip his burglar alarm, Rahshid was very thorough and he could have sworn he armed the system...

2008-11-20 08:27:53 Radiation rolls 3 dice to Arete (Diff 4) 3,9,2 (1 success) Life 1, coincidental +3, foci.

Henk will clear his head, drawing a small silver talisman of a tree from his sleeve. With just a moments concentration Henk will know if he is alone in the store or not without exposing his position.

What he feels is terrible. A perversion of life as if a black hole were in the next room. The hair on his neck stands up and a feeling of dread washes through him. Henk will remain still, listening for whatever entered his store...

2008-11-20 08:31:08 Radiation rolls 5 dice to per+ alert 6,8,4,6,3 (3 successes)

2008-11-20 08:36:53 Radiation rolls 6 dice to dex and stealth (+1 diff due to size)(Diff 7) 1,7,7,3,2, 2 (1 success)

Henk will hear an odd clicking sound, like insect mandibles or feelers clacking off fallen books. When he checks the cameras feed he will see a terrible monstrosity. The seven limbed, ten foot tall, insectlike terror that has been hunting Rahshid is here. Drawn by his scent and resonance from when he visited and installed the security system...

2008-11-20 08:39:21 Radiation rolls 7 dice to perception+ alert 9,1,1,8,7, 1,1 (failure)

The creature is in a near trance, oblivious that it is not alone. Its only thought is picking up the trail as it whispers in a crackling voice, over and over...

'Daaaadddyyyy....'

Henk looks from the security to the louisville slugger in the corner of his stock room. Sure it might bring pause to a shoplifter or two, but its not going to do shit to the monster in the next room.

It doesnt help Henks confidence that he hasnt played baseball since he was six, and even then he always struck out...
(Not bein an ass, he has 0 melee and 0 athletics! its logical!)

Heroism in this form is not for Henk. He will move slow and press the panic button on his phone, sending a silent alarm to the police...

2008-11-20 09:08:50 Radiation rolls 5 dice to perception+ awareness 4,5,5,2,6 (1 success)

'Daaa-...'

The creatures creepy moan cuts away as its head suddenly raises. Its rows of black eyes all lock on the slightly ajar door to the stock room where Henk sits. This creature is a near perfect mage hunting mutant and it when it didnt find Rahshid here, it found the next best thing... Henk.

2008-11-20 09:12:50 Radiation rolls 7 dice to dex and ath 6,3,8,5,9, 3,9 (4 successes)

In a sudden flash of movement the giant, spiderlike monstrosity will leap for the open door its movement blurring and stuttering on the camera feeds...

2008-11-20 09:41:18 Radiation rolls 2 dice to Dexterity + (no dodge) (Diff 7) 5,7 (1 success)

Henk barely has time to stand up he is so caught off guard. Ripping open the drawer of his desk he snatches up a small bag and as he steps to head for cover the creature is upon him...

2008-11-20 09:46:35 Radiation rolls 10 dice to Signal intercept (Diff 8) 8,4,9,4,9, 4,3,8,10,5 (5 successes)

Far off in one of the monoliths many observation divisions a signal is picked up. Were they not on high alert it may have been passed up, but a late night panic button in a bookstore sent up some red flags.

An observer will take the video feed and immediately raise the alarm for his superior. Agent Smiths target has been located and the Construct will be put on high alert to respond before this thing escapes again. Unfortunately for Henk, the signal will never make it to a police switchboard.

Back in the store the creature slams its ten foot frame through the door into the stockroom. There isnt room to manuever here, not with seven limbs, so the creature will attempt to clear the room... By shoving over the standing shelves onto its fleeing prey.

2008-11-20 09:55:04 Radiation rolls 8 dice to str and ath (Diff 7) 7,8,10,9,10, 7,9,2 (7 successes)
(Henk couldnt dodge even with a miracle, so...)
2008-11-20 09:58:59 Radiation rolls 13 dice to damage 8,8,3,8,9, 7,8,5,4,10, 3,10,4 (8 successes) 8 Bashing Damage

The overstacked shelves of heavy books topple like the world trade center, burying poor Henk under their bulk.  

--Last edited by Radiationjunkie on 2008-11-20 11:53:31 --

2008-11-20 10:04:11 Radiation rolls 2 dice to Soak 10,8 (2 successes) Henk takes 6 bashing damage. Henk is Crippled and takes -5 to all physical dicepools, his movement is limited to 3 yards per turn crawling. He is also stunned from damage greater than his stamina score and loses his next turn.

Henk cries out and throws his arms up in vain, he is buried under the collapsing shelves and hundreds of pounds of books. He is badly battered and barely conscious.

The giant arachnid monstrosity will settle over Henk on its seven legs. Lowering its horrible head with rows of eyes and sick, dripping tendrils around its mouth it sniffs at Henk for a moment.

Certain this is not its intended victim it rears back, ajws distending and shooting a long, arm-like tongue covered in barbs down into Henks chest cavity.

2008-11-20 10:53:59 Radiation rolls 9 dice to dex and brawl vs prone (Diff 5) 9,3,7,10,8, 9,9,9,2 (7 successes)
2008-11-20 10:54:17 Radiation rolls 13 dice to damage 9,8,9,10,9, 7,1,7,10,9, 3,5,9 (9 successes) 9 lethal damage. Henk is instantly killed.

Like a giant waterbug latching onto a fish Henk is speared and injected with corrosive toxins. His insides will liquify and he will die a horrible, painful, albeit quick, death.

The technocrats response time is unnervingly fast. The book store is anything but an ideal combat area. It would be cramped and with limited lines of sight inside. Not a place to unload a heavy weapon...

The target, the spiderlike creature is still inside, having consumed Henks chest cavity and all his innards, leaving just his bones and limbs and head on the floor buried under the books in back...

The creature rolls back and forth, crushing whats left of Henk against the floor in the throes of its newest mutation...

Our little motorcade tends to draw attention. Even painted flat black the eight wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier is not something people who dont live on a military base see everyday. We are followed by our Recon vehicle, a typical Humvee with a camoflauge tarp stretched over something mounted on the roof.

We will park commandingly in front of the bookstore, far enough back to set up an arc of fire if needed, but close enough that we wont entirely choke the downtown traffic.

2008-11-28 12:28:19 Agent Smith rolls 6 dice to Hasty requisition (Diff 7) 8,7,5,5,3, 1 (1 success)

We are joined by a single black Sedan. Its two suited, sunglassed occupants begin taping off the area with thick yellow 'do not cross' tape...

With a beep and the sound of well lubed tracks the door to the APC will open and become a ramp. Seargent Donovan and his men will be holding their position here until the area is secure. Lori, as our liason to the public and media will be up first. I will exit the APC with her just in case of any unforseen complications...

 I step out of the vehicle, my cell phone already speaking with my contacts and various media connections. I let slip that Warner has chosen our own illustrious city for filming the new Batman movie due out next year. [Allies 2, Influence 4 (Media)]

2008-12-14 11:38:08 Lori White rolls 9 dice to Convincing (man+sub) 7,10,9,4,5, 7,6,7,7,4 (7 successes)

That taken care of I quickly turn on my radio, hearing the news start to break already. I'm certain the transcrïpt that was timed to appear in everyone's email box helped. I reach back into the van and retrieve the megaphone (foci) I placed in it days ago in anticipation of this occurrence. Grasping it in my hands firmly, I draw upon its energy feeding it into my adjustment.

"All right, the scene is set, everyone in place. Let's take it from the top. Roll cameras and action..."

2008-12-14 11:47:35 Lori White rolls 3 dice to Motivational Speaking (used willpower) 5,10,3 (2 successes)

I turn back to Agent Smith, the megaphone still in my hands, "That should take care of everything Mr. Smith, I will hold my position here to make certain my adjustment holds. You can begin your operation now..."

The stage is set, the actors in place, now for the show.

2008-12-17 11:58:04 Agent Smith rolls 5 dice to Genius ('There is nothing to see here' Mind 3, device) 1,10,4,10,1 (failure)

I bark orders to the men in black as soon as they start encircling us with tape.

'Seal off the area, noone is to cross the tape. No-no-no!'

I grab one of the men in black by the arm and direct him to encircle the APC, not use it as a friggen signpost.

'The entire area agent.'

2008-12-17 12:01:32 Agent Smith rolls 5 dice to Genius('There is nothing to see here' Mind 3, device, +1 diff prev. failure) (Diff 7, used willpower) 3,6,8,9,9 (4 successes)

This time procedure will take hold. The men in black will be standing guard at the two corners, flashing badges at anyone who wanders too close. Beetween Lori and myself anyone who looks past the tape will see that we are in fact filming part of an upcoming batman movie.

That wasnt an APC you saw, it was the most badass fucking batmobile ever!

I press my earpiece and speak to Seargent Donovan in a crisp tone over our radio.

'Seargent, lets move it out.'

At his voice on our headsets I stand and motion for us to disembark the APC. We emerge double file spreading out in a delta toward the targets last known location. My marines start forward, flanking the establishment. We know it is in here due to our thermal imaging and sensors, but exactly where is unimportant. They just need to know where to drive it toward.

I climb on the APC and quickly start mounting the Force Cannon. I have only had the pleasure of using these a few times before. When I did there was nothing left to identify. After a minute I connect its power to the battery core and kick on the armament, engaging it. The soft hum of power floods it quickly and I begin waiting, listening for my marines to tell me where it is coming.

"We have reached the south door commander, do I have a green light to proceed?" comes a muffled voice in the intercom.

I await Agent Smith's confirmation, as of now he is in charge.  

--Last edited by Mnemon on 2008-12-17 16:38:16 --

'You are green, Fire at will Marines. Flush that thing out to us.'

I speak into my headset and take up my position next to the Humvee. Donovan wont need my help with the heavy weapon so I will help him spot from the ground. I click off the safety of my Mp5-pdw and set the fire mode selector to 3-round burst.

I am ready to bring another reality deviant to heel.

Smit's is a horrible name for a book store. I'm not sure its such a great business name for a place that boasts an antique collection, but its the critic in me. I had decided to come and see it for myself. I need something new to read. Sometimes its in the smaller towns that the best treasures can be found rather than in the large cities of carbon copy buildings and residents. Little places have flavor and feeling; often steeped in culture and family affairs. Its something I can appreciate.

I'm sure that I have heard a great deal of racket coming from the store but I was too far away to make certain it was from there. It could have been from any number of places in the area. Gods know what it is, or why there's such a sound, but it becomes clearer when the vehicles come flying around the corner and pull up a short distance away.

I'm still across the road when people start filing out. My dark eyes flicker over each in turn. I wonder who they are and what they are doing here. It's a bookstore after all. When the black car arrives it signals the status of importance. I'm sure its some military operation. It was only the other day that I was speaking about Royal families and important figure heads. Its a little ironic that I stand now, witnessing something like this unfolding.

When the woman with the curly hair begins shouting through the megaphone, I'm struck with a new interest. A set, they claim. I take a look around, glancing up and down the street, taking notice of the vehicles and the actors that are moving around the area. I'm looking beyond that towards the bookstore. I glance up its building, tilting my head and squinting for details.

I'm puzzled and with a light frown I continue to watch from the other curb, clasping my hands before me and watching with interest. Where are the camera men? There should be, at least, a few. With something as large budgeted as this, to be able to afford such luxury cars and realistic uniforms, there should be some preset scenery and high-tech equipment. The woman, I wonder, is she the director? I'm no cinematographer but there are things missing here that do not compute.

For a moment I glance to others that may be in the area, to glimpse their expressions, wondering if I am the only one that has witnessed this rushed moment of impromptu filming.

Bursts of automatic weapon fire will sound from behind the store. The marines voices can be heard, excited and loud but professional through the coms.

'Target is on the move!'

Anyone in front of the shop will hear loud crashing, whatever is in there is obviously making a hasty retreat.

'Grenade out, take cover.. it has.. wings?!'

The coms will go silent as an explosion rocks the bookstore and sends an eruption of glass, smoke and paper bits into the street. The target, a reality deviant of massive proportions leaps through the window and lands to glare with one huge, black eye at Smith, Donovan and Lori.

The creature is easily twelve feet long with a bulbous, almost phallic head and a single eye. It has three mouths all dripping with green fluids and crammed with thick black tongue tissue. Its body is wormlike and long with a fat abdomen like a spider. Its flesh looks thick and white, anything but healthy, and from its back rises a pair of leathery wings with skin stretched so tight it is near see through.

The creature bellows at the gathered APC and Humvee with heavy weapon, spraying the thick green fluid in teh direction of Smith and Donovan as it jumps into the air.

This creature intends to fly, Donovan will get only one clean shot...

That is what happens when reality deviancy runs unchecked. In this terrible moment it becomes clear to me that my own failures as an operative have led me to this moment. The screaming horror before me is my own hesitancy and self doubt.

If i had captured and nuertralized the reality deviant know as Rahshid Ahjar in his deviant infancy he never could have created this thing. Looking up at this near lovecraftean horror through my sunglasses I know exactly what i must do.

I have to kill them all, every last one.

2008-12-18 14:52:24 Agent Smith rolls(dex4, fire4,+10 full auto) 18 dice to Full Auto (Diff 8:full auto) 5,2,8,2,2, 6,5,4,2,1, 4,10,10,4,9, 7,1,8 (3 successes)
2008-12-18 14:52:36 Agent Smith rolls 8 dice to Full Auto 2,2,7,9,2, 8,7,6 (5 successes) 5 Lethal Damage

I thumb the fire mode selector on my Mp5-pdw to Fully Automatic. If this creature flies we will be forced to chase it all over the city and likely do enough damage to serverly piss off the Supervisors.

I press the folding stock of my weapon to my shoulder, grit my teeth and fire from left to right, pumping round after round of 9mm hollowpoints into the beasts wings and across its body.

 I spot the deviant exit the building, landing upon the ground nearby. This is it. I draw a bead upon the massive beast, aligning the scope. Likely I might just get one shot, possibly two, before this thing gets airborne. I whisper in the mic, "All teams stand down, fire in the hole."

I set the sights dead level, squeezing the trigger.

2008-12-18 18:49:18 Sgt. Bryce Donovan rolls 9 dice to Blasting the deviant  (used willpower) 6,8,2,3,3, 5,1,3,10,6 (4 successes)(Diff. reduced for size ; one die added for scope)
2008-12-18 18:52:30 Sgt. Bryce Donovan rolls 9 dice to Damage (Unleashing hell) 2,4,2,10,3, 4,5,1,6 (1 success)+ 1 Forces

A blast erupts from the cannon, rocking me back with recoil. I glance at the target and realize I must have missed, or perhaps not set the cannon correctly. I immediately look over the gauges and instruments, adjusting them quickly as I ready for perhaps another shot.

"Target is still up, I repeat target still up," hastily in the mic.

(Resonance - Dynamic - 1 - War noise)

2008-12-22 12:41:36 Radiation rolls 8 dice to fetus monster Stamina 7,9,3,1,8, 8,9,2 (4 successes)

Agent Smiths weapon is a fast firing, small caliber submachinegun that is deadly against human targets. Against the monstrosity before him it seems to be more of an annoyance. The 9mm hollowpoint rounds mushroom just an inch or two inside the creatures puffy, dense flesh and wont reach any internal organs. The holes punched into its leathery wings are small enough that they will barely effect its flying ability.

Seargent Donovans energy weapon fares slightly better. The high powered laser hits the creature with such force it stumbles back a step or two. The improperly calibrated beam only scorches a patch of rubbery flesh on the creature and causes it to roar a defiant challenge.

[Fetus Monster takes 2 aggravated damage from the forces effect.]

2008-12-22 12:47:41 Radiation rolls 8 dice to F.M. Mutate (Diff 8) 5,2,8,10,2, 9,2,3 (3 successes)

From the burned spot a dozen small tentacles with tiny, apple-sized heads string forth and immediately begin flailing with small trails of thick green floud flying from their mouths.

2008-12-22 12:59:42 Radiation rolls 7 dice to F.M. Fly 4,10,10,8,1, 1,5 (1 success)

The creature bends low, spreading its wings as it leaps into the air. Like most large creatures it is anything but graceful in the air, its wings flap heavily and it barely gets off the ground more than twelve feet, its legs scrape the top of the APC as it heads for the clear skys and the edge of the cordoned off area...

[Donovan can get one more shot off, then the chase is on.]