If the Deviant manages to cross the Barrier we will have to opt for a far more discrete approach. I can only hope Seargent Donovan brings it down with his next shot.

I choose to not remain in the open. Being snatched up and carried into the sky by this creature would be a very unfortunate occurence. I tear open the door of the Humvee and jump into the driver seat, discarding my ineffective weapon onto the seat next to me.

I lean forward on the steering wheel to keep my eyes on the creature and ready to give chase should it become neccessary. I yell into the radio the whole time.

'Again Seargent! Open fire! All marines prepare for immediate Evac, this thing is going airborne!'

 The heat of the cannons fury streams across my face, scalding the skin. I have fired them before, but mostly in deep universe and never here. Its catalytic reaction to the ambient oxygen was expected, but more severe then I had thought likely. I can even smell the burnt hair upon my noise and the sulfurous smell of the discharge in my nostrils. This is were I was born to be, this is my rifle.

At Smith's words I snap out of my thoughts and again draw a bead upon the lighted creature taking wing. It has an unsteady gait and a loping form as it ineffectively tries to gain lift. I study it for but a second and squeeze the trigger, hoping my aim is more true. Reality might depend upon it.

2009-01-08 14:36:51 Sgt. Bryce Donovan rolls 9 dice to Blasting the deviant 5,9,9,10,6, 6,9,1,1,6 (5 successes)
(Dex + Energy Weapons /Diff. reduced for size ; one die added for scope)

2009-01-08 14:37:47 Sgt. Bryce Donovan rolls 10 dice to Unleashing Hell 5,6,9,5,9, 10,1,6,7,3 (5 successes + 1 Forces) So 6 Successes

The cannon fires true, I know it as the hellish blast and coded military calls come through my ears deafening whatever screams of death that thing should be having as its blasted and burning body surely plummets toward the ground. The sounds are so intense I can not even look. I can smell the gun as it hisses with heat and the smell of superheated metal wafts toward my nose from its muzzle. This is what being a hero is, this is what I am willing to die for.

I open my eyes surveying the carnage that I expect to see...

Donovans second shot strikes true. The superheated energy beam hits the creature dead center. The sound and smell of searing flesh comes in waves and the beast is throw backwards through the air as if Donovan just turned a firehose on a toddler.

The creature crashes against the upper floor of the bookstore with a crunch and quite literally explodes outwards into hundreds of pieces. Its arms and wings fall to the ground and its mushy, globular body scatters in thick bits onto the ground.

2009-01-10 11:37:21 Radiation rolls 8 dice to Mutate 2,6,5,2,3, 3,1,4 (failure)
2009-01-10 11:37:40 Radiation rolls 6 dice to Stamina 10,4,2,2,1, 5 (failure)
2009-01-10 11:37:57 Radiation rolls 5 dice to Dormancy (Diff 5) 6,5,9,7,4 (4 successes)

The bits all lay still. Incredibly, it appears that the AFC has obliterated this creature.

I smell the burnt flesh and hear the heavy splatting noises as its flesh hits the pavement. That was better than I had hoped. I press a finger to my earpiece and I address Seargent Donovan and his Marines calmly.

'Target is down, Stand down marines. Good shooting Seargent...'

I slip back out of the Humvee to get a better look at the scene as the Marines start coming out of the bookstore. Cleanup will be a bitch, but thats really not my problem.

'You still with us Lori?'

I speak into my radio, assuming the woman took cover when the shooting started.

 I had seen quite a few things in my convention, but nothing like that before. It was amazing.

"I'm still with you. A well executed tactic Agent Smith, congratulations," she whispers into the radio. The noise still reverberating in her ears a bit, but the excitement easily overcoming her discomfort. She knew that these sorts of operations occurred, but had never imagined being in one at this capacity. It was riveting and she is quite pleased she drew this assignment.

Her mind snaps back to the situation at hand. She again resumes her megaphone,"Cut, that was great people. Now lets begin setting up for the next shot..." that should provide ample enough time to the clean up crew to finish their work.

The beast that spreads wings for flight is impressive. It sets my heart at a quicker pace. So real is its vision that I am certain, in that moment, that it is a creature that has crawled out the festered wounds of the Mother to come and piss and shit on her surface. Instinct has me moving back from the immediate vicinity. I do not want to be nearby.

I'm not far when the shots slice through the air. My shoulders hunch, wincing at each round. War is a very real thing. Its as real to me as is this image before me. Later details will flood to the surface and there will be many questions that will try and piece this scene together. This is meant to be a movie shoot. I have never witnessed one. I'm impressed by the realism of the moment.

It all happens quickly. I'm surprised to find my hand pressed to the building a few stores down from the Smits, where I have taken sanctuary on the opposite side of the road. The woman calls cut to the scenery. I can breathe again. The adrenalin eases but my mind is sharp.

I take in the features of actors and the cars they arrive in. I'll stay to watch. I'm curious. Its not every day that one sees a Hollywood film in process. Will they shoot again? What happens after this?

With everyone accounted for my only concern is evacuation and investigation. The perimiter and its distracting, vieling effects wont last forever. I slip from the driver seat of the Humvee and look up at Seargent Donovan, still seated behind the massive AFC on mounted on top.

'Pack it up Marines.'

Lori knows her place, she is already lining up the continuation of this little scene. The cleanup crew will arrive momentarily and there is just one thing left to do.

'Seargent, would you accompany me into the building, we have one more thing to check out.'

 "Certainly sir," as he climbs down from the turret.

You can see that his hearing is still a bit impaired, but he seems in control and cognizant of his surroundings. He shoulders what looks like some sort of electrical rifle reminiscent of a sci fi movie. You can hear a soft hum as he switches it on.

"Shall I lead the way?"

'We will sweep together, watch eachothers flanks. We need to know what brought this Deviant to a bookstore...'

I have my suspicions, of course. Ive read reports of Amalgrams raiding coffee houses and finding groups of reality deviants rending the world apart in the basement. This place could be no different.

I remove my black X-5 Automatic from my shoulder holster. There is the briefest electronic hum as the weapon recognizes my DNA signature. In just a moment we will be entering the ruined bookstore, a flashlight beam from the bottom of my pistol lights my way in the dust and debris as i circle to the left.


2009-01-23 08:47:46 Agent Smith rolls 6 dice to Perception+Alertness [+1 diff bad light, +1 diff dust and debris, -1 diff flashlight] (Diff 7) 8,2,7,5,2, 2 (2 successes)  

--Last edited by Agent Smith on 2009-01-23 08:49:14 --

The Agents will find much what they expected. Evidence of a secretive Reality Deviant. Henks deflated, crushed, raped, body is found in the back room. Tearing the room apart they will find his foci and various occult books Henk must have been packaging that will likely never see the light of day again.

Were this a more contained site with no attached structures I would give the order to burn it all. I will radio in for a cleaner team- I want this bookstore re-opened and agents placed here as soon as possible. With Seargent Donovans help we will remove all the books and documentation from the back room and pile them into the APC for later investigation and destruction.

Tonights conclusion has made it clear that more observation will be needed of places like this. The reality deviantsm ay be more entrenched and widespread in this city than was originally believed. We will not fight blind.

Over the next few days the bookstore will be sterilized and searched. Guards will be posted out front in case of trouble. The remains of the creature will be cleaned up, with the exception of a few pieces that were reported missing...


[This was the last loose end for the bookstore, this scene happens before Philip makes his visit and sees the cleanup crew.]