Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

The Priest nodded, having a bad feeling that something was wrong.




Claudia shook her head. "Um, no? It's a dead man switch, if we hit him that thing is going to start a countdown. I have no idea how long he has it set for."




Just then they heard the man speak. "It's only a matter of time before those outsiders come back. They're the ones responsible for this! Once they turn themselves in everything will be fine, I'll make them tell us how to end this experiment of theirs!"



Claudia shuddered. "Great .... he thinks we're causing this. Er ... maybe I should try getting his attention."

 

[Loli Defense Force]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Akira tries to look for someone nearby that wasn't preoccupied with fighting the fire, "What's going on? What happened here?!"

 

[Caulder]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Kevin begins to move, slowly moving so as not to be seen by the bomber, but then notices Claudia and Ellen, motioning with two fingers to his eyes, then at the man, then pointing to himself and moving his thumb across his neck. If anyone knew military hand signs, they would get the impression that he wanted the girls to be a distraction.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Ellen nodded slowly to Kevin, but motioned for him to take it slowly. Then she straightened herself up, motioned for Claudia to stay put and be ready to stun him if necessary, and started walking in to the church calmly, as if sightseeing.

 

[ToxicShock]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Connor looked over the fire and saw that firemen were already on it. Hopefully they had gotten everyone they could by now, but he was afraid there was nothing they could do to help the situation. And not trying to sound cold, he kept reminding himself that the artifact is what they were there for so worrying about this was not their problem, especially considering it was one they couldn't really solve. He kept silent as Akira had come forward to the firefighters and asked about the situation.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

The reply came quickly.

"Some fucker decided to torch the place, lucky we caught him when we did or this could have been a lot worse. One fatality though."



Claudia nodded, drawing her Tesla.




The guy turned as Ellen entered and snarled. "Stop right there lady. Yes you, you came in with that red head. What the fuck do you think your doing to our town? I'm not gonna let you use us as test rats!"

Three shots were suddenly fired from his gun towards her, but just slightly off. Seems they were more warning than anything.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Ellen flinches slightly at the near misses, and stops in the middle of the aisle, glancing at the area to each side of her before settling her eyes on him, trying to hold his gaze. "From what I've heard, things have been going on a lot longer than the few hours I've been here." She says slowly.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

"Yeah? Well who's to say your not checking up on what you started, huh? Or maybe your just a pawn to her, who knows. Either way I won't let you just waltz in here and use us as lab rats. I'll kill everyone in here before I let you use us."


She was now close enough to spot the switch had been armed, the red number reading 20 sec on the counter. What was more, she now could tell his "bomb", was several taped together sticks of C-4, highly explosive. And he wasn't afraid to use it.



Claudia was on the Farnsworth, calling Connor and Akira, desperate to warn them to stay away.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Ellen sighs, moving forward a couple paces to lean against a convenient bench. "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you we're actually here to find what's causing this and take it away, and we figure it has something to do with this church? I was told not ten minutes before striding through that door that everyone who has been affected is somehow connected to this place." She states calmly, still watching him intently.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

"Wha? The cause is here in the church? Hmm ...."


The guy seemed to be mulling that over for a few moments, then shook his head.

"Well either you people have been working with him, or .... Wait a second. You said EVERYONE who's been in to see him for any advice?"



It seemed the artifact's hold on his was pulsating slightly, losing focus for the moment. It was unknown how much time they had before he was el loco once more.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

"I'm not sure if it's everyone who's personally seen him for advice, but everyone who's been affected has been at this church recently." Ellen says, taking the chance to move closer still. "I'm not here to hurt anyone, whatever you might think of whoever's above me. Help me get that bomb off you, and I'll find whatever is causing this and stop it, nobody else has to be harmed." She says slowly, placing strange emphasis on the word 'help'.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

The guy looked at her for a moment, then down to the bomb.

"Um ... fuck?"


He fumbles for a moment with a second switch, then breathes.

"Er, ok I just reset the other switch. Dunno how I got like this, but I trust you know how to properly dispose of a bomb?"


He starts carefully unstrapping the bomb from himself, though it's slow going. He'd likely continue this for now until either someone startled him or otherwise stopped him.


"Gotta keep talking on something, think that if I go into a lull I'm gonna space again. So let's see, uh .... So everyone who's been affected has been here recently? Well most of them don't sit down for the sermons here or attend the actual church so they'd have only been in his office. This started a couple weeks ago, so ... Hmm, I don't remember that red one being in there before last month."

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Ellen let out a small sigh of relief, and nodded. "Yes, I can get rid of it, so long as it isn't about to blow up in my face. Thank you." She says, stepping right up to the dias with him to watch him take it off, and help if needed. "Yes, or so I've been told. A red what? A person, or some sort of item?" She asks, more than willing to keep him talking.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

"Chair, old style too. Come to think of it I was just sitting in the thing half an hour ago at most."


By now he's removed the bomb, and handed it to her.




Claudia blinked from her vantage point. A red chair? No, it couldn't be could it?

She pulled out a small listing of things, looking through. Sure enough, the name jumped out to her as AT LARGE.

James Braid's chair. FUCK. There goes the bag and tag, that's too big to bring back.


She needed to get in there NOW to determine if that was true. Luckily she was something of a pro thief, and she stole away to the backside of the church, sliding in through a back door after jimmying it open.

Sorry father, but I think I'll be forgiven for this one if we're right.


She entered the office, probably visible to Ellen and Kevin, but not the cop as he had his back to her. Slipping in quietly, she closed the door, then stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh shit."

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Ellen gave the bomb a quick once-over, though she wasn't entirely sure she'd notice anything amiss if she saw it. Satisfied, she simply tucked it under her arm, keeping the switch in her hand, safe from bumping. "Thank you. Now, how about that gun? If it's registered to you, I'm fine with you keeping it, but I'll have to hold on to the firing pin or something until we've dealt with all this." She asks calmly.

 

[Caulder]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Kevin watches the events unfold, sighing as he watches her take hold of the bomb, then slowly walks into view "Ellen. Allow me to handle the bomb." he says, his right hand reached out towards her as he begins to walk slowly, keeping track of the cop who had the vest on "Keep him talking. And keep him from losing it again." he says, looking over and nodding to the man

 

[Loli Defense Force]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Akira pokes at the Farnsworth, trying to establish a connection, "What's going on? Are we needed?" Looking at Connor, Akira suggests, "What should we do... I feel so useless..."

 

[ToxicShock]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

Turning his head away from the fire, Connor spoke without looking at Akira. "There's not much we can do here. Anyone who was in danger would have been helped by now. The only thing we can do is keep up with our leads. If all this is happening cuz of whatever we're looking for, it's important we find it before more of this can go on. If I've got this thing figured right, the most crucial thing is for us all to find this thing and take it back."

Hearing Akira's last sentiment about feeling useless, he lifted his hand the techie's her shoulder, speaking softly for comfort. "Nothing's your fault. We all have some sort of use. Hell, I still don't know why I'm here. And it didn't seem like we had much choice in the first place."

Connor reflected on his own words. Some of the others seemed skilled or level-headed about this entire thing. Sure, he was fit and smart, but so are millions of people better. He always had an innate drive to help people, but they surely didn't pick him for that naivety. He's a well rounded individual, but if these people were so secretive and important, you'd think they'd practically breed and train people for this. And this young one had been pulled into the same situation. Just what the hell was going on?

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

The cop nodded to Kevin, apparently not recognizing him from before, which was likely a good thing.


"Like I said, that red chair in there, the one I was sitting in? I don't remember it being there three weeks ago, but it is kind of nice."




Akira finally got a reply from Claudia.

"Um, yeah I think your going to want to come to the church. Bring a big hammer too, I think I found our artifact. Use the side entry."


About then three things happened at once.

One, the side door Claudia had just mentioned was torn off it's hinges, a single Hunter Alpha taking sight at Claudia, letting loose a shriek that was audible over the Farnsworth. Claudia dropped the Farnsworth, the viewer moving into a position to show the Hunter to Connor and Akira over their transmission.


Two, the front door that Ellen had walked through to calm down the cop was literally smashed in, three Hunter Alpha's letting loose shrieks before lunging at separate targets.

Third, the cop who had been talking spun at the noise, went wide eyed and then opened fire on the closest Hunter, blasting it in the throat. A black smoking hole appeared on it's throat from the 9 mm wound, yet the beast was still alive. It then proceeded to lunge for the cop with it's claws extended, intent clear.


((What, ya thought just cuz you were going on a non B.O.W mission that there wouldn't be any? Think again Oh yeah, SURPRISE!))

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Colorado Springs, Colorado. United States.

((Actually, I had kind of hoped :/ Also, I can think of the Left 4 Dead Hunter and the Prototype Hunter, is it one of those two or was there a RE hunter I'm forgetting?))

Ellen had just handed the bomb over to Kevin, more than glad to be rid of it, when the shit hit the proverbial fan. She gives the cop a shove after he fires, and yells at both him and Kevin. "Keep moving, don't give it a stationary target!" She says, pulling out her gun and taking a shot at one of the two not already distracted, trying to keep them from focusing on the former hostages still in the room.