Zenith Watch #4: A Miracle of Science

[fireinthedust]

EA floats along the duct system until he finds what could be the control area: is the environmental control system of this place new like the ducts themselves? Alien tech? Weird metals? How do these apparently new pipes work?

((heck, maybe they were regenerated along with the patients, so it's not just them but the materials in the building))

[sun_tzu]

EA floats along the duct system until he finds what could be the control area: is the environmental control system of this place new like the ducts themselves? Alien tech? Weird metals? How do these apparently new pipes work?

The system isn't actually all that modern, for a hospital anyway. Certain pieces of equipment have their construction year on them, and this system is relatively old. As for the tech involved, it is perfectly normal...Only the excellent preservation of the system is unusual.

Meanwhile, Gerit's exploration leads him to overhear a conversation between two of the doctors:
"No, I don't mean 'clinically dead for a few seconds', I mean dead as in, you know, heart stopped beating over an hour earlier, body grown cold in the meanwhile, lack of oxygen to brain should have killed every neuron there. And, ya know, now he's breathing even better than when he came here. Heart in a better condition than most people twenty years younger than him. For God's sake, even his alzheimer is gone; he remembers stuff more clearly than since the last decade, according to him."
"Jesus. Does he know he was dead?"
"Hell no. He doesn't seem to have a heart condition anymore, but I'm not chancing it."

[mutecebu]

"That's very interesting, Mr. White. Something with the ability to reverse the effects of Entropy, that's very intriguing. My analysis leads me to the same conclusion, I'm perplexed. If you have any theories as to who or what may be the cause I'd love to hear them, but I'm at a loss as to the next course of action, other than keeping one's eyes and ears open for more clues."

[sun_tzu]

"That's very interesting, Mr. White. Something with the ability to reverse the effects of Entropy, that's very intriguing. My analysis leads me to the same conclusion, I'm perplexed. If you have any theories as to who or what may be the cause I'd love to hear them, but I'm at a loss as to the next course of action, other than keeping one's eyes and ears open for more clues."

"According to Checkmate, this is very big" he whispers to Doublethink. "He claims entropy reversal is a radical enough capability to shift the equilibrium of power in the world. Undo damage caused by cataclysms, resurrect the dead, recover lost information...You can imagine why we want to find out what this is all about."

[Blackbird]

Noting the incoming cop, Eagle Owl thinks things over. Shaking his head, his looks annoyed as he eyes the thug. "Look, stupid, I didn't ask for a bunch of half-assed excuses, all I asked for was a simple 'Why?'. You don't have one and I'll hand you over to Megalopolis' finest. But if you do have a good one and promise to keep yourself out of trouble, I'll let you go."

At this point Eagle Owl tightens his grip on the thug for a second, to get his attention. "But you lie to me, and I promise I will know if you do, I'll hunt you down like the vermin you've shown yourself to be and make you wish you were never born. Understood?"

Spoiler

Show

Sense Motive check to make sure he isn't lieing.

[fireinthedust]

ooc: did we get ear pieces rather than cards this time round? Or should EA use his checkmate card? Otherwise, he'll swing around to the others, still keeping eyes and ears out for what's going on.

EA will also check out the chemical composition of the stuff here: what's the decomposition in the iron? has it been healed too? Like, if iron were more fresh rather than broken down (as happens with rust, etc.)

IC (when he sees the others, or calls them): Guys, the vent system here is old, but something fixed it. My guess is whatever healed the people also did a number on the molecular structure of the materials in the building. I'm doing a check right now...

[Dorni]

Gerit

Gerit hated hospitals. He'd gone there for breaking an arm when he was still a kid that didn't realize that his human shape couldn't take the same fall as a cat, and he'd hated the place ever since. He could shapeshift his body, but he couldn't shapeshift his nose. He could pick up even the minute scents of the gory injuries rushed to emergency an hour earlier, the waste a place like this generated, even the foul-smelling concoction of medicines suffusing the air. In their war against germs to keep their patients safe from infection, a hospital would use the strongest cleaning agent they could find. That reassuring smell of cleaner that most humans could detect was a massive oder to gerit, and when combined with everything else in the air it had almost driven the shapeshifter mad as a child. He still hated hospitals.

HIs sense of smell was only slightly duller in human form, but it was enough that Gerit could stand the place, which is why Gerit stopped to listen in on a conversation about a dead man. The shapeshifter could tell just from listening that he was way out of his league. Gerit had plenty of power of the butt-kicking variety, but he was no scientist. He couldn't make heads or tails of the Why or How.

Gerit made his way back though the corridors, hunting for his team. It wasn't hard - even a hospital like this didn't have major super-groups visit every day. When he finally found Doublethink, he wasted no time. "DT, theres more going on here than just some injuries healed. It looks like theres an old man that had been dead for an hour, heart stopped and body cold. Now hes alive, heart in perfect condition, alzheimer's gone. Doctors havn't a clue what did it."

[mutecebu]

"Of course, I concur, it is essential we find out what's going on here.

As the team arrives, Doublethink nods. Yep, we're finding the same stuff, something big's going on here. However, we're still no closer to finding out what's wrong.

((Should I try a hero point for inspiration, or should I just wait for more clues?))

[sun_tzu]

Noting the incoming cop, Eagle Owl thinks things over. Shaking his head, his looks annoyed as he eyes the thug. "Look, stupid, I didn't ask for a bunch of half-assed excuses, all I asked for was a simple 'Why?'. You don't have one and I'll hand you over to Megalopolis' finest. But if you do have a good one and promise to keep yourself out of trouble, I'll let you go."

At this point Eagle Owl tightens his grip on the thug for a second, to get his attention. "But you lie to me, and I promise I will know if you do, I'll hunt you down like the vermin you've shown yourself to be and make you wish you were never born. Understood?"

"J...Just needed the money to pay my dealer," the thug looks dead frightened. You're fairly positive he isn't lying. Not in this state of utter terror.
"Eagle Owl, right?" you hear the cop ask as he arrives, gun in hand. "This punk making trouble?

((Yeah, you guys are starting to get notorious enough that a random cop recogniwes you on the spot. Saves time.
And, nice RPing there, with the "tell me you have a good reason and I'll let you go". As it stands, his main reason was "give Eagle Owl's player something to do while the rest of the team investigated the hospital", but, still appreciated. ))

((Should I try a hero point for inspiration, or should I just wait for more clues?))

((I'll get to your next clue tomorrow. I'm currently at an Internet cafe waiting for the train to take me back to my current residence, so forgive me if I don't do it today...))

[sun_tzu]

EA will also check out the chemical composition of the stuff here: what's the decomposition in the iron? has it been healed too? Like, if iron were more fresh rather than broken down (as happens with rust, etc.)

It would appear that this, too, has been affected. Everything might just as well have come out of the factory yesterday.

"DT, theres more going on here than just some injuries healed. It looks like theres an old man that had been dead for an hour, heart stopped and body cold. Now hes alive, heart in perfect condition, alzheimer's gone. Doctors havn't a clue what did it."

"It'll be one hell of a mess once the media get wind of that", muses the Checkerboard agent. "You know all those discussions about the Avatar's supposed immortality - and it's never actually been proven hes come back from the dead? Once the world finds out there's something that can actually bring people back to life..."
"Hey guys!" It's Bravado, accompanying Nightbane. With them is a middle-aged man with a thick mustache.
"The Zenith Watch, I believe" says the mustachioed man. "And you would be..."
"Agent White, FBI" says the agent, showing his badge (indistinguishable from a real one, as far as DT can tell. Jane has even found an entry for this guy on the FBI's roster - either he's actually an FBI agent, or these people can hack into FBI mainframes as easily as most people can edit Wikipedia). "And you would be?"
"Tony Gerden. Megalopolis Monitor." ((again, Jane finds his file on their staff.))
"You're a journalist?"
"That too, but, I was actually here as a patient."
"Oh. Healed, I hope?"
"The doctors say they might need more testing, but...I definitely wasn't this healthy a few hours ago" says Tony. "It was pretty ugly. AIDS. Me an' my wife both."
"Oh. I do hope she's recovered as well?"
Tony gives a sad smile. "Ain't life ironic? Her condition wasn't as bad as mine. She was home. Didn't get to jump on the miracle wagon. So let's just say...If you have any lead about this miracle crap, I want to hear it. Hell, I'll help you find out more any way I can."

About then, DT, you receive a file from Checkmate. Right before you open it, Jane informs you of something: Apparently, a Megalopolis doctor from a part of the city not too far from the hospital has recorded three days ago the unexplained recovery of one his patients - an eight-year-old boy named Tommy Ribnut whose asthma seemed to have disappeared completely.
Ironically enough, the file from Checkerboard refers to the exact same lead. ((Which only goes to show that both Checkerboard and Jane are pretty good at finding online data.))

((And, yeah, we can assume you guys have in-ear communicators. It would make no sense for DT not to have obtained them by this point.))

[mutecebu]

Thanks. Keep up the good work, if there's more than one instance, there'll probably be more than two.

"I've got another lead. There's been another incident similar to this, though on a smaller scale. I think we should check it out, right after we wrap up here."

DT leaves and thanks the administration for their help. He informs Eagle over the communicators of their intention to move again, and they're be ready to go as soon as he is.

(to whoever's near:)
"Oh, by the way, how do the communicators feel? Comfortable enough?" ((Were this a comic book, DT would add "I don't need one, as I get everything streamed through my Datalink," despite the fact that it is obvious to everyone else.))

((Does DT have access to what everyone can hear 24-7, or do they not transmit constantly?))

[sun_tzu]

"I've got another lead. There's been another incident similar to this, though on a smaller scale. I think we should check it out, right after we wrap up here."

((So where are you going? To the doctor who reported the recovery? To the family of the boy who recovered?))

((Does DT have access to what everyone can hear 24-7, or do they not transmit constantly?))

((Up to you to decide.))

"I've got another lead. There's been another incident similar to this, though on a smaller scale. I think we should check it out, right after we wrap up here."

"Hope you don't mind if I join?" asks Tony. "I...really need to get to the bottom of this."

[mutecebu]

"Hope you don't mind if I join?" asks Tony. "I...really need to get to the bottom of this."

"I don't see why not. Any objections?"

DT transmits to Eagle Owl,
We've meta journalist that was healed in the fiasco, he's asked to join us in this investigation. What's your take on it?

Whether there are objections or not, on the Chopper, DT explains his lead to everyone, and asks whether they should hit the family or doctor first, or split up and question both of them. DT votes they split up.

[sun_tzu]

"I don't see why not. Any objections?"

"Fine with me." says Bravado. If the agent has any objections, he isn't voicing them - his face remains unreadable.

We've met one of Big C's co-workers, who has requested to join us in this investigation. What's your take on it?

((Er, "Arthur White" is a Checkerboard agent. Tony's never claimed to be more than a reporter with a very, very personal stake in the matter.))

[mutecebu]

((Oops, edited.

Hmm... I wouldn't immediately let a random journalist join us, but I'm not one to hamper GM storytelling.))

[sun_tzu]

((Oops, edited.

Hmm... I wouldn't immediately let a random journalist join us, but I'm not one to hamper GM storytelling.))

((Hey, totally up to you guys. But I know that in your position, I'd hesitate. I mean, imagine if you were in Tony's position (especially when you consider that, well, if that couple had AIDS, it's likely one infected the other, and, well...). Any wonder he's eager to discover the source of the thermodynamic miracle?))

[HellFencer]

Nightbane

Nearly eight feet of ebony skinned, white haired, and burning eyes walks up quickly to the group assembling around DoubleThink. It is quite obviously Nightbane, as he has an armload of vending machine snacks. "Man... that took forever... But hey, at least these munchies are all fresh, right?"

With a grin, he looks to Gerit and offers some of his "winnings." "DT, what's the plan from here? We've got a ton of cures and barely any answers. Its time to do what we do best."

Spoiler

Show

Hey all! Yes, I'm back, and ready to kick some butt!

[fireinthedust]

EA, reforming from the vents with the group, stares open-mouthed at Nightbane.

Wait... we've been investigating this whole time and you were getting snacks?!

He looks side to side before peeking at Hellfencer's armload, smacking his lips.

Wait, are those toasty-foo's? He wastes no time stuffing his face. Mtho var I'm wiking fhat fe to befft!

[Dorni]

Gerit

"But Nightbane," Gerit replies, serious tone perfectly counterpoint to the grin on his face. "Getting snacks while we handle the work is what you're best at."

The weretiger waves a hand to decline Nightbane's offer, but halfway though changes his mind and picks an energy bar out of the mess. Casually tearing it open, Gerit mulls over what little information they had. "Hmm... so we have a hospital full of healed patients, but also the machinery and everything has been fully restored. We also have a simmilar phenomenon on a smaller scale several days before. Based on the locations, I think we can rule out this being a random event. That leaves us with a person responsible. The obvious connection is that the incident three days ago was a test or a first time. Today's event was a display... If I had to guess, whomever did this didn't intend to fix the ducts and computers as well. It may be that our culprit doesn't have full control over his powers. The odds are good that he may have stuck around to see the effects of what he did. The media have been all over here, but our culprit hasn't proclaimed himself. I'd say he doesn't want attention openly. If he is here, its incognito.

Still... This new lead is worth checking out. I think we should divide the team. Make a show of leaving in the Zenicopter. Checking this new lead could help us uncover something, and a showy exit could relax our culprit if he is still hanging around. Only two of my faces are famous, so I can stay behind and keep tabs on things here. Even if our culprit has left, the doctors here might come up with something."

Spoiler

Show

Welcome back!

[HellFencer]

Nightbane

"Furrball, you never let me down; Let's get right to business." The behemoth finishes his sentence with a row of six tiny donuts going in his mouth.

[fireinthedust]

That's right! Okay, DT and Jane, have you looked at hospital video surveillance? have either the doctor or the boy been in the area or the hospital at all? And did the cameras pick up any scenes of power-use on the grounds? Unless the boy was at the hospital, I think we should visit the doctor. More likely he's been here, rather than the boy. Also, my guess is his scientific opinion can give us a dispassionate view... or else DT and Jane can verify whether he's lying to us by googling his answers, or TigerClaw can smell the lies eking out of him. Either way, Doctors have lollipops, and Nightbane deserves one for the munchies. Eh, big guy?

[sun_tzu]

((The hospital's security cameras don't cover the entire building, just the entrance. Neither the doctor nor the kid were seen there at any time in the last few weeks.))

[fireinthedust]

That's okay. I vote we head to the doctor.

[HellFencer]

Nightbane

"Alright guys, just standing around here isn't getting us anywhere. Maybe we should split up to check out more at the same time?" Zach shrugs and pauses a moment to down a bag of barbecue chips. "My vote is to check in on that doc and the kid. Thoughts? Concerns? Snacks?"

[mutecebu]

((My vote's still to split up, and take the guy along. There's no real reason not to, if he's a threat (unlikely) it'll be easier to keep him close to us. Have the zenicopter drop off half the team and take the chopper to the destination that would be easiest to park a helicopter at. DT will get off at whatever that second destination is. I'll post eventually, but for now don't wait for me, my vote is in.)

[fireinthedust]

((I vote we do what mutecebu just suggested. Not because I fully understand what he's talking about, but rather I'm too fatigued to think up my own suggestion and follow through with it! ))


EA nods. Okay, I'm with Nightbane and Doublethink! We'll go meet up with that doctor. Tigerclaw, Eagleowl, Bravado, you three go after that little kid. We'll meet back at the tower when we're done, or use communicators to change our plans. Zenith Watch Go!

[sun_tzu]

((All right, let's move this along. The agent and the journalist are with the group that went to the doctor's.))

After some travel arrangements (what with there being only one zenicopter), the two groups reach their queries.

At the doctor's:
Dr Parker - that's his name - doesn't try to hide his surprise at the recent developments.
"I'll admit, I wasn't exactly expecting to have a sit-down with superheroes today. But I'd like to venture a guess as to why you're here. When I heard on the news about the massive spontaneous recoveries at the hospital, I was immediately reminded of a certain patient of mine. I assume that's why you're here?"


At the kid's:
Little Tommy Ribnut is playing with toy cars in his house's backyard when you arrive. A woman you assume to be his mother is reading a newspaper right next to him, but puts it down when she sees you arrive. She seems surprised, understandably.

[HellFencer]

Nightbane

Trying not to seen hulking, massive, and in the way, Zach attempts to stand to a side. When the doctor mentions the patient, his giant index finger waggles between EA and DT as he says, "Ya got that right, chief. What can you tell us about him, or anything else that's going on?"

[fireinthedust]

ooc: assuming the doctor is a good host here.

EA nods at Nightbane's question, and sips the tea offered him by the good doctor. His cup clinks against the expensive china as he puts it back on its saucer. Chinese green leaves in authentic American procelain; how delightfully absurd.
Indeed, anything you can offer up would really help us out. Unexplained scientific phenomena tend to attract the wrong sort these days. Whether the development is actually dangerous, or simply something dangerous people would mistakenly hurt others to get to, it's important that we figure out what's going on as quickly as possible. Please, tell us what you think is going on.

lifting his pinky once more, EA takes another sip.

[sun_tzu]

Dr Parker nods. "At the risk of disappointing you all, I don't really know much. The patient in question was a little boy I diagnosed with asthma over a year ago. Nothing too serious, but inconvenient. Days ago, his parents brought him here because they claimed his asthma had completely disappeared. I checked him, and, well, complete recovery. I asked him if he'd been around anything unusual. He said no...But I got the feeling he was hiding something. I couldn't press the issue too far, but I did explain the situation to the parents..."