The New Vanguard! FROSTBITE ISSUE #10 "Fallen"

The police lights bounced off the stones.

A light rain had started to fall but Frostbite wasn't in the mood for changing it to bright sunny weather. The night was ablaze with lights from army helicopters and scientists poring over the ancient site.

"Tea old lad."

Frostbite looked up from where his head was in his hands.

Dawson offered a mug of tea, holding his own in the off hand. "I've warned everyone to stay back. You need some space."

He sighed and sagged onto the fallen stone block next to Frostbite. "I remember the time I had to make the call to send the troops in, knowing some would be casualties. It burned me up inside, I wanted to call it off, but more would have died. I knew everyone in the team. I'd prepped, planned, double checked everything... but no plan survives for long after contact with the enemy. We won, saved the hostages and only one casualty of our own."

He took a sip of tea, looking out into the darkness as police moved about gathering evidence along with government white hazmat suits picking up anything they can find.

"One casualty. My brother Owen (OOC edited to make it easier to spot in 2023!) . He was wounded and hung back to hold the bad guys off so the hostages could escape. He paid the price for heroism, the ultimate price. Not a day goes by when I don't think back to that day. Wished I'd said, done something else. Pulled them out. At the end of the day I have to live with it and dust myself off, carry on. Be professional. Be the cool, calm, Commander Dawson of SMITE. Make the decisions that may cost people their lives. No retreat, no surrender, no giving up. If you honour your young friends' memory, you'll have to do the same. He would want it. The boy idolised you by all accounts. You were his hero."

He stood. "Keep being his hero. Sometimes it's all we have left." he added, voice breaking and striding off.

Catherine flashed her ID to get through the cordon and came over to Frostbite who stood to face her. With lip trembling, she leaned in to hug him, despite the cold of his superhuman body.

==========



"Turn it off." muttered Catherine as she wandered into the kitchen.

Wandafar sighed and spun on the chair.

"How is he?" he asked, though he knew the answer.

"How do you think? He blames himself." the pilot replied. It was very early morning, about 0500 (OOC ignore the time on the caption above, that was when I made the image). "He insisted on helping with the hunting down and clean up of the remaining imps. Some had formed into those 'Etrigans' I think Thoth called them. With the UKChampions FINALLY turning up in force they were made short work of but some of the UKC took a pounding and will be out of actions for weeks. Can you believe they wanted to ... imprison... arrest... whatever the boy?  Apparently Justin is attending an emergency meeting of COBRA and SMITE. Heck, every acronym out there is on it, wanting to know what a Class 5 superhuman was doing running around unchecked. We may have to deal with some fallout on this." said Catherine.

Wandafar sighed. "Vat does it metter? He's gone. I've lost friends before. Ben Nevis..." said the genius, stirring his coffee endlessly. "It never gets any better. Ve do vot ve do to save lives. You lost your powers, I found myself losing heart efter ze Executive voz disbanded. Bulldog vent crazy, more or less. When heroes fall, the vorld shakes, und sometimes ve don't get back up again."

"How are the others?" Catherine asked. She'd showered and changed into a tracksuit, hair in a towel and slumped onto a stool, chin on hands.

"Je'Nadenn pushed herself too hard, too long away from the water, but she vud not leave ze bettle. Reflex voz way, way, out of her depth. If not for... ze boy I vud be heving vords viz Joesph but I vud be kidding myself. He is as experienced a leader and a hero as I ever met, and I hef met zem all." said Wandafar.

"The flier?"

"Trashed. You did a proper number on zet. I can pinch some of ze seats out of it. Maybe."

"Now hold on a minute, that wasn't me! We were under... oh forget it."

An alarm chimed and a screen popped into life. "Huh. Long night for Justin, probably got his butt chewed off. Would have thought he would have gone to his home." said Catherine as she sees the top of the range Bentley Turbo waft down the long driveway to the great house that Justin had made the home of the Vanguard.

Another alarm chimed. The screen popped up. "Incoming. Friend or Foe signature registers Frostbite, Vanguard leader clearance level 1. Automated defences standing down." said a robotic voice.

Catherine looked at Wandafar who looked back and sighed.

=========

The drawing room was a large round room with books lining the walls, a great desk and several sofas for the team to lounge in with a vast curving window overlooking the beautiful sculpted estates and sumptuous views.

Justin St John looked out of the window thinking back to old times. His own as a hero in the Lore Knights, his ancestral seat of Caer Alwyn, friends lost or departed.  A cold anger burned in him, but not at Frostbite or the team. No, he remembered his old team mate, Wraith... James Caldwell. Of course after his fall from grace and loss of powers that seemed to signify the start of the end for the Lore Knights, he'd gone and gotten himself mixed up in all sorts of dimension hopping madness. Now he went by the name Nowhere Man, carefully walking the line and occasionally stepping over it in the name of justice, the law be damned.

The door opened and a filthy, exhausted, soot blackened shattered hero walked in. Frostbite looked bone tired. Justin sighed and reached for the whisky, pouring two.

"Talk to me." he said.

Admin wrote:The door opened and a filthy, exhausted, soot blackened shattered hero walked in. Frostbite looked bone tired. Justin sighed and reached for the whisky, pouring two.

"Talk to me." he said.

Frostbite warmed up his body, and his ice turned to so much vapour. His body, looked no worse than normal, his power of regeneration having taken care of the physical side of his pains, bruises or cuts. But still, he moved like a man who'd been beaten.

Taking the Whisky, he took a swing, pulling his face in a grimace as the fiery afterburn smoothed away the smell of sulphur that seemed to cling to the inside of his throat. He tried to find his voice, but he wasn't ready to talk. He'd seen death many times. One doesn't face war and not witness friends getting cut away as if by some invisible scythe through fields of mown wheat.

This was different, in one sense Battle Bug a boy with almost unlimited potential, one whom having lost those close to him, Frostbite reluctantly took to as some kind of father. The audacity even presumption of it all stuck in this throat now. What did he know about being a Father? Now it seemed after one team he led had got shrunk and snatched into the micro verse his new team had already also suffered a devastating setback.

"Do you know, I'm not even sure what he was studying...we go snatch this kid from a life which he was somehow bubbling along in just fine and we expose him to a world of monsters before he's even had a chance to train him properly. Justin, what are we playing at here? I feel like the world needs world-class surgeons to heal the wounds its got, and I get students who are just able to tie their shoes and we take them out expecting them to...to..."

Frostbite, Joe, stopped. The words just wouldn't come. His eyes blurred...the sting of emotion was hot but years of being a professional, a soldier did not simply melt away like the iced cold sheath of his skin in one moment of shock and grief. So he was stuck, unable to go on, unsure of what to say and feeling so desperately guilty for the permission he'd given for a boy to play a part as a man among titans.

At that point, he looked up into the distance and remembered his Dad. He missed his down to earth simple but deeply wise words. His firm counsel, his dignified way of dealing with things that as a boy just seemed too hard or too big to fully comprehend. "Break it down, son. Your problem is not one problem but several. That's why you're struggling" He'd say, "You want to fix a piston, but you've got an engine sitting around it. Your problem is hard because you've not seen what else is there in the way."

Turning to Justin, Joe said, "You know anything about engines Justin?" Joe knew, that Justin knew all about "engines" but did he understand that tonight one piston wouldn't be firing and that engine would take an overhaul before it was just right again.

Frostbite came back into the room, took a swig of his whisky and let the taste sit on his tongue as the smooth action warmed its way downward. It would be sometime before it reached his heart.

Sj

OOC Fine post.

Justin raised an eyebrow and sighed. "When I did what you did, we thought it was all a great jape, a gallant game. Someone in a weird costume would rob a bank and we'd rock up and leave them needing a Dentist and a Lawyer, clap each other on the back and ride off into the sunset. Things seemed simpler, the stakes less dire. Oh sure, people were imperilled, the press were up in arms and so on but the stakes never quite felt... life and death. We'd all get back home, battered and worse for wear, shrug it off and get on with things till the land gave us the 'Boom Boom' in our heads again."

He sipped his whisky and settled back on the corner of the desk. "Being a hero is as much as dealing with the defeats, the bad days, as it is with grinning for the cameras and waving for the crowd. A hero who gets his head kicked in and figures out how to beat the bad guy can feel... proud of what they've done. What your problem is... well, you won. And you lost someone along the way, so your victory tastes like ash in your mouth. It will for a while. You have a list of metahumans to go off. Take a few days, let the country and those idiots in the UKChampions sort it out. I've just had the Prime Minister chew my ass off for 'letting' an unregistered Class 5 bound about. Thing is, the boy had huge potential, but he wasn't a five. Most of the time Wandafar said he scraped three. Nobody knew what he could do until he met someone who encouraged him, helped him, lead him... became a symbol and a hero and a mentor and more besides... and forced him to look inside himself and see he could be much, much more."

"That boy shone brighter than the sun for a brief moment in time, and you should be proud that he did that because of you, no one else. Everyone else was ridiculing him, putting him down. You didn't do that. You showed him how to be a better hero and for the briefest time he was better. Oh I'm still going to catch crap for letting - and I quote - a '1000 megaton nuclear missile' bound about in overalls. Seriously, the Yanks and the Russians have been on the phone. Battlebug is gone. He was a warrior and a hero and we mourn him, never to be forgotten. You owe it to him and to me and the people of the country and more than any of those, you owe it to yourself to carry on. Be the hero the boy wanted himself to be, modelled after your example. Find another Class 5 out there. The Vanguard have always been the underdog, the ones who get the job done without the limelight. People know about you now, more than ever. They look to you for inspiration and leadership."

He finished his drink and stood. "You know the UKChampions took a vote two days ago? They wanted the boy on a probation and voted not just to induct you but to put you on their council of leaders, bypassing people like Majestic and Battalion and those others who have been around for ages. That stuck up so and so Atomica was apparently the noisiest voice calling for your inclusion and she's known for hating everyone."

"Stuff them. You have your team. I've sorted with Wandafar what you need. You'll use a tricked up helicopter in the meantime. Take a few days, check out the other kids. Contact them. train the ones you have."

"You had a bad day and lost a team mate. You had a great day and saved the United Kingdom from being overrun by demons. That asshole Nowhere Man has something to answer for and I will have an answer." he hissed, crunching the whisky glass in his hand to powdered glass!

"Huh." he said, dusting his hands off into the bin. There was no blood.

"Right, anything else you need from me? You'll always have my support and loyalty." said the older man.

Admin wrote:OOC Fine post.

"Right, anything else you need from me? You'll always have my support and loyalty." said the older man.

OOC: Likewise

Frostbite straightened up as Justin got ready to go. He looked as if he'd say some more but instead wordlessly put an arm on his shoulder and nodded a silent thanks. Then added for good measure, "I owe a pretty lady a well overdue coffee...or Late thingy they call them now. I'd best get changed."

As Justin took hold of the door Joe said to him, "Do we have any mystical contacts, we can reach out to and see if there is any possibility that...I mean the kid was tough, tougher than us all. What if he...you know...survived. He could really take some licks." Joe realised it sounded as if he was being desperate but he added, "I...we don't have a body, nothing to bury, I want to be sure...no stone unturned. You ran around with some pretty nutty magical types, can you reach out to them and you know..." he added waggling his fingers for good measure.

OOC: Frostbite wouldn't be happy until he knew in some way BB was at peace, short of a body he is looking to close the door - I mean with supers anything is possible, right. So this is his way of closing that door so he can move on. Assuming JSJ says his piece I'll go pick up Catherine for a early morning breakfast and coffee, after a shower and clean up etc.

Sj

Justin pondered. "Well, Thoth is pretty much the authority on things magical but there is also the White Warlock. Not seen him for a while and he's a bit... vague... I can put feelers out though."

He sighed. "Anything is possible. From what Wandafar told me the boy is unmeasured. We didn't really know his limits until the scientists got their knickers in a twist with his seismic level punches. He's a long way away from where I was as a super, but to be honest so are you. We're moving into a new era of supers and I know the government has already made movers to reclassify superhumans because class 1 - 5 is too narrow. That stuff matters because people are running around who could quite easily level a city. Scary stuff. I'll get right on it. Hopefully the Warlock can suggest something. Hell, I'll ask Thoth too."

He clapped Frostbite on the shoulder. "I'll make the call. We have nothing to lose, right? In the meantime I'll have to placate the government. They are still up in arms and flapping about that a possible invasion was averted."

He nodded and took his leave.

=========

The shower felt good and he could have stood under it forever.

Now he sat in a cafe with Catherine looking out of the window. breakfast had been part eaten, mostly pushed around and he stared out the window at the rain spattering against the window.

"Any thoughts on where we go from here?" asked Catherine, sat opposite. "We have the list. Melody has been in touch. She's going to relocate now that she's sorted things out with her job. Wandafar is working on suits for each of you. Including you. Your vulnerability to flame could be addressed. Je'Nadenn the same, Battlebug could be protected from radi... oh."

She looked down at her tea and out the window. "Sorry."

Frostbite was barely paying attention. The rain kept coming down. The world kept turning. Life would go on.

=========

"Stand still." said Wandafar. "blummin figitting." muttered Wandafar as he took readings of Frostbite from all angles with a scanner in the lab. It was a day later and the time had seemed to drag.

"Here's ze thing." said Wandafar. "You are vulnerable to fire. I can make a suit zet is fireproof to a degree but it needs to take ze knocks too so zet could be tricky."

"Pay attention! Stand up straight demmit!" said the diminutive genius. He sighed and slumped back in his chair. "I feel his loss too. I took ze micky out of him but ze boy hed his heart in ze right place und his potential was..." he waved a hand and sighed. "Zer is alvays a risk ven you leave this place zet you vill never return. We tend to sink of ourselves as immortals, gods who shake mountains und save ze day. So very rare it is zet one of us never comes home zet we feel it very deeply."

He sighs. "I liked the boy very much. He had ze potential to be a very great hero indeed, modelling himself as he did on your example. Life must go on though. Somewhere another is vaiting to take his place und I know you vill not hef long before you are called on again."

Jeeves appeared in the lab, immaculate as usual. "Your pardon sirs, but there is a call for you. From the UKChampions." Frostbite 'iced up' in costume so to speak.

The pair moved into the next room and nodded to Jeeves who glanced at a large flat screen on the wall which flicked into life. An image appeared of a superhero Frostbite recognised as the current (voted) leader of the UKChampions. Bombardier. He was a masked man, no nonsense and supposedly a disciplinarian.

"First off my commiserations. I've lost people and it never gets any easier, but it comes with the job. Next, where do you get the idea it was good to leave someone that powerful gallivanting about unchecked? From what I gather he could have given Adjutant a run for his money, and that Lionheart chap, wherever he is." he said, sounding quite angry.

"The UKChampions would have measured his abilities, trained him, possibly given him the skills he needed to avoid being killed. Such a waste. However..." he sighed and shook his head, softening slightly "I don't blame you in the slightest. Once again Frostbite you have proven yourself a capable leader and I am offering you a place in the UKChampions as a region leader on the council of UKC. It's unheard of to induct someone straight into that role and I was opposed but can appreciate the opinions of those who backed the move, including Atomica who is notoriously strict about this sort of thing. In short you are an excellent servant of justice and we would consider it our honour to induct you. There are details to work out of course but the offer is there."

He paused as if to let Frostbite speak then added "Something else. An apology. We were too late in responding to help save the boy. Your actions saved the country from an invasion it was ill equipped to repel. You have my, and a grateful nation's thanks."

Jeeves looked up. "Sir. Another call. From Lord St John."

Frostbite made his apology and the screen flicked to an image of Justin in his office. "Frostbite." he said, slightly excited edge to his voice. "The boy."

"He's alive."

OOC Any thoughts on what you might want to improve, or are you hanging onto the points for now?

Admin wrote:

Jeeves looked up. "Sir. Another call. From Lord St John."

Frostbite made his apology and the screen flicked to an image of Justin in his office. "Frostbite." he said, slightly excited edge to his voice. "The boy."

"He's alive."

OOC Any thoughts on what you might want to improve, or are you hanging onto the points for now?

OOC: WOW, ok I will cut and paste what I wrote at the end of issue 9

OK, I've been thinking about this and I think you are right, taking the energy blast up is going to be a must. With what I've got left I am wondering what would work best to spend it on, without depleting the bank so so I've got no emergency to spend if need be. I would like to be in the situation where I dipped into HP as a last resort, and that the powers I had felt sufficient for the task at hand without having to keep back a ton of HP that made it pointless having higher stats, to begin with. How much would it take to raise martial arts, if at present I'm largely a one-trick pony with energy blast being my main attack, I'd like something more to be able to go toe 2 toe if need be. But I'd appreciate you're take, on this to Paul. I'm not so interested in min-maxing but filling out flavourful without being a complete douch when it comes to combat.

And by the way, loving the writing, I really want to go back and write in the whole section, in fact, I might just do that...

Admin wrote:Now he sat in a cafe with Catherine looking out of the window. breakfast had been part eaten, mostly pushed around and he stared out the window at the rain spattering against the window.

"Battlebug could be protected from radi... oh."

She looked down at her tea and out the window. "Sorry."

Frostbite was barely paying attention. The rain kept coming down. The world kept turning. Life would go on.

He turned to her and waved away the embarrassment, he realised that this was going to be painful for them all and that he had to take the lead here or they'd all be afraid to say or do anything for feeling too fragile.  "It's ok we can use his name, we aren't going to pretend.  If we're going to get through this we'll do it as we always mean to as a team, like family.  After all, what tests a team or a family isn't the things that we succeed at but the things that we fail at what really makes us feel weak.  "

Admin wrote:"...I am offering you a place in the UKChampions as a region leader on the council of UKC. It's unheard of to induct someone straight into that role and I was opposed but can appreciate the opinions of those who backed the move, including Atomica who is notoriously strict about this sort of thing. In short you are an excellent servant of justice and we would consider it our honour to induct you. There are details to work out of course but the offer is there."

Jeeves looked up. "Sir. Another call. From Lord St John."

Frostbite made his apology and the screen flicked to an image of Justin in his office. "Frostbite." he said, slightly excited edge to his voice. "The boy."

"He's alive."

Frostbite took a moment to take it in, "Wh...what...how...never mind the how where is he, is he alright?"

Frostbite took a moment to calm himself Justin was excited enough for both of them and he was aware that he had the leader of the UKC on hold, probably listening to some sort of music Wandafar had installed that he thought soothing - so opera or 80's pop tunes then!  

OOC: OK so will have to ask a few details from UKC if I said yes what would that mean for the Vanguard, could and should I split my time - I know Cap or Spidey seemed to effortlessly be in multiple books at once, but in reality is one team more than enough.  I can see the advantages of being part of the UKC, one being if BB is alive and comes back to our plane of existence they would want to induct and train him, which would afford me to be to be there as part of that.  But in reality, the Vanguard has needed all my attention with the missions we've undertaken.  In-game terms, I know that it would be fine for me to flip between the two, but in the game would it?  

Sj

OOC Joining the UKC would mean the end of the Vanguard! They'd demand he spent his time and and resources as part of a larger organisation and his voice would be one of dozens, albeit at a higher rank than most and on the council that makes group decisions.

Updated Frostbite in the character datafiles section.

Justin took a deep breath then spoke.

"I contacted the White Warlock, who is mostly retired but owed me favours. He.. scryed... for Battlebug and found him, in the place those demons came from. Another dimension. One of black ash, volcanic fury and death. They long to break through to this realm and almost did it until you stopped them the other night. The boy is powerless there. That place emits a radiation that numbs his abilities. He will not survive long. Worse than that... he has been captured." he sighed.

"The Warlock no longer wields the power he once did. However there are two UKChampions - Dr Mystical and the Sorceress. Together their combined power might be able to open a portal to attempt a rescue. The Warlock warned of dangers, of being trapped there. The risks are ... too great. I had to tell you though, for the choice is yours."

The other line buzzed and Bombardier filled the screen. "I'll need an answer." he said, impatiently. "I have things to sort out."

Frostbites' mind reeled. The boy... alive and entrapped in another dimension...

Admin wrote:The other line buzzed and Bombardier filled the screen. "I'll need an answer." he said, impatiently. "I have things to sort out."

Frostbites' mind reeled. The boy... alive and entrapped in another dimension...

Frostbite straightened up, this wasn't going to be easy. "Bombadier, thanks for waiting but you're going to want to hear this, its far too important to worry about the team rosta till after.

Battle Bug, is alive...but he needs rescuing as he is on the other side of where that invasion came in. I'm given to understand from the White Warlock the boy is alive but captive on account of the natural radiation there that will sap his strength and powers. However, if with the aid of Dr Mystical and the Sorceress, a portal can be opened, we could rescue the boy. Potentially stopping another threat, for if the creatures in that portal divine more of how he got his powers and or used him to make a way back - we might well have more trouble that we can shake a stick at. So what do you say to a team up, to aid us and him, a preemitive strike to get the drop on them, before as we've seen, they get it on us?"

Frostbite let the offer hang in the air he hoped it made sense to Bombadier, putting aside the offer wasn't easy and he felt they ought to do it face to face, like men not over a screen like disembodied images. He knew his commiment to the UKChampions would be total and therefore there'd be no future for the Vanguard. And he'd given too much, lost too many already, to see that crumble just when things could be turned around. Besides he held a special place for the team here, they'd become the only family he now had, and owed Justin big time for finding Battle Bug through his contacts.

OOC: Thanks for the character sheet write up got that now as well.

Sj

Bombardier rubbed his chin in his hand. "You're a good guy Frostbite, which is why we want you. We happily help out those we consider our friends and I would normally agree straight away with your request but..."

He sighed then added "Sorceress and Dr Mystical were married until recently and went through a very messy break up. They aren't only not speaking to each other but have come to ... mystical... blows on more than one occasion. We've had to split them up, separate them into different missions and teams and the temperature drops 20 degrees when they pass each other in corridors. The magic they throw around is potent and not everyone is so resistant to it. We've tried counselling, group therapy, discipline procedures... and both threatened to quit on the spot... and being nice to them. They hate each other."

Bombardier shrugged. "There may be others. We can look in our database but most range from parlour tricks to being so mysterious they'd vanish up their own rear end if they stop moving."

"There is... another option."

Frostbite raised an eyebrow.

"One of the pair might - and I say might - be able to get you there on a one way trip. There's a guy we've been after for quite a while. He's been a good guy and not so good, and he's wanted by the authorities and by the UKChampions. You use him to get you back from this place... then hand him over to us. He is NOWHERE MAN and the guy is a colossal pain in the ass!" said Bombardier, thumping the table with feeling. "I owe that punk a smacking around for what he's done to us over the years."

Frsotbite felt a headache coming on.

Admin wrote:Bombardier rubbed his chin in his hand. "You're a good guy Frostbite, which is why we want you. We happily help out those we consider our friends and I would normally agree straight away with your request but..."

He sighed then added "Sorceress and Dr Mystical were married until recently and went through a very messy break up. They aren't only not speaking to each other but have come to ... mystical... blows on more than one occasion. We've had to split them up, separate them into different missions and teams and the temperature drops 20 degrees when they pass each other in corridors. The magic they throw around is potent and not everyone is so resistant to it. We've tried counselling, group therapy, discipline procedures... and both threatened to quit on the spot... and being nice to them. They hate each other."

Bombardier shrugged. "There may be others. We can look in our database but most range from parlour tricks to being so mysterious they'd vanish up their own rear end if they stop moving."

"There is... another option."

Frostbite raised an eyebrow.

"One of the pair might - and I say might - be able to get you there on a one way trip. There's a guy we've been after for quite a while. He's been a good guy and not so good, and he's wanted by the authorities and by the UKChampions. You use him to get you back from this place... then hand him over to us. He is NOWHERE MAN and the guy is a colossal pain in the ass!" said Bombardier, thumping the table with feeling. "I owe that punk a smacking around for what he's done to us over the years."

Frsotbite felt a headache coming on.

Frostbite never really felt the need to sit down, but for once he sat down. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but super-powered people weren't super-powered in every way, or else there wouldn't be villains. Everyone is fighting their own battles, even heroes need saving. Which brought him back to Battle Bug. It seemed like there was good news, he was alive. Better news, he could be rescued, but then this...

"How can you contain Nowhere Man? I've dealt with him...to be honest the man has been so ubiquitous one wonders if there hasn't been anyone who hasn't come across him. He's like the Coka Cola of Heroes, even if you've never met him, you'd know him when you saw him. But look, I know he has his own agenda, but what you're talking about sounds a lot like revenge or at least a good whooping out behind the wood shack! If we brought him in - we must still observe, due process - right? And that is a big if...he's a tricky customer, as it sounds like you well know, how can we even get in touch with him? He comes and goes as he wills."

Frostbite rubbed the temple of his forehead, not only was he seriously contemplating getting into another dimension, to rescue his young friend and then what... Once again this was going to be a tough sell, for all involved. But he owed it to Battle Bug, knowing he was alive, and in some sense safe, he had to do something. It then occurred to him, that the beings on the other side, might well have captured him to lure them in. Hoping a gate would be opened. Suddenly what seemed like a snatch and grab mission, with some complications had the irritating boldness to take a turn for the worse.

Frostbite wiped that thought aside, he'd need to consider it later, right now it was getting them across that bothered him more.

OOC: Sorry I forgot to ask in all that has been happening, what happened to Frostbot of the future?

Sj

OOC Glad you asked. For the last day or so he's been a statue in Wandafar's lab as Wandafar ran scans and tried to confirm his identity/scan to figure out what's going on with him. And failing.

"We have a file a mile long on Nowhere Man. He opposed superhuman registration and may have been - at one time - connected to a superhero group known as the LORE KNIGHTS. We also think he might be from another dimension. He mostly ignores due process, the law in general and good manners, coming and going as he pleases and leaving badly beaten villains in his wake. Because he doesn't bother with such trifling issues as evidence most of those he dumps on the cops doorstep go free, even though they are as guilty as sin." explained Bombardier.

"In short he's as big of a problem as the bad guys. That said... there are... a few in our organisation who think he does a good job. They are misguided but we've followed up on some of those he's given a thrashing to and they have no intentions of ever returning to crime. Dammit some of them are in mental institutions. Whoever he is, wherever he is from... he needs shutting down. Use him and drop him in our lap. We'll sort him out once and for all. Legally."

Bombardier seemed determined.

"If you want I can put you in touch with Sorcerer... or Dr Mystical. Just... not at the same time. Trust me, it gets messy. With magic flying round the place becomes a no go zone and we've considered everything, including ejecting them from the UKC. However we are not exactly flush with mystics and after some thought we try our best to keep them apart. Some thought one of them would turn up to Stonehenge to help so we held back on sending the other. Neither one turned up and of course, we know what happened."

With a sigh he waved his hands up, exasperated. "Give us Nowhere Man. Do that... and we'll send some heavy hitters with you. Can't say fairer than that."

"You can contact me on this channel. I have preparations to make." said Bombardier, signing off. Justin had gone from the other channel and Frostbite knew he should call his friend back.

The hero sagged back in the chair.

"Well? Are you going to give me to them?" rasped a voice from behind. Frostbite spun, and Nowhere Man was there, leaning against the wall ten feet away.



"

Admin wrote:The hero sagged back in the chair.

"Well? Are you going to give me to them?" rasped a voice from behind. Frostbite spun, and Nowhere Man was there, leaning against the wall ten feet away.

Frostbite defrosted and sunk his head into his hand. "He has a point you know...you've lost touch with your humanity, with due process, coming and going as you please..." Joe said, waving to the obvious fact that here he was inside their headquarters without so much as a by your leave.

"I rather suspect that the problem with you, is that just as you nom-de-plume says, if I could hand you over it would be at your convenience, not by anything I'd done to render you helpless enough to be handed over, right?"

OOC: Assuming a response in the affirmative here...

"So what are we going to do, Battley Bug is in that dimension, probably kept alive as bait to tempt us into a trap to get another bite at the tempting cherry that is this world. THE UKC have a way in, but its prickly and none to stable given the characters involved. And then there is you, who comes and goes as he pleases. What would you do in my place?"

Sj

The man looked at Frostbite, depowered and revealing who he really was. Then he glanced up at the cameras in the place. Frostbite saw lights wink off indicating they'd been deactivated.

Peeling back his hood Nowhere Man's hands paused at the mask then he sighed. Pulling that off he revealed a pale skinned man, scarred down one side of his face with cuts that had knitted badly and hair shaved close to the skull. He looked at the mask then tossed it on the kitchen table and asked "May I?" with regards the kettle, which seemed odd given he came and went as he pleased. He seemed to be a man in his early fifties though was still in terrific shape.

"Once upon a time, in a different place I was a man named James Caldwell. The land summoned me to be its servant, protecting it and battling the bad guys man was not meant to know about. That never happened in this world. James Caldwell is an IT technician, but his fiance Sarah still died at the hands of bad people. The land knew not to summon him by that time so your buddy Justin St Johns never had a team mate called Wraith. Sometimes it's easy to forget where the heck I am and where I've been. I go where I'm needed. It's a 'bigger picture' thing. Like that blasted Broom. I gave it to you because I found out it had been dumped in a museum in America, so I stole it then got it to someone I trusted. Technically from the Ultrahumans, so they are after me, but the Demons you fought have agents in this world and had found out what it was and where it was. The fools didn't know."

"I couldn't keep it. They were tracking it, then me. Ever sat alone in a damp leaking warehouse eating from a cold can of beans after teleporting constantly for days without sleep? Even now, they are still seeking me because they know I'm one step ahead of their plans. Thoth will know what to do with it hopefully." he passed a tea over to Frostbite then sat down with one himself. Too polite to say, Frostbite couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the unwashed smell Nowhere Man gave off.

"I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of running. Not just here, but in different times, different places. When the land stripped me of my powers I found a way to get new ones, but I had to make a pact with a dark power, one obsessed with justice at any cost. Soon I'll be caught, finally, and it will be over. I've stayed mostly a step ahead for years but now it's ... inches." he laughed without humour. "Hunted by the bad guys AND the good guys, I wonder why I bother, but I don't have a choice. Anyway. Take up the offer from the UKC and hand me over. The boy didn't deserve to get caught up in this and you'd won so I have a nasty feeling you'll soon get word somehow about performing a swap. The Broom - and a way to unlock the portal - for the boy."

He stood, walked to the mask and pulled it back on, the hood back over his head. Then he turned as the door opened and Catherine came in. "Joe I... what the hell?! That's Nowhere Man!" she called out and pulled a glock from her belt. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" she yelled, covering him with the gun.

Admin wrote:He stood, walked to the mask and pulled it back on, the hood back over his head. Then he turned as the door opened and Catherine came in. "Joe I... what the hell?! That's Nowhere Man!" she called out and pulled a glock from her belt. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" she yelled, covering him with the gun.

"Cat, ease off, stand down. We're talking like civilised people and trying to work out how to get Battle Bug back...." Noting her face, he nodded to confirm, "Justin had a contact, found him alive in their dimension or space...anyway UKC want our friend here, and will help us in return for him."

Turning to James, he said, "Once you made a pact to get these powers, I can't help but feel this is a murky business with which none of us will come out untarnished. But I owe BB my life, and a debt to get him back if I can. So I agree. Now, what do we do?"

OOC: Ok I am going to assume I make calls to Justin to let him on this - I'll hold back on Dawson for now. Plausible deniability and all that. And then get back to Bombardier to say we've somehow got a deal on the table to consider. And we'd best inform Thoth for good measure, he'd hate to find out without being told by us, seems rude not to as well.

Sj

Calling Justin up his friend and benefactor holds up a hand to give Frostbite pause then finishes his conversation. "Sorry about that J.. Frostbite." he said, noting Nowhere Man's presence. "Prime Minister. Some calls you have to take. What's the criminal doing there?"

"Huh. In another place, in another time we were friends Justin. Morningstar." rasped Nowhere Man.

"Not this time. There are dozens of arrests warrants out on you. However, given that your particular abilities might help rescue one of Frostbites' team, I'm willing to overlook the fact that you dumping the broom on Frostbite led to this mess."

"If I'd have kept it I'd have been caught and the broom would now be in Demonic hands, and you would have a far bigger problem than you have." replied the Vigilante, arms crossed.

"And if you'd have kept it where it was in the Ultrahumans' museum..." started Justin.

"It would still be in Demonic hands. I have my sources and they send me to where I am needed. I then have to make a judgement call. Go it alone in some macho crazy power trip or do the right thing. Give it to a man we both know was a better hero than either of us will ever be." said Nowhere Man. "We can go round in circles all day if you like St John, about the Broom and the rights and wrongs of it, but the fact of the matter is we need to move on and you need to get that broomstick out of your ass if we are to rescue the boy."

Justin looked incensed and reddened.

Catherine covered a laugh up and turned away.

"Thoth. How do we find him? He needs to hand the broom back to us and one of the UKChampions can get us to the place where the youngster is. However which way you want to look at it, we are on the same side. My methods may be..."

"Immoral, illegal, unjust and extreme?" added Justin.

There was a pause then "Unjust? Never. The people I punish deserve it."

"Cops? DICE Agents? SMITE operatives?"

"Got in my way and were able to return to duty. Eventually." hissed the Vigilante.

Justin sucked in a breath. "I need to talk to Frostbite. Give us the room please."

Nowhere Man shrugged. "I'll be back in an hour." he said to Frostbite. "Time to freshen up and grab some ... equipment." He turned to Catherine. "Ms Stowe..." then vanished.

"How the heck does he know who I am?" spluttered Catherine.

"Catherine..." said Justin. She got the idea and left.

With a sigh Justin spoke up "He's a necessary evil but make no mistake, he causes as much bother as he solves. He has a point but... dammit! We can't stoop to the villains level! We HAVE to be better, to be an example. That said... The thought of handing him over to the UKChampions for a show trial and be thrown into a cell before drop kicking the key off a cliff doesn't sit well with me. I don't know how he knows who I am but something tells me he's not evil, just... misguided.. .stubborn... stupid... driven... and standing against everything you and I stand for. He seeks justice at any cost. We uphold the good. Your thoughts?"

Admin wrote:With a sigh Justin spoke up "He's a necessary evil but make no mistake, he causes as much bother as he solves. He has a point but... dammit! We can't stoop to the villains level! We HAVE to be better, to be an example. That said... The thought of handing him over to the UKChampions for a show trial and be thrown into a cell before drop kicking the key off a cliff doesn't sit well with me. I don't know how he knows who I am but something tells me he's not evil, just... misguided.. .stubborn... stupid... driven... and standing against everything you and I stand for. He seeks justice at any cost. We uphold the good. Your thoughts?"

Frostbite nodded, "He is unpredictable and misguided I wonder how much things have messed with his head over time. We'll have to tread carefully, I know Bombardier wants to make up for a lot where Nowhere Man is concerned. Whether, when alls said and done he gets to do it is another matter. He did bring us the broom, and bizarre as his whole episode has been, it prevented a worse catastrophe or so it would seem..." Frostbite momentarily remembered the things that he had pushed to one side with the grief and shock of losing or at least thinking he'd lost Battle Bug. Frostbot, or a future version of him, had returned to warn him of dying in this cataclysmic event. In the end, it hadn't been his life, but BB's that had nearly been lost. Now he had a chance to cheat death not only for himself but for Battle Bug, and that was something worth pursuing.

"Nowhere Man is our best bet of getting Battle Bug out, and possibly averting a worse disaster. With BB stuck behind enemy lines, we have no idea if they can use him in some way to get back here. Or indeed if they can exploit him to their own ends. We simply can't leave him there and besides, it was Bombadier's idea to use Nowhere Man to get us back. So that he should show up when needed I'm taking as providence, a gift I can't afford to ignore despite the strings attached. We'll have to take account of outcomes when we get to them. Both of us know Caldwell is a very loose cannon, but for all that he has done a lot of good. Maybe we can induct him, reform him, get him more grounded and focused...who knows. But right now, our parameters are clear, wouldn't you agree? We get the boy, and seek shut off any further possibility of incursion - with Advent breathing down our necks, we can ill afford trouble on a second front."

OOC: Righto, let's get to it. Just need to get ahold of Thoth - hmm, that would be one thing I am not familiar with as FB. I don't suppose he is in Yell or some such?

Sj

"Caldwell?" asked Justin. "We have a file a foot thick on Nowhere Man and still know nothing about him."

Frostbite had met Nowhere Man before, an alternate timeline away. In this one James Caldwell had no powers and was never a Lore Knight, so James Caldwell in *this* time would be an innocent. From the looks of his haggard face Nowhere Man had forsaken any civilian identity in his driven quest to seek justice a long, long time ago. Frostbite would have to beware. There was nothing the man would not do in his mission to defeat evil. By his own admission he had 'climbed down into the enemies pit and there's no clean way to get back out'.

Still, he WAS on the side of the good guys. So long as those good guys were happy with him ignoring laws, due process and human rights...

"I'll contact Thoth. Sending an address now."

Frostbites' phone beeped and "13 Grosvenor Crescent. Thoth." popped up.

A swanky place, millionaires row in fact and probably not a conventional place being as it was the current British master of the mystic arts abode...

Eating then waiting for Nowhere Man to show back up, Frostbite moved to the lounge with Reflex (Steph) Barracuda (Je'Nedann) and Frostbot of the future. Wandafar joined them and Catherine walked in to annoucne "Melody is on her way down from Scotland, flying under her own power."

"Zet is because you treshed ze Vanguard Flyer. Ze SMITE muppets better not strip ze ship for bits. If zey do... vell zey won't vork anyway but ze wiring diagram I lost ven I spilled my copy und used it to mop up." said Wandafar.

Catherine sighed. "Whatever."

Steph spoke up. "So you're saying the boy is still alive?" she asked, repeating what she'd heard moments ago. "I'd offer to help but... Boss... those magic imp things were a struggle and those bigger things were out of my league."

Je'Nedann nodded. She was in a tracksuit and looked uncomfortable out of water, needing to occasionally take a dip in the pool to replenish herself, or the lake outside the great house. "I, too, found it a struggle. Fire. It is my weakness."

Wandafar said "Oh! I forgot to say! I hef suit for you, but it needs special setting up! You too Je'Nedann."

OOC By 'setting up' I'm talking about a gadget/costume. You have 51HP but crafting a suit with Fire Immunity should be reasonably cheap, up to a certain level. Beyond that level the fire will burn the suit off (and you'll be in trouble) but it would protect you from say, normal fires as at the moment you struggle if someone lights a match in your presence.

Je'Nedann can buy such a suit with her 129HP. When/if he gets back, Battlebug can spend some of his points on a suit with Radiation protection, so he doesn't have to keep jumping about in rags.

Thoughts? It may be an idea seeing as you are wanting to head to an 'ash strewn volcanic plane of heat, darkness and radiation' rather than 'a five star hotel with maid service and all inclusive drinks bill'....A suit will not be the answer to your problems - you'll have to buy off the weakness for that to happen and it would cost a LOT of HP so it's not going to happen soon, but a costume that can provide some measure of protection against fire and heat is recommended, even if it leaves you short on HP because of that losing all powers thing...

Admin wrote:Thoughts? It may be an idea seeing as you are wanting to head to an 'ash strewn volcanic plane of heat, darkness and radiation' rather than 'a five star hotel with maid service and all inclusive drinks bill'....A suit will not be the answer to your problems - you'll have to buy off the weakness for that to happen and it would cost a LOT of HP so it's not going to happen soon, but a costume that can provide some measure of protection against fire and heat is recommended, even if it leaves you short on HP because of that losing all powers thing...[/i][/color]

"Wandafar if you weren't so darn useful I'd have you shipped off to learn elocution lessons or something. Thank you."

Frostbite said to lighten the mood, he knew that the place they were heading into would leave many of them weakened and they were already struggling against the creatures they'd faced before. Battle Bug had been a big part of righting that imbalance but with his powers greatly diminished this was going to have to be some sort of stealth, snatch and grab mission.

He was aware that the others might want in on this but that might also be asking them to step into the equivalent of a Piranna tank with meat swimsuit. He spoke to the others as they awaited Nowhere Man and Melody. "I know we all want to get the kid back, no one more than me. We are a team, but what makes us work well together is that we can offset one another's weaknesses and use our strengths collaboratively. This isn't that. It'll be a stealth mission - if I can help it. Snatch and grab, not stay and fight. So if you would rather fight from this side keeping an eye on things whilst we try not to take our time seeing the sights, no one would think less of you. Steph you're right this might be more than enough for you. And JE'Nadenn, like the new code name, but again this isn't going to play to your strengths and I need you to remain in one piece to meet our government as the representative of your people. So if you'd rather work from this side you'd be doing me a favour as Advent and others aren't taking a day off, whilst we're gone."

OOC: Yes I'd like to buy off that limitation or as much of it as I can, as I will be like an ice lolly in the sun otherwise. I think this being a stealth mission is the only hope we've got - no way we win trying to fight our way out of this. Once Melody and NM show up, next stop Thoth...

Sj

Admin wrote:OOC The Limitation will need thousands (!) of HP to pay off. The suit, less so. I'll cook something up to present and see what you think. It will require a different look for Frostbite as he normally runs about bare chested and iced up...

OOC: To me it's like Batman running around in an environmental suit, appropriate to the situation he faced. So this is no different a bit like going out into space etc.

Sj

OOC Hmm seems 51HP doesn't go too far when cooking up gadgets. Hopefully far enough though.



That level of flame resistance is probably enough for most ordinary fires but the Demons you face may soon whittle that down to ash.

Wandafar frowned. "Hmm. Vell, it's ze best I can do in ze time ve heff."

"Here. I made vun for ze boy too to help mit ze radiation stuff. No good fer anything else and a few good whacks on it may shred it, but I hef no time cause you lot are never blummin here!" he said, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

OOC Battlebug is on HP 4. 76HP spent on costume 120HP on improving Adrenaline Surge.



"Well... it looks sort of bug ish." said Catherine tilting her head to one side and with chin in hand. "He's going to moan..."

Reflex laughed "10 minutes ago we thought he was dead! Now we're looking forward to him moaning about style choices!"

Je'Nedann stated "Perhaps we can discuss that after the boy is rescued, assuming he is still alive."

That calmed things down somewhat.

Wandafar turned and said "Hmmm?"

Where he'd turned to Jeeves the holographic butler appeared. "Ladies and Gentlemen, a human sized object is on approach, some minutes out. Speed is approximately 1000mph. Initial scans match the information we hold on the heroine Melody. What level of secrecy/discretion should be applied? Those in this room have the full trust of everyone else but Ms Melody is after all an unknown quantity."

OOC Assuming Frostbite ices up and meets Melody in a reception room.

"Wow... this place..." said Melody who gaped about. It was light raining outside but she was dry thanks to her ability to become less than solid, much like Frostbites' own. "When you gave me the address I looked up on Google and did a double take! This whole place... I flew round at speed... twice... and still couldn't figure out how big it is! How the other half live eh?"



She'd brought two duffel bags packed with clothes and they looked worse for wear, taped up with frayed duct tape and bungees that had seen better days. "Oh all that was new and fresh when I set off from Edinburgh! I can become incorporeal but anything much past an inch or so from my body is exposed to the elements. At one point I thought I'd have to stop at a shop for some 'bags for life'. " she said, grinning. Her grin faded as she saw Frostbites expression. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

He explained about the battle at Stonehenge and the disappearance, presumed death of Battlebug. He mentioned about a rescue mission and Melody perked up. "Can I help?"

A chime rang out and Jeeves' voice came over the tannoy. "Nowhere Man has returned, Frostbite."

Admin wrote:She'd brought two duffel bags packed with clothes and they looked worse for wear, taped up with frayed duct tape and bungees that had seen better days. "Oh all that was new and fresh when I set off from Edinburgh! I can become incorporeal but anything much past an inch or so from my body is exposed to the elements. At one point I thought I'd have to stop  at a shop for some 'bags for life'. " she said, grinning. Her grin faded as she saw Frostbites expression. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

He explained about the battle at Stonehenge and the disappearance, presumed death of Battlebug. He mentioned about a rescue mission and Melody perked up. "Can I help?"

A chime rang out and Jeeves' voice came over the tannoy. "Nowhere Man has returned, Frostbite."

Having taken the chance to greet Melody as Frostbite and donned the costume offered, Frostbite nodded to the others, "Be ready, we're not hanging around... "

With that, he went to meet Nowhere man and gather him to the others. In truth, he wanted to ask him something that had been bothering this time whilst they waited. When the hero saw the enigmatic figure, he spoke quickly for the time was short. "It's settled, we're assembled and ready to turn up to Thoth's. But before we go one thing is bothering me. We worked so hard to get these demons off our world and put the broom beyond them. Why are we going back to get it? If you are thinking this is the cheese for some sort of mousetrap - you'd best let me know now. As I rather think we might need a bigger mousetrap!"

OOC: It has kind of bothered me about the broom, but we can deal with it on the way. Just wanted to raise the question as I have yet to see, other than as I hinted out, what part it need play in this.

Sj

"The broom was used in a spell to get to the specific dimension from whence these creatures originate." rasped Nowhere Man, ignoring the stares of those present. "Despite their claims these creatures are not biblical in nature, they merely take the form of and claim to be creatures of 'Hell' in order to sow fear and terror, which they feed on."

"The witch who cast the spell in the dark ages used that broom and probably an eye of a newt or something to rip a hole in the fabric of space and time to summon a creature to do her bidding. When she realised that the creature had no intention of holding up any side of the bargain she opened the portal to send it back through. Unfortunately she had 'sown the seed' and they now knew of where and who humans were. Since then they've been trying to get back here, but that Broom is the only permanent way of keeping any temporary portal open. Someone opened the gate for this incursion so they could get the broom. I gave it to you because time and again you have shown you can beat the odds, no matter how great." he said. "To get to that exact dimension, you need someone who can open a dimensional portal and that Broom."

"I still think he's a scumbag and you shouldn't trust him." said Catherine.

"In my dealing viz him he has alvays been on ze side of ze good guys. Just about." said Wandafar.

"The papers and media say he's a menace. I mean, aren't we breaking the law just talking to him?" asked Reflex.

"I think he needs a wash." said Je'nedann.

Frostbite saw Nowhere Man's mask wrinkle as he frowned, then leaned in to smell his own armpit.

Frostbot of the Future, silent till now, stepped up. "A word please."

"This is madness. I came back in time to save your life and believe I have done so, yet you intend to jeopardise your existence by climbing down into the pit which these creatures originate from. I understand your need to rescue the boy but risking your life is ill advised at best. The vigilante known as Nowhere Man also registers as a criminal and an outlaw. He is a hunted man and therefore you are aiding and abetting a criminal. Your team consists of rookies and lower powered superheroes. This mission is doomed." he stated as a matter of fact.

Admin wrote:"This is madness. I came back in time to save your life and believe I have done so, yet you intend to jeopardise your existence by climbing down into the pit which these creatures originate from. I understand your need to rescue the boy but risking your life is ill advised at best. The vigilante known as Nowhere Man also registers as a criminal and an outlaw. He is a hunted man and therefore you are aiding and abetting a criminal. Your team consists of rookies and lower powered superheroes. This mission is doomed." he stated as a matter of fact.

Frostbite turned to his new protector and look levelly into his eyes. "My friend you succeeded, in coming back to warm me I didn't die. But one day I will, today maybe that day and if it is it will already have irrevocable altered what comes in a million different ways. If I leave here wondering if I'll ever return, pretty soon I will die of old age and of drawing in my world so tight an small it suffocates me. Every day I get out of bed and become Frostbite I invite people to try and kill me, whilst I try to stop them. No one lives forever but no one lives all at once either, we take each day as it comes and we deal with the problems and potential therein. Anything is paying interest on loans not taken. You have done an amazing job, you saved me, now don't stop. But don't think I will stop either - this is my life and if I can inspire others like Battle Bug, great, if I can stop others like these interdimensional creatures great...and if I die doing something worthwhile, at least it will have been a good death. But I'm not especially taken with the dying part till its strictly necessary." At which point he stole a glance at the team and linger momentarily on Catherine before smiling back at Frostbot of the future, and slapped his arm. "Come on, we've got a rescue to put into action."

Nodding to make sure the team was ready, Frostbite turned back to Nowhere Man, "James you ever thought about coming into this team? You could do with...friends!" With that he indicated that the team should form up outside, those who could fly would carry those who couldn't and they'd go at the pace of the slowest flying to Thoth's London residence.

"Lets hope the old boy is in?" Frostbite said smiling. He wasn't one for false confidence, but he was under no illusions despite what he said to Frostbot to the future, this was dangerous and the whole team was going to be in a very risky situation. When all was said and done, would his fledgeling team still be in one piece?

Sj

Nowhere Man was impassive and rasped "I tried a team once. I didn't fit in."

Catherine shook her head. "Frostbite, this guy is trouble. Nonetheless I'll get on the monitors and keep an eye out there. Reflex, Je'Nedann, you're our backup whilst this lot go on their wild goose chase as laid out by the smelly spook over there." She left in a huff.

Melody muttered "Have I come at a bad time?"

Outside the group gathered. Frostbite, Melody, Frostbot of the Future and Nowhere Man all took to the sky. Frostbite saw Nowhere Man become a dark form of mist as he soared through the sky. Keeping to a steady 1000mph they took only minutes to get to the street in London and didn't trigger the sound barrier as all four were dispersed/phased.

Landing in the street they moved to the address... and stopped. Nowhere Man formed up into a humanoid form again and rasped "Trouble..."

The door was not only open but smashed and hanging off it's hinges! Frostbite glanced about. Cars would drive by occasionally and people would walk along the street but not a one looked in the direction of Thoth's house. Magic probably.

Nowhere Man turned. "We should go in. Be careful." he growled, then he faded from view, invisible...

"Wha...?" spluttered Melody "Even my sonar can't 'see' that guy!"

Frostbot of the future steps up. "I should lead the way." he states. Without waiting for a reply the artificial lifeform strides up the steps to the door and crosses the door threshold... and vanishes!

Melody gasped and moves closer but stops short of the threshold! "Where did he go? Should we go in?"