World War II - Frostbite Issue #1

<<Joe>>

"Joe?"

<<Wake up>>

"Wake up! Jean! Your brother's coming to!"

<<Reboot sequence complete. Scan indicates no electronic or atomic means of time calibration. Request more visual and audible information to process. Suggestion: open your eyes.>>

It was clear he was in a hospital bed. The smell of disinfectant was strong, and all about white clad Doctors and nurses made their rounds. A doctor came over, pipe hanging from his mouth as he puffed away. "Ah. Jolly good! We couldn't find a damn thing wrong with you, young fellow, but we've been unable to rouse you for a week now! Welcome back to the land of the living!"

The Doctor scribbled notes as a young woman in a nurses' uniform moved up to the side of the bed, beaming from ear to ear and with tears in her eyes. She leaned down to hug you, and held you back, brushing hair from your face. "Thank god!" she cried, American accent plain against a background of English accents. "You gave us such a fright little brother!" She sniffed, wiped her nose and straightened up. "I'll come to see you later... Doctor." she said, moving past the man with an arched eyebrow stood at the end of the bed. "Quite." was his short reply. "Well son, I'd say you were fit and ready to go. I understand you'd signed up to fight before your mishap, eh? That's the spirit! Wish there were more yanks like you, but your President seems hell bent on neutrality, despite the loss of life on the Athenia. Damned nasty business that. We need to get to Berlin and kick that swine's arse, don't you think, what?" He puffed on the pipe and moved to other beds, making his rounds.

<<The S.S. Athenia was the first British ship to be sunk by Nazi Germany in World War II. By that reckoning, this unit deduces you are in the time period of September 1939, presumably in a hospital in England.>> said the computer.

Hands raised for still adjusting eyes to look on them. Flesh, not ice. A look around.

A hospital, in 1939, England.

<<This unit suggests finding the other Vanguardians. Based on your own predicament, this unit currently has no suggestions on where to look...>>

OOC Tough Skin, Energy attack and the Computer are your powers. Your host form can play as much, or as little a part as you wish. He may be in charge, or you take charge, have conversations (that'd be a three way then including the computer), and play as little or as much of a part as you wish. If your host is playing a part, they will know that war has broken out, roughly where he is, that his sister Jean works at the hospital where he's at and he signed on to the United Kingdoms armed forces a few days before he collapsed. Now he's woken up in hospital and... well, the next move is yours

[quote="Admin"]

OOC Your host form can play as much, or as little a part as you wish. He may be in charge, or you take charge, have conversations (that'd be a three way then including the computer), and play as little or as much of a part as you wish. If your host is playing a part, they will know that war has broken out, roughly where he is, that his sister Jean works at the hospital where he's at and he signed on to the United Kingdoms armed forces a few days before he collapsed. Now he's woken up in hospital and... well, the next move is yours

Tough Skin, Energy attack and the Computer are your powers.

OOC: I think it might be fun to play Joe a little different, but I opted to make some things the same, family, his military background and name. I think until I get sight of my freezing powers and what not the likelihood is I'd think of myself as some sort of living tank (fires energy albeit in frost form) tough against bullets etc and has an entity he knows is sentient and able to talk to him.

I think that the real Joe, will slowly emerge perhaps aided by the computer, who realises what might have taken place thus helping me to recognise the others even if they go by other names and what not.

IC:

"Hey doc, you got anything for a headache. I must be going crazy I think I can hear a voice in my head. Man, did anyone get the number of whatever hit me?"

He pulled himself up into a sitting position rubbing his eyes as he adjusted to the stark white sterile room he was in.

Not wanting to appear strange, he thought to himself. "How come I thought I hear a voice talking to me. Sounded more like a machine than a man?"

Looking down he could discern nothing different about himself but then why did his hand stray to his chest. A vague feeling that something was missing from him, something blue - some badge or medal or something he wore there once. He shook the feeling off, some soldier he was turning out to be. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he tried to stand up, knowing he;d be shaky, before getting steady and trying to find some clothes to put on, there was a war going on a he wasn't here to lie around.

OOC: ok I am going to get dressed, find out what I was doing before I was put here and start trying to find some answers - who are the Vanguard, what is that voice in my head and where am I supposed to be posted?

Sj

Frostbite

The Doctor started to object when he saw Joe get up. "Now then young fellow, don't be so.. oh." When he saw how mobile Joe was, he frowned and looked at his charts. With a shrug he puffed on his pipe and looked up "Well, there's nothing wrong with you that I can find with 20 years experience, but I'll be damned if I ever met anyone with a body temperature like yours who's still up and breathing." He recalled probing about on the young mans chest with a stethoscope and coming away with the device having almost frozen to his skin! With a shiver the Doctor went on his way before adding "As for your headache, get some food inside you. If you need any tablets, see the Nurse, your sister isn't she? And for what hit you... " he shrugged "We have no idea what happened to you. All I can say is that, for sure, you are fit to return to active duty."

Camp Bicester. He'd signed up there, due to ... he looked around, saw the date on a calender on the Matrons desk near the end of the corridor. "Gah!" he exclaimed. Having signed up, he'd been expected to report for training days ago! They'd consider him AWOL!

<<You need to find the others. Subject James Caldwell, Designation Nowhere Man, will know how to proceed in this scenario.>> said the voice from inside. Joe looked about. Other patients in their bed hadn't heard that. No one but him had! Was he going mad? Who was.. Nowhere Man?

"Joe?" his sister said as she hugged him "What are you doing? Have they discharged you? I was so worried! What happened?" She was in Nurses' uniform, so at work. Things started to come back to him. The letter from his parents once he'd told them he intended to fight with the British Army, and their pride, especially from his father. Gathering his things together in the small flat he called home, telling his employer Farmer Jonathan Giles that he was going to sign up, despite farming being a protected occupation. Then .. darkness, and waking up here, in the hospital. And now that strange voice in his head!

Frostbite

"Joe?" his sister said as she hugged him "What are you doing? Have they discharged you?

"Hey sis. Look I'm all grown up now. Cept I feel kinda woozy, but its passing. Sleeping for a week'll do that to a fella I guess."

<<You need to find the others. Subject James Caldwell, Designation Nowhere Man>>.

Nowhere Man, what kind of name was that? Was he some sort of agent for the British?

"Say sis, do you know a, erm James Caldwell here abouts?" It was a long shot, but Joe had to know if the thoughts in his mind were the after effects of his...coma, or some linger problem that was behind it all in the first place. Having got this far, he didn't want the army discharging him on account of mental health grounds.

OOC: Ok depending on what happens next I will either ask the doc for a note discharging me with a clean bill of health so I can join up at the camp, and explain why I was a week late, or if James is on site go see if I can find him and do the note thing later.

Sj

Frostbite

"Caldwell? No. Not heard of the name. Why? Is he important? There was a new Doctor in a few hours ago though. He said he'd been travelling round all the hospitals in the area and trying to find out if anyone had been in an unexplained coma for about a week or so. He left before I could mention your condition. From the description he sounded like he'd just woken up from a coma himself, hair all over the place and smelling a bit fusty. Still, he had all the right credentials." said Joes sister.

She looked about "I'd best get back to work. If you get chance later on, come round my flat and I'll cook you a last meal before you go for training." She leaned in to kiss Joe on the cheek and left him with a few unanswered questions. Who had the Doctor been? This... 'Nowhere Man'? Or perhaps this Caldwell fellow?

Frostbite

"If you get chance later on, come round my flat and I'll cook you a last meal before you go for training."

"Sure sis!" Joe said. His voice trailing off as he had more questions than answers. He looked about the ward, looking for the doctor, perhaps he could get some answers from him. Maybe this Doctor knew more about his situation.

OOC: Assuming the Doc is nearby I will use the pretence of needing papers to take to the Bicester camp to make sure they don't treatment for being AWOL and ask about James Caldwell and where in particular he might be now.

After that I will gather together any bits that are left over and then kill time till my sis is off duty.

Sj

Frostbite

The Nurse at the desk says "Caldwell? No, the doctor said his name was Carter. Henry Carter. Not seen him before. He was here only a few minutes ago but the instructions were strict and there's no visitors. Well, aside from Jeanie. Say. now you're back on your feet, how about you and I... ? I get off in a few hours, want to show me your yank dancing moves?" She leans forward, chin on hands.

Joe looks out the front door. This Carter fellow will have been told the patient would be in for some time yet, and he may figure on coming back later. Thanks to Joes' miraculous recovery, he had maybe a couple of hours to kill or so. Still, better to be prepared in case the guy did come back.

OOC Wander the streets hoping for some clue, continue on to the camp, meet up with the Nurse on the desk later or your sister for a hot meal? Choices, choices. Not exactly 'saving the world' type stuff, but the right choice will make a difference...

Frostbite

OOC:

Choices, choices. Not exactly 'saving the world' type stuff, but the right choice will make a difference...

Oh I hate that sense with which one could so easily make the wrong choice here. I like the idea of choice, but part of me (especially as this is PBEM) hates the thought of wasting time going in circles.

The Nurse at the desk says "Caldwell? No, the doctor said his name was Carter. Henry Carter. Not seen him before. He was here only a few minutes ago but the instructions were strict and there's no visitors.

Joe looked away distracted by the thought, the need to meet this man. Something within him made him feel uncomfortable. It might not be the same name, but he had a feeling that meeting him might be significant.

"Sure, how about now..." Humming to himself a little song he remember being played at the spring dance, he took the young lady by the hand, lead her away from her desk and then began to show her a quick couple of moves [OOC: no idea what would be current at a time like this]. As they danced away, Joe innocently plugged the young lady for information. He almost couldn't help it, he felt something drive at him within.

"So this Doctor, any idea where can I find him?" Joe asked innocently, before adding, "If its the same guy I think it is, I've got a message to pass onto him from someone who knows him?"

[OOC: Assuming she is ok with this and giving me the info I need we'll carry on the dance for a bit longer]

"Wow you've got some sweet moves. Look I've got to try and catch this guy, I also need to make sure my papers are in order. So look, how about we meet up tonight and carry this on?" Taking her name and details and when she got off, Joe promised they'd meet up later, allowing some time for him to try and see his sis inbetween. Truth was he was starving and the thought of a little food besides army rations sounded mighty sweet.

Breaking off the dance, he did a little bow, playing the part of the charming soldier as best he could. Before tucking the paper away and heading out to try and find this mysterious doctor.

Sj

Frostbite

"The Doctor?" gasps the Nurse, being swept off her feet by the dashing young American "We've seen a few new faces around here but...oh!" she blushes as more people comin into reception and she straightens her dress, smoothing it down and smiling coyly at Joe as he made his approach. "Know where the Nurses quarters are? Behind this building? Be at C entrance, 8pm, and don't be... oh..." Joe thinks he's embarrassed the girl again, until he sees where she's looking. "That's him. Carter." She starts to raise her arm to call him over, but sees Joes intent look and mutters "He gave me the creeps."



Before Joe could react the man came into the lobby, calling out from twenty feet or so away. "Hoskyn! I say, Hoskyn!" Several people, Nurses, Doctors, patients in gowns, turned to look. Carter seemed uncomfortable. He started to walk over. "Be careful. And DON'T Forget tonight! I'm Kim, Kim Barnes." she said, with a playful pat on Joes chest.

Carter was coming closer...

Frostbite

"Be careful. And DON'T Forget tonight! I'm Kim, Kim Barnes." she said, with a playful pat on Joes chest.

Joe nodded, gave a sweet smile and had to make sure he was out of his sisters quarters (probably in the same place he thought) to meet this gal. She was a doll.

Carter was coming closer...

Joe reached out a friendly hand as the Doctor approached, "Doc, I heard you were interested in people like me? Seems I just woke up after a long sleep. But I can't seem to remember how it happened. So what's your take on all this?

Joe left it hanging in the air. He wondered if this was Caldwell was going under the name of Carter. So the voice in his head told him to look for someone and whilst not totally correct, this was still close. Coincidence, Joe had to wonder.

Sj

Frostbite

The Doctor shook Joes' hand. The touch of the fellows palm was... unsettling somehow, but Joe masked the look that begged to cross his face. "Mr Hoskyn, you really shouldn't have discharged yourself. I'm investigating strange cases such as your own where people have awoken from comas. There's been a few. We need to discuss this. Nurse... Barnes? We need a private room please."

Kim nodded, glancing at Joe as she passed and directing them to a room off the main foyer, unlocking the door with a key on her belt. She resumed her position at the main desk, directing inpatients to various wards and conferring with medical personnel as they came in the place. The Doctor closed the door behind him as he and Joe entered, and bade Joe take a seat. "It's been most unusual. We believe there are around five of you who have been suffering from the same mysterious condition. If I could just take a few details, and I'll need to give you an injection, as we've done with the others. Perfectly straight forward, just roll up your sleeve old bean..."

He waited for Joe to comply.

'The shadows gather around this one. He means you harm.' said a voice, unbidden in Joes mind!

<<The vial from which he intends to inject you contains a substance this unit cannot identify as being in this time periods' medical database, though it is by no means exhaustive, and this unit is no medical expert in the field of carbon based life forms, even if they are primitive and inefficient.>>

Another voice! This one colder, clearer, but somehow, comforting! What in the world was going on? Perhaps this Doctor had answers...

Frostbite

'The shadows gather around this one. He means you harm.' said a voice, unbidden in Joes mind!

Before had chance to react to what he had just heard, again the cool detached voice he'd become only slightly more familiar with seemed to concur.

<<The vial from which he intends to inject you contains a substance this unit cannot identify as being in this time periods' medical database, though it is by no means exhaustive, and this unit is no medical expert in the field of carbon based life forms, even if they are primitive and inefficient.>>

Although he didn't know what was happening, Joe didn't like the look of this doctor after all. Something about his manner. His determination to give him an injection without even a by your leave, let alone some sort of examination.

"No hold a minute Doc, what you got in that vial? You ain't sticking any needles in me before I get a proper explanation as to what is going on?"

Joe crossed his arms and gave the man a hard stare as he waited for a response.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

The Doctor pulled a face as if pained. "It's a mild sedative is all. We've found that... that in cases such as yours, the heart races after all that's happened to the body. Yes, and too fast could be extremely harmful to you! Now be a good chap."

He leaned forwards.. then he lunged!

The syringe narrowly missed Joe, scything air as he pulled back! Had the Doctor gone mad or...

"You lot just won't do as you're told!" hissed the Doctor. "Know this! The shadows WILL darken! You may have foiled our plans in the future, but here the powers ranged against you are LEGION, and you will not survive, High Prince!"

OOC 3 Frames to Frosty, let me know what you intend to do in the way of responses (if any) should this guy strike with the syringe...

[quote="Admin"]Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

"You lot just won't do as you're told!" hissed the Doctor. "Know this! The shadows WILL darken! You may have foiled our plans in the future, but here the powers ranged against you are LEGION, and you will not survive, High Prince!"

Although he had no idea what he was babbling about Joe also knew that there was no way this doctor was plunging that syringe into him. His heart felt fine, better than fine. "Time to end this the good old fashioned way." He thought and lunged in with a good strong 'hay bailing' right hook.

OOC: Ok going for a straight punch to the jaw, no one sticks a needle in me without a good reason. Joe suspects that this man, whom he thought of being some sort of agent, has had his fears confirmed but in the worst possible way. He suspects this is either a Nazi or some sympathiser working for the axis.
if the first frame doesn't succeed then he'll go for another, but either way he aims to lay this man down, tie him up and call the MP's.

As I struggle I guess this would be as good a time as any to intro my powers...in case you were looking for the opportunity to do so.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

Rather clumsily, Joe took a swipe at the man, tripped, stumbled forward, and thrust out a hand to stop himself falling. One stopped against the desk, the other was outstretched towards the mans face!

A torrent of cold energy shot forth in a blue beam from his hands!

OOC 17 hit, 6d6 htc, 4d6 htk, 19 Htc 18htk dividers reduced...

Joe staggered back, looking at his hand. Glancing up, he saw... the entire other side of the room coated in hard ice?!?! In September?

<<Your opponent is injured. Life sign scan reveals he is still around 70% operational, at a guess. Prediction: Your opponent will try to flee.>>

Again, that voice!

Joe frowned, shook his head. Was he dreaming all this? The voice, the Doctor, the ice? He thrust a hand out again!

OOC Quick Blast, 5D6 11Htc 10htk

Joe took another step back. He'd fired ice darts of some kind at his foe, and now the Doctor didn't look like a Doctor at all, but some kind of mass of...of putty! Eyes wide in fear Joe wondered what the next move would be - the creature - for that's what it was, shrugged clear of the ice on its body, looking for all the world like it had suffered Frostbite, portions of its form blackened and dead looking!

Instead of attacking him, it instead turned, and fumbled at the door handle, unable to turn it and instead reaching out a fist to slam through the wood! It took two blows but the creature flowed through the hole it had made into the corridor beyond! All around the office the ice glistened - it was like Santa's grotto! How on earth would he explain...

A scream brought him back to reality and he looked through the hole in the door to see the shambling mass making its way towards the exit! Doctors and Nurses leapt aside, and a Policeman at the desk talking to Kim - Joe noted with some annoyance - turned to mutter "bloody hell" and raise a whistle to his mouth shouting "Stop! You... you thing! In the name of the law!"

No one had noticed where it had come from, and so presumably they didn't know what Joe had done...

OOC The creature has a head start, you're on zero energy, you've given it a right kicking, 30Htc and 28htk with some handy rolls.

Admin wrote:Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

OOC The creature has a head start, you're on zero energy, you've given it a right kicking, 30Htc and 28htk with some handy rolls.

Joe pulled open the door and gave chase. Suddenly his head was buzzing, with questions. 'What was that thing? How could it be human and yet change into living putty?' He had to catch up to the thing not least of all because he wanted to know how it knew he was different. Ice blasts out of his hand, this was going to take some explaining.

OOC:

Ok will try catch up and even corner the thing, mindful of the police officer giving chase as well.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

Joe dashed forward, stumbling some, but making headway on the thing that had been the Doctor, Carter. It paid no mind to those in it's way though, backhanding a Nurse aside and shoving a protesting Doctor to the floor! Joe was slowed some as the Doctor was helped to his feet by several people, and once he'd made his way through the crowd, he saw the Policeman sliding down a wall, helmet lop sided and a shiny bruise forming under his eye. Someone screamed outside, Joe ran out into the street and...

Nothing.

To the left, right, traffic for the hospital, the odd ambulance, visitors. Forward, the grass area, and no sign at all of this thing, whatever it was.

He turned slowly, then noticed the grate to the sewer. Realisation dawned - the thing had gone down there.



"I say..." said a posh voice behind Joe. He turned. A man was getting out of car, well dressed, businesslike, early forties. "Would you be...Joe Hoskyn?"

What now?

Then another one appeared to the side. Both looked like they meant business.



"What good timing eh? You'd better come with us, young man." said the other newcomer. "And don't try any funny business..."

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

Admin wrote:
"What good timing eh? You'd better come with us, young man." said the other newcomer. "And don't try any funny business..."

Joe froze, what were the chances of more people coming for him after a week long sleep. As far as he could tell there was nothing outwardly different from these men to the 'doctor' he'd been chasing. No voice in his head, no sister syringes, but what did they want with him?

"And who might you be?" Joe said in a decidedly peeved tone of voice.

"I ain't going nowhere without some answers, besides I need to get back to my unit." Joe wasn't about to make it easy for these men, without someone doing some straight talking.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

"Steady on now old chap. You Americans tend to get rather excitable, no need for a scene, eh?" said the older of the men.

That's when half of the hospital ran out of the main entrance, shouting and calling out to anyone resembling a policeman or soldier!

The policeman who'd been knocked aside held a handkerchief to his face. Kim the Nurse ran over to Joe "JOE!" she wailed, and threw her hands around his neck. "I was so worried! I mean, I know we only just met, but you chased after that... that whatever it was when the rest of us were frozen with fear... brrrr... You're so cold!"

Another doctor called out "You should see it in here! That creature was incredible! It caused some kind of miniature ice age in here!"

The men in the bowler hats looked at each other, and one shouted "I need everyone to move back into the foyer! Calmly now, you too miss, and you, Mr Hoskyn. Seems the person we were looking for has left, though it doesn't sound like someone who just woke from a week long coma..." The other agent ushered people back in. "I need you to describe everything that happened Mr ... Hoskyn. Our researchers told us that you were the one in a coma..."

Kim glances back at Joe as she's ushered into the Hospital, then goes out of view.

The agent continues "I'm Agent Peeler 6. We are Britains first, last and only line of defence against the worst scum the Nazis can throw at us. And..." he pulled a small gun from inside his jacket "I need you to tell me who you are, right now. If you're NOT Joe Hoskyn, your explanation as to why you are masquerading as him better be convincing. It's a matter of national security, old chap. Though I'll admit, our information seems to be rather muddled at this juncture in time..." He pulls a wallet out with his free hand, flipping it open to reveal i.d., which included a small picture of a rolling die? Joe wasn't too familiar with British governmental types, but it looked official enough. But what was that he said? They'd come here looking for him? And they thought the creature Joe had faced was in fact the one they were looking for, and that Joe was an imposter? Who were these people, and why were they so intent to hunt him down? His keen mind pondered, then a voice chirped in.

<<They are, by process of research and elimination, investigating anyone with a recent history of an unexplained coma. That they were able to get such information from medical institutions that would not normally disclose it suggests they are, in fact, whom they say they are. I have no detailed knowledge of the 'Peelers', whomever they are, but the logo on the identity card resembles that of the defunct Department of Intelligence and Counter Espionage, otherwise known as D.I.C.E. which was replaced by the organisation known as S.M.I.T.E., otherwise known as the Strategic Metahuman International Terrorist Elimination agency...>>

Joe listened, not quite sure who was talking and what they were saying. Was this...inner voice saying these fellows were the good guys, or not? He was in a 'right pickle' as the English would say, that was for sure!

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

Admin wrote:"I need you to tell me who you are, right now. If you're NOT Joe Hoskyn, your explanation as to why you are masquerading as him better be convincing. It's a matter of national security, old chap. Though I'll admit, our information seems to be rather muddled at this juncture in time..."

Joe looked a bit sheepish and then nodded. "Yeah I'm Joe, Joe Hoskyn. I came over to draft as our President thought we should stay out of the war. I don't remember much else..." Joe's voice trailed off, it was all fuzzy even now. And yet already how strange things had become since he woke up.

"That thing, they're all talking about...it wasn't even human. Said he was a doctor, wanted to give me an injection. Started babbling on when I refused and then he turned into like a lump of clay. I chased him out here and well, you came by and he got away..."

Joe was being closed with the truth, but he didn't want to say too much about his own experience, as he didn't understand it himself. Besides he had no idea where he could reproduce the effect again. And hearing voices in your head would certainly get these agents spooked.

Joe instead waited, unwilling to say any more and wondering what these men had in mind now.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

The man stared at Joe. The silence was becoming uncomfortable, and Joe was about to speak again when the other fellow interjected. "I think I believe you, Mr Hoskyn. You appear to be telling the truth, or at least think you are." He lowered the gun. "There are things, I believe, you are not telling me though. Those years spent in university studying psychology weren't wasted, I believe, though I never though I'd wind up working for the British Governments' 'Odd Squad'..."

He sighed, running a hand through thinning hair as he lifted his bowler before setting it down again. "The problem remains though that we have someTHING, a monster of some kind, running about on the loose. What was it doing here and... ah yes. If you ARE Hoskyn, then weren't you in a coma recently? Our records showed that you were in fact supposed to be in a coma right now, though they were collated several days ago. Remarkable recovery, old chap. What say you elaborate on what happened, eh?"

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

Remarkable recovery, old chap. What say you elaborate on what happened, eh?"

Joe looked at the man, unsure of what to say. It had come as a shock to him to be in this position and suddenly who to trust and who not to was becoming unclear.

"Look, I don't want no trouble. I came to enlist, not be stuck with needles and prodded and poked by some scientist types." Joe ruffled his hair, he did feel cold at least to the touch. But he was not going to give anything away without knowing if it was going to count against him later.

"Look I did wake up, this morning in fact. But you gotta believe me when I tell you I have no idea what is going on. You try loosing a week of your life and suddenly find everybody is looking for answers and I'm the guy in the room trying to figure out the question!"

Joe took a seat on the wall that ran along the outside of the building. He looked at the man,

"What will happen to me? Why do you guys want to know all this stuff anyway?"

OOC:
Ok Joe will be coy, they may know he's holding back, but he's not going to say anything that will jeopardise his enlisting. If on the other hand they can offer him some satisfying guarantee's he'll be more co-operative. After all he doesn't understand these voices in his head, nor how a doctor can not be a doctor let alone human. That spooked him and so he's being cagey for a reason, not just to be stubborn.

I know these guys are the forerunners of DICE, but that means nothing to Joe. Now he's not sure who to trust. Anyway if you want to move things on you've got enough to go on there.

Sj

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

"Calm down lad. If only your bloody congress was as keen to get in the fight! We have a few questions to ask, and will take you to a secure place where we can run some tests, then you'll be free to go. Well actually, we may need as much information about that disturbance in the hospital first, and find out what that... thing... whatever it was, wanted with you. If you were the intended target of course. This whole business has the smell of 'confusion' about it." said the Peeler.

=========

2 hours later, in a car heading towards Bletchley, Hoskyn was none the wiser. Having answered every question - albeit evasively when asked what part he'd played in what had gone on, the Peelers were taking him to a new location. Hence the blindfold.

When the car pulled up, he was led out, then walked for a minute or two, into a building of some kind, down a corridor, down some steps and into a room where he heard a door click shut and the blindfold removed. "Sorry about all that, old chap. Need to know basis. All very hush hush, ok?"

Joe was in a plain room with a table and two chairs, and very little else. Looking up, he could see windows that allowed people to peer down, but the lights were so bright up there he had to shield his eyes and turn away.

The door opened and a man in a white coat came in, flanked by two soldiers who stood, stern, at the door. "At ease young man." he said, a kindly voice helping Joe do just that. "I'm Dr Gerald Mathers-Warren, and work here at...uh. Well, I can't say. Anyway, I'd just like your account on what happened today. But first I need you to roll up your sleeve. No needles, but it is something odd you'll not have seen before. It's called a 'Polygraph'. Nothing serious, it just measures a few things when I ask you questions."

Another man in a white coat wheeled in a large machine, pulling electrodes from it to attach to Joes' arm.

"Now then." he said, settling down. "Your name please. Your real name...."

OOC This should be interesting - there's a few people inside the young mans head, but in theory Joe doesn't know about the other Joe, so he should show up as telling the truth... I'll see what you come up with - have a play about with the questions and answers, then I'll butt in

Frostbite
Joe Hoskyn

OOC: Have a play is what I've attempted to do by rattling off a series of answers to things I think Joe would imagine them asking.

"Now then." he said, settling down. "Your name please. Your real name...."

Joe looked at the doctor and then across at the machine. With a long resigned sigh, he said,

"Joe, or as my mother prefers, Joseph Hoskyn. Born Jan 12th 1920 in Kansas. I've enlisted to become a GI. I can't remember what happened in the last week and I have no idea who that Doctor was or what he wanted with me, other than he knew I'd been in a coma and wanted to inject me with something. When I challenged him he turned into a lump of clay like a child's version of a person and took off. Eye witnesses at the hospital will tell yah the same thing!"

Joe rattled off the answers he assumed they wanted. What did it matter is was the truth. he looked speculatively at the machine. Thankful that his head was feeling less crowded with all the voices. He only hoped his head would remain quiet so this device wouldn't pick anything up. For all he knew this thing could translate his thoughts which would certainly give him away.

Sj