Was a big night Friday night.
We picked up where we left off previously - with the death of Agent Jack Huston in his hospital bed. He died at the hands of Ron Valiant; the pillow used as a crude suppressor still smoking as it lay on Huston's chest. Valiant could be seen walking out the front doors of the hospital and into the night. The group decided to avoid the hospital scene and let Gaston and other agents investigate.
After some discussion, and some hardware store stops, the group (Bandolier, Halpert, and Haines) made their way, wearily, to the green box location; a storage unit at EZ Store in South St. Louis. On opening the unit, they recovered 3 knock-off AK's, some rusty magazines, and a crate of surplus ammo. Also inside was a 50 gallon poly drum with "MDR 360-39-2112" written on the lid in sharpee. A little bit of smart phone use revealed that the initials and number, a social security number, belonged to Martin Dhruve Rezard, a former agent with the National Biological Survey. Evidently, Martin went missing two years prior while on assignment near Flagstaff Arizona. Also in the storage locker were 10 1 lb. cans of black powder, 24 M67 fragmentation grenades and 2 M18 smoke grenades, a Puma gym bag containing a Mossberg 12 guage pistol grip shotgun and a fist full of shells, as well as a modified boom box containing a suppressed Mac 11 and rigged for use while listening to your favorite tunes.
In the midst of opening their presents, the group was contacted by Gaston who recommended a friend of his, Dale Cox (Craig's new character) to assist the team after their loss of Huston. Cox works for the BATF&E and has some expertise in the illegal arms trade and remembered aspects of the Valiant case that might be helpful to the group. In addition, Gaston knew that Cox's mother was allegedly a 'medium', communicating with the spirits of the dead at the family dinner table while Cox was growing up. Gaston thought Cox might be intellectually open to some of the group's findings. Contacts were exchanged, smart phones connected, and Cox showed up at the green box container in his black mustang. Fast friendships were forged - and we continued on.
The star of the green box was a large green shipping crate with several international shipping labels painted over or marked out. The tire iron from the borrowed FBI Chevy Tahoe revealed the crate to contain a GE 134 minigun rigged with a backpack for hand-held use. The gun had the image of a shark mouth common to WWII fighter planes painted on it and the word 'Tyrannosaurus" painted down the forend in bright red paint. None of our agents was large enough, or strong enough to wield the gun as designed, but it was loaded into the back of the Tahoe and away our group went.
The minigun didn't come with ammo so late night stops to WalMarts around St. Louis ensued to acquire enough ammo to feed the monster. Even though there was considerable agreement that the gun was probably not of any use to them, they adhered to the mini-gun axiom: if you have one, you had better find enough ammo to feed it.
While new equipment was being readied for service, our agents got a call from Gaston. Whitmore, a senior agent with the FBI had stolen the Daniels crystal from the evidence room at FBI HQ. Grady, the evidence room clerk, was severely injured by a blow from Whitmore in the process. The group decided this was most likely Hope and continued loading their minigun and filling their gasoline sprayers.
At 1AM, all geared up, our team woke up Delmar 'fingers' Slinker, riding in the back seat of the Tahoe, and set out to get into the Enolsis safe. They made a mandatory stop for some Jameson Irish Whiskey and Slinker loosened up a bit - toasting comrades, life, and the safe he was about to attempt to crack. None of our team joined Slinker in his toast. The door was opened by Haines and our group made their way to the safe room. It took Slinker a while, but eventually, he opened the safe - inside was Valiant's hand-written manifesto regarding aliens in Tulsa and the path toward his own ascendancy. Disappointed, the group slipped back out and walked back to their waiting SUV. Delmar Slinker was bid adieu, rather roughly, and none were sorry to see him depart.
Finally, in exhaustion, our intrepid four checked into a new hotel under fake names and called it a night.
The next morning, breakfast at IHOP - with all the syrups, and discussion of what to do. Ahead of them, that very evening, the gathering at Enolsis was planned for 7PM. Everyone was certain that something bad was to happen there, the question was how to deal with it. Finally, it was decided to show up to the meeting early, in disguise, and see if Valiant was present. Off to FBI HQ for disguise application and preparations.
While on the freeway enroute, our group of stalwart investigators was attacked by Hope... The group was prepared, however, with multiple tasers and two fire-breathing death devices. Amongst several memorable scenes: Hope was atop Halpert's car and Halpert came screeching to a halt, attempting to dislodge Hope - metal crinkled and buckled as Held on - smashing out the rear window in the process. As the car came to a stop, Hope dismounted and hoisted Halpert's Tahoe in preparation to roll it over the concrete freeway margin to fall into oncoming traffic below. Acting quickly, Agent Cox came screeching up, making a drive auto roll and attempted to taser Hope as she held the Taho suspended - unfortunately, in his haste, Cox accidentally tased himself (rolling first a 00, and then failing a luck roll) - his car rolled ineffectually off down the freeway while he twitched in the drivers seat. It took him most of the rest of the fight to recover. It was Bandolier's flame sprayer that did the most damage, followed by Haines with his super-weed-burner. Hope died at the hands of our heroes - leaving behind a wake of destruction including an overturned car carrier tractor trailer rig, a massive freeway pileup, burning cars, and injured civilians. Agent Halpert started his media spin machine before the flames had died on the puddle of slime that was once Hope.
Later, in disguise, the group settled in to lay siege to the Enolsis gathering at HQ - but nobody showed up. After some furious dialing and figuring, the group discovered that the meeting location had been moved to a yoga room at the local YMCA. Calling for backup on the way, our team showed up just as the power in the building went down. Agent Bandolier busted out a flare and ran toward the yoga room, alarming the desk staff greatly. Right behind him was Agent Haines, torching up his overclocked weed burner and only enhancing the agitation of the staff with his roaring flame as he also ran toward the supposed meeting. Agent Halpert and two local FBI agents began evacuating the children from the daycare and trying to get the desk staff to evacuate the building. Cox followed Bandolier and Haines down the hall. They caught sight of Sarah (one of Valiant's devotees) outside a doorway - 'Freeze FBI!' But Sarah knocked on the door to someone inside before she knelt with her hands above her head.
Then, things went on Dex - and stayed that way for a long time. There was a bitter battle through the heavy public-building type doorway outside the yoga room. Cox thought he could make out Valiant, seated in a circle of Enolsis followers in the middle of the darkened room - Valiant was faintly glowing. Cox tried to get a shot at Valiant but the glass and distance made for some bad misses. As each round went by, more of the Enolsis members collapsed in convulsions and Valiant beamed more brightly. Finally the doorway lock was shot, and after several attempts, the doorway was kicked open by Bandolier. Haines, I think, threw in the first grenade. It detonated near Valiant but the shrapnel only rippled and splashed the surface of a glowing sphere which now encapsulated Valiant. Bullets, likewise, merely made electric ripples on the surface - Valiant roared with laughter. Many of the Enolsis followers were now scorched to a crisp - like Daniels from days earlier. Another grenade or two and Valiant lashed out with some sort of telekinetic blast which knocked our heroes about like bowling pins. Bandolier went down, Haines was injured badly but managed to stay conscious. Another FBI agent was felled by a subsequent blast.
Meanwhile, Halpert and some assisting agents had helped to clear the nursery. Now they turned their attention to the mini-gun but everything electrical was simply flat dead. They resolved to run in with hand weapons and grabbed some of the crap AK's and extra mags.
Valiant left the wreckage of the first assault wave and levitated through the ceiling of the building and began laying waste to the cops and their black and white cruisers. Red and blue lights flashing amidst fire and destruction. Bullets were nearly constantly splashing on Valiants shielding orb of blue energy. He took fire from Halpert and a couple of other FBI agents and their AK's. One lucky roll put 19 rounds on Valiant - to no avail. That agent, Babbage, was crushed to death in retaliation by Valiant as he laughed, 'die worm'! After years as a 'butt down' special forces soldier, Valiant was relishing in his immunity to bullets and the rush of the power at his fingertips. Some lights were working again in the parking lot and Cox, meanwhile, had made his way down to the Tahoe and wrestled the mini-gun out of the back. He was lucky, he determined that the electrics were running on the gun and he ripped a long string of bullets off into to the sky. He had the gun, battery and magazine in the back of the car, barrel lolling out around the back door, but he had no skill with it. Valiant leveled his attention on Cox, but Halpert intervened, taunting and jeering at Valiant. Valiant pulled up his sleeve to reveal a blue glowing, tentacle draped, pulsing arm appliance. From this appendage he cut loose a blast at Halpert which cut his legs out from under him - Halpert fell but retained consciousness though gravely injured. Cox fired again, this time, luck was with him and he held dead center on Valiant as nearly all of the 200 30 caliber bullets hammered home. Valiant's blue orb of protection winked out and he fell the 20 feet or more onto the roof of the YMCA.
Bandolier and Haines had joined the action again after some furtive field aid efforts from Haines and FBI Agent Florena Jones. From the roof there was a blast of blue lightning from the arm appliance - several more police officers went down. Valiant could not be seen from the close vantage of our team - officers from further in the parking lot were firing and taking fire from Valiant and his lightning wrath. Finally, Bandolier tossed a grenade onto the roof. Boom! Valiant came flying from the roof and landed in a heap on the lawn, still moving but badly broken. Agent Jones yelled 'Freeze'! and followed with a double tap to Valiant's head (01, 02) ... Valiant was no more.
Debriefing, the hospital, the press, more debriefing, more press, bandages being changed, more press. The next three days were a blur - but then there was the announcement by The Living Power (Gene Downing) from the Enolsis HQ in Tulsa. A New Age was dawning. Those who are ready will prevail and find inner peace and satisfaction. Those who aren't ready will not. A sign was coming. All of humanity will understand it when it happens.
An hour later, NASA makes the announcement that a new object has recently appeared in the Solar System.
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