Learning Curve (Ask)

"Well, the letter did say the location of the kidnapping was the city of recife. And according to the t-jets map, that's about 2 miles from here.

Hotwire then lugged out the large case, then turned to galaxius.

"Could you help me with this, I can't drag this all the way, I spent 5 minutes just moving it 100 yards."

"Of course," Galaxuis cat like pupils widened as she created a giant wheel on either side of the suitcase and had elongated the handle "This should help you carrying it a bit easier. I also made whatever is in there lighter for you." She gave Hotwire a friendly smile then made her way to get her own suitcase, lugging it out just as her teammate did. With one tap Galaxuis case decreased to the size of a purse and the handle lengthened to a strap. She swung the purse around one shoulder and placed her hands on her hips in a rather satisfied pose. She gazed over at Scope "Would you like me to...urm," She gazed at his case then back at him. She was trying her hardest to warm up to him but part of her was highly uncertain and nervous about him. She forced a smile as the image of Grace flickered through her thoughts. She didn't like other people who were so straight forwardly rude especially over something Galaxuis couldn't control. In fact it angered her but with anger came negativity, something that helps her demon blood boil and instead of being mad she decided to walk away from the situation. Still even though Scope was kind to her he was also a friend to Grace and this made her highly uncertain of him. Uncertain but not rude.

Hotwire stood in horror as the tiger attacked scope. But what could he do. His powers were useless out there. But then he saw the vine lying in an outcropping of rock. As Hotwire closed his eyes, he blocked everything else out, besides the vine and the rocks.He visualized the tiger. He opened his eyes.

"I've got it!"

Hotwire picked up a rock about the size of his hand, and then the vine. His hand began to move quickly, as he was tying his knots. He then held it up, the end of the vine, with a large loop at the end, attached to the rock. ' Gotta aim this just right...'He thought to himself, before swinging the vine around lasso style, then letting the vine sail, using the momentum of the rock to carry it.

He watched in relief as the loop landed right around the tigers neck. The tiger didn't notice, it was too focused on scope. He then waited. Then, the tiger jumped back for a second, so it could try to find another opening. Hotwire then yanked on the vine, watching the look of horror on the tigers face as it was dragged over the side The landing could have been better, but due to the shock, the tiger didn't land perfectly on all fours. It fell in the rocky outcropping, causing a rock to fall on it's head. Needless to say this immediately knocked the tiger out.

The day so far was effortless to Galaxuis. The Brazilian forest is very similar to the one back in her home planet, Golethie and this excited her. The endless trees, the animals that watched over them, and the sounds of nature, it was all so beautiful and at home to her. Though she was sure she can zoom through the forest and to the destination in a matter of minutes Scope and Hotwire were already making their way into the forest their minds set on walking. Shrugging, Galaxuis tightened her purse-suitcase around her shoulders and followed a few feet behind the boys, besides 2 miles isnt far not for a walk. It wasnt long until Galaxuis noticed the animals all around them watching the team contently as if people came by tons of times. It surprised Galaxuis until she realized that the spirits had been calming the animals around the area. She stopped for a moment to heighten her ears to the frequency that spirits talked in and what she heard was absolute beauty. It sounded like a soft melody that could lull a child to a comforting sleep. Leave it to the spirits to keep her and her team out of trouble.

It was starting to get dark and it was times like these that Galaxuis wished she was a normal Golethian and had night vision. More or less she was surprised they weren't at the city yet but she kept her thought silent. They had been halted by a wall of stone and Galaxuis thoughts perked "They can certainly use my help with thi-," but her thoughts fell back as Scope pulled out a hover board. Galaxuis became completely confused "Why would he want to walk if he had that!? I mean...does he know I can fly and lift things!? We could have been-eh...well whatever," she gave up her rather confused thoughts and let the man do what he thought best. Placing her hands on her hips she wondered if anyone read any of the profiles of each other that was on the database. Her thoughts then quickly shifted to how broken up the team was if she had to result to such a matter. Then her thoughts changed to how she didnt have a close friend in the tower and that her trust was slightly wavering with all of them but Ben and his girlfriend.

Galaxuis sighed as the thoughts made her tired and had left her feeling lonely. Instantly she was surrounded by all the spirit animals she had befriended in Jump and even a few that she had gotten going through the forest. They came in close trying to comfort their keeper and protector which worked until she realized that the soft soothing noises the spirits let off was now shushed leaving the forest animals scared once again. it was to late though a scream ripped though the air, Scope's scream. Galaxuis quickly looked above her and saw a tiger completely frightened and taking it's emotions on Scope. Galaxuis pupils widened as she was getting vines to come to life. Her plan was to grab the tiger away from Scope and have the spirits calm it until it was able to leave without hurting them. She was close to having the tigers legs wrapped when she was startled by an object that was close to hitting her in the face. Her concentration broke and the vines fell back, limp. Hotwire then got the tiger by the neck and yanked it out of the way. Shocked the tiger fell, which horrified Galaxuis, as it hit the ground and fell unconscious because of a small rock slide hitting its skull.

Galaxuis let out a horrified scream as she saw the tiger laying there limp. She quickly flew over the the giant animal, her eyes wide with worry, and she pushed the rocks off it's face. She softly felt around the skull checking for anything that may have broken. She ended up finding an unusual indent on the side of it's face. Sadness washed over the alien as she looked at the unconscious tiger. Back at her home planet her people were one with nature and would try anything to not harm an animal even under an attack. She understood that on Earth customs were different but this was beyond her looking away. She checked to see the animals sex, a female, and checked for any broken bones which she luckily only had a spranged paw. Once the examination was done Galaxuis spoke aloud to the spirits "Check around for any babies and tell me the location once your through." by the examination Galaxuis had the tiger was probably protecting it's young and if that was the case she had to also save the children. it wasn't long before they reported back that the tiger did have children and that they were not at all far from were they were. Galaxuis nodded and turned to her teammates "I'm going to save this tiger, it has babies. Without it's mother they can die and I've read reports that these tigers are becoming extinct on planet earth," Hotwires case immediately lost its wheel and handle in a thick black fog and then the case got smaller, probably to the size of a small wallet. Galaxuis the shot up into the air above the trees and then shot back down "The city isnt to far, I'm going to find a animal doctor. If I dont see you there once I deliver them then I'll search the forest. I'm going to leave a few of my spirits with you-to protect you," Galaxuis had a dark matter wrap around her arms (making her look as if she has muscle man arms) as she, without hesitation, grabbed the tiger and held it over her head. Again she shot over the rock and flew out of sight. In her place was a giant bear, 2 wolves, 2 raccoons, and even a giant gorilla all in the color white. Though Galaxuis had called them spirits they looked all to real. The gorilla made it's way to the boys, looking down on them, his eyes almost searching into both their souls until it breathed harshly on them and took a few steps back almost in a disapproval,

Elsewhere...

The laboured creak of wooden hinges alerted Dr. Levine to another's presence. He assumed it was some kind of entrance to the cellar. A trap door. Though he could not be certain, for visibility behind the reinforced frosted glass was restricted. Only when the fluorescent lamp from the other room was activated could there be seen silhouettes. Shadows of what lay beyond his reach.

Since his kidnap, the medical professional had been trapped in this basement enclosure. Days ago his unplanned detour had taken an unusual turning. Their location had been nowhere in the city. His capturer had insisted they drive down the disused country lanes. The kind built last century when people wanted to tame the land, not preserve it. Overgrown roads eventually became no road at all, and the last leg of the journey was spent crashing around the barest fringes of the jungle until a structure came into view. Levine had seen an old abandoned farmstead, possibly a prior clearing for cattle ranching. The trees had been chopped back, and the grass grazed bare. A resulting nutrient-deficient land housed only weeds, with creepers and lianas crawling up the man-made walls.

A sharp rap to his temple then knocked him out cleanly, and the doctor had awoken here. Obviously this had been built as a bunker, intended to keep a rancher's militant enemies out. But the current occupier had found a few more uses for its impenetrability – keeping people locked in. The back-room itself had been transformed into a mock surgeon's theatre. It had an operating table, an array of accurate tools, overhead adjustable light, sterile gloves, a sink, etc. All put together with a certain Macgyverness to it. Levine had taken one look at his surroundings, and knew why he'd been brought here.

It had something to do with the coma patient lying here with him.

From the next room, a light came to life with an audible ping. The familiar amorphous blur of his capture stood facing into the glass. Dr. Levine ran a sponge over his brow and stood to face the man. He had to ask again. A touch of breathlessness entered his voice, “I did what you asked. You have to release me soon. My family... they'll be worried!”

If he'd heard him the man on the other side showed no indication. Instead he appeared to be writing something. Notes perhaps. When at last he did speak there was not a sign his imperturbable nature had wavered at all, “They will manage.” He cleared his throat, “It is a new day outside. Why don't we move to the next item on my agenda? I would like for you to mechanise the brain. If you have suitably prepared, that is.”

Levine frowned and looked back at the cyborg he had been constructing these passed two days. In his profession, the master surgeon was particularly well revered for his ability to utilise biomechatronics to create cyborgs. It was done as a last-resolve, expensive cure for various bodily ailments. To a degree he could resurrect people from a coma, yet they lost their personality. Whoever this was on the table must have been important to the kidnapper.

“A hell of a way to go to save a friend.” He commented dryly. Not only had he taken another man captive, but the factory production robot appendages, which Levine had been upgrading the patient with, had not just fallen off the back of any truck.

“You are quite right. It would be.”

“You mean he's not your friend?”

“No. In fact, I am quite certain we would be enemies if he could move.”

“How so?” Moving around to the cranium, Levine grudgingly prepared his medical supplies.

“Because doctor, I gave him the lobotomy.”

((OOC: Aaaand you're back in the room. Err, jungle.))

Here... let me help with the lighting here.

A series of blue lines began to run across Hotwire arm, in an almost circuit-board like pattern. The glow they emitted illuminated a radius of about 4 yards.

"On we go I guess"

As Hotwire and scope began walking through the night, he decided to strike up a conversation with scope. Not exactly his strongest attribute, but he was learning.

"So... I read you profile in the titans database. Perfect aim, and a brilliant mind. I believe we will get along in this team."

Up to this point... something had been out of place. He just couldn't figure it out until now.

"Wait a minute... scope... What was a tiger and gorilla doing in the south American jungle? They belong in Asia and Africa. Either they escaped from a zoo, or some-one brought them here to keep pesky intruders away."

(OOC: To keep things moving along...)


(OOC: The feline could have been a puma, mountain lion, cougar, or a panther...all of those are found in South America. Scope just called it a tiger because that's what it looked like...I don't know about the gorilla...)

When they walked into the city, Hotwire thought 'Ahhhh, the city. Finally I have some use!'

'Alright scope... This letter includes the address of the scene of the kidnapping. We're in luck... it's only about a mile from here. It also includes a private number. When we retrieve the doctor, we dial the number, and the US government will track the call, and send a jet to pick him up.

Hotwire took out his communicator, and sent Galaxius an instant message that read:Galy, once ur done with the tger, hit up some clubs, and us ur mental powers to gather info.

Walking onward, a small parking lot soon came into view. Time to investigate.

Hotwire lugged his giant suitcase into the lot and unlocked it. Opening it up, he took out a few microscopes, some swabs, a laptop computer, attached to a weird looking paper scanner. and a few other miscellaneous items.

"Alright, let's get to work here."

However, when hotwire looked at scope, he was goofing off. Hotwire just decided to let it be.

He wasn't having much luck finding anything, until Scope found the puddle.

"great work Scope! Now to analyse it."

Hotwire sucked up a sample of the liquid with a pipette, and put in a Petri dish. Looking in the microscope, and touching his computer, his nano-bots scanned for a match. He soon found one.

"Scope... this isn't fuel... it's better. Henotride. An artificial narcotic. However, it's molecular components are organic. One of it's component, the extracts of the zweeebwee flower, is found only in the rainforests around this very city. This person is either a native, or he's done his research..."

Continuing to look around, Hotwire wondered how Galaxius was doing. If his message got through, she would have finished with the wild-cat, and started investigating social clubs and gatherings in order to gather information with her telepathy.

Hotwire ran after scope, all the while, yelling "Wait, it's most likely irrelevant! The papers say it's probably some insane activists!" But scope didn't seem to be listening.

"Just a wild goose chase..." Hotwire side. There was no way that this could be relevant. Could there?