Farmington, Connecticut (CVnU)

Farmington is a town in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It sits 10 miles west of Hartford at the hub of major I-84 interchanges, 20 miles south of Bradley International Airport and 2-hours by car from NYC and Boston. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including United Technologies, Otis Elevator Company, Carvel and the public research think tank, W.E.I.R.D. The northwest section of Farmington has a Unionville suburban neighborhood.

History

Farmington was originally inhabited by the Tunxis Indian tribe. In 1640, a community of English immigrants was established by residents of Hartford, making Farmington the oldest inland settlement west of the Connecticut River and the twelfth oldest community in the state. Settlers found the area ideal because of it's rich soil, location along the floodplain of the Farmington River and valley geography.

The town and river were given their present names in 1645, which is considered the incorporation year of the town. The town's boundaries were later enlarged several times, making it the largest in the Connecticut Colony. The town was named "Farmington" on account of it's location within a farming district.

Farmington has been called the "mother of towns" because it's vast area was divided to produce nine other central Connecticut communities. The borough of Unionville, in Farmington's northwest corner, was once home to many factories harnessing the water power of the Farmington River.

Farmington is steeped in New England history. Main Street, in the historic village section, is lined with colonial estates, some of which date back to the 17th century. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington passed through Farmington on several occasions and referred to the town as "the village of pretty houses." In addition, French troops under General Rochambeau encamped in Farmington en route to Westchester County to offer crucial support to General Washington's army.

The majority of Farmington residents were abolitionists and were active in aiding escaped slaves. Several homes in the town were "safe houses" in the Underground Railroad. The town became known as "Grand Central Station" among escaped slaves and their "guides".

Farmington played an important role in the famous Amistad trial. In 1841, 38 Mende Africans and Cinque, the leader of the revolt on the Amistad slave ship, were housed and educated in Farmington after the U.S. government refused to provide for their return to Africa following the trial. The Mende were educated in English and Christianity while funds were raised by residents for their return to Africa.

The Farmington Canal, connecting New Haven with Northampton, Massachusetts, passed through the Farmington River on it's eastern bank and was in operation between 1828 and 1848. The canal's right of way and townpath were eventually used for a railroad, portions of which were active up to the 1990s. Part of the canal and railroad line has now been converted to a multi-use trail.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.8 square miles (74.5 km2), of which 28.0 square miles (72.6 km2) is land and 0.77 square miles (2.0 km2), or 2.65%, is water.[2]

After it's founding, Farmington gave up territory to form Southington (1779), Bristol (1785), Avon (1830), Plainville (1869) and parts of Berlin (1785) and Bloomfield (1835). Farmington presently borders the towns of Avon, Burlington, Newington, West Hartford, and Plainville, and the cities of New Britain and Bristol.

Farmington is mostly wooded, but there are also meadows and hills in the east and southeast. There are also numerous ponds and lakes. The Farmington River runs through the town from the northwest from Burlington, enters Unionville, then takes a sharp turn near Farmington Center and flows north towards Avon. The Metacomet Ridge, a 100-mile (160 km) range of low traprock mountain ridges, occupies the east side of Farmington as Pinnacle Rock, Rattlesnake Mountain, Farmington Mountain and Talcott Mountain. The ridge is traversed by the 51-mile-long (82 km) Metacomet Trail, a hiking trail and contains several rock walls and chimneys suitable for technical climbing in places such as Pinnacle Rock and the Green Wall. These climbing areas, as well as several other rock climbing locations in central Connecticut, are documented in the 1995 book Hooked on Traprock.

Economy

Farmington is home to a significant and growing number of corporations. Fortune 500 industrial conglomerate United Technologies is headquartered on Farm Springs Road along with it's subsidiary Otis Elevator. Carvel, ConnectiCare, Farmington Displays and Horizon Technology Finance, all maintain corporate headquarters in Farmington. Other prominent employers include the American Red Cross, Bank of America, Farmington Sports Arena, McKesson, Stanley Black & Decker and TRUMPF Inc.

Farmington Bank was headquartered in town until it was acquired by People's United Bank in 2018. The Jackson Laboratory of Bar Harbor, Maine, is building a new facility on the grounds of the University of Connecticut Health Center, which specializes in the research and development of genomic medicine. The project is part of BioScience Connecticut, an initiative designed to launch Connecticut into the forefront of biomedical research. A growing collection of doctor's offices and medical practices is concentrated in the vicinity of UCONN Health Center.

Farmington is unique in that more people work within the town lines than actually live there, a characteristic atypical of a traditional suburb.

Locations

• Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House — 127 Main Street (added 1998)
• Farmington Historic District — Porter and Mountain Rds., Main and Garden Sts., Hatter's and Hillstead Lanes, and Farmington Ave. (added 1972)
• First Church of Christ — 75 Main St. (added 1975)
• Gen. George Cowles House — 130 Main St. (added 1982)
• Gridley-Parsons-Staples Homestead — 1554 Farmington Ave. (added 1981)
• Hill-Stead Museum (added 1991). The estate, completed in 1901 and designed for Alfred Atmore Pope by his daughter Theodate Pope Riddle, one of the first woman American architects, is known for its ColonialRevivalarchitecture. Now a museum, it's 19 rooms hold a nationally recognized collection of Impressionist paintings by such masters as Manet, Monet, Whistler, Degas and Cassatt. It is the site of the annual Sunken Garden Poetry Festival and is a National Historic Landmark.
• Pequabuck Bridge — Meadow Rd. at Pequabuck River (added 1984)
• Shade Swamp Shelter — US 6 E of New Britain Ave. (added 1986)
• Stanley-Whitman House — 37 High St. (added November 15, 1966)
• West End Library — 15 School St., Unionville (added 2000)
• Weird Encounter Institute of Research and Development -- added 1948

Infrastructure

The University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington employs over 5,000 people. The Health Center also houses John Dempsey Hospital. The hospital provides the only full-service emergency department in the Farmington Valley and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), one of only two in Connecticut. Connecticut's first church of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened in Farmington in 2016.

Transportation

Connecticut Transit Hartford provides local bus service.

Rules

Rule 1: No destroying Farmington, please. I’ll allow small scale destruction, but anything larger than a building being destroyed requires my permission. Please direct all PM’s to myself. If I do not respond in a day or so, then the answer is no.

Rule 2: Please don’t destroy, or do hostile takeovers, of any of the main businesses or corporations without my permission. If it’s a player owned business, then please ask them if it’s okay with them. And if you want to steal something, please don’t walk through all of the defenses, police force, etc, as if they are nothing.

Rule 3: This is for the villains out there. For story reasons, please no conquering Farmington and being it’s ruler without permission from me first.

Rule 4: No auto hitting, no Godmoding, no teleporting, no moving Farmington, etc, without my permission.

Rule 5: Have fun!

Rule 6: Please obey the normal forum rules.

Anyone may come and play here, set up their own business, be a hero, be a villain, etc. Farmington is open to all.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Credit goes to Shanana for this thread. Thanks to her for being the first to post in the original Farmington thread. Without you, this thread wouldn't be possible.

PARAGON?! No way. She may have made it a location but act like yall knkw I used it first.

@ozzy_manueldiaz

Kenny had had enough. Ever since his physical alteration he had been poked and prodded by every nut job in a white coat. It was roughly three months ago since he became a cyborg and ever since then his life was no longer the same. On day one he was rushed to the hospital where the doctors ran every test they knew. But after learning his skin was impenetrable to their needles he was quickly transferred to another hospital. In the end Kenny landed in a military approved test center where, under the name of science, he was studied in the hopes of using him as a weapon. Sadly since Kenny no longer slept he was studied night and day, stripping away any signs of his humanity, leaving him nothing more than a ‘Thing’ for their amusement. At one point they even stopped calling him by his name, but instead he was classified under the name “Komplete!”

It was the Lab Tech’s little joke, a term they used whenever testing him, that eventually stuck. Every second of every day he was asked to complete tests, in the name of research. Complete lifting the weights, complete the written test, complete the maze, everything set before him he was asked to complete and if not he was studied some more. At one point one of the top leading Military minds said Kenny was the complete merging of man and machine. And after that, he was forever associated with the name. However for the record it was changed to Komplete which was just another way to strip away whatever humanity Kenny had left! It was because of this he knew he had to escape, and if so he knew he would be forever hunted by them. But at some point a man has to do what a man has to do! Without their knowledge, Kenny had already hacked into every camera and electric door lock of the facility and with only having to subdue a few guards here and there, he walked right out their front door and never looked back.

Three hours after stealing a car from the parking lot and heading east, he finally had time to himself to think. Although he had excepted the fact he was a freak for the rest of his life he did not take joy in it. True he had heard the story of the man who had his brain placed in the body of a robot, and the guy who could turn his skin into metal, but he alone was the only unknown with his specific condition. One he would be happy to give away if possible. For the rest of his life he was now a freak, and most likely, hunted down by the same Military that wanted to turn him into a weapon. But lucky for him there was no news about his escape on the radio, or buzzed about on any wave length Kenny could pick up. However that didn’t mean they were off his trail. Therefore, at the time, his only main concern was where to go to get away from it all! That is when it hit him…..Farmington Connecticut!

For several hours he drove straight through the night, stopping for nothing other than gas, all the while following a planned map in his head. At the same time he calculated how much it would cost him to get there, as well as how long it would take and where to hide out. He even calculated how many street lights he would encounter and how many street cams he would pass. But for now his biggest concern was keeping his head low and concealed from the other drivers on the road and for that he wore a big hoodie over his shiny head. So for hours and hours he drove, until finally crossing into the boarder of Connecticut, where for once in his new life he felt all his problems were behind him. It was then by chance he looked in his rear view mirror and saw his reflection, his half human half machine looking back at him, and in a moment of rage and disgust he ripped the mirror off his front window.

It was then at that exact moment as he was distracted, a lone dear darted across the street right in front of him. With nanosecond reaction speed he jerked the wheel hard right and slammed on the brakes, but unfortunately the car did not react with the same speed. Instead the car began to skid, leaving tire marks on the road, as the front of the car began to swerve. Kenny did everything he could to keep the car on the road but despite all his calculations, he ended up driving off the road and into a small tree. Physically unharmed he exited what was left of his car, and immediately his robotic eye began scanning the damage. The engine and chassis were manageable but the front axle was in need of repair. After shouting out a few unflattering curse words to the high heavens, he began calculating whether it was worth it to try and fix the car or abandon it.

Ozzy stood silently looking at the road where everything in Farmington started, and even though he had many memories, he could not find it in his heart to go further down that road that day. The memory of pain from being ripped through a dimensional barriers far outweighed any good that came from it on this day. He had just arrived back in Farmington, he would save that journey for a different day.

He turned, hoping to make more upgrades to the Haven as he walked close to the side of the road to avoid any traffic. It was then he heard the screech and bang in the distance. It had to be caused by a deer or someone texting and driving - maybe both. Either way, he paid it no attention until later he could see the skid marks on the road . They were fresh. 14 minutes fresh to be precise as his super-human memory calculated. This isnt your fight, his instinct old him, but he didnt always listen to his instincts.

"Everyone ok down there!?" he yelled above from the road but some vehicle definitely went down the hill. He attempted to carefully descend down until he got to the damage site. He looked around, seeing no one approaching the vehicle carefully as he uttered aloud about calling the police to the scene.

@komplete

@ozzy_manueldiaz:

Kenny was pissed. Of all the bad luck moves at all the bad luck time, he had to swerve to miss a deer. Whats worse, now the front axle was broken. For a minute or two he stood there looking down upon the wreck while cursing, “Why Me?” as he fought the urge to kick the side of the car. Instead he scanned the wreckage with his robotic eye, in the hopes of finding a quicker solution. Unfortunately all his readings came back with the same message, that even with his advanced skills, ‘it would take him twenty minutes to repair the damaged vehicle.’ With no other option he rolled up his sleeves and while his right hand was already morphing into the tool he would need, he prepared to lift the front of the car with his left hand. “Hmm” he scoffed as he saw how easily it would be to do all this, “Being a freak ain’t all that bad!” But just before he did, he heard the faint sound of a car pulling up far behind him.

Immediately his mind went to a dark place as paranoia set in. Was this guy following him? Was this guy from the Military? All these thoughts raced through his mind as he began to wonder. For life on the run would cause that. The other thing that upset him was he failed to noticed the cars arrival. But that was his own fault. Whereas his advanced hearing could have picked up the car a half a mile away, he still refused to use such things as he felt it was robbing him of his humanity. In fact despite all the advantages his cyborg body provided, he made the conscious decision not to use them. For he refused to lose his last shreds of humanity! Either way he was now caught in a proverbial trap and needed to find the fastest and safest way out. Even if it meant subduing the stranger and stealing his car.

Either way, the first thing Kenny needed to do was conceal his identity, and pray he activated his hologram before the stranger noticed. With a quick gleaming of his robotic eye he created a near perfect 3D hologram around him, showing the same man he is, with the exact same clothing, but with human features under his hoodie, and not that of a cyborg. The hologram itself was a near perfect representation, with it’s only flaw being he could not touch anything. Because then the unmistakable sound of his metal hands could be heard clinking or felt. It was then along the road, he saw an average looking man yelling, "Everyone ok down there!?" From the looks of him he appeared normal, with no visible sidearms and with a rather friendly attitude. All of which made Kenny trust him even less.

Immediately Kenny waved back appropriately, “Awe No No No! It’s all fine. I just dodged a deer that’s all!” The fact was he wanted to get the stranger as far away as possible so he could fix the car and get out of there, before more folks arrived. “Don’t worry I’m fine and so is the car.” he said trying to wave the stranger away. “It just looks a lot worse than it is!” At that point he walks towards the stranger in the hopes of keeping him as far away from the car as possible, while getting a better look at the stranger to help assess him! Still playing it friendly he goes on, “The darn car got away from me, that’s all. But I’m good now, thanks for your help.” It was then as he was just about to scan the stranger for details, he trusts his robotic half and gives in to the programming. It was then his audio implants play back the strangers audio recording and informs him, that the stranger had already called the police!

Immediately his voice cracks, just a little, as he begins scanning the radio airwaves for any signs of the police, while still trying to play it casual,he asks, “You didn’t call the police did you? Cause there’s no need to.” He then doubles down while trying to play on the strangers emotions. “You see this is my brothers car and he has a bunch of parking tickets, so it would be so much better for me if they weren’t involved.” He then reaches carefully into his back pocket for his wallet and pulls out a twenty dollar bill that he holds out to offer to the stranger, all the while making sure never to touch him. For the hologram would still show the bill in a human hand, but if the stranger touched it, he would feel the mysterious metal. “So lets say you take the twenty for your troubles and we keep the police out of it. You know, the Connecticut way?!?!”

@komplete:

"The kid seems flustered. Take the money and get on your way. It was a waste of our time even investigating this matter." A voice said out of nowhere, but a familiar one to Ozzy. It was only a voice Ozzy could hear as it was in his mind, as was the visual manifestation of something that looked like himself appearing from behind the stranger. Oz had known this creature. Assuming this world's Ozzy had known him too. It called himself the Ozymandias, the inner-voice to Ozzy. His dark conscious which no one saw or heard except Ozzy. "It seems like this one doesnt want us here either. Drug dealer I assume. We dont need that heat"

Ozzy ignored the uttering of himself and focused back on the stranger. "I dont need your money, my guy, and I didnt call the police. Unless you are saying you are some serial killer in the woods. If not, then we are cool. All I am saying is that you are not going to get that car with that damage up that hill," Ozzy gestured to the road above. "We are going to need to find someone with a flatbed and cable and I dont know of anyone like that here. I myself just returned to Farmington. How about we walk into town until everything is good and find that flatbed."

Ozymandias would appear behind Ozzy, both looking at the stranger. "This guy is schmuck. You're a bigger schmuck if you want to help this loser."

@ozzy_manueldiaz:

Kenny did not know this stranger, but he was beginning to like him. Maybe it was his down home ways or maybe it was the way he refused to take the twenty. But he definitely liked it when the stranger made the joke, “and I didnt call the police. Unless you are saying you are some serial killer in the woods. If not, then we are cool.” For it was the first time in months he heard a joke, and even though it wasn’t a good one Kenny let out a small chuckle as he thought back to simpler times. Times before he became a freak. Either way he responded back, “Naw I’m no serial killer. Hell I couldn’t even run over a deer.” Unfortunately as good as that moment was for him, and how real it was, his paranoia kicked in again and he remembered how he was on the run. More than anything he needed to get rid of the stranger and fix the car before the Military could track him down.

It was then after he gave a short contrived story about how he didn’t need any help, the stranger politely responded with a “All I am saying is that you are not going to get that car with that damage up that hill." From then on he explained how no normal person could get the car out of the ditch without a flatbed, and how the two of them should walk together into town to find a mechanic! The stranger’s logic was flawless, and there was no reason to disagree, however Kenny was not in any normal situation. He was strictly in a fight or flight mode and he could not think of a safe way out, or at least one without any violence. But just before he was about to add on with another lie, his robotic implants picked up a radio wave coming in from far away. It wasn’t much and it wasn’t encoded, but he definitely picked up a conversation mentioning him by name, his last known coordinates and something about a contract between the Military and a corporation known as W.E.I.R.D.!

For a few seconds Kenny stood there in silence calculating how far away was the signal and how long he had until they found him. From the strangers point of view Kenny would appear lost in thought, until he realized this and said, “Sorry just thinking about how much all this will costme!?!?” But the fact was he needed to get moving and moving fast, when the idea dawned on him, nobody would suspect two locals walking down the street together. With a holographic grin he agreed, “You know what, that sounds like a great idea, I’d love to join you for a short walk. Lord knows with the bill for the car, I’ll need to get use to walking.” He then hikes up the hill to the side of the road and says, “By the way the names Bob, Bob May, nice to meet you!” But at that point where two strangers would normally shake hands, instead he pulls his arms back in a nonthreatening position and says, “Sorry nothing personal. I just don’t shake hands. I have this uh germ phobia, I hope you can understand!”

Once again Kenny scanned the radio waves for any information, while also looking up and down the road for traffic. To his delight both were clear giving him a slight sense of confidence, as he turned his attention back to the stranger. “Oh and if you are wondering I travel light. I don’t have any luggage, I was planning to buy what ever I needed when I reached town.” For his own safety he kept a few feet away from the stranger, and asked, “By the way, I didn’t catch your name?” But then just before they took their first step on the paved road, for the first time in months he chose to make a joke, in response to the stranger’s original one. “By the way, before the sun sets on us before we reach town, I got to ask….am I walking with a serial killer?” at which point he chuckles again and feels good about himself and his future.

"The name is Ozzy. Like the singer Ozzy Osbourne. Might be before your time cuz it surely was with me" he shrugs, not wanting to push any subjects with Bob. "Im no serial killer either. Your brother might be once the insurance company reaches out to him about this accident, but Im just a resident like many of the Farmingtonians. I know of a few stores in town that are good deals."

Ozzy thought Bob was hiding something, but didnt want to dig too much. He was very much like himself when he first arrived in Farmington, or when this world's Ozzy first came to Farmington. "I noticed your brothers plates arent from Farmington." Oz recalled with his power of immense memory. "Driving through or had business here? I recently moved back myself . Needed some normality in my life. I once got caught up with some supposed mercenary named the Backstabber on a quest to stop the future from happening. It turned out to be a rouse from some crazy red-head chick named Julie. After that...back to Farmington I came."

"You want to stop and get something to eat? I know a place that serves a decent sandwhich with spicy jelly. Its amazing." Oz slowed down for a second, thinking that it was the first place he stumbled across @ezra_. Giving me some a bracelet which Ven destroyed due to her being Ven. He could see both their faces appear as he and Bob walked as if he were living through the moment again. "...Any crazy stuff happen to you?" Its a small world."

@ozzy_manueldiaz:

There was a long walk ahead of them, and all they had was nothing but time. For some strange reason Kenny was beginning to like the stranger. He was the only man he had seen in months without an alternative goal. He seemed to be just a good hearted man. If he were with the Military he would have tried something by now, unless he was leading Kenny into a trap. But if he were, the stranger was playing his part well. With just a friendly attitude he introduced himself as Ozzy, or as he put it, “Like the singer Ozzy Osbourne” followed with a quick joke about his name. Leaving Kenny to respond, “Yes I’ve heard of him, didn’t he bite the head off a bat or something?” From then on the conversation stayed light, almost whimsical as Ozzy went on explaining his connection to Farmington, and some of the people there. Surprisingly, his words made Kenny feel good in his choice to hide out there, Hell if they are all as simple and kind as Ozzy he shouldn’t have any trouble!

Suddenly the conversation turned as Ozzy began asking personal questions, as he brought up the fact the car Kenny was driving didn’t have Farmington plates. It was a fair question, one Kenny wasn’t expecting, but he played it off casual with, “My brother lives in New York, I’m borrowing it right now, with an option to buy it later. But between you and me, I’m not going to.” Luckily the lie could work as the car did in fact have New York plates. But the conversation didn’t stop there, and instead Ozzy got personal with some questionable details. He went on talking about a mercenary named Backstabber, immediately causing Kenny to say, “Backstabber? What kind of a name is that? Sounds like some kind of jerk you can’t trust, compensating forsomething.” But there was one thing Ozzy said before all that, that struck a cord in Kenny, something he probably didn’t even realize he said earlier. “Needed some normality in my life.”

More than anything that is what Kenny wanted. Just a normal life without having to look over his shoulder. Just a place for him to live without being poked and prodded as a freak. That is why he chose Farmington Connecticut, and more specifically the Randal place. A small house in the middle of nowhere that he bought online to live the rest of his days alone. But just as he was picturing himself sitting in a reading room, from out of nowhere Ozzy asked him, "You want to stop and get something to eat?” For less and a second he pauses as he thinks back to the moment he learned he no longer needed to eat or drink, then responds. “Oh no thanks. I filled up on fast food a few miles down the road!” From then on, as they walked, Ozzy seemed lost in nostalgia as he takes in there surroundings. Reliving a life with meaning and mystery.

But once again the conversation changed, when Ozzy tried a new way to connect with Kenny, and simply asked, "...Any crazy stuff happen to you?Its a small world." At that moment Kenny let out a slight chuckle, and would have done a spit take if he were drinking. Again he wanted to trust Ozzy, but after months of trusting no one it was hard to do. Plus his question seemed to come out of nowhere. But with a honest looking holographic expression on his face he proudly answered back, “Other than wrecking my brother’s car, none I’d like to admit!” At that point he wanted to playfully shove or fist bump Ozzy, but instead he pulled back in order to not make contact, and hide the fact his hands had been replaced by some strange alien steel!

Still this was a good time to get some information about Farmington and the people he would be living with. During their entire conversation, he was listening to all the radio waves going on around him. Most of it was simple chit chat between truckers, but there was a lot of buzz going on from and about W.E.I.R.D. Sadly there was nothing specific as most of what they spoke about was coded, but from what he did hear...they could be a problem. Therefor with a genuine tone he asks Ozzy, “But I do want to ask about W.E.I.R.D, or more specifically what do you know about them. When I was making the deal to buy the old Randal place, the previous owner mentioned something about them.”

And so it came to be that rumors began to spread on the existence of large metallic monsters roaming the city. These monsters are identified by their large powerful jaws that would mean certain doom for any unsuspecting victim unfortunate enough to run into such a monster. The monsters have become legendary, with many people afraid to go out in fear that they may encounter the giant metal monsters that lurk in the city.

@komplete:

Ozzy had no clue what Kenny was getting at. "Uhm...you asking me if there are some weirdos walking around Farmington?" Ozzy laughed thinking of the Academy on the other side of town. "There are a bunch of them. I probably went to school with some of them. Actually, I guarantee I went to school with a bunch of them."

But Ozzy noticed Kenny was serious about the subject. "Is this WEIRD like some free mason type stuff or some gaming group get together? Either way, I havent heard of it. It can easily be followed up...on?"

There was a pause from Ozzy as he slowed down his pace. He would gaze downward as the road they were walking on spiraled into town below and then back straight. "Kenny. My guy. There is a hardware store down there thats going to be robbed. Dont look and dont freak out, but down below, the guy with the jacket on has been scoping that spot since we got into this curve. That Dodge Durango running a couple of buildings from him I suspect is their vehicle. Im assuming there are others inside the place. I got to stop it. Wait here. If shots are fired, it was a pleasure but I assume nothing has happened yet so it will be hard to call the police."

It was then Ozzy would peel away from Kenny and begin sliding down the small hillside terrain and towards the backdoor of the store.

@darklordqimir:

After a rough session with a millionaire, whose only problem was wishing he had one, Max was getting bored with the nine to five routine. Day in and day out he sat with clients complaining about whatever in order to get a one hour session with a genuine Super Hero. That was why he began raising his rates to them. But the fact was he loved helping clients, preferably the ones with real problems, and would go out of his way to make sure he could. But sometimes he preferred getting his hands dirty and fighting crime. It’s easy when you’re near indestructible. That is why he was pleased to hear of the unknown beast in Connecticut, that was claimed to have a steel jaw!

Closing his office early, he canceled all appointments for the rest of the day, as he dawned his traditional crime fighting outfit, and flew up into the sky with a trail of green energy following behind him. In mere minutes he flew over several states until finally reaching Connecticut, specifically half a mile away from the nearest town claiming to have seen the steel jaw creature, and from there on, he casually walked into town.

At first he was unnoticed, even with his green hair and impressive physique, but eventually some young pop culture follower recognized him and yelled, “Oh my God it’s Max Fury!!!!” From then on he was the center of attention with fans asking for selfies or autographs, but eventually he had to stop them. “As much as I love you all..” he said while still shaking hands, “But I’m here to investigate the sighting of the steel jaw beast.” Soon enough he was invited to the sheriff's station, where upon request, sat down with him for a long conversation with little detail. But the one thing Max did learn was those that said to have seen the beast...believed it to be real!

@max_fury:

One man told him that he had seen the monster up close after a frightful encounter. The monster was roughly 15 ft long with large toothed jaws and 3 eyes, 2 on the sides and 1 on the front. The monster also had 2 long metal bars that stuck out from the jaws. The monster had no arms or legs but instead could hover and fly as if by some unseen force. The man stated that he had to play dead in order to avoid the monster's power.

@darklordqimir:

For hours Max sat at the police station, listening to the people. One after another they sat before him, each with a different story, with just enough similarity to make it believable. While everyone story was wild and outlandish, bordering on fairy tale, there description of the monster was the same. It was a large metal beast with three eyes and a jaw from out of a nightmare. But the interesting fact was they all managed to survive the beast by either playing dead, or appearing extremely passive. It may not be much, but it was a start. From then on Max used his advanced knowledge in psychology to ask just the right questions to find just the right clues to find the hidden details the people did not remember, even after living through it. At the end of the day the most consistent clue was that the beast with the steel jaw, was only seen at night, and in the woods just outside the city limits!

That night, accompanied by a small squad of police officers, Max took the lead into the woods with only a flash light, a walkie-talkie and his determination. The time was around 1:00 am and all though they did not expect to find the beast, they were sure to find some sign of proof to show it was real. Step by step they walked into the wood carefully, spread out enough to cover more room but close enough should anyone call for help. Along the way they encountered several deer but no beast. That was until about 3:00am in the morning. By that time some of the older cops were willing to call it a day, as they sipped on some hot coffee from a thermos, while the younger seemed eager to find the beast, just for bragging rights. Max however was doing this for purely intellectual reasons, with just a bit of ego mixed in. Therefore while every one was squawking on their radios. Max delved deeper into the woods!

@ozzy_manueldiaz:

Kenny may have over played his hand, or maybe Ozzy genuinely never heard of WEIRD, but the fact was things had gotten awkward. Ozzy did his best to give Kenny an answer. But instead he was way off base. Naming every group or organization other than the research center, Kenny again started getting paranoid. Once again he listened to the radio waves, but there was no mention of the organization’s activities. It now left Kenny wondering again if this was all a set up to trap him. But immediately he shook those thoughts out of his head and focused on the semi-mutual friendship he had made with Ozzy, even though it had only been for a short time. It was then he responded back with, “Oh never mind, it was probably some telemarketer or something. Just something the previous owners said in passing.” Unfortunately, that was when he realized he may have given too much information away, and needed to rethink everything!

Without realizing it, he had already told Ozzy a false name, and left behind a car that could trace him back to the Military, but he had also told him where he was planning to live. Sadly this was too much information, leaving Kenny to consider he may need to find a new place to hide. But for now he was going to enjoy the simple life for a few minutes more before he would have to go on the run again. So for now he just took in the beauty of Farmington, and it’s people, and choose to stop worrying. Because in this situation there wasn’t much to worry about. It was then Ozzy appeared startled, almost intrigued as he noticed a crime in progress. Unknown to Kenny, a small crew was planning to hit and rob the local Hardware Store within seconds, and Ozzy was the kind of man to stop it.

However in doing so the first words out of his mouth were, "Kenny. My guy.” and that was the worst thing he could say. At the mere mention of his real name Kenny was ready to attack. At the same time thoughts flooded his head like, “How did he know my real name?” and “Did I fall into a trap?” But all the while Kenny was paranoid, he noticed the expression on Ozzy’s face and it was clearly not what he expected. Yes Ozzy was very serious about what he said, but his eyes were locked on the Hardware Store and not Kenny. Plus there was no sign he was going to uncover his secret, in fact it almost looked like he was asking him for help! From that point on Ozzy divulged all he could see about the robbery soon to be in progress, only to end with a, “I got to stop it. Wait here. If shots are fired, it was a pleasure but I assume nothing has happened yet so it will be hard to call the police."

For one brief second, Kenny stood there speechless as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact, there was someone who just wanted to help. Nothing more, no hidden agenda, he simply saw a man in distress and wanted to help. This clearly proved to him that Ozzy was no Spy or Military Scientist, just another good human being, and because of this Kenny knew he wasn’t going to let him do it alone. But by the time he realized all this, Ozzy was already sliding down the small hillside terrain and towards the backdoor of the store. Realizing that by stopping this crime and exposing himself Kenny would have to leave Farmington and go back on the run, but this was one fight he was not going to shy away from.

Ditching the hologram around him, Kenny exposed his true self, and as he watched Ozzy sneak his way in, all Kenny could say was, “You better be careful, and watch yourself fool. I can’t afford to lose the only friend I have.” Then with the slightest of ease he ran down the hill and marched proudly towards the front door of the Hardware Store, where one of the members was waiting outside as a look out. With a quick scan from his robotic eye, Kenny was informed that the thief was packing a sawed off shot gun underneath his jacket, and his heart rate was beating at 100 beats per minute. But before he knew it Kenny was already on top of him and grabbed the gun before the thief could say the words “What the Hell are you?!?!” Not done yet, Kenny crushed the gun in to pieces with one hand, then with his free hand, slammed the thug against the wall just hard enough to knock him unconscious.

By that point he peered in through the front door window of the store while listening in through his audio implants, just in time to catch four armed men waving their handguns in the air. Unfortunately one of them had the store owner’s son, a fresh faced teen with red hair, on his knees with a gun to his head. Another of the four had his gun aimed at the store owner, while the third was robbing every last cent from the cash register. The final crook’s job was to check out the back, the same place Kenny saw Ozzy sneaking his way into. At this point Kenny’s primary concern was for the safety of the store’s owner and son, as well as Ozzy’s. But unfortunately Kenny made one mistake. While still crouching outside the front door, the thief going through the cash register had a clear view of him, and like the guy outside the door he yelled, “What the Hell is that!” and in doing so, everyone inside except for Ozzy and the other thug in the back, had their eyeballs glued on Kenny’s freakish appearance!

@max_fury: Suddenly a steel jaw appears. It towers over him with it's metallic body reflecting moon light. It's jaws are massive and could easily crush a skull with ease. It's large center eye stares the man down and it has very clear intent to kill. It then speaks in a deep loud voice. Steel Jaw: Another organic lifeform to purge. My master will by most pleased.

@darklordqimir:

The hours had been getting longer and the night colder. Max was on the verge of giving up. Perhaps the legend of the beast were fabricated, for all night there were no signs of it. “Time to pack it in!” one of the other cops said, “No, will give it two more and then we will call it a night” said a higher ranking one. But unfortunately by now most of the cops had already given up and at this point, Max and them were just going through the motions. If there were a beast, they most likely scared it off by now. It was then Max thought he saw something move a few feet away, and like a professional he crept towards it. Moving ever so slowly he took each step closer, even turning his radio off so not to make a noise. Then just as he reached the spot where he saw something, there was nothing there other than a squirrel harvesting some nuts in a tree.

Despite how strong and durable Max was, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, as the squirrel scampered away, then he thought to himself, “what a fool I am?” It was then, just as he let his guard down, that IT appeared. Coming from out of nowhere, the Steel Jaw miraculously appeared in all it’s glory hovering above him. The beast was so big that it blocked out the stars above and gave off an intimidating presence. Immediately Max leapt back a few feet, even turning his radio back on, and at the moment he landed he shouted on the walkie-talkie, “It’s here! It’s right here!” For what seemed an eternity the titans locked eyes, when suddenly the silence was broken, when the beast uttered the words, “Another organic lifeform to purge. My master will be most pleased.”

Based off what he was looking at, Max was sure this thing was about to attack. And from the size of it, it could do some damage. So instead of jumping into another pissing match, Max choose to fight smart not strong. Remembering every detail the townsfolk said in their encounters with it, the detail he focused on was that if they played dead the beast would leave them alone. Therefore, Max slowly raised his hands in a non-threatening manner, and in a calm and controlled voice he says, “I’m not here to fight you I simply have some questions.” At that point he even drops to one knee and lowers his gaze just enough so that he could see the beast, yet not be considered a threat. “All I wish to know is why are you here? And do you know we are not your enemy?”

@max_fury:

The steel jaw stares at Max with its center eye. The steel jaw didn't understand why an organic would attempt to make peace with him. However, the steel jaw decided to humor the organic lifeform, knowing that any knowledge he shared with the organic being would be useless when he was dead. Steel jaw: i have been sent to this planet as part of a scouting mission for the Steel Jaw Army. Once i return to melton and report my findings to the supreme leader, it will be only a matter of time before the army is sent to invade this planet.

@darklordqimir:

The beast was intimidating, to say the least. With no visible weakness, it had a design, that although was not unique, it’s design was tactical. Sleek and sturdy it looked destructive. But it was it’s jaw that Max feared most, for even with his massive strength and durability, this thing looked like it could crush him as easily as he could crush an egg. It did not have flesh, meaning it might not feel pain, nor did appear to have blood, meaning it may not bleed dry. Other than three eyes he might be able to blind, the beast did not have any weaknesses. Therefore, on one knee, he chose the best way to avoid a fight, and while appearing submissive long enough to gain information about the beast, he kept trying to find any other weaknesses.

In an attempt to communicate with it, Max began by asking, “All I wish to know is why are you here? And do you know we are not your enemy?” But never did he expect it’s response. In a voice void of humanity it looked down upon him, and convinced of it’s superiority, it answered back, “i have been sent to this planet as part of a scouting mission for the Steel Jaw Army. Once i return to melton and report my findings to the supreme leader, it will be only a matter of time before the army is sent to invade this planet.” It was the same answer it would give to any being on any planet it landed on, but in this case it spoke back towards Max, and back down upon him!

It’s message was clear. Perhaps misguided or insensitive, but it made no mistake that it was here to pave way for an invasion. Immediately Max wanted to go savage on the beast, and show it how insulted he was, but after years of training he chose to find the least violent path. Still in a submissive position, in a clear and calm voice he answered back as if talking to any patient on his couch. “Not to be dismissive, but your plan has one major flaw. The people of this planet will not stand by and be conquered!” He slowly rises up, though still in a non-threatening position and goes on, “There are many people on this planet with abilities far beyond even yours and they will use them to protect this world. Your best option is to leave and never come back!” And with that said he looked upon it in order to judge it’s reaction, but with a steel expression it had the ultimate poker face!

@max_fury:

(The steel jaw was unimpressed by Max's statement. He had dealt with organic beings before and knows their desire to live will drive them to fight a battle they could never win.) Steel Jaw: The steel jaws have successfully wiped out life on numerous worlds. Why would yours be any different. The steel jaws are the perfect being for destruction and we are ruled by the most powerful of them, The mighty Steel Jaw X, the supreme leader of all the steel jaws. I have witnessed his power 1st hand. He even gave me this the last time i failed him. (The steel jaw then turns to the side to reveal a large S that had been brutally engraved into the steel jaw's side.)

@darklordqimir:

The two titans stood there, debating the future of Earth like it was nothing. Just another item to be bought or sold on the open market. Max tried to explain that the people of Earth would not stand by and be conquered. But no matter what he said, the beast would not listen. Instead it went on boasting it’s superiority, and the might of the Steel Jaw army. It even went on explaining how they had conquered many worlds and Earth was no different. That the Steel Jaw army were the perfect beings for destruction, and ruled by the powerful tyrant known as Steel Jaw X. But then just as it’s rant was dying down, it finished strongly with a “I have witnessed his power 1st hand. He even gave me this the last time i failed him.”at which time it exposed an ‘S’ shape engraved into it’s side as a reminder, never to fail again!

But what the beast did not know was that it showed a weakness when exposing the scar. It was a clear sign it could be wounded or at least could feel pain. It wasn’t much but it was something to work with. But before getting violent, Max continued with diplomacy. Now standing upright, he still spoke softly and with respect. Even though he was getting tired of the beast’s false sense of superiority. “I don’t think you understand. This planet is protected by beings you could not fathom. Beings strong enough to move planets while others have the power to blink yours out of existence. I say this not as a threat but as a warning.”

Just then a rustling sound could be heard as flashlights shined from all around. The small army of police officers from town came rushing in, with their firearms locked and loaded. But as soon as they came into sight, Max immediately shouted to them all, “Stop! Lower your guns immediately. The beast is not a threat, we’re simply talking.” At that point he did whatever he could to gain the beasts attention and not let it be detoured by the officers and their clearly visible weapons. “They are not a threat.” he said to the beast, trying to deescalate things, “They are not going to attack. It is just you and me having a conversation. They have nothing to do with it!” at which point he quickly ordered the officers to back away as quickly as possible, for their own safety.

@komplete:

Ozzy snuck in through the back, slowly walking through the box-laden shelves of the store's back room. He remained silent listening for a better grasp of the situation inside.

"Its quite a spectacle up here, Ozzy. Looks like some Mayberry kids have grown up and trying to get the cash. This is beneath even you." His conscious Ozymandias said as the aberration appeared again gazing through the doorway only Oz could see. "We can end this quickly - if you allowed it."

Oz did not want to contemplate the notion. He resisted his Ozymandias persona since it appeared. Oz found it to be an annoyance. Ozymandias relished in the arrangement. Yet, the connection they shared expanded his awareness so it was useful at times.

"Interesting..." Ozymandias exclaimed as everyone's attention focused onto the robotic stranger outside the store. "We all have secrets now, huh"

"What are you blabbering about?" Ozzy whispered aloud.

"Its our new friend. He is..." Ozymandias turned to see the last gunman appeared with his gun drawn pointing it at Ozzy. "...Gun!"

Ozzy dodged out of the way as if he was watching himself in a movie through the lens of Ozymandias. There were two shots. They were loud enough catch the attention of the gunman's buddies in the main store. "They know we are here," Ozymandias shouted from the store desk. Another Ozymandias appeared next to the gunman, following the shooter as he approached carefully to Ozzy's position. And lastly, an Ozymandias appeared over the maimed Ozzy. "You are bleeding."

Ozzy did not recognize the shot but Ozymandias was correct as blood began to soak his shirt. Ozzy grabbed anything he could as a weapon, finding a small shovel near a shelf. Ozzy managed his way to the end of the shelf corridor, contemplating his next move but seeing his assailants movement through the Ozymandias that hovered next to him.

"You are hit, and bleeding. He has a gun and you do not. Release me now." It was a notion he did not want to contemplate. Ozzy waited as he knew the gunman approached. He gripped the shovel waiting for right moment. The correct time to strike. He waited for the gunman to get close enough to slap the gunman's wrist with the shovel and when that time came Oz slapped at the wrist force that another shot was fired into the ground. It was then instinct as his reflexes seemed to connect with the viewpoints of both Ozymandias' to cause directed attacks on the gunman as if he was standing without motion at all. Oz would go full out on each swing of the shovel why also be aware in full of his assailants movement. It was a shared instinct. A superior instinct. One that dropped the gunman without mercy. It was a victory Oz didnt have time to enjoy as he tended to his wound while waiting for the others reactions in the store.

The Silent Correction (The Past)

The outbreak began with a broadcast, one so potent it fractured global stability. Gothic City's alert was the spark. Within hours D.C. went dark, locked behind barricades and silence. No one left, no one entered. The infection wasn't just biological-- it was fear, and it spread faster than any virus.

In a room with no name, lit only by screens, she sat alone. Her office was more armory than a workplace, with scattered files, holstered sidearms, and an untouched cup of coffee going cold by her hand. Dozens of live feeds danced across her monitors, each one reporting from the edge of collapse.

Another outbreak. Another city. Another failure to contain. A soft chime echoed a signal, not a surprise. Without looking, she tapped the encrypted device. It shifted, restructured into a data cube, revealing a silhouette, a contact hidden behind layers of static and protocol. "Ah yes." she muttered "Is it that time again?"

The voice came through, filtered calm, "You're watching the news. This is clearly a reemergence of Event X. We need a sample. CR-833 may be the missing key to finalize the GENESIS virus. Your skills are... uniquely suited for this." she leaned back, eyes narrowing. "You want me to walk into a dying city for a vial? Again?". "Actions not words. You know what's at stake. Don't fail us." she didn't flinch. Failure was not in her vocabulary.

The mission was clear: enter the hot zone, retrieve the sample, and vanish before the city eats itself alive.

The call cut. No goodbyes.

The Phantom (The Present)

The world is not as it seems. Reality is an illusion- fragile, inconsistent, held together by forces that most cannot see and even fewer understand. Such is not the case for Excella, she is not one of the blind. She is the ultimate observer.

A cold hum pulsed through the reinforced chamber as Excella stood before her desk, fingers brushing the edge of a classified case file thick with redacted lines and warnings. The lights were dim by design. Even here, in the heart of the most secure level of her organization's underground complex, shadows had rank.

She opened the Farmington dossier.

Event E-1376

Designation: Spatial Collapse Event

Origin: Unknown

Status: Uncontained. Persistent anomaly field.

Civilian casualties: Unconfirmed.

Psychological contamination suspected.

The photos were distorted. Buildings bent at impossible angles. Time-stamped surveillance footage looped with micro-variations. One showed a girl walking through the same intersection forty-seven times in different clothing, unaware she was being watched herself.

"It's still active." she murmured.

Voice (offscreen): "That's why you're going in."

She didn't flinch as the cube-shaped comms device on her desk pulsed crimson and activated. A 3D projection, more suggestion than form, materialized: a tall, angular figure in black, face obscured in glitching static. He didn't need to show his face. Everyone in the organization knew his presence.

"You've had operatives watching the fracture for months. And now you send me?" she questioned, "They were bait. You're the scalpel." his tone was clinical, calm, like death making conversation. "Farmington was the first breach that bled into memory-space. It didn't rot, it remembered. And it learned. What it's becoming... we can't let it evolve."

She narrowed her eyes, "So I contain it. Or I erase it." the projection flickered. Behind the distortion, two glints of light were visible; eyes, cold, and, calculating. Silence hung for a moment, heavy and unmovable. "We have carved out a window for insertion. It will not remain open. You know what's expected of you. Remember, 'Order Through Silence'."

The cube dimmed as the transmission ended. "Farmington, it is."

The New Agenda

Behind the thin veil of consensus reality, there are fractures: anomalies that should not exist, people who have slipped through the cracks of logic and time. Most never notice. Most will never understand. But Excella does.

Anomalies occur when reality falters and something seeps through the cracks. Not long ago, a spatial tear formed in Connecticut, from what she gathered, it was where an academy once stood. A barren facility that's seen better days, one filled with vivacious students from all wonders. "Farmington..." she said quietly under her breath, gearing up in the most unconventional attire as she departed north. Little did she know, she would embark on a living nightmare.

@ozzy_manueldiaz:

It had been a while since Kenny played a hero, but this was a case in which he needed to do it again. With one of the thieves already incapacitated at the door, he peered through the front door window to better assess the situation. Inside were four armed men, preforming what is best known as a Smash and Grab, with one going through the cash register, while the other two held a gun to the store owner’s head, and his son. The fourth however was heading towards the back, the same place Ozzy was sneaking in. All Kenny had to do was save the owners and stop the thieves, and pray that Ozzy didn’t get himself killed in the process. Because unlike him, Kenny was built to handle situations like this, and for all he knew, Ozzy was just another regular human being with a strong moral compass!

Unfortunately, Kenny’s metallic body did come with some disadvantages, the biggest one was looking like a freak! But even with an advanced computerized mind, he made the biggest mistake, not realizing that when he could see inside, they could see him on the outside. Before he knew it, the one criminal going through the cash register, caught a glimpse of him, and yelled “What the Hell is that!” causing the rest of them to go into a state of panic. Immediately Kenny knew it was go time, and with one arm he smashed through the door. At this point the thug with the gun aimed at the owner was now moving to aim it at Kenny, but the one thug with the gun aimed at the owner’s kid, kept his gun firmly placed there, and despite Kenny’s fast moving legs, he wasn’t sure if he could get to him in time.

But just as the thief going through the cash register was going for his gun, two loud shots rang out from the back room followed by what sounded like a struggle. Immediately Kenny assumed the worst and that Ozzy was now dead, but unfortunately he didn’t have the time to worry about it at this moment. With the one thug holding a gun to the store owner’s kid’s head, Kenny could watch through his enhanced eye as he was slowly pulling back on the trigger. With no time to reach him, with a thought Kenny created a thin but sturdy energy shield between the two, and at the moment the gun went off, the bullet hit the shield then fell harmlessly to the floor, as the thief was still trying to figure out what just happened.

Now racing forward through the store, Kenny did not try to run with stealth or strategic, instead he knocked over shelves on his way towards the three crooks. By now all three were aiming at him, with one of them managing to get a shot off at him. But only seconds before he had his hands on the three of them, the one round bounced off Kenny’s hide and ricocheted, putting a hole in the store owner’s roof. Normally in a moment like this a young hero would say some thing clever or memorable, but all Kenny said was “You dumb sons of a B!tch!” From that point on he dispatched with the three criminals through a series of strong arming them or low level electrical shocks. But within mere minutes all three of them were unconscious. The only threat now in the room was Kenny’s offsetting appearance in front of two frightened owners.

Like many times before, Kenny felt like a freak even though he just saved their lives, but the sight of the two of them appearing more scared of him than the robbers was a hard pill to swallow. Naturally he began speaking in a calm and soothing voice, “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m not here to hurt you!” but no matter what he said the two owners were still terrified. It was then another gun shot rang out from the back room, and without a second thought Kenny raced back there, hoping and praying that Ozzy was still alive. But still fearing the worst. Despite all his heroic actions, he didn’t think he could live with the knowledge he let Ozzy die, especially if there was something he could do about it. But just after knocking over a few boxes of supplies, he found his friend bleeding out on the floor with the last robber unconscious, with a dented shovel lying next to him.

Still shining in his robotic glory, Kenny stood over Ozzy with a concerned look upon his face. Not even thinking about the fact about how he may look, he kept uttering the words, “Don’t move Ozzy I’ll take care of you!” With that said he scanned Ozzy with his robotic eye, learning that the bullet went clean through without any damage, other than two gaping holes in his body and a huge loss of blood! Quickly realizing this is the first time Ozzy would see him as Komplete, he kneels down next to him and explains, “Yeah I know we have a lot to talk about but now is not the time or place. I need to cauterize your wounds before you bleed out.” At that point he would follow Ozzy’s lead, in what ever path he chooses, but would still end with a loud and angry, “And what the hell were you thinking coming in here, outnumbered and unarmed? Are you stupid or something? I mean I am a freak just look at me, but you.. your just human!”

@excella: @komplete: Where there was death, there would always be death.

Not native to Earth—or rather, not this version of Earth—the Lady of the Unspoken emerged into being, her corporeal form taking shape from the shadows cast by an old tree beside a quiet cabin. Her feet touched the ground with an unstable wobble, nearly sending her tumbling, but she caught herself just in time. Seraphyne Mourndusk took a slow look around, her expression thoughtful. A rookie necromancer, she was nonetheless gifted in a wide array of magical arts. Though imbued with tremendous power by her Patron, she still relied on the old-fashioned Mk 1 eyeball—her physical sight—having skipped out on learning perception-enhancing spells in favor of mastering Conjuration and Defensive Magic.

She wasn’t exactly sure why she had arrived here instead of Vega Prime. But she was certain of one thing: someone was dying. That truth lingered in the air like static. Perhaps fate—or her Patron—had guided her to cross paths with people she had yet to meet. And perhaps, in this quiet, unfamiliar world, death was not the end—but the beginning of something new.

Steel Jaw X receives the report from his earth scout that the planet is inhabited with organic life. He announces that the planet will be the steel jaw army's next target for their invasion............

@komplete: Ozzy could do nothing more than grunt in pain as he held the wound with pressure as blood began to soak into his hand. Ozzy seemed to crawl around looking for anything to apply pressure to the gun wound as Bob (Komplete) talked as Ozzy registered nothing more than a garbled mess.

'This is some heavy duty technology your friend Bob has here. He is like Reed ( @micro-man ) on steroids. I wonder if its alien or government grade. Can never know between the two nowadays,' the astral visage of Ozymandias said aloud in Ozzy's mind as Ozymandias gazed at the cyborg, its phantom finger jabbing at the face of Bob knowing he could not feel. 'Your friend says he can cauterize your wound. You should do it because we have to get out of here before the authorities show up. Direct him to the place.'

Ozzy nodded while still in pain finally gesturing Bob to do what needed to be done. "Make it quick. We got to get out of here. Ill tell you where to go.' Opening his eyes to see the cyborg body of Bob. "Damn...you really do look like Reed on steroids.

The Deep Dive

The silence descended upon the city like a heavy fog, the kind that blankets all sound, smothering any trace of life. Excella moved through the deserted streets undetected her presence as subtle as a shadow slipping between the cracks in reality. Under the moonlight, the air had an almost suffocating stillness, carrying with it a scent of something unsettling, violence and betrayal lingered like a disease. The city around her felt unnatural, as though it had been emptied in a single breath, its once thriving energy now replaced by an eerie stillness.

"Where is everyone?" Excella muttered to herself, her heels clicking against the cracked pavement with each calculated step. She paused, scanning the darkened windows of the buildings, the empty streets stretched before her like an endless maze of forgotten memories. The streets seemed too calm... too quiet. It didn't make sense. The dossiers had hinted at something, but she expected chaos, not this oppressive silence. Could it have already spread? Had the reality around her been corrupted to this degree?

"What happened here?"

She kept moving, her keen eyes absorbing every detail of the empty city. As much as her mind screamed that something was terribly wrong, there was no tangible proof. Nothing alive. No signs of struggle no bodies. Just a hollow void where life once thrived. It was as though she had walked into a forgotten ghost town, abandoned by it's very soul.

Her destination was clear: the academy. It stood at the edge of the city, an imposing structure in its dilapidated state, a place where secrets festered like a wound left untreated. The ruins were quiet, almost reverent in their decay. And yet, despite the absence of life, the echoes of the past clung to the air, filling the space with a lingering sense of something unfinished, something that had been disturbed.

The Confrontation

Finally settling near the outskirts of the woods, the academy’s silhouette loomed on the horizon, blurred, distant, but undeniably there. It stood like a monument to secrets, veiled by towering trees and an oppressive quiet that felt… unnatural. Not even the stir of wildlife whispered through the air. That silence was soon broken- sharp, abrupt- the sound of something slicing through the stillness. A ripple of air. A gunshot. Then another.

Her head snapped toward the disturbance, instincts kicking in like muscle memory. Without hesitation, she advanced; silent, calculated. Whether the threat was anomaly or man, Excella’s mission remained the same: observe, control, and if necessary… eliminate. Another shot rang out as neared. She didn’t flinch.

“Gunshots. Plural.” she murmured under her breath, eyes scanning the shadows. “So I wasn’t the only one invited to this little party.”

Soon she found herself at the threshold of a rundown hardware store, or from what the commotion had caused. Her sidearm had already been drawn, holstered low against her abdomen, comfortably worn, like an extension of her will. Slipping inside with silent elegance of a cat, she stepped into the fray. The door creaked faintly behind her. Voices. A struggle. The tension was thick.

Two men. Back turned. The shopkeeper frozen in fear. Excella moved like smoke, fluid and unnoticed, until she made her presence known with a voice cool as ice. “Looks like I’m fashionably late,” she said, smooth and biting, just loud enough to halt their movement mid-step. She gave them time to react, at least to turn around, face-to-face, if they desired. In this situation, she hoped for slow movement, nothing alarming with speed to trigger her instinct to fire.

“Not another move, boys,” she added, leveling her weapon with ease. “Now… how about we start with what exactly I walked into?” she gave them time to explain themselves, maybe too much time. The clock was ticking, she had to end this little ruse and get on with her mission. The air buzzed with more than tension. Something else was here, wrong. The anomaly hadn’t consumed the building, yet it clung to the outskirts like fog with fangs. The city was dead, it veins emptied of life… but this store still pulsed, somehow untouched. Or was it waiting? Had the anomaly learned to hide? Perhaps it was being selective?

She studied the two men- boys, really. Young, shaken, but breathing. No immediate threat, despite one being coated in metal. She lowered her weapon, slowly, deliberately, and slid a hand into her coat. From its fold, she produced a badge, its glints catching the flicker of overhead light. “Vera. FBI.” She met their gaze with a smirk that didn’t reach her eyes. “If I were you, I’d leave this city. Tonight.”

With that, she turned. No questions. No explanations. Her trench coat flowed behind her like a shadow as she pushed open the door and steeping into the night. The world outside greeted her like a coiled serpent, silent, waiting. The academy loomed in the distance. Answers hid beneath its skin. And she? She was already moving toward them.

@excella: @ozzy_manueldiaz:

The man’s got guts! That was all Kenny could think of while looking down upon Ozzy. The man was bruised and bleeding on the floor, but he did it all for the right reasons. It was a true testament to his moral standings, making it another reason Kenny liked him. But after a long lecture on how he could have easily been killed, Kenny had to end it with a, “But you’re a damn good man, and I respect you.” But the problem was Ozzy was still bleeding out despite the fact it appeared it didn’t bother him, and as such Kenny needed to cauterize the wound quickly. “This may hurt a bit.” Kenny said just as his finger tip burned a hot red, “but I’ll try to do this quickly.” From that point on, with pin point precision, he sealed up the wounds while doing his best not to harm him or ruin what was left of his shirt. But in the moment, Kenny was feeling good about himself and his mechanical enhancements, a feeling he hadn’t had in years. As such he felt like making a joke and with a smile on his face he teased, “If you want I can leave you with a really cool scar like a cross or lightning bolt. It’s your choice.” then laughed just to ease the tension!

But the fact was he was feeling good. Despite the fact he was exposing his true self to Ozzy it felt good, it felt natural. The best part was Ozzy wasn’t freaking out or turning away, he was actually helpful. That was why in the middle of surgery he remarked, "Make it quick. We got to get out of here. I'll tell you where to go.” It was an odd comment, especially when followed with "Damn...you really do look like Reed on steroids.” Concerned Kenny scanned his vitals, but there were no signs of a fever or any reason for hallucinations. So for the moment all Kenny could reply was “Just take it easy for now and we can go anywhere you want.” Then to make sure his friend stayed conscious and awake, Kenny talked to him… from the heart. Beginning with, “and by the way, the name’s Kenny, Kenny Jackson not Bob” he began telling him the full story of who he was and how he came to be in Farmington, all the while having Ozzy repeat it to check his awareness. However, it was more for Kenny, for if he wanted Ozzy to trust him, he had to trust Ozzy with his greatest secret. In the end Kenny finished with, “You may have heard of me in the news, but don’t believe everything the press says!”

Then just before he was about to help Ozzy rise to his feet, in the most bizarre way possible a woman enters the back room with her gun raised and with an attitude. “Not another move, boys,” she says while lowering her weapon, either out of trust, respect or maybe confidence, then proceeds to ask, “Now… how about we start with what exactly I walked into?” Immediately Kenny begins to freeze, like a deer caught in the head lights, while trying to think of any excuse to explain what was going on, and more to the point how to explain who or what he was. But like a gift from the Gods, the lady was not concerned with his appearance, in fact she appeared to be more concerned with something else, something unnatural. So when she asked what was going on, he chose to remain quiet and let Ozzy give her an answer. But before it, after it or during it, the lady one up the situation by flashing her badge, and identified herself as Agent Vera with the FBI. But that was not as weird as her final words, for with genuine concern, and ignoring all that had happened previously, she informed them “If I were you, I’d leave this city. Tonight.” putting emphasis on the word Tonight!

With that said she was gone as quickly as she entered, leaving Kenny with more questions than answers. Immediately, he scanned files on Agent Vera, using the memory of her badge as a starting point, and other than a few classified files and sketchy reports, he found nothing to alarm him or mistrust her. By now Ozzy should be on his feet now, leaving Kenny to ask, “Have you ever seen her before? That was a first for me. Usually when I run into law enforcement they usually want to arrest me.” It was then the weirdest of things began to happen as the hair on his exposed arms began to rise. At the same time, he had an expression as if someone had just walked over his grave. With the deepest concern he turns to Ozzy and informs him, “I don’t know what is up but something is very very wrong.” Then after showing him the hair on his arms, he goes on, “My hair doesn’t do that anymore! Not since the incident!” He then remembers Agent Vera’s warning and declares, “I’m not sure what’s up but I don’t think it’s natural, and whether you like it or not, we need to help that lady!”

@excella: @komplete: Oz played it cool with the FBI Agent - as much as someone who just received medical treatment for a gun shot wound could be. Everything that happened afterward was simple, because it was the truth, and maybe that was what made it all weird to Ozzy. Kenny, the cyborg formerly known as Bob, stood next to him as a scientific marvel and yet she didnt blink. As if she was looking for something specific, and it wasnt Kenny who was so frantic less than an hour ago when they had met. And then came the warning to vacate Farmington that made nose furrow at the thought. Curiosity and tempted this cat, hopefully it would get either of them killed.

“Have you ever seen her before? That was a first for me. Usually when I run into law enforcement they usually want to arrest me.”

Kenny's words broke Ozzy's deep contemplation, but again the truth rang out like a bell in the distance. Why didnt the Agent detain the two of them. "Never met her but I can guarantee Im not leaving Farmington just because she said so."

“I don’t know what is up but something is very very wrong. My hair doesn’t do that anymore! Not since the incident! I’m not sure what’s up but I don’t think it’s natural, and whether you like it or not, we need to help that lady!”

Kenny's cautionary tone caught his attention. "We need to regroup and when we get our $h!t together then we can find this lady and find out what the Hell is going on. Plus, I have some stuff to update you on anyways."

(moving to Haven thread)

The Shift

Departing from the hardware store and leaving the young men off with a warning, Excella hoped the best for them. The setting was too eerie, the very few encounters that puzzles her. "Almost there." she reminded herself. But as her feet crossed the threshold, the world around her twisted, like watercolor flowing down a canvas. The air thickened, the ground beneath her seemed to pulse, and a terrible tremor vibrated through the earth. Excella halted mid-step, her senses screaming, no doubt she was now being swallowed by the anomaly she had came to investigate. The trees… the buildings… the very fabric of the city around her was warping. Shapes contorted, structures bled into one another. Reality itself was being pulled apart, as if someone or something was erasing the boundaries that held this world together. Pure chaos.

“My god…” Excella breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper. The sensation beneath her skin was growing, a crawling coldness that seemed to whisper in forgotten languages. She could feel it: this wasn’t just a shift. This was alive. This new reality was not just indifferent to her presence, it was angry, lashing out against her and all those within it. She could feel its eyes on her, pressing against her mind like a thousand unseen hands clawing it ways through. Each mental tear began to wore her down, this was no mere illusion, it was manifestations brought forth.

Before she could react, the ground trembled violently, sending cracks spider-webbing across the earth. A guttural growl, distant yet horrifying close, echoed from deep beneath her feet. And then, the earth gave way beneath her, the ground splitting open, as it were some malevolent creature yearning to swallow her whole. Instinctively, she reached for her power, focusing inward, trying to access the quantum field she usually manipulated so easily. But nothing responded. No shift, no flicker of movement in the fabric of space-time. Her powers, the very essence of existence, were null here, dissipating like smoke in the storm.

In that terrifying moment, as the ground continued to crack and crumble, she looked forward with a desperate focus, searching her mind’s eye for a possibility, any possible reality where she could escape this nightmare. But there was nothing. Blank. Her heart raced, and she stumbled backward, trying to retreat into the city, to find solid ground, but it too was shifting, distorting, responding to her every movement. The very air seemed to distort around her. The shapes of buildings twisted in ways they should not, as though mocking her with their broken, contorted forms. The environment was adapting. She was clinging onto survival, a sailing boat fighting against the waves of the mighty oceans, with mere moments left before she was consumed entirely.

Her pulse quickened, every nerve in her body screaming, she was out of time, out of her depth.

Enter The Abyss

Only darkness.

Not the darkness of the night, but the kind that devours. The kind that erases. The kind hat is not merely the absence of light, but the absence of everything. There were no roads ahead, no paths to take. Just an endless, suffocating void where reality itself had ceased to exist. A new sensation gripped her, fingers of cold dread wrapping around her spine as the environment itself seemed to tighten around her, closing in like a trap. There was no escape from this new reality. No door to open. No world to leap to.

She was trapped.

(Steel Jaw X witnesses as reality shifts in to one completely different from what it use to be. However, the steel jaw supreme leader did not fear this change. Instead, he reveled in the new opportunity.)

Steel Jaw X: Ah yes, a new realm to conquer and bend to the will of the steel jaws. Soon this new reality will realize its new master.

@max_fury: (The steel jaw watches this happen. He is very amused and suddenly loses it.) No threat? No Life! YAahahahahaahHAHhahaahaaaa! YOU WILL BE SORRY YOU EVER LOWERED YOUR GUARDS! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

@darklordqimir:

Still standing in the woods surrounded by large thick trees, Max was in awe at the sight of the giant metal beast with a massive jaw. It was the stuff of nightmares, and even though Max had trained to suppress his fears, he was now in a situation he had never been prepared for before. With the cops running back for their own safety, Max stood alone against the beast. The last line of defense against whatever the thing was their for! As a trained psychiatrist his first act was to talk or discuss an issue but after a few unanswered “Why are you here?” or “How can we help you?” the Steel Jaw made it’s answer clear!

In a voice that echoed throughout the forest, the beast looked down upon him and bellowed “No threat? No Life! YAahahahahaahHAHhahaahaaaa! YOU WILL BE SORRY YOU EVER LOWERED YOUR GUARDS!” It was then it began to laugh, but in an ungodly tone, that even struck fear in Max, making him second guess himself and forget why he was even here. But the fact is Max chose this life to help protect those who could not help themselves, and in this case, the beast was the perfect example of what he chose to stand up against!

But before things got aggressive, Max tried one last time to try reason with it, and avoid a brutal confrontation. Standing up tall and strong, he stood his ground, while still keeping his distance, and once again asked the question, “Listen we don’t need to fight, I am sure we can talk things out!” But the fact was his hands were already clinched as he was one hundred percent sure that this beast wanted one thing and only one….IT was here to conquer!

(the steel jaw suddenly becomes calm in a very creepy way and he spoke in a very slow and calm voice) Oh what i'm gonna do to you. (the steel jaw's body rattles as he imagines the thing's he'll do) 1st, i'm gonna tear your spine out. Yeah. That's what i'm gonna do. Then, i'm gonna CRUNCH your skull. (The steel jaw shivers even more as he slowly loses his sanity.) And you know what else? I'm gonna hit ya and you're gonna fall. Then i'm gonna stand over and i'm gonna laugh. (even with an unexpressive face, the steel jaw seems to be smiling a wicked evil smile filled with pure malece.)

@darklordqimir:

Max tried hard to remain calm. He had tried being polite, he had tried being diplomatic. He even tried reasoning with the beast. But none of it worked. No matter what Max did or said the beast would always respond with something aggressive like, “i'm gonna tear your spine out.” or “i'm gonna CRUNCH your skull.” Clearly the beast had only one objective and that was to destroy. But as much as Max would have loved to give the beast a pounding Fury style, he always swore never to throw the first punch! Lucky for Max, that didn’t mean he couldn’t try intimidating it.

With a stern voice he looked deep into what passes for the beasts eyes and said, “I’ve tried being nice with you, and even asked you several times to leave.” He then moves forward with his chest puffed out and leading the way. “But all you do is threaten me!” Then with his right hand, he grabs hold of one of the larger thicker trees and rips it from the ground. Roots and all. Then with the greatest of ease he holds it like a bat over his shoulder, ready to swing it for all of its worth!

“So it’s about time..” he says with a clear grin on his face “..you learn a hard lesson!” Hedigs his feet into the ground for leverage and taunts the beast to make a move, with his eyes. “This is Earth you cretin. Home of American apple-pie, base ball and good men and women that don’t take crap from threatening aliens. No matter how arrogant they speak down to us!” He then takes a few practice swings with the tree, not to be intimidating, but rather get a feel for it in his massive arms, then ends with a, “So I give you one last warning to leave before I show you what else us Earthlings can do!!!”

(rageful steel jaw) YOU WORM! YOU DESTROY ME AND 10000000 MORE STEEL JAWS COME AFTER YOU!

@darklordqimir:

The rage filling up in Max was overwhelming. The more he tried reasoning with the beast the angrier it made him feel. Even after his last warning, a chance to resolve everything, the beast chose to roar at him again! “YOU WORM!” it said with total disgust, “YOU DESTROY ME AND 10000000 MORE STEEL JAWS COME AFTER YOU!” It was at this point Max knew the only way to end this was with a fight. Even if it meant an all out invasion. So for now all Max could do was taunt back, “and I will be here to stop each and every one!” With that said he clinched the thick wood in his hands and prepared for the inevitable fight!

With that said he began his swing, arching the mighty tree over his shoulder and right along side of what would pass for the beast’s face. He held the tree tight to avoid splitting it but upon impact anything could happen. The best case scenario would be knocking the beast into orbit, the most unlikely would be the tree shatters into a million pieces doing no harm. But either way Max would show no fear in the outcome. For this was only the first strike of many to come!

(the steel jaw flies back several feet, tho the tree also breaks in half. The steel jaw immediately lashes back, whipping around so that its handles slam right into the man's side with brutal force)

@darklordqimir:

With ones swing of the tree, Max hit the beast right in the side of it’s face. Shattering the mighty tree into pieces, yet still being effective. With a mighty “Crack” the beast went flying back a good thirty to forty yards, smashing through rooted trees while making shuffling leaves fall every where. It was not the most powerful strike Max could hit the beast with, but more of a test, testing to see what the beast could or could not take. But after the swing, it was clear that he no longer needed to hold back, and that he could hit it without fear of killing it…. Assuming it could be killed!

But just as quick as the beast was knocked away, it came back ready for more. Moving so fast it appeared as a blur, it came at Max spinning it’s body around like a top. Before he knew it the Metal beast hit him hard in the side, knocking him off his feet and sending him tumbling through the woods like a rag doll. One by one he would hit a tree, snapping it in half and further on into the next. By the time he stopped tumbling, he left behind a clear path from his flight and a lumber yard of fallen trees.

Down but far from out, Max quickly rose to his feet, taunting back, “Is that the best you got?” Then with both hands he grabbed hold of what was the biggest pieces of lumber next to him and through them like spears towards the beast. Like rockets they soared across the battle field whistling all the way. However, they were nothing more than a distraction as the real attack was coming up quick. Just as the two giant spears were launched, Max ran towards the beast, behind them using them as cover. But at the moment he was in striking range, he cocked back his right hand and proceed to release a powerful and devastating right cross, right along the beasts jaw line. Should he hit, the effect would be at least ten times as devastating as his first attack, and in his own eyes, should put an end to the fight!

(The steel jaw scout has had enough, for he is cowardly and doesn't like fighting enemies he can't one shot.) You filthy organic! When my master hears about this, he will sympathize with me and you and your planet will suffer greatly! (The steel jaw scout then flees back into space.)