X-Champions Issues

Issue #22 - Sammy's Growing Up/Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous, and Wanted

Mayor Berry summons Rodin to his office. They move to a special "indoor courtyard" where birds fly about and it's surprisingly noisy. As Laughton sits in stone on a braced bench (Berry is resistant to any other forms and in fact upon even the hint of an offer retorts, "I don't need no showing off, Laughton."), the mayor lectures....

"Hamlet, there's a special place in my heart for you and the Justice Squad and what you ALL have done for this city. And I have a certain trust in you all. A trust no mayor can admit to, and one I would be a fool to ever admit to. However, there it is.

"A man doesn't get to be mayor by playing percentages, by listening to pundits, by catering to every whim of the madding crowd. Particularly not a man known as a "boy singer", a latter-day "Negro troubadour". No, Hamlet, or Rodin if you prefer, I am not the average man, not the average mayor. I do not plot for higher political office. I do not plot for self-aggrandizement. I do not even think about reelection. I do what is right for me and what is right for this city. Though sometimes what's right for me and the city isn't always what others, sitting in their posh suburban minivans and picking their kids up from soccer in the "new, safer Detroit" always thinks is ethical.

"Anyhow, there's a special club, a special place for you and your kind. And by your kind, I do not mean it the way I have heard it so many times myself. No, I mean a place for men of honor who by both fortune and choice find themselves leading the herd but still segregated.

"I want the Justice Squad to join a fraternity of likeminded people. It's not like a Marshall's posse or any of the pulp flights of fancy. It's simply a club for relaxation and reflection. A club of slight self-indulgence. A club that has a bit of quiet financing to it, if you know what I mean."

The mayor leans and whispers, "842 Clark Street, there's an office building that's been unoccupied for a few years now. It'll never be reconstructed. Go in and leap down the hole, it's a long drop so be prepared. And don't break nothin'. It's only for Saturday nights, and special occasions. The clientele is unique and I think you'll all have a good time. Tell them I sent you."

Sihn is interested.  The Troll has been a regular fixture at the regular mutant hangouts for quite some time. Originally, he felt that it is an important part of his "mission" to make contact with as many mutants as possible, to observe them, and, of course, to gather samples. He still tells himself that he's there on "business," but its been months since he's collected any samples. During the time he and Aela were separated, he could be found in such places most nights. Now that she's back, he spends much less time in these circles, though he'll still drop in a couple of times a week. He keeps a somewhat low profile - always in Troll guise, and always making some attempt at disguise. All regulars will recognize him instantly, though.

Aela often accompanies him. It isn't exactly the kind of thing she'd usually want to be involved in, but she wouldn't want Eliot to spend a lot of time around places like that unaccompanied. After a few visits, she undoubtedly felt a lot more comfortable, and started making friends. In a lot of ways, it brings back memories of Prof. X's school - where she spent most of her life.  Since Aela quit her job, she needs a better support network of friends, and these circles are the likely place for her to draw from.

The more extreme areas of the clubs are pretty much off limits to Aela and Sihn. Sihn is interested, though, and keeps an ear out for what's going on. He's also a patron, of sorts, for a good many members of the community. It's also rumored that the "ambrosia" has a lot more kick since he started hanging around...

Since Suzanne is newer to admitting her mutantness and doesn't really like crowded places much she doesn't go to many of these.  She's most comfortable in a quiet one where she wouldn't pick up too many stray thoughts or conversely in a loud dance club where the music would drown out her second voice.  She isn't that particular to either a human or mutants only club.

Laughton, while he never denies he is a mutant when confronted, and certainly as Rodin he remains silent on the subject (to those not in tune with his brainwaves), he has not really embraced his mutantdom to the extent that Troll has.  Laughton prefers to being the fly on the wall rather than the open displays of powers these types of places cater to.  Of course the clubs that are highly discrete, and known gathering places of the great thinkers, well connected, and bottom feeders are of interest to Laughton, and he is a frequent visitor to some of them, but it not of a frequency that he could be considered a "regular" of the club.  In fact, he would just as likely prefer to be holed up in a nice cardboard box in some perfectly situated alley so that he could survey his latest assignment.

That being the case, Laughton has joined the Troll on a few occasions as a "tag a long" to see what all the fuss is about, and gather information on a who's who level-- not the same kind of information that the Troll was intent on last year (samples! must get samples) but more of a who works for whom, what various interests are being focused, and other intelligence gathering types of topics.

Laughton investigates the address from nearby the next available Saturday.  He employs all his counter surveillance techniques and capabilities, using his monopole form, taking note of the comings and goings to the address, both obvious and suspected.  

He sees and experiences a good bit.  He witnesses Wilting Rose holding up a sign, "It's not polite to watch, perv!" It's unclear if she knows who exactly is watching. All his tapes and such are erased of her, but he does manage to recognize her through her casual disguise. While watching one evening, Laughton (in monopole form no less) feels a sudden chill.   He turns to human and a figure materializes in front of him, clearly the notorious semi-heroic Ghost Rider of LA.  He intones, "Whooooo are you?"  Laughton is paralyzed and responds despite yourself, "Hamlet Laughton," slowly and flatly.  A few seconds which feel like hours pass as he grows increasingly cold, to the point where he wonders if he'll freeze to death, and the Ghost Rider abruptly laughs and declares in a broken cracking voice, "Ah, you're all right," releasing his grip. He proceeds inside. Otherwise no one appears to notice Laughton. The Metal Men pass through in simple disguises, Flaming Carrot enters undisguised. He thinks he see nearby Chicago's hero the Fly as well as a relatively minor heroic duo from Cleveland known as the Jerky Boys.  Everyone in the Justice Squad has heard of the JBs; regionally they're known for appropriating the Jerky Boys' gimmicks and are extremely childish and annoying.  They're also known as Beavis and Butthead. T heir powers appear to be nothing more than dexterity, strength, and various odorific characteristics and they definitely are not too powerful. The two of them probably wouldn't stand up long to any single member of the JS.  They are wanted in Cleveland and several other Ohio cities for literally hundreds of minor infractions (public nudity, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, misuse of public communications, etc.).  They're wanted by the federal government for FCC violations.

Once he catalogues this information, he speaks to the other JS members about the place, and the Mayor's invitation....

"...Anyway I am certain that our dear Mayor has some ulterior motive for getting us involved. Most likely he sees this as an avenue of communication with others of like mind, but perhaps he also has ambitions to further his position through our work. I do get the feeling of partial ownership from some of his sermons and monologs he has with me."

Laughton makes no attempt to fool anyone about the fact that his connection with the Mayor is usually once sided in the information transfer process. He wouldn't want anyone to get the idea that he might actually be able to sway any decision making process in the city.

Following up on the invitation from the mayor, Laughton, Sammy, and the Troll check out the club for Detroit's most prestigious gifted.  The Troll prepares for the occasion by applying his mutating chemicals to boost his self-confidence and presence.  Upon arriving they are greeted by socialite Jenny Crystal, who apparently runs it.  It's a bit of a surprise, given she's not known publicly for associations with supers.  She enthusiastically shows them in, fawning over them, and not thrown by Laughton's casual disguise.  The Justice Squad members see past her some women that they recognize as former Game Show Models (for the villainous, now jailed Game Show Host).  Jenny makes small talk and whispers into Sammy's ear about the habit of kissing hands as a form of greeting, teaching him a bit about how the nouveau riche engage socially.

As they move fully into the club, Jenny shows them to the bar where they sit next to Ohio's rogue supers the Jerky Boys.  The Justice Squad orders up drinks - a Bloody Mary with real blood (calf's blood, despite Laughton's attempt to get the bartender to order up human blood) for the Troll, a Guinness for Sammy (who asked for something "thick"), and a single malt scotch for Laughton (who doesn't drink it).  The Jerky Boys immediately set to giving the Justice Squad a hard time, one of the two young men using "dude" seemingly every other word and speaking in skate-speak, while the other fancies himself a "wegro" and speaks in inner city African-American slang.  They get somewhat belligerent with the Justice Squad, who try to ignore them.  Laughton briefly considers turning one of them into a statue but decides against it.  However, it turns out the Jerky Boys have brought in their own liquor and as the Justice Squad comments on it the bartender overhears, then tells them to leave.  The wegro is willing to duke it out with the Justice Squad but the dude, looking at the Troll, takes him aside and dissuades him.  Before leaving, Laughton turns their jigger into stone, giving it to them as a memento.  Huffily, they exit.

As Jenny apologizes for the Jerky Boys, making a few vague excuses, Sammy informs her that they're bad kids, but Laughton convinces him to let it go.  As Sammy chats with Jenny, he reveals, "I'm a product of advanced science!"  Jenny responds, "Get outta heah!" giving Sammy a shove.  As they continue to talk, she whispers to the Justice Squad that a "very famous" person is in the corner, and they see the Game Show Models cluster around a figure in the shadows of a booth in the back.

With Jenny's encouragement, the Justice Squad approaches the back booth.  They see a healthy late middle-aged man surrounded by the models, and notice a couple of rather sticky "cobwebs" near the man.  He is speaking patronizingly to the models, who eat it up, as he invites one of them to sit in his lap to "make room" for the Justice Squad to sit down at the now-crowded booth.  The Justice Squad introduce themselves.  The man rambles a bit bitterly about what he declines as increasingly tough times and disenchantment with the super hero gig, occasionally questioning them and usually answering himself.  While the Justice Squad doesn't take long to figure out it's Spiderman, he, rather drunk, decides to help them figure it out and shoots a web over to retrieve a drink from the bar.  Then he says "shhhh" to the Justice Squad, though most people obviously saw it.  He asks about Magneto and shares his own thoughts that he's misguided but not a bad guy.  

Wilting Rose arrives and is glad to see the Justice Squad and "Peter" (Spiderman), asking him if he's going to take photos of everyone.  It's immediately obvious that Spiderman is renowned photojournalist Peter Parker, though Wilting Rose seems entirely unconcerned with his grousing at her.  He eventually consents, though, and soon he takes pictures, then passes the camera off so pictures can be taken of him and Sammy and in other combinations with people there.  Laughton is sure to give Spiderman one of his cards, and they mention if he ever needs special care that Eliot Sihn would be glad to help him out.  Wilting Rose, usually nonplussed, turns white as the Troll writes a contact number on his own bone.  Parker/Spiderman, due to his super-high metabolism, is already sobering up and departs soon, lamenting his inability to stay drunk for long.  The Troll manages to snag a sample from one of Spiderman's glasses.

The party appears to be winding down but the Troll pays the bartender $1,000 to stay open, and Wilting Rose and the models hang out for a bit.  The Troll figures that as he's already arranged with Aela to stay out late, he's in "use it or lose it" mode.  The Philadelphia hero Beach Ball shows up, along with a friend, and makes acquaintances with the Justice Squad.  He's a bit mystified and eventually concerned as the Troll mentions torture as a method of gathering information and Laughton hands the Beach Ball a form for his Internet-based detective school.  He decides he should leave shortly, and given it's a week night soon everyone adjourns.

It's not terribly late and Sammy goes foraging for food, "shopping" among the dumpsters.  He comes across a strange large rat that seems to reach into a dumpster in the same manner as Sammy, extending an appendage into it and in semi-liquid form reaching into absorb nutrients.  He introduces himself, and she turns out to be someone just like him, her self-chosen name "Jane".  He takes her to Baroni's for a late night treat.  It turns out she escaped from ABC a short time ago, and like Sammy doesn't know anything about her past.  They hit it off quickly, her temperament and curiosity much like Sammy's.  It's apparent to him that she's the opposite sex of his kind, and he's naturally especially intrigued.

The next morning Sammy and Jane go into the Laughton Agency and he introduces her to Velda, who storms off, and Laughton.  Sihn and Gere-luce wander up about the same time and also meet Jane.  Sammy mentions to Jane that "Newton" (as he still confuses Neumann's name) is unavailable as work is being done on him, and it's too bad she won't meet him just yet.

Jonas Hell also shows up, and reveals to Laughton the results of a recent investigation - a photograph showing a beer can on the moon near an astronaut during the Apollo 11 mission.  He points out it was long kept secret by NASA.  As he meets Jane and then finds out that she is like Sammy and raiding his office and the kitchenette for any and all organic materials, he's disgusted that he can't work in a "normal office."

Laughton takes Sammy aside and points out there's three reasons for checking more carefully into Jane's background - "A", "B", and "C".  Sammy's sure she's fine, though, and is dismissive of Laughton's concerns.  They begin discussing where she'll stay.  Sihn offers up cold storage, which is quickly nixed.  He points out that Sammy and Jane cannot stay with him, that it's probably inappropriate (as he discovers the sexual differences) for them to stay together at their early age and lack of history.  Laughton comments he can find a nice refrigerator box for Jane, and Sammy interprets this to mean that he's offering up for Jane to stay with him.  Sammy seizes on the notion excitedly, saying how great it is that Laughton will put her up.  Jane immediately is happy as well.  As Laughton tries to figure out how to get out of it, Manny happens upon the scene and offers to "escort" the two around for a while as things are figured out.  The three of them go to the movies and make a day out of it.

Meanwhile Sihn and Laughton work on the details of Jane's sudden appearance.  Sihn analyzes samples and finds that she must be of the same ilk as Sammy though her abilities are somewhat limited compared to his. Laughton verifies that there's been some escape at ABC that's been kept from the public.  

One of Wilson Fisk's lawyers contacts Laughton and Sihn, mentioning his client really wants to talk with them.  They reject the offer, and make it clear he's going to jail one way or another.  The lawyer plays games with them, pointing out it sounds like a threat.  Finally they get him off the phone, not interested to hear what Fisk has to say.

With Jane's credibility at least somewhat established, Laughton finally is able to make arrangements to be in the same place at the same time as Chris Carter, his next link to Dr. 13,  in Los Angeles.  Overhearing his arrangements, Sammy's keen to go to Disneyland in California, and soon Sihn and Aela make plans to go along with Sammy and Jane.  Aela thinks Sammy and Jane are a cute couple and is glad to fund their trip - it's not possible to use the Black Buick as Gere-luce and Rogers are still building a new one.  Manny also comes along.

As everyone leaves, Laughton is perturbed to find that Sihn is quietly fiddling with his PDA copy of the Necronomicon.  Sammy annoys everyone on the trip wanting to see the pilot's controls.

Finally arriving in LA, Laughton meets Carter in an air bar.  Laughton orders up "normal" air, and the two begin to speak as they sit next to each other.  Carter mentions Sirius as the source of some conspiratorial problems and comments on the relationship between that and a crack on the ceiling.  He impresses Laughton as paranoid, quite a feat.  He advises Laughton to find a man in Detroit who will be homeless and wears a toga.  Laughton isn't too excited with the tip, and isn't sure how much to exchange in return.  Carter wants to know about the Rosicrucians.  Laughton mentions they're nothing, especially compared to the Zoroastrians, startling Carter, and gives him good information on the Rosicrucians with a few cryptic other hints, including mentioning their leader as Jacob Tanner (who was actually their leader in the 1970s and was last seen in issue 20).  [There was a comment about Powerball name of agent - anyone remember what I was babbling about?  Obviously, this wasn't a real plot lead you can tell now anyway...]

Back at the hotel, Jane stays with her new friend Laughton while Sammy stays with Eliot and Aela.  In the wee hours a slight tapping, gently rapping, alerts Eliot and he goes to the door to be surprised by Magneto.  He stays out in the hallway, though Aela rises and prepares for the worst, just in case.  Magneto apologizes for the hour, but indicates he wanted to have a few moments alone at a quiet time.  In part he simply wants to say hello, and in part, as usual, he is doing work for his cause.  He pressures Sihn gently, and then indicates forebodingly that as mutants polarize and times get worse, he hopes that Sihn stays neutral, as his recent tussle with the X-Men and The Captain have him concerned about Sihn's loyalties.  Sammy oozes out through the hotel door to join the conversation.  Magneto sweet-talks Sammy a bit, mentioning that it's too bad they can't socialize more often, and Sammy comes up with the idea that everyone should go to Disneyland together.  Taken aback at the naive notion, Magneto is struck speechless (a rare event) for a moment, then considers it and then decides perhaps he should risk it and go incognito, to build a rapport.  But Sihn holds firm that it's not a good idea, in the event Magneto is discovered.  Magneto bids farewell and Sammy and Sihn go back to the room.  Inside Aela rests, but the rest of the building's occupants have ill dreams and awake feeling as if hung over, due to her powers of water manipulation having drawn out much of their water in preparation for a battle with Magneto.

Eliot Sihn contacts his mentor and friend Professor X to discuss the Magneto situation.  Professor X mentions that he's lost hope for his old friend Magneto due to his association with and encouragement of violence in pursuit of his cause.  He admits that he still believes Magneto's done no unprovoked personal violence to anyone nor has he "yet" killed anyone, but he feels it's headed that way.  He states he intends to see Magneto imprisoned by the federal government.  Sihn is more skeptical of the government, citing Professor X' own kidnapping and mistreatment by them, but the professor retorts this was a rogue group and he believes Magneto's imprisonment is the lesser of the presented evils.  Sihn hopes he doesn't have to make a choice.

As July comes to Detroit, the team hears from Terwilliger that the foe they defeated months back, Bogeyman, is dead, apparently from some sort of suicide.  That night each of them is visited in dreams by him, as he appears suddenly and hisses, "Gonna git ya," pauses, then screams, "BOO!" departing laughing.  While it really isn't that frightening, the timing of it is disconcerting.  Sihn demands via Terwilliger to see Bogeyman's body as well as get a sample.  After some internal wrangling, both Terwilliger and members of another government agency show up with a section of Bogeyman's pumpkin head.  Sihn is satisfied that it really is Bogeyman's body, but the Justice Squad continues to be visited nightly by a goofily taunting Bogeyman.

On a pleasant Friday Sammy and Jane go to lunch at an all-you-can eat (and soon to be broke no doubt) cafeteria.  Sihn and Laughton are both approaching the restaurant to meet them as they see heavily armored agents spring into action, assaulting Sammy.  They recognize these agents as from Omega, the same ones who attempted to capture Sammy previously.  They entangle Sammy in a mucky goo, and one fires a lazer that misses Sammy and appears to mortally wound an innocent bystander.  The Justice Squad springs into action; Laughton turns the wounded man to stone in hopes of saving his life.  Sihn turns into the Troll slowly, cursing the slow pace of transformation, and moves against the agents, knocking out one and stopping a device that is apparently inhibiting Sammy's ability to change.  Sammy breaks free, stunning a nearby agent as he grows, but is quickly reentangled and hit and hurt by a lazer blast that passes through the goo.  Jane tries to heal Sammy as well as help him break out.  The Troll advances, knocking out another agent, while Hamlet picks up an agent's weapon and shoots another standing agent.  A remaining standing agent runs away.  Witnessing one of the agents' body suits self-destructing perhaps from a remote cause, Laughton and Sihn attempt to break him out before he is killed, too.  Unfortunately, they can't clear him in time and a blast from within the suit kills the Omega agent and hurts the Troll, who, to shield Laughton, jumps onto the exploding husk of the suit.  The Troll heals himself with his wonder chemicals, and they all leave to try to capture the fleeing Omega agent.  He has gotten away, though, in an anonymous white van found a few blocks away in a beat up condition.

After the combat, as Sihn checks Jane out in a routine monitoring program, he finds her cells are deteriorating and that she is dying, perhaps with only weeks to live...

[Game Mechanics - Points Awarded...

Winning against a marginally inferior opponent for defeating the O agents, +.125 XPs for Rodin, Sammy, Troll; +1.875 RPs for Rodin, Sammy, Troll

4 hrs Session Play - +1 XP for Rodin, Sammy, Spectrum, Troll, +3 RPs for Rodin, Sammy, Troll

Totals:

Rodin +4.875 RPs, +1.125 XPs
Sammy +4.875 RPs, +1.125 XPs
Troll +4.875 RPs, +1.125 XPs

Totals to Date:

Neumann 93.5 RPs, 17 XPs
Rodin 955.625 RPs, 93 XPs
Sammy the Slime 890.375 RPs, 90.8625 XPs
Spectrum 773.25 RPs, 85.175 XPs
Troll 926.375 RPs, 99.55 XPs]