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Post by Silverback on Nov 27, 2004 8:40:27 GMT
"So who's wanting to come see some of the sites and visit my 'friends' in the zoo?" Khalifa asked. "I've only got room for eight passengers so let me know now."
"Hau Kola, I would very much like to get away a bit and visit our four-legged and winged brothers and sisters in the Zoo. You had told me much about it before; do we have time enough for a grand tour? I can get things put in my room later- all I have is my one bag here, anyhow. Shall we be off, then?" Tomahawk replied.
Bengaline "Well if that is so, please take me along ! Apart from some recreation. I can do some really great training in there let the tiger out... I guess finding a room can wait, I am where the action is."
"I hope you were joking Bengaline," Khalifa replied with a frown. "After all 'ajuaye mengi, hasemi mengi' as my father used to say."
"Mmm . . . I thought a few others might join us. Oh well, if they catch us before we set off they can jump in the back." Khalifa picked up the two storm lanterns he used earlier that day and turned to Tomahawk and Bengaline, "are you coming then?"
With that he strode confidently through the hallway, out the double doors and walked round the back of the olive drab Land Rover. Dropping the tailgate he stowed the storm lanterns safely in the rear of the vehicle.
His boots crunching on the gravel drive Khalifa slams the tailgate shut, pins it in place and strides round to the drivers side of the vehicle. "Come on then, don't dawdle." He climbed into the Land Rover, slid the key into the ignition and gunned the six-litre V12 Cosworth turbo engine into life.
Khalifa grinned at the throaty roar emanating from the baffles of the engine. He really loved the combination of British engineering and technology. Without thinking he switched on the multi-band police scanner that the institute had installed and quickly flicked on the trasceiver and tuned it into the X-Men's private band.
Khalifas heart sank a little as all he could hear was the pop, hiss and crackle of static and he sat staring at the illuminated fascia, lost in thought. He didn't notice the door opening and his passengers climbing in.
Tomahawk smiles and follows Silverback out to the land rover, placing his rucksack and bundle in the back, and muttering a small prayer of protection over the things inside, and the vehicle itself.
"Hmm, something like this would be very practical to get around on the Rez'," he mused, more to himself than anyone else. "Dawdle?" he thought to himself, "Must be yet another phrase in Khalifa's native tongue which I am unfamiliar with." He makes a mental note to ask him about it later.
Walking around to the side of the land rover, he tried consciously not to stare at Bengaline's bare mid-drift or to notice her rather scanty attire. The sudden roar of the engine starting up startles him slightly, and snaps his thoughts back to the here-and-now. He blushes slightly and gets into the land rover.
Hearing the crackling of static on the radio and noticing his friend's crestfallen expression, he is quickly reminded that he's not the only one who has friends that are unexplainably missing. Clearing his throat slightly, he places a hand on Silverback's shoulder and says, "Kola, we will find our missing friends. One way or another, we will find them, and we will see them again." Tomahawk then sits back in his seat and fastens the seatbelt.
"I wonder," he says to himself, "I wonder if any of my eagle brothers may have some feathers to gift for these upcoming challenges we are sure to face..."
Khalifa threw Tomahawk a quick smile, flipped the scanner back onto the police frequency and settled himself into the drivers seat.
"Okay, what I thought we could do is head up Fifth Avenue so you can see the infamous Central Park on your left, we'll then go round the Duke Ellington Monument, pick up East 120th Street off Marcus Garvey Park go past Madison, Park and Lexington and then cross over to the Bronx using the Fifth Avenue bridge."
"Once over the bridge it shouldn't take too long to get to the Bronx Zoo. How does that sound to everyone?" he asked.
Khalifa put the vehicle into gear and slowly pulled out onto the main road. Turning to Tomahawk, "so Tomahawk. Or do I call you Michael? Which of the Sioux tribes do you come from? The Teton, Yanktonai, Santee or one of the many others?"
Relieved that there is now conversation to distract his mind from other stray thoughts, Tomahawk replies,
"I have been called 'Michael' since I went to the school. The wasichu teachers there refused to use our native names. Among my people, I am known as Napèto [nah-PE-toh], which translates to 'Blue Hand' in english. My full name in my native tongue is Napèto Kangìnupà. Others have just called me Michael, or Two Crows, I suppose it is a matter of preference, as I can answer to any of them. 'Tomahawk' is also good- it helps to remind me that I am somehow a 'super-hero', or so it would seem.
I am from the Sihasapa Sioux, sometimes called the 'Blackfoot Lakota', Sweet River Band."
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Post by Silverback on Nov 27, 2004 8:46:34 GMT
As they pulled out onto the main road, Michael let out a slight sigh as the enormity of the city closed in around him.
Bengaline, having jumped into the back seat, seemed a little lost in thoughts at first. She had been playing around with the idea of changing into tigeress for fun and to see how the other ones would react sitting next to a tiger all of a sudden. Thinking "Oh playfullness, sweet ideas while our friends are in big danger out there" .... But nevertheless she did notice that Tomahawk seemed to totally ignore her, having just once looked at her and then he had suddendly turned away and it seemed he tried to avoid her...that made her a little uncomfortable..."Oh Khalifa,I'm fine, thanks for asking, was lost in thoughts I guess...Now which zoo were you talking about ?"
Silverback: "I think that Michael will be best. With me I only consider myself to be 'Silverback' when the tribal magic changes me into my ape form. At all other times I'm just Khalifa."
"How are you doing over there Bengaline?" Khalifa asked.
"We're heading over to the Bronx to the place I work as a wildlife consultant. It's not a 'zoo' in the traditional sense of the word, more of an animal park."
"Because of my abilities we've made it possible for visitors to get close to animals that would usually be viewed from behind the safety of a compound wall."
"It's quite amazing to watch children and adults interacting with gorillas and apes especially. To prevent stress to the animals we only allow a maximum of four people a day to 'sit' with the animals. We're not really concerned with the safety of the public as I only allow those animals that I know won't mind being so close to humans."
"So Bengaline, I guess from your name that you have an affinity for big cats, tigers to be specific yes? How would you feel about being in the same 'pen' as a group of tigers?"
"And you Michael which animals do your tribe have the most respect for? Which would you like to spend some time getting to know?"
Khalifa grinned at the expressions on his friends faces as the idea of what he suggested started to sink in.
Tomahawk:"Amongst my people, all animals are held with respect, from the greatest to the smallest..."
Michael stops himself short, realizing that this really is neither the time nor the place for a long, drawn-out discussion on culture, religion, and spirituality which may be of little to no interest to the others in the 'rover.
"Umm... Bears would be nice to meet up close. I have seen them many times from a distance, but we have always tended to leave them alone and not really interact face-to-face whenever possible. And of course, it would be interesting to meet any other animals which we never see on the 'Rez. If any of my eagle brothers are there, it would be nice asking them to lend me a few feathers as well.
But if we are on limited time, I am more than willing to defer to the wants of the others here in the 'rover. What are your thoughts, Bengaline?"
Michael looks into the back seat using the rear-view mirror, hoping that Bengaline doesn't notice that the mirror itself isn't necessarily directed at her face...
Bengaline: "You know Khalifa, in a pen together with all the other tigers...you know I might be scared at first but then maybe not since the animals themselves are unaware of the fact that I am not really a tiger after all...see like this"
With a grin Bengaline changed into a tigeress, suddenly sitting in the back seat and playing a little with her whiskers at first and then seeing Tomahawks feathers trying to get to them with her paws...thinking"oh my..animal instincts are coming through !!"
Khalifa raised an eyebrow at Bengalines antics. If he didn't go through a similar type of shapechange himself he might have appeared a little more shocked. He glanced over at Tomahawk to see his reaction.
"Hey guys, while we're travelling to the zoo you can have a read through these leaflets that might interest you," Khalifa said to distract Tomahawk from what Bengaline was doing. "Just grab them out of the glove compartment. There should be a few pieces of literature in there."
Michael was a bit surprised to see the woman sitting in the back seat suddenly change into a Tiger, but took it in stride.
"Ho, yet another skinwalker!" He laughs hesitantly, and tries to dodge to avoid getting his feathers 'mauled' by the woman- err, tiger- in the back.
At Khalifa's suggestion, he leans forward and takes the leaflets out of the glove compartment, and glances through them, somewhat relieved to have a distraction from so many of the things that have been going on in his mind.
"I don't suppose you would want to read one of these..." Tomahawk absently says in the direction of the Tiger in the back, when he suddenly thinks, turns to Khalifa and asks,
"Umm, Kola, are the people of this city already accustomed to seeing others driving about with large cats in their cars? I just noticed a few odd looks from the kids in the car beside us. It could have been that they were surprised to see a 'real live injun' (the contempt dripping sarcastically in his voice), but I am thinking they were wondering more about the tiger in the back..."
Bengaline riding in the back in the form of a tiger was obviously enjoying herself. People were looking funny from the cars which passed Khalifas vehicle. And just when another of these folks drove by she just started to yawn and her white teeth were showing....when she noticed a hauling siren from afar coming nearer ... .
Puzzled by this she suddenly changed back into her normal shape.
"Errr, Tomahawk, can you hand me one of these papers there, I would like to take a look too... "It seemed that no one seemed to have heard the siren apart from her since they didn´t seem to react.. weird..
"Khalifa, how far to go still ?"
As Tomahawk turns around awkwardly in his seat to hand Bengaline one of the flyers, he, notices some flashing lights in the distance heading generally in their direction.
"Here you are, Bengal- oh no, this can not be a good thing..."
Turning back around, he turns to Khalifa.
"My friend, I think we may have a problem."
"I wouldn't get jumpy just because of the flashing lights and sirens, it happens all the time in this city!" Khalifa half smiled at Bengalines antics.
"If it was anything serious I'm sure we would have picked it up on the scanner. As to the journey, we should be there in about an hour unless we hit really bad traffic."
Bengaline: "Really, are you sure that doesn´t mean trouble ?..What kind of scanner is this anyhow...you know I ´ve never worked with all this technology stuff before...."
Tomahawk:"Hmm. Well, if it is not trouble for us, then it is certainly trouble for someone else. May I suggest that we keep a bit of a lower profile, just to be on the safe side?"
Khalifa snorts with laughter, "a low profile? I'm African, your a Native American, Bengalines from India, we're driving round in a nine-seater Land Rover that looks like it's straight out of a safari park and we're supposed to keep a low profile?"
Khalifa raised his eyebrows in amusement. "How do you suggest we do that?" he asked quizically.
"Oh, and to answer you question Bengaline. The scanner uses an artificial intelligence search engine that scans the various radio and microwave frequencies that the emergencyservices uses and searches for keywords in the transmissions."
"If you really want to know how it works you'll need to ask . . ." Khalifa paused, "you'll need to ask Hank."
Khalifa fell silent and concentrated on his driving.
Tomahawk: "You have a very good point. Although, I do think we have a better chance of not drawing any undue attention if we were to not display our 'gifts' out in the open. Ahem." With that last statement, Michael tossed a sidewards glance into the backseat.
He is somewhat offset by this enigma behind him, sitting there smiling innocently enough as though absolutely nothing had happened within the past few minutes.
'What it is about this one,' he thinks to himself, 'she seems to be so sure of herself, and so... reckless with her Gifts. What is this I am feeling? Envy? Curiosity? Interest? No...'
He shakes his head and snaps his thoughts back around.
'I need to keep focused. There's a very important task before us, and we have a responsibility to our people- to all the people- to remain focused and stay on this path. If we fail, our whole world pays the price. I cannot allow that to happen! But still, this one here...'
He steals another glance into the rear-view mirror, and just looks for a few moments.
'Snap out of it! There are much more important things to consider right now.' He notices Khalifa falling silent, and recognizes the all-too telling inner anguish his friend is facing. He breaks the silence, saying:
"Since we still have a good ways to go before we arrive at the zoo, perhaps we could pass the time by sharing a bit about each other's cultures. I know! Perhaps we could learn some of each other's songs. How does that sound?"
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Post by Silverback on Nov 27, 2004 11:21:57 GMT
At the sound of the scanner going off, Michael stops his singing, and looked over at Khalifa.
"Did you hear that? We must go and help these people!"
His thoughts immediately race back a few years, to that factory, and the bomb, and the innocent people caught inside the building... <read his history for details>
"The Zoo can wait- how far away is this 'Ritz Carlton'?"
"It looks like we may have to postpone our trip to the zoo until another day. Innocent lives may be at risk and we can there within ten minutes if we use Central Park as a shortcut."
"I can use my affinity with the environment to locate exactly where the trapped people are. Once I've done that we can swing into action and help out those firefighters. I hope you're both buckled in! This could be a rough ride."
Without waiting for a response Khalifa floored the Land Rover and drove into Central Park using his power to detect the surrounding environment in front of him to make sure he didn't endanger any people using the park.
Michael braces himself with his feet up on the dashboard.
"Good thing I have my 'hero suit' underneath my regular clothes, " he muses dryly, "Bengaline, could you lay this on the backseat for me? Pila Maya." he says, handing her his jeans and shirt.
Pulling his mask up over his face, he says, "So much for feeding the bears... Ok, time to get serious!" He fixes his feathers firmly in place, and whispers a short prayer for strength and courage.
"Khalifa, do you have any communicators here in the 'rover? The fire won't effect me much, but it may be difficult to see. If you can be my 'eyes' with your gift, I can run like the wind and bring the people out of the building. I do not think my tomahawks will be of much good, unless something gets in my way."
"Mmmm . . . . . I think so. Bengaline can you look into the back on the right hand side and see if those short-wave handsets are there? I think you should find four of them clipped to the rail just above the wheel arch."
"Hold onto the rollcage everyone," shouted Khalifa as he crested the small rise, the Land Rover sailing two feet above the ground and landing a little further down the slope. "Ok we're nearly there."
"Okay guys, we might be on a mission here but that does not mean I handle jeans and t-shirts or i try to find whatever somewhere in the backseat!" She knows that the situation is serious but still just couldn´t keep that to herself. With a growl she puts Tomahawks jeans and Tshirt away and then looks for the communicators..."Right I found them..so each of us gets one, Khalifa?"
Suddenly she feels the earth getting uneven beneath the car..."Err Khalifa, is it possible that you missed the street there....."
On Khalifa´s warning she holds onto the rollcage "Ahhh.....alright guys what is this ?? Getting us killed before we even get there...by the way I had an idea how I can help those people..you know one of my powers is water walking, I can do it, not perfectly but hey...nothing to loose. Just put me on one of the fireman´s water hose and up I`ll go.....Bengaline to the rescue !!!"
"Here we are guys. Let's find the Fire Chief and see what we can do to help. We may be able to borrow some breathing apparatus from them." Khalifa brought the Land Rover to a halt, killed the ignition and jumped out the cab.
He ran round to the back of the vehicle dropped the tailgate and grabbed three short wave handsets, automatically checking the frequency and charge on each one. "Here you go Bengaline, Michael," he said passing each of his companions a radio. "We might want to double-check what frequency the fire fighters are using so we know exactly what's going on and who's where."
"Okay guys, we've got a job to do, let's go!" Khalifa slammed the tailgate shut and quickly secured the vehicles central locking after everybody had climbed out.
"Hey Bengaline, I wasn't being personal or 'sexist' when I asked you to check on those handsets you know. I was busy concentrating on driving and there's no way Michael would have been able to see that far back into the Land Rover."
"In my village the women are just as important as the men, it's just that they tend to do all the domestic chores because that's the way it's been for centuries, but we don't stop them from doing what they want. We just have a strong sense of tradition and continuity."
Tomahawk puts on the communicator and switches it on.
"Testing. Ok, come on! Let's go find their Chief and get those people out of there!"
With hardly a second thought, Tomahawk streaks off towards the fire <Hyper-Running>, glancing about quickly to take in the whole surroundings, and determine who exactly is in charge of the fire-fighter's operations.
Khalifa joins Tomahawk at the scene of the fire. He concentrates and scans <Environmental Awareness> every floor of the hotel, every room, closet and stairwell, the roof, the basement and underground car park making sure he knows where the fires are worst, who's in the most danger and which people seem to be firefighters in the building. Once completed he approaches the fire chief.
"What frequency are your men using in the hotel? I've 'mapped' out where they need to be and we can help you rescue the people trapped in the building."
Bengaline hops out of the car, takes off her cape.
"Alright, show me the next fire hose and I´m on it..Get me up there and I´ll try to get the folks near one of the windows to jump...Khalifa, where are the people located at..I hope not too far up !"
Bengaline only now realises the whole height of the building, suddenly she is not so sure anymore that she can help...
Tomahawk takes a good look at the situation.
"Great, does not seem to be any ladders on the outside of the Building. Silverback! Get a fix on me, and be my eyes! Tell me which ways I need to turn to get to the people who are in danger!
"Bengaline, is a tiger the only animal you change into? Or can you change into a bird to fly yourself up there?
"Here, hand me that fire extinguisher- I'm going in!"
"Tomahawk are you sure of what you are doing? Is it even save to go in there, let alone run ? Let me at least help you guide you around. If we all help together maybe it´ll be faster...."
And with a whirlwind she changes into a hawk. Flying onto Tomahawks shoulder "Alright I´m ready"
"Khalifa, do we know how high up these persons are now ?"
And again turning to Tomahawk "If you really wanna see something you should hold onto me and then we´ll "fly" up the water from a fire hose " Bengaline the Hawk wondered if her powers would really be strong enough to do this.
Tomahawk is a bit off-set by Bengaline's sudden change and then landing on his shoulder, but turns his head and replies,
"I can handle the heat just fine- I probably won't even break a sweat. I don't see how you expect to fly me up there- I can run as fast as the wind, anyhow!
The smoke up there looks blinding. Unless you change again into a bat, I fear you may be just as blind anyone else. Khalifa's 'Gift' lets him see where all the people are located, he can be my eyes from down here without even seeing!"
You go your way, and I'll go mine, but let us go! Those people need help up there!"
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Post by Silverback on Nov 27, 2004 11:26:53 GMT
"Tomahawk, can you grab one of the fire-fighters handsets so that we can listen in to how they're doing? We won't need to help them out unless they really start to struggle or if I detect that they may be in danger."
Khalifa listens into the radio conversations. "It sounds like they're coping with evacuating the victims on the lower floors but the lifts are out. I think our main priority is to rescue the people from floors twelve upwards. That leaves us with twenty-one floors to evacuate, not including the roof."
"Bengaline, could you fly up to the roof and work your way down to help guide people out of the hotel? I'll give you instructions so that we don't endanger anyone. From what I can sense floors twenty upwards are currently clear of smoke but the fire is burning beyond the fire-fighters ability to control it."
"Tomahawk, can you work from the twelfth floor upwards? I think you're going to have the greatest difficulty coping with all the smoke and fires but I'll guide you as best I can."
Khalifa looked seriously at his two companions, "does that sound like a good plan to you two?"
Whooshing by, Tomahawk picks up an unused handset and brings it back to Khalifa. In all the confusion of the emergency, it seems that no one has noticed.
"Here you are, Kola- it is now your responsibility," He tosses Khalifa a quick smile.
"Ok, I saw a side emergency entrance on my passes through- I believe I can get in there and take the stairs up to the 12th floor with little problems. Just tell me on our headset when I get to the 10th floor, and I will slow down. I am not as concerned about the fire and heat as I am with being unable to see- you are my eyes, Kola, and I am counting on you!"
Turning to Bengaline, he says, "Bengaline, be careful. Wakan-Tanka watch over you."
Turning back to Khalifa, he clasps his hand and says, "Kola, my friend, I will see you soon."
With that, he runs off to the emergency exit door and inside the building.
"Mwamini Mungu si mtovu, Mcha Mungu si mtovu my companions." Khalifa gripped Tomahawks hand firmly, "you too my lady."
Tomahawk makes his way up the stairs, through the smoke and heat.
"three... four... five... or was that six?" he thinks to himself. In all the confusion, he's not so sure he's really kept track. Speaking into the headset, he says
"Silverback, this is Tomahawk. Am I coming up on the seventh or eighth floor? How much further until I get to the trapped people?"
"Odd," he thinks to himself, "I never thought all those years of Inipi (ooc: Sweatlodge) ceremonies would help me in a situation like this..."
Then suddenly from nowhere, his grandfather's voice echoes through his mind:
"When you are ready, and when you have need, and when you have opened your heart to Spirit, Spirit will speak to you and guide you on the path that you must take. The Path... The Path is there for you to take, but you must choose to walk it, in honor and in strength, for the good of the People... "
He pauses for just a second, and wonders if this was a memory, or if somewhere back on the 'Rez his grandfather is sitting in ceremony even at this moment, watching over him. After all, grandfather is a powerful Medicine Man in his own right...
His thoughts suddenly drift again, and he finds himself wondering and hoping that Bengaline is ok...
"You're on the sixth floor Tomahawk. The fire-fighters have cleared everybody up to the eight floor so far but there seems to be some confusion on the ninth floor. You need to exit the stairwell, go down the corridor and find the seventh room on the right handside. THere's and adult and child unconcious in there and the firefighters have missed them."
Khalifa quickly scanned more of the seventh floor, "there are still fire-fighters on that floor so if you 'drop' the two victims off with them it'll save you from having to evacuate them yourself."
Khalifa was starting to wonder where Bengaline was. If she hadn't reached the roof yet there was no point in trying to contact her on the radio as she wouldn't be able to answer it. "Unless . . . " Khalifa wondered whether his ability to 'speak' with animals would work on Bengaline's current form. He quickly concentrated <Environmental Awareness> sought her out and sent a probing thought to her. "Bengaline, how are you doing?" <Power stunting Communicate with Animals off Environmental Awareness to give 'Remote Communication with Animals' at Gd rank, range column B. Khalifas magical 'amulets' act as a conduit between the two powers allowing the 'telepathic' aspect of his Communication power to 'travel' along the lines of his Awareness power.>
"On my way," Tomahawk responds, ducking down the corridor.
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, seventh room. Door is locked, will just have to break it down. "
Plasma 'Hawk in hand, the door doesn't stand a chance and gives in without a fight. Scanning the room quickly, he sees an adult figure hunched over near the wall. He allows the Plasma to dissipate. Rushing to her side, he rolls her over gently and sees the child sheltered underneath.
"Unconscious, just like Silverback said. Not much chance of waking them up- pulse is ok, and they are still breathing. Ok, need to get them to the firefighters and oxygen masks, quick."
He picks the woman up and places her over his shoulder in the classic "fireman carry" style, and says
"Excuse me, Ma'am. This is not the usual way I 'pick up women'. But, considering the circumstances, it will have to do..."
He scoops up the child gently under the other arm, and carries them both down the hall and around the corner, where he hears the fire fighters shouting to one another.
"These two need help- evacuate them immediately!" he says to the nearest firefighter.
"Who the heck are you?" The firefighter responds, taking the child as Tomahawk hands the woman over to a second firefighter. Thinking quickly, Tomahawk waves his hand and responds,
"Just another one of the guys." Thinking at the same time, "Grandfather, if you are watching me now, lend me your Medicine..."
<Power Stunting Stealth off of Mind Blast (+ a little bit of Sioux Mysticism) to give him "Psychic Smokescreen" at Typical Rank, range A and area of effect>
Bengaline in the shape of the bird has reached the 9th floor and sits on the emergency stairs outside the hotel.
Sending thoughts to Khalifa "Yes I am okay, I am checking out which floor I am on now and where the people are...ahh I see the 9th floor..You said there are people here..."
She changes into a human again and enters the corridor of the hotel. Smoke and heat make her vision almost fail her. she gets to the floor and crawl forward underneath all this smoke , hoping that Tomahawk will be there soon....
"Bengaline, I need you up on the twelfth floor. I think people are starting to panic as smoke is starting to reach that floor. If the external fire escapes are clear can you direct them down to the city street?" Khalifa paused. "Find someone who's still fairly calm and get them to act as the leader for the group, once you're happy that everyones escaping move to the next floor. I think Tomahawk will catch up to you by the fourteenth floor."
"Tomahawk, can you get up to the next floor please I think we've got people stuck in the lift and fires spreading unchecked on that floor. Keep a look out for fire hoses and extinguishers in the stairwells and behind foldback panels." Khalifa clicks off and keeps scanning the hotel.
"I hear you," Tomahawk responds, dashing back the way he came, and away from the firefighters.
"I really hope that worked- no time to wait and see now. Ah, here is an extinguisher," he thinks to himself as he rushes by, grabbing up a fire extinguisher from the wall.
"These things are awkward- I will only be able to carry two at a time and still hope to even be able to get around through here..." Hitting the stairs, he takes them up a flight and out into the hallway.
"Great, here is another extinguisher- I'm at my limit now. Khalifa was not joking- the fires are going wild here. Where did he say the people were trapped?"
Speaking into the communicator, he says, "Silverback, I need to know- are there or are there not people trapped on this floor- and also, what is a 'Lift'?!"
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Post by Silverback on Nov 27, 2004 11:30:31 GMT
Khalifa raised his eyebrows in puzzlement, "a lift, it's one of those things that takes passengers up and down the building!" He kept forgetting that these Americans didn't use the same english that he'd been taught.
"Yes, they're on the seventh floor now. You just need to clear a few small fires from the corridor and lever open the lift doors. I think the fire escapes are still pretty clear so they should be able to make their own way down." Khalifa paused.
"If you see any people suffering from smoke inhalation you may have to bring them down to the paramedics before you go the the eighth floor."
Khalifa switches to Bengaline. "How's everything going up there? Have you managed to guide people to the fire escapes?"
"Takes passengers up and down... An elevator? Ok, I am on my way."
Looking down the hallway, all he can really see is flames and smoke.
"No time to hesitate now- I remember seeing an elevator at the end of the other hall, one flight down, so it must be the same on this level. The fire escape is behind me- the people will never make it through, unless..."
A sudden thought hits him, and he acts on it. Pulling out the pins on both fire extinguishers, he grips each one by the handle and holds down the trigger as he rushes towards the elevator, spraying down the hallway with fire-retardent foam as he runs through. Looking back, he sees that it seems to have worked- to an extent.
"Well, better than nothing. Should be ok with the next pass."
He sets down the fire extinguishers. Hammering his fist on the elevator doors, he yells,
"Is there anyone in there? Can you hear me?"
Muffled voices yelling back an affirmative is all he can make out.
"Step away from the door- I'm going to have to break it open!" he yells, and waits a moment.
Forming a Plasma 'Hawk, he splits the elevator doors apart, then allows it to dissipate, and forces his hands into the gap. Surprisingly, it opens relatively easily. He then notices the crumpled metal that once was the door. "Whoops. Be kind of difficult not to notice that..."
"Ok, how many of you are there? Three? Everyone ok? Great. No time for who I am- we need to get you out of here. Here, follow close behind me, I will take you to the escape stairwell."
Tomahawk takes up the fire extinguishers again, and blasts out a path of foam as he leads the people to safety. Along the way, he stops and points out other fire extinguishers, and shows the people how to use them, so when they finally arrive at the stairwell the fires in the hallway are already more than subdued.
"These stairs will lead you down and out of the building, where you will find paramedics and firefighters who can help you further. I must go on, and help others like yourself. Now hurry on as fast as you can! I will come back through this way in case anything happens."
With that, he turns and heads up the stairs, pausing only long enough to make certain the people are well on their way.
"...Walk the Path, in honor and in strength, for the good of the People..."
"Silverback, this is Tomahawk. I found three people in the 'lift'. They all seem to be ok, and I have led them to the stairwell. Keep an eye on them and make certain they are alright- I can come back down if I need to. I am heading up further- how many flights more until I get to others in need of assistance?"
"Oh no, the smoke is even worse up here- Is Bengaline trapped in this mess?" He finds himself suddenly thinking.
"There's about a dozen people on the eighth floor. I can't detect any significant heat so it's probably just smoke. The people seem to be heading in the wrong direction for the fire escapes. Just guide them back in the right direction."
"I'm waiting for Bengaline to respond on the radio to let me know how she's doing on the other floors. I think you'll probably catch up to her in about ten minutes or so. All being well that is."
Bengaline to Khalifa "Alright, I found those people on the 12th floor, they are almost at the fire escapes already...there maybe you cans ee them already, they are heading down. I´m fine - in case you wondered where I went all of a sudden...Anybody else to get down ? I believe the upper floors here and down to the 8th floor are already cleared by the firemen..." Taking a deep breath while he still has decent air, Tomahawk moves further up to the next floor.
"Silverback, I have reached the 8th floor now. I don't see anything, and I don't hear anyone either- are you certain there are still people trapped up here?"
"Bengaline, how are things on your level? If everything up there is clear, then we can meet up and get the remaining people out of here!"
"This smoke is impossible..." Tomahawk drops down to his knees where the air is relatively thinner, to try and see down the hallway and catch a breath.
"It is a very good thing my lungs are already adapted for running at high speeds and that my oxygen needs are less. But still, I should try not to exert myself- I will not do these people any good at all if I myself collapse..."
"They're not in the building anymore. There must be another fire escape on the other side that I couldn't see properly. I've got two more unconcious figures on the eleventh floor, they seem to be," Khalifa frowned in puzzlement, ". . . . they seem to be in a very small room. It should be on your left-hand side when you get up there."
Khalifa scanned the hotel again, "That's the last of the people in 'immediate' danger. The rest of them seem to be making their way to the fire escapes. I think we just need to 'keep an eye' on them until everyone's clear."
"Tomahawk once you've rescued those last two people can you check every floor for 'lost' people. Bengaline can you fly to the roof and make your way down doing the same? There's twenty-nine people left on various floors trying to make their way down. They just need some guidance. Once we've done that we can either help extinguish the fire or leave it to the professionals."
"Eleventh floor? Ok, I am on my way."
Back out onto the stairwell, Tomahawk moves at about half speed up the stairs three floors.
"Breathing is getting harder- but there is not as much smoke here. I must have inhaled more smoke back there than I thought. No time for that, though, there are people who need my help..."
"Silverback, what is the status on the people moving towards the stairs? Are they moving out or not? I do not hear any firemen on this floor- are there any other rescue workers nearby?"
"I can listen to my headset and still get to the people who are trapped up here. Here on the left. On the left? The sign says 'Housekeeping services'- it looks like a closet!"
He tries the door and it appears to be locked.
"Silverback, I am standing in front of what appears to be a linen closet. Are you telling me there are *cough cough* people *cough* in there? *cough*" "No, the nearest fire fighters are leading the adult and child out of the building. I think you might need to take these last two down to ground level yourself." "Ok, I hear you."
Tomahawk eyes the door, and decides to try pulling it open with the door-handle. Giving a strong tug, he surprises himself by falling over backwards against the other wall, doorknob in hand, but the door firmly in place.
"Oops... Door swings inwards. On any other room, that would be a fire hazard. I wonder if Silverback 'saw' that with his gift? No time for that..."
Getting back up, he tosses the doorknob aside, and rams the door with his shoulder, splintering it effortlessly. As he suspected, inside are shelves covered with towels, bedsheets, pillowcases, blankets... and a naked couple huddled together on the floor.
"What the-? Hey you two, get up! There is a fire in the building!"
He waits for a moment, and gets no response. He bends down, rolls them over and checks the pulse.
"Still alive, both of them. Pulse is faint, breathing shallow and irregular. What the heck is this?"
He looks down and sees what appears to be a couple syringes, and several odd-looking brown glass bottles, with a label showing a grinning red imp sitting on a lightning bolt, giving a 'thumbs-up' sign.
"Silverback, get ahold of an oxygen tank or a paramedic- these two are in pretty bad shape! I'm bringing them down!"
Tomahawk quickly grabs up the bottles and syringes, warps them in a towel and tosses the whole thing into a pillowcase, which he then ties onto his belt. He wraps a sheet around the man and woman quickly, and tosses them over each shoulder. He moves quickly back to the stairwell, and starts heading down at about one-third his previous speed.
Khalifa runs over to the fire escape where Tomahawk should be bringing down his two rescuees. "Tomahawk, I'm going to wait at the bottom of the fire escape where most of the people have come down. If you drop your survivors off with me I can 'stagger' to one of the paramedic teams who are still waiting for patients to be brought out. As I'm not 'in uniform' they shouldn't be suspicious."
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Post by Tomahawk on Nov 27, 2004 11:41:41 GMT
"*cough* Ok, I will look for you there."
Heading down the stairs at a reasonably quick pace, Tomahawk found himself bottlenecked by a few other frightened and panicky patrons and staff trying desperately to make it out of the building.
"Ok, everyone! Try and remain calm! These stairs lead outside, where rescue teams are waiting to help! Those who are stronger, help the weaker ones along!"
With just the tiniest bit of guidance, the people started to make their way down the stairs, and soon reached the bottom and broke out into daylight. Spotting Khalifa off to the side, Tomahawk headed towards him.
"Here are the two I was talking about- like I said, they seem to be in pretty bad shape. Oh, and here-"
He handed Khalifa a pillowcase, or ‘sack’ with the items in it.
"I found these things up with these two. It seems to be some sort of drugs or something. It might help the paramedics help these people, but it might not hurt to keep one to take back to the mansion for testing or something."
The sudden sound of something large collapsing causes both Tomahawk and Khalifa to look up quickly.
"*cough cough* Bengaline... I'm going back in there! Radio me if there is anyone else who needs my help, and *cough* get me a fix on her position!"
Before Khalifa could respond, Tomahawk ducked back inside the building and was on his way up the stairs.
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Post by Silverback on Nov 29, 2004 8:15:10 GMT
Khalifa stood there momentarily, staring at the retreating back of his compatriot, and temporarily ignored the plight of the two unconcious figures supported in his arms. He mentally acknowledged that both he and Tomahawk were concerned for the plight of Bengaline. Had she been trapped in the collapsed part of the building? 'Let's hope not,' he mused.
A small groan brought his attention sharply back to the here and now. He'd have to worry about the young tigress of a woman once he'd dealt with the two victims in his care and, quickly looking round, he espied a paramedic team arriving at the scene through the choking, roiling thick, black smoke.
In his thick Congolese accent he shouted and gained their attention. "Quickly, over here - these two need your help." The two orange-uniformed specialists came hurrying over to assist the young couple. Laying them down gently, away from the worst of the smoke, and the drifitng embers of ash and burning papers Khalifa handed over the pillow case and watched as the senior medic tipped out the contents on the ground. Spilling out of the soot-stained sack came a syringe, some foil and small plastic packets containing some form of whitish-grey powders. 'Hmm, obviously some kinda drugs,' he observed silently.
Leaving the paramedics to their work, Khalifa returned his attention to the task at hand. 'Where in hell had Bengaline gotten to?" Closing his eyes, and sending out a probing thought, the young African could not sense the womans presence. He felt his chest tighten slightly in panic. 'Calm yourself my son," an echoed voice from the past entered his thoughts, a memory of past days, helping to sooth his stretched nerves. 'Perhaps she's just out of range of my abilities?' he questioned himself. The best action would be to let the redskin know of this current information and, clicking open a channel, he announced "Tomahawk, I can't sense Bengaline from my current position. She may be at the far side of the Carlton beyond my range so keep an eye out for her okay?"
Khalifa toggled the transmit button and waited for a response, that's all he could do now - wait.
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Post by Bengaline on Dec 6, 2004 18:45:20 GMT
Bengaline was on the far side of the building, she saw smoke and the fire below. It was not possible to see Tomahawk or Khalifa, but she sensed they where there and alive. She stood on top of the building, trying to get her communicator to work, but nothing happened. "All theses new gadgets...never work when you need them, I knew why we don't work with those at home.... home" she sighed heavily." Bengaline was pretty lost in this forest of huge buildings, the rising smoke didn't comfort her either, it made it impossible to see her way out, she had to rely on her psychic senses. Just before she had looked thru the upper floors looking for people still trapped in the fire, but it seemed everybody was gone. At the end of the one staircase she had found an exit, but instead of leading her to the fire escape it took her where she was now. And even that door had already disappeard in the heavy smoke now surrounding her, making it hard to breath, plus she started to get dizzy.
Then one idea crossed her mind " Changing into a bird might be my only option right now....let' s see if I have enough strength left."
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Post by Tomahawk on Dec 15, 2004 16:16:25 GMT
'Dang it, where is she?!' Tomahawk thought as he rushed up the stairs. 'No idea how many flights I have already gone up - perhaps if I make my way to the roof and then work my way down from there...'
"Silverback, this is Tomahawk. I believe I am almost to the top of the building and I have still not seen hide nor hair of Bengaline. Have you any word from her ye- ARRGGHH!!!"
Tomahawk's transmission was cut short as a portion of the ceiling above him, weakened from the fire, collapsed on top of him, knocking him back down one flight of stairs and burying him partially in the rubble.
Outside, a cloud of dust, debris, and smoke leapt into the air as a section of the building collapsed inwards on itself with an ominous rumble.
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Post by Madclergy on Dec 16, 2004 4:11:56 GMT
Nightmares of a fiery volcano flashed across Antonio's mind as he lay unconcious on the floor of the building. Deep within them he stayed until finally he awoke with a start. A burning building surrounding him on all sides. . He struggled to stand for a moment after the dream, and as he looked around his only thoughts were...
'I wished I had stayed in my dreams'
The smell of burning wood and carpet filled Antonio's nostrils causing him to nearly be nauseous. Looking around the building as it burned uncontrollably, Antonio soon found his weapon which had been thrown from his hands when he fell. It was buried underneath the blankets from a maids cart. He bent down and picked it up, in doing so it reminded him of his mission and of his charges.
'The Premier Family, where are they. I didn't leave them, and they didn't leave me unless it was while I was unconcious. What if they are trapped, I will have failed. I cannot fail, I must check every floor of this building, even if it means risking death'
Antonio sprang to action. He ran through the burning building with great speed, the soot and ash effecting his breathing but never slowing him, not yet anyways. He knew he was on the top floor but knowing this did not comfort him as the building was coming down around him due to loss of structural integrity.
Quickly enough he covered the entire top floor with no success in finding his charges. As he came to the stairs down, he looked up and saw that the ceiling had collapsed. He began to leave the stairwell in hope of coming across another one heading down when out of the corner of his eye he saw the head and arm of a body, trapped underneath the rubble.
'That could be El presidente Hernandez I must check, even if it is not, they should not be here'
The dark hair and soot covered body lying under the rubble looked considerably like the president. Antonio ran down the stairs, making sure that they would not collapse under his body weight. Once at the bottom of stairs he cried out to the man under the rubble
"Presidente Hernandez, estoy aquí ayudar"
Antonio set his weapon down as he began to dig through the rubble trying to free the man. Then it hit him...
'Where is the rest of the family, surely they would have been with the president! Did i miss them somewhere on that last floor?'
His worried thoughts only made him dig faster and with more fury to remove the rubble from atop the pinned man. The entire time his Golden Aura grew brighter with both the shadow of soot around him, and the worry that filled him.
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Post by Silverback on Dec 16, 2004 10:15:47 GMT
Khalifa's handset crackled into life as Tomahawks voice hissed through the interference caused by the buildings metal framework.
"Silverback, this is Tomahawk. I believe I am almost to the top of the building and I have still not seen hide nor hair of Bengaline. Have you any word from her ye- ARRGGHH!!!"
Before being able to respond a crescendo of cascading rubble and brickwork emanated over the radio, almost drowning out the redskins scream of pain. "Michael," the young African clicked open the channel a note of panic in his voice, "Michael!? It's Khalifa, can you hear me?" Pausing he waited for a response, "Michael, respond please!"
It was becoming blatantly obvious that Tomahawk was incapable of responding. Whether unconcious, or worse, he didn't know. 'Perhaps Michael couldn't hear him or the handset was somehow playing up?' There was only one way to be certain. Silverback closed his eyes and let the tendrils of his awareness slowly snake out into the surrounding environment, becoming aware of the life forces emanating various shades of the spectrum, as he began to concentrate on the burning tower in front of him.
He firstly became aware of the few remaining escapees and then the fire crews working their way through the maze of corridors of the hotel tackling blazes as they went. There was no sign of his friends, either Tomahawk or Bengaline. Keeping his head Khalifa let his conciousness rise far above the ground winding it's way through the myriad chambers and passageways of the building going ever higher in the search for his compatriots.
'But wait, what was that?' A dull, pale orange emission could only be the life-force of Tomahawk, the weakness of it's light worried Khalifa somewhat. But at least he was alive. A more pressing concern was the bright-green glow of a being he'd never encountered before, it's proximity to the prone body of the indian really shook him up. 'What on earth is that thing?'
Khalifa let his mind rapidly soar upwards into the sky in the search for Bengaline. And there she was, highlighted in a violet haze, it could only mean one thing - she had transformed into an alternate form! He let his thoughts reach out and brushed the conciousness of her mind. 'I think Tomahawks in trouble. He's on the top floor in the main corridor. But there's something I don't recognize very close to him, nothing I've ever encountered before! Hurry!'
Silverback let his conciousness drift back to observe the status of his friends health and felt powerless against the being that hovered over Tomhawks prone form. There was something strange about Michaels essence, strange tendrils of light seemed to travel from his body and, as he concentrated on his life spirit further Khalifa detected a second almost wraith-like form. 'That doesn't make sense! Why does he have two essences?' That puzzle would have to wait for the safe recovery of his colleague from the attention of the other being in his presence.
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Post by Tomahawk on Dec 16, 2004 19:06:42 GMT
Tomahawk, partially buried under smoldering rubble, found it difficult to breathe and could rapidly feel consciousness slipping away.
"No... Not like this... Fire will not kill me, weight is not too much, if I could just get a breath, I could..."
He closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, coughing explosively as chemically-tainted smoked flooded his lungs.At his side, his communicator crackled and hissed like an angry rattlesnake tossed into a frying pan, adding it's own sickeningly sweet chemical smoke to the mixture.
"No..."
Through the haze, he saw something coming for him, some strangely glowing figure he could not even begin to hope to recognize in his state. Ears ringing, the only thing he could hear was the pounding of his own heart within his chest.
Instinctively he drew upon his last reserves of strength, and with an audible FWASSSSHHHHH![/b][/color] a Plasma 'Hawk formed in his hand.
"Stay..." he sputtered, "back", sentence unfinished and hanging in the very air itself as the Plasma 'Hawk came into contact with this peculiar golden light and exploded- no, imploded with a dull WHUUUMP.
And Tomahawk found himself floating, drifting...
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Post by Bengaline on Dec 16, 2004 20:42:43 GMT
Bengaline indeed made it, she had changed into a bird. She had been doubting it for a little bit, but yes she did it. At that moment she was flying over top of the building, in the shape of an eagle, what surprised herself. There was something, it was like a voice in her head, something was trying to get through to her - oh wait, that was Khalifa´s voice - no- his thoughts - Tomahawk´s in trouble ! The giant eagle stopped in mid air - she had to hurry. "I need to get back into the building". She decided to use phasing, which allowed her to go thru walls. Yes, she was experienced, but this was a bit out of the ordinary. But she knew she would try. The eagle closed its eyes, her psychic senses sharpend, focusing on her task, her great wings suddenly flew her in direction of the top of the building, closer and closer to the walls - and there: she passed through the walls, into the top floor, corridor with ease. The giant bird suddenly changed its shape again, Bengaline appeared. "Tomahawk !" She could sense a life sign, she also noticed an unusual entity there aswell. She ran along the corridor, fire around her, threatening to catch her cloak on fire. But that was not important right now. Finally she could see Tomahawk- there he was, buried underneath. Starting to get all the debris off Tomahawk immediately, she had forgotten about this entity from before. But now she felt it again - it came close, really close - it´s energy seemed to want to draw her into it - "What are you?" she screamed.
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Post by Madclergy on Dec 21, 2004 21:36:57 GMT
The energy of Tomahawk's 'hawk threw Antonio against the wall.
'Or was it my own energy, it was as if for one second they were one'
He had seen the girl coming down the stairs in a twirl of smoke and soot, her cloak flowing gently behind her. She obviously was in a rush to get to..who?
'The man under the rubble...?' he thought 'she shouldn't know the Mexican premier was in this hotel. Or maybe she was just some simple person trying to save a man from me'.
The tension built within Antonio he could feel a more savage side coming forth.
'I just want to get Presidente Hernandez and get out of here, why DOES EVERYONE KEEP INTERRUPTING!!'
Quickly Antonio pushed from the wall and addressed the girl as calmly as he could in the burning building, while trying to save his charge, and trying to figure out what had happened with his aura.
"What are you?" she screamed.
"Call me Guerrero Del Sol" his thick accent resonated through his speach "Es un placer hacer su conocido, but in this situation, i think pleasantries will have to wait until later."
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Post by Bengaline on Dec 22, 2004 18:46:58 GMT
Bengaline stood frozen for a minute, looking and trying to figure everything out.
"Guerro del Sol ?? Whatever.... Anyways, what are you doing here with my friend? Stand aside! I need to get him out of here "
And there she pushed to try and get past Guerro del Sol and reached for Tomahawk, trying to pull him out from underneath all this rubble, and trying to save his life as quickly as possible.
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