Dramatis Personae

• Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened…”
• Jodie R. Swann aka Surferboy (NPC): Dude. Aero- and Hydrokinetic. Really laid back, but wants to make a difference. Has a advanced glider/drone he rides on. Tagline: “Like. Let’s just chill, dude.”
• Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
• Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
• Tierney M. Ward aka Rush (NPC): Speedster and former member of the Bullet Hell Brigade. Tagline: “Was that fast? I thought that was fast.”
• Zubayr Sajjad Marou aka Five Stars (NPC): Driver. Pilot. Klubbe gig worker.. From N’Djamena, Chad. Used to go by Darryl Bell to sound more American. Tagline: “I can get you there in time.”

Previously . . .

On the way home, Threshold quickly deciphered the numbers whispered to Nyx by Lynch, finding that they’re a set of coordinates to an old hospital. Back at base, they’ve found that everything they had at the Vanguard HQ they had concerning the Prometheus Treatment, the Koschei Regimen, and other super soldier serums have been confiscated the day prior, though only what they knew about, including from Threshold’s safe. Whisper has some backup in both her mind and hidden around the headquarters that they weren’t able to find. What they didn’t expect was Nyx being prepared for a cell shakedown and hiding the leftover vials of super serum in the walls rather than in secure storage, his safe only containing close to $12,000 in euros that he’s yet to turn into real money, about 15 various knives and kukris, and a large amount of letter openers that say “From the desk of Director Landry.”

Whisper, meanwhile, bakes a cake in preparation for meeting Lynch. Technically speaking, he shouldn’t be getting visitors but he has been behaving and wanted to see if his visitors spill anything. He’s currently held in a 15×15 bombproof box that he can wave at them from. The glass walls can be tinted if needed and there’s basically a platform for a bed and a platform for a desk he can sit at. She hands the guard the cake and says it’s a plain cake. He simply says that they’ll make sure he gets a slice of the cake which Threshold is a bit miffed by.

Below the Post Office

Nyx, Threshold, and Whisper
CIA Blacksite
Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, 1900 hours (EST)
390 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Threshold starts talking to him, saying that there’s some people that are seriously abusing their power, and if he needs something then to let him know. Threshold is still shocked by how they’re able to just hold Lynch because of the Patriot Act and starts ranting about starting a petition. He motions for the guard to come closer and passes a piece of paper through the throughport, indicating to hand it over to Nyx. It contains lots of numbers and the phrase “Wish you were here.” on the back. Nyx insists that he’s not going to get Lynch lotto tickets, especially if he’s not giving him a twenty for them. Lynch keeps telling him that he’s not asking for lotto tickets. Lynch still praises the three there for being good people and somehow there’s the sound of patriotic music as they start reciting something similar to the pledge of allegiance. Nyx just watches them and then says that he’s basically there to get paid.

The ride back up to ground level is only slightly awkward as Whisper says that she’s going to be coming back to visit him repeatedly and to let upstairs know so she isn’t constantly tangled in red tape which the guard responds to somewhat lecherously. Nox and Whisper insist that Lynch is definitely in there of his own volition. They teleport back to the HQ and then Threshold teleports, alone, with Whisper’s phone to the coordinates that Lynch whispered to Nyx and ends up at Neponsit Beach Hospital in Rockaway Park, NY.

Below the Hospital

Nyx, Threshold, and Whisper
Neponsit Beach Hospital
Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, 1900 hours (EST)
67 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Rockaway Park, NY 11694

It’s very dilapidated and has been closed for close to two decades as Threshold gets onto the roof. He calls Whisper first, to come through the portal he opens and then pulls through the rest of them, standing there on the rooftop. Whisper cautiously approaches roof access and prods at the door with her tomahawk before they enter and start searching. In the bowels of the hospital, they find a false wall that’s been appropriately hidden with the mechanism placed behind the pipe. The wall, and part of the flooring, slides smoothly out of the way. Inside is a decently sized room with two to three layers deep of wire mesh around the room creating a large faraday cage.

Inside the cage are walls upon walls upon boxes of boxes of hard copy documents, files, on the far wall is three dozen different post cards from various locations and various information connected with twine looking like a murder board gone wild. In one box alone is a large amount of micro-cassette players. Everything is considerably low-tech, like Lynch wanted to create something without any tie backs. Whisper opens up her cell phone and removes the battery, indicating for the rest to do the same, only for Nyx to hold up his ankle and points at his tracking anklet which, apparently, Wirerat has spoofed the data on.

On one of the tables, is a manilla envelope with Nyx’s last name of Hanlon on it. Whisper holds it up, asking if anyone has any idea as she still believes that Nyx is his real name. Inside is a document that says they may need it at some point and another micro-cassette. There’s documents around the room that say the words Black Swan which interests Threshold while Whisper checks for Russian post cards as it’s the nickname of a maximum security penitentiary in Russia. Threshold tries to memorize everything as Nyx is confused by the presence of a micro-cassette.

The files themselves are documents on multiple sightings of supernatural and superhuman things all the way back or the OSR, AEGIS, KGB. Everything is just on paper, microfiche, and various recordings on VHS, cassettes, film projectors. Threshold is ready to spend quite a bit of time there reading whatever he can. It’s just lots of information about documents on powers from all over the world. Everything is sorted by year and then by where the information came from. Threshold takes copious amounts of notes while Whisper takes over and plays the tape for Nyx who is confused by how it’s supposed to work, it all being before his time.

The tape is specifically addressed to Nyx. For whatever reason, that he is yet to determine why, Nyx is right at the center of things. Black Swan theory. Eventually a metahuman will be born that is unable to control their powers and the world would break. Back in 2016, they isolated the Black Swan and neutralized it, but they eventually learned something. That there isn’t just one. There’s multiple Metahumans that fit that bill so he got as much information he can and got it sorted out the best he can. He filed everything away and is leaving it to Nyx to investigate the fifty-plus metahumans, and he’s got the time to do it unlike back in 2016. Whatever happens that afternoon, he tells Nyx to go with it, that he got him a better lawyer this time. And whatever happens, to not trust. . . and the tape bursts into flame.

Nyx at least has enough presence of mind to throw the recorder into a nearby wastepaper basket as he watches it burn. Whisper looks for a fire extinguisher while Threshold simply suffocates the flame by solidifying the air around the recorder. Nyx tells them that he was told that there was other tapes there for them to listen to.

They’ve gotten lost in there a bit, and it becomes time to get back in there and check in, with Threshold staying behind he ports them back towards Vanguard HQ, while staying behind.

Nobody Get Choked

Nyx, Threshold, and Whisper
VANGUARD Headquarters
Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, 1000 hours (EST)
Tomkins Cove, NY 10986

When they get there, the find numerous people in wind breakers carrying out boxes of things. Whisper immediately moves to find Landry in his office, finding him relieved to see them. Asking what is going on, she’s told that they’re being shut down, or rather they’re being assessed and all operations are being suspended indefinitely. There’s paperwork for her to sign, some discharge papers for her rather with a fair severance package of a year’s worth of medical insurance and $100,000. It’s a standard package with an NDA on it that covers everything that she saw or did for Project Vanguard is not something that she can repeat. She tells Landry that it’s such a rudimentary set of paperwork that it’s almost a disappointment. He tells her that he’s already released Surferboy and Rush and they’re moving to San Francisco and asks where the rest of the team is. Threshold is obviously back at the secure site while Nyx is aware of what is happening right then and there.

Aftermath

He moves towards his room and retrieves the money from the safe and makes Nox promise to get it turned into real money and deposited into specific account he set up before he was sent to prison. She’s incredulous, saying that they could run only for Nyx to turn her down. When asked why, he points out one simple fact, he’s guilty. All Nox can do is cry that it’s unfair as Nyx hands over the leftover vials of super serum and tells her to take that to the hospital basement as Landry comes in with a clipboard. Nyx’s settlement is a bit more substantial, close to $300,000. Unfortunately, most of that will be going to pay for his incarceration. Nyx points out that he doesn’t have to sign it if he doesn’t want the settlement, Landry points out that’s true, but if he doesn’t sign it then they can put him away in a little hole with no chance at all of getting out as several men come in with shackles.

Nyx voluntarily lets them take him, calling shotgun on the way but he’s still put in the back of the van. He can hear knocking on the back window, so he shifts down that way and looks out to see Nox standing there, looking both pissed and sad as they drive off.

After Action Report (GM)

My intent was to stretch this out to another two or three sessions, but my brother brought up an excellent point: Why? We were at a legit good stopping point for the season and I agreed. So we tied up some loose ends, played out VANGUARD being put under operational furlough and then moved on. I introduced the Cache that Lynch put together for Nyx as well as passing on his work while he’s held in containment. Now for a break to update characters and then back to it with a new (hopefully longer) season seven.

Other Notes

Bonus Report from Rory.

Soundtrack

“Schism” by Tool
“I Fought the Law” by The Clash
“My Own Prison” by Creed