The Hospital: Pediatrics Ward

[The Golden Witch]

Dr. Madaraki led the group into the facility.

"We collect children from across the entire country," Dr. Madaraki says excitedly, "We use some of our most cutting age techniques to improve everything from their skeletal structure to their immune system."

There was nearly a thousand children, not a single one over the age of two. Each one was in an organic chamber of some kind floating in what looked to be a nutrient bath.

"Once we're finished, they'll be practically indestructible! They'll have endless stamina, live three times as long as any other human, have incredible strength and reflexes!"

"They'll be perfect!"

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel blinked as they entered, looking at the scene before them, and for once, he didn't have anything to say as he stared stony-faced at the baby farm.

Instead, he reached out with Rachel's senses to some of the children, trying to assess their condition with both her telepathy and her autonomic powers.

[The Golden Witch]

The children were all heavily sedated. There weren't in any pain. They also seemed well fed and taken care of.

It wouldn't do to mistreat your experiments after all.

There was also a veritable army of nurses and orderlies attending to the patients. Each one had been marked with a number that matched whatever child they were taking care of.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel bit his lip, then started expanding his examination to the orderlies and nurses, checking their condition and, more importantly, checking for what exactly the hell they did.

[Reaper]

"How many of them are mutants?" Reaper asked quietly.

[The Golden Witch]

There was an orderly and a nurse assigned to every child. Working through Rachel's powers he could feel that their systems had been extensively modified to a horrifying degree. These had been people once, living and breathing human beings that had been twisted into these monsters.

Pressing a little further, Daniel would find that they all shared a common feeling. A powerful love for whatever child they were looking after. And there was no sign of brainwashing or psychic suggestion. It seemed to be entirely natural.

"We don't discriminate here," Dr. Madaraki answers Reaper, "Probably close to forty percent of the program are mutants though."

It was hard to tell but several of the nurses seemed to be staring at Daniel.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel sent a strong mental urge to them to get the hell back to their own business. I need you to help me with this one. I want to see what exactly she's done without her happy sunshine horseshit, he thought to Reaper, as he pushed into the mind of the nearest orderly for exactly that: What was actually being done to these babies on a daily basis.

[Reaper]

Reaper was more than happy to help out, smoothing over the rough edges in Daniel's search, to let them get the information without the orderly noticing.

[The Golden Witch]

The nurses seemed to lose their interest for the moment. What followed was images of intense surgeries, large amounts of drugs and experimental procedures. Every single one of the children were practically being torn apart and rebuilt on a daily basis.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel almost disengaged his mind at that point. He stayed in just long enough to find out how viable these children were outside their little nutrient baths, then pulled his mind back into himself. He didn't say anything, he didn't even move except for a twitch in his jaw. He just stared out, his thoughts racing dangerously in his mind.

[Reaper]

Reaper, meanwhile, turned her attention to the children, looking into their mind, into their bodies to see if she could get some clue about where they'd come from.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, hoping to get his attention.

Daniel..

[Melody Martens]

Melody had to swallow hard to keep from retching at the sights of everything in the room.

I...how could this happen...if we get back, I don't know if I could even see Nina without.. just....beating the hell out of her.

[The Golden Witch]

It all depended on the stage of their development and how much had been done to them. Some were perfectly capable of surviving. Others would die without medical attention. It was a complete toss-up.

Reaper would see that they'd been taken from all over the country. She could see large spider-like creatures breaking into homes. Taking children and parents from their homes and returning to the Hospital with their prizes.

[Taliesin]

Taliesin stood, stone-faced.

Well, not LITERALLY, but standing there without emotion.

Behind his solid mental shields, though, rage was threatening to leak out.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel didn't give any outward response to Stan. He was far too well disciplined for that, something that rarely came in useful these days, but today was invaluable. We'll need to fan out and focus to cut down on the collateral damage, was the only thought he sent out in reply.

[Rick Ferguson]

Didn't think I'd ever say this, or even think it, but I'm with ya, Daniel.

[Taliesin]

We can't save all the innocents inside.

[Reaper]

We'll get out, and come back in force. Reaper said Its the only way we can save all of them.

[Skeiron]

A faint breeze whipped around Skeiron, sending his coat fluttering. His expression was a hard-set scowl.

[Felana]

Are you fucking serious? This... this can't possibly end well for any of us. This chick is batshit crazy, and I'd love to gut her if I didn't think she'd just regrow around my claws, but...there's a lot of these weird things in here. Why are we even considering this?

[Daniel Uriel]

Good point. Anyone who wants to make a quick getaway, find a reason to head back out of this hall in the next thirty seconds.

[Melody Martens]

What in the hell are you planning on doing? There's a lot of things in here I'm not sure would handle a fight well

[The Golden Witch]

"Any other questions?" Dr. Madaraki asks.

[Felana]

You're crazier than I thought, Uriel, if you're planning what I think you're planning...

[Stan Bowen]

Daniel, no! We need everyone. No one gets left here! This entire facility is an abomination, and I would level it myself at any other point of time. Hell, I've done it with similar places in the past! But not here, not now. Later.

[Daniel Uriel]

"Actually, yes," Daniel said, in a calm voice that would shock anyone who'd felt his mental voice. "Why are you doing this?"

I'm planning on doing what I have to do. And you can all clear out before I do it. Just make it quick. Because there is no later. Once we leave here, we'll never be coming back. So back me up, or stay out of my way.

[Reaper]

There are too many of them for us to get them all out. We'll worry about this time, you guys need to go back and keep this from happening.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan gritted his teeth.

Reaper, shut him down!

[Felana]

Reaper's right. Listen, you stubborn bastard. You're going to get yourself killed, and I'm not even sure you'll fucking take her with you. More importantly any bullshit you start in here is going to just wind up killing or hurting some of these kids.

[The Golden Witch]

"Because it can help people of course!" Dr. Madaraki says brightly.

[Taliesin]

Always the Acolyte way, action, action, action, and no thought processes to speak of.

[Reaper]

Reaper started to take control of Daniel's mind. If she had to, she'd march him out like a puppet.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel stiffened as he started to fight the control. Get... out... of... my... mind... you... heartless... bitch!

[Reaper]

Do you have a way to get these children to a safe location? Can you keep the ones who will die without the probes stable until we get them to a healer? Do you know where the nearest healer is? Reaper shot back as she fought for control of Daniel's body I want her dead. More than you do, I want her dead. But we have to have a plan beyond 'kill the bitch'.

[Taliesin]

You get in a fight, you could die. You guys die, you can't get back to the past. You can't get back to the past, you can't prevent this.

We're not done with Ms. Madaraki, but YOU are.

[Daniel Uriel]

Reaper could feel white-hot rage seething in Daniel's mind, but as the powers he'd temporarily copied from her began to fade, he really didn't have much chance of fighting her off.

[Reaper]

"Thank you for the tour." Reaper said politely. "I think its time for us to be going."

[The Golden Witch]

"Oh, that's too bad," Dr. Madaraki says, "Well, I really must be getting back to work anyway."

"I hope you'll come back anytime."

[Daniel Uriel]

With very vivid thoughts of various interfering people around him being seared into charcoal briquettes, Daniel was marched from the room against his will.