Whistling A Jaunty Tune

by **Robert West** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:22 pm

Rob strolled through the streets, whistling to himself as he headed to his old lab.

Which might be a terrible idea, but it's important to keep in mind that he is crazy.

by **Veronica Freud** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:42 pm

"This is a terrible idea."

Ronnie at least had enough sense to obtain a woman's long coat to obscure most of her costume as she followed Rob closely.

"Why exactly couldn't we have stuck to the sewers?"

by **Robert West** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:05 pm

"If you want to hang out in the sewers, be my guest," Rob says, "Personally, I find living like a rat a bit distasteful."

"Besides, it's not like the sewers are any safer here."

by **Amazon** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:44 pm

Amazon floated down off a nearby building, lowering herself into their path. "I thought I saw you earlier. Didn't think I'd see you again, 'Doctor' West."

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:12 pm

"See? This way, we get to see all the imminent threats to our lives coming," Rob says, "Evening, Amazon! How are you? It's been a while!"

by **Amazon** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:17 pm

"I'm hurt," she said. "You should know I'm not here to threaten your life. There'd be no profit in it. But it has been a while. And I've been better. Sort of between jobs at the moment."

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:18 pm

"A dangerous lady like yourself is always a threat to whoever she happens to be around," Rob says with a smirk, "Fall out with your previously employers?"

by **Amazon** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:44 pm

"Made a bad deal that came back to haunt me. You know how it is," she said, settling onto the ground.

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:04 pm

"That would imply that something I did didn't work out perfectly," Rob says, "What do you want?"

by **Amazon** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:15 pm

"Of course. I saw you with the others earlier. I want to know what you're up to."

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:30 pm

"I stepped out for groceries," Rob says, "Loaf of bread, gallon of milk, that sort of thing."

by **Veronica Freud** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:27 pm

Veronica, for her part, kept her mouth shut. Well, mostly.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Doctor West?"

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:48 pm

"Where are my manners," Rob says, "Veronica, this is Amazon. A cut throat."

"Amazon, this is Veronica," Rob says, "My assistant."

by **Amazon** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:23 am

"Only when it comes to money. I prefer flattening things when I have to deal with... other difficulties." She nodded to Veronica just to acknowledge the introduction. "So what are you up to? And don't repeat that ridiculous line about groceries. You're up to something. I want in."

by **Robert West** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:55 pm

"Right now? I'm going to my lab," Rob says, "I left some stuff in storage. Few people too, now that I think about it."

"Then I'm leaving. Permanently."

by **Veronica Freud** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:53 pm

A girl after my own heart. Ronnie thought to herself.

by **Amazon** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:56 pm

"Well, you will be missed," she said with a smirk. "I'll help you pack."

by **Robert West** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:33 am

"And let you help yourself to my old junk?" Rob says, "Please. Find another sucker."

by **Amazon** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:10 am

"I would even know how to make your junk work and I doubt anyone else would either, Mr. Genius. Besides, if you're leaving permanently, what do you care?"

by **Robert West** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:34 pm

"I want to leave the world a nicer place then I found it," Rob says, "We're wasting time. Come or go. I don't care."

"Come on, Freud."

by **Veronica Freud** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 8:45 pm

"Yes, Doctor." Ronnie said, resisting the urge to put Rob back in his place when it came to commanding her.

by **Robert West** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:39 pm

Rob walked down the street, keeping his hands in his pockets. Eventually he came to stop at an old and busted pay phone.

"Everyone inside," Rob says, opening the door.

by **Amazon** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:50 pm

Amazon followed, stepping in where Rob indicated. "So, Freud? Any relation to that crazy little jetpacker who works for the General?"

by **Robert West** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:47 pm

"Recognized Robert West. Authorization code, please?" A female voice says.

Rob shuts the door behind the group. Despite three people having entered a small phone booth there didn't appear to be any spatial difficulties.

"Let me in or I'll vaporize you," Rob says.

"Acknowledged."

There was a flash of green light and a thundering boom and the group were standing on a raised platform inside of what appeared to be a large laboratory.

Welcome back. It has been 3 years, 2 months and 11 days since you last logged in. We were having a party."

by **Amazon** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:28 am

"Cheeky, isn't she?"

by **Robert West** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:11 pm

"I didn't leave a note," Rob mumbles, "I think she's mad."

"And you brought guests. Wonderful. I'll put on the tea."

There was a momentary pause.

"This is very difficult to do with no arms or way of physically interacting with the environment. Please bear with me."

by **Amazon** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:02 am

"Yup, definitely mad."

by **Robert West** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:54 am

"We're all mad here," Rob says, "I'm mad, you're mad...."

"Heather, take care of them. Nicely. Show them around," Rob says, wandering off into a corridor, "I have to gather some stuff."

by **Amazon** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:24 am

"Never said I was otherwise, West," Amazon said, looking around.

by **Robert West** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 1:14 am

"I guess I will be playing your tour guide then. My name is Heather. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but seeing as you are friends of my brother you are most likely miscreants and deviants."

A pathway down a corridor lights up.

"Please follow the lighted path. Do not stray from the lighted area as most of the laboratory is trapped, radioactive or just plain odd."

by **Amazon** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:35 am

"I'll own up to being a miscreant. Deviant's another matter though," she said, walking down the lighted path.

by **Robert West** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:40 pm

"Did I say deviant? How rude of me. I meant, sub-human."

The corridor led past several experiments that were just gathering dust. In one room, there was a lush farmland. In another, a variety of lasers that made music when you touched them.

In another there was a frog sitting calmly in the center of a locked cell. Heather refused to open the door claiming the frog was far too dangerous and hurrying them past.

"And in this room, we have the collection. Every malcontent my brother has fought had their technology catalogued and put on display here.

It was like an armory meets a museum. Cold rays and missiles and robotic exo-skeletons and what looked like a giant revolver that shot nuclear bullets were all on display.

"Please don't steal anything and use it to kill my brother so you can steal all the priceless treasures in his laboratory. That would be absolutely terrible of you.

by **Veronica Freud** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:04 pm

Amazon wrote:"So, Freud? Any relation to that crazy little jetpacker who works for the General?"

Even with the abundance of room in the phone booth Ronnie still hunched up as though she were being compressed by a tight confine. She didn't like thinking about how her brother was here. "He's not crazy." Was the extent of her answer. Of course she didn't know that. She hadn't met him, she'd just seen him shoot past and start fighting people before everyone fell down a hole.

The whole lab experience just left her feeling... slimy. Everything in this universe did but hearing that somewhat familiar voice, the same one who had given her several mission briefings in her dimension, made everything here just all the more distasteful.

"Finally, a gun that comes in my size." She muttered softly to herself, in reference to the giant revolver-like weapon.

"Oh no, we'd never do that." Ronnie said honestly, but for different reasons. "After all, if we did that then you'd be left all alone for who knows how long, Ms. West."

by **Amazon** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:30 am

"Although I do believe he's planning on leaving permanently," Amazon added unhelpfully.

by **Veronica Freud** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:43 am

"Then we'll have to make sure that Heather comes with us." Ronnie said, crossing her arms. "Or she's at least allowed to socialize."

by **Robert West** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:29 pm

"I think you'll have to speak to Rob about that."

Red lights began to flash in the armory.

"...Sooner then later."

Rob walks into the room, "Grab whatever you want. Most of this stuff is junk."

Rob straps a leather bracer with a computer screen on the front to his wrist.

by **Veronica Freud** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:29 pm

"Unless you've got anything we need back home I don't think there's anything here I need." Ronnie said. "I'm more a hands-on kind of girl."

"R... Doctor West, what's with the lights?"

by **Robert West** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:37 pm

"Those lights indicate a peacekeeping sattelite has taken aim on this facility," Rob says, plugging a cable from the wrist band into a nearby terminal, "Don't worry. We should have a few minutes before it fires."

by **Amazon** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:12 pm

"You're crazy," Amazon said. "I like that."

by **Robert West** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:20 pm

"You're very tall," Rob says without looking up from his work, "That makes me feel uncomfortable and strangely aroused."

Rob checks the screen on the bracer, "Seems like our compatriots are having troubles. We should go help them out."

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