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Post by Andrew Bullock on Oct 25, 2019 2:57:13 GMT -5
There was a well lit room with a high-tech screen on the wall. Seats filled the space in front of it. All of them were occupied by CIA Special Agents and other members of the task force. Andrew was on a podium giving a presentation.
"Thank you all for being here," Andrew quickly greeted before jumping right into what they needed to talk about. "Thanks to our observations from last night and the wiretap on Noland's BrawlX, we have some helpful information that should narrow our search. We know that whoever is ordering the Angels to do what they're doing are higher up in the chain of command. Starting off, Irene Almstedt."
A picture of the woman appeared on screen. Very beautiful, but...no one will catch Andrew saying that or he dies to the Director. "She's the President of Eden. Director Wolfe knows Ms. Almstedt from the time she was with the organization years ago. People have nothing but high praise for her. She will go out of her way to make sure there's a smile on everyone's face across ALL departments.
Another picture popped up on the screen. This one was also very beautiful. "Lileas Kyuki," Andrew introduced. "We know from Tracy that Ms. Kyuki is the Vice President of Eden. While everyone said great things about Almstedt, no one had anything to say about Kyuki. In fact, while Tracy was interning at the organization, she saw certain people show visible signs of fear whenever Kyuki's name was brought up."
The pictures of the President and Vice President were placed on opposite sides of each other. A black line joined them together, and then another line pointed them down towards the picture of Sydney White. "Sydney admitted that there are people above her with enough influence to force these ladies to act how they're acting. I want to know who these people are. I want to know if both Almstedt and Kyuki are aware of the people involved, and if they are, then why are these people still calling the shots? Does Almstedt or Kyuki have any involvement themselves? What reasons do people have for having a different attitude around Kyuki in comparison to everyone else?"
A black line was then drawn from the middle of the link between the bosses and the Angels, and then linked with a familiar redhead and Alex Andersen. "The Silver Knights have also sent Alexander Andersen to monitor Noland based on what he said. There could be more, but we only know about him. I need to know if both of the organizations are conspiring to do whatever they're trying to do."
"And...most importantly...there's some talk about a Tribunal member being responsible for this," Andrew added in. "Try your best to look into that, but don't do anything crazy. The people we want are willing to kill, so you need to be careful..."
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Post by Markus Hederick on Oct 25, 2019 14:57:07 GMT -5
It was good that the feds were cracking down on this. It certainly makes things less stressful for the Resistors. Hopefully, they can get some names and motives tying them to their activity soon.
In the meantime, Markus was doing a little bit of studying in the morning hours. He was looking through some of his notes just so he could lay eyes on them. Then, Markus felt something in his spirit, like something was calling him.
He hurried down to the living room. There was a drawer that had something vibrating in it. He opened the drawer to find one of Gargulion's crafted orbs that housed someone's spirit. Markus picked it up to hear what had to be said.
"You want to stop fucking around and putting these Tribunal dipshits to bed?" it asked him.
"What do you know about that, Makoto?" Markus asked.
"A lot more than you do," Makoto admitted. "I'll share some information with you, but then I want a deal."
"I don't negotiate with people like you. You're lucky to still be here as it is," Markus made clear.
"Hasn't it always made you curious about why I was doing what I was doing? Why Deon left the planet in the first place? Why I went after important leaders in this backwater society you call a country?"
"Because you're evil," Markus summed up.
"Because THEY are evil," Makoto bounced. "See, the funny thing right now is you're all so paranoid about Tribunal folk being in the government, but you've defended them this entire time. They're all here because of you dumbasses. The Pack and the Hurranians...all lesser evils when you compare them to these guys; yet, the rules that THEY themselves created branded me a terrorist. We were so close to putting them in check before you Resistors showed up and ruined everything."
"Nice, nice. Anything else?" Markus yawned.
"You can pretend like you're not listening or comprehending what I'm saying all you want to, but when they start sacrificing those who pose a threat to them so they can revive their god, that's going to be on you. I hate you, but I hate them infinitely more."
"Of course you do," Markus shrugged. "So, let's say I get bored and want to investigate whatever you're preaching. What do you want?"
"I want you to take me back to my homeland so that I may give my parents my regards. That's it," Makoto bargained.
"Really? That's it? You want nothing else?"
"Do you want me to ask for something else?"
"You got a deal," Markus shrugged. "Just know that if you lie to me, the deal's off."
"I know that, so I'm going to direct you to someone instead. Go to Vestal and talk to Deon. The first two words you need to say to him are, 'Our land.' He'll take care of the rest."
"...Okay."
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Post by Noland Hardy on Oct 25, 2019 15:57:12 GMT -5
A couple of minutes later, Noland popped up in Markus' kitchen. The look on his face depicted someone who really thought another person was stupid or was taking a joke too far.
"Am I really supposed to believe that Makoto of all people is trying to help us? Do you know what he is?" Noland questioned.
"You're in the same boat as me, so you shouldn't be talking," Makoto countered.
"I'd be careful. I don't have any patience or forgiveness right now," Noland warned him.
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Post by Markus Hederick on Oct 25, 2019 16:08:44 GMT -5
"That's why I asked you to come with me," Markus interrupted before that exchange could go any further. "I can't imagine what you're going through right now, so I figured it's best if you just walk with me and take your mind off of it for a bit. Although this isn't the same, you and Tank helped me through the whole Roxy thing, so it's the least I can do."
"Where's Tank anyway? I thought you'd ask him too," Gargulion wondered.
"Don't want to bother too many people right now," Markus answered. "Plus, he said he wanted to try and talk to Steve today. Can't interrupt that. I've talked to Nero about this though. He said he wants in. The CIA is offering us money for what we know, so...that's a lot better for everyone else aside from Tank and I."
"He's actually still around?" Makoto asked with astonishment. "You all will never learn."
"You say another word, and the deal's off," Markus shut down. "Alright. Let's go meet him."
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Post by Andrew Bullock on Oct 25, 2019 19:34:24 GMT -5
Andrew was waiting for both of them at a top-secret location. It was so secretive that asking about where it was would get you ten years in prison. The secret location was...Andrew's house...
It was in Bowie. The gentlemen were in Andrew's living room and were about to head on out. But first...
"You already know this, but I have to say it every time we do something together," Andrew started. "You are not government officials. If you do something that will make you liable in a criminal or civil capacity, you do not have immunity. The CIA will handle the detainment, arrest, or - if it comes to that - the killing of any potential targets; however, if YOU have to kill anyone to guarantee your safety, only do so as a last resort. Act in a way that any reasonable person would in any situation you may encounter."
"Got it? Good. We'll depart immediately. But before that...I have to make sure. Are ya'll good?"
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Post by Markus Hederick on Oct 25, 2019 19:57:59 GMT -5
"Me, I'm fine," Markus answered for himself. "I'm sure a lot of us are. Last night told us that we need to watch out for each other more than ever now. I'm thankful that I'm capable of looking after our own. I'll stick to that role as best as I can."
"I use to be like that...until I took an arrow to the knee," Makoto added to throw off their thoughts.
"I'm more worried about Tracy though. I'm not sure how her perception of Eden changed after what we saw. She didn't want to talk to me about it," Markus sighed.
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Post by Noland Hardy on Oct 25, 2019 20:06:36 GMT -5
"I'm worried about her too," Noland admitted. "As strange as it is...I'm not all that bothered. Yes, I'm extremely pissed, but...I'll make it. I don't regret fighting at all, but I do feel bad about the result. I'm wondering what this will mean for that unit as a whole. I never wanted to put Petra in any kind of danger whether it was through that battle or by openly defying your boss and then fighting her."
"..."
"I'm indifferent to that though, because I have to focus on everyone else and I. They made their bed, so they're going to lay in it. My head's on straight, so you have nothing to worry about. Your investigation, your rules. Let's just do it."
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Post by Andrew Bullock on Oct 25, 2019 20:49:51 GMT -5
"Alright...but if you need anything, you know where I am. I'm here as long as I'm alive," Andrew told them. "Let's go." He had Hades generate a portal while it was in its ball form. He led the boys on through to the other side. The other side was...a mountain...?
"..." All of them got dropped off in a mountain range... "...Heh heh heh..." he nervously laughed. "...Please don't tell Montai I screwed that up..."
Another portal was opened. This time, they got dropped in a lush, grassy plain. There were a horde of Monarus flying overhead. They were very beautiful and unlike the ones seen on Earth. They were releasing a glittery substance from their wings. It was unknown what this was for just yet.
"...I'm sure I got it right this time..." Andrew believed. "Since when did Vestal do this?"
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Post by Deon Irvine on Oct 25, 2019 21:03:40 GMT -5
It was a coincidence that the three of them showed up at the exact time these lands were being tended to. The one responsible for these developments was walking through the area with a couple of ecologists. They froze in their tracks when they realized that they had visitors...in a restricted area...
"Well, well, well. I knew we'd eventually get other visitors besides Bakugan one of these days," one of them said. He walked out in front and revealed himself to be...Deon... "Long time, no see, Resistors and Mr. Bullock," he greeted. "Don't mind us. We're just tending to the landscape here. Alpha City is up north if you're looking for Dasia, Niko, or maybe Damian."
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Post by Markus Hederick on Oct 25, 2019 21:08:35 GMT -5
So it looks like Deon was responsible for all of this. That's some very impressive work, especially when a lot of the unsettled areas of Vestal were mostly wastelands after a large percentage of the population left centuries ago. Markus was almost too distracted by the great job Deon was doing to tell him what needs to be said.
"Our land," Markus recited in accordance with what Makoto told him to say.
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Post by Deon Irvine on Oct 25, 2019 21:55:07 GMT -5
"..." Deon quickly turned around to the workers after he heard that. "Carry on as normal. I just got called into an important meeting." The workers complied instantly. They went about their merry way. "Follow me."
Deon began to lead them through the plain. He started telling them about what he was doing there even though they probably couldn't care less. Still, he had to come up with something. What Markus just asked for was something no one else can hear about...
"I've been on a mission to improve and preserve Vestal's environment. With some assistance from Slipstream, I've been able to accomplish this goal by starting my own company. This is what we do here," Deon started explaining. "The land is fertile, the air and sea are clean, and the Bakugan have decided to coexist with us for the first time in over 300 years. We've even discovered some subspecies along the way. Take the Monarus you saw for example. Monarus typically spend their time in lush regions like forests, but the ones here spent a lot of time near the water where it's noticeably colder. Now, they're able to blow the coldest air you'll ever feel, and they can control the temperature of it to the point where they can make their glitter spread water instead of ice. That's why they're here. They're watering the land."
With that explanation out of the way, they finally got into a habitat research facility that housed a bunch of subspecies in there. There were variants of Limulus, Terrorclaw, Tentaclear, Hynoid, and much more. The only important room relative to what was being asked of Deon was an isolated chamber that no one else will be able to hear them speak.
"I'm guessing you're here because the Tribunal have come back. Right?" Deon asked.
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Post by Andrew Bullock on Oct 25, 2019 22:07:15 GMT -5
"Correct," Andrew confirmed. "Makoto tells us that you know about them. So far, they've resurrected Vince and the Legendary Soldiers to fight two of the Resistors, and we have reasonable suspicion to believe that they're influencing the Silver Knights and Eden. Whatever you can tell us that would help us identify and combat them would be very appreciated."
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Post by Deon Irvine on Oct 25, 2019 22:44:55 GMT -5
"And you're all still alive? Wow...you guys have gotten a lot stronger then," Deon complimented. "Okay. Let me tell you a little story. Makoto and I are both Native Americans. Came from the same tribe, the Catawaba. Growing up, we all learned one thing: never trust the government, because they don't do anything for anybody. That saying dates back all the way to the Revolutionary War. The British and the 'Americans' - or so they called themselves for intruding on our land - only wanted to use our services, and our payment was to be our eradication and the forfeiture of our land. Why? Because we were the first civilization to understand how the Tribunal acquired their power, and they didn't want us to ascend before they did. They thought they'd be disappointments. How can nonbelievers reach a level that only believers are supposed to reach?"
"Long story short, our tribe was kicked out, and then the land was paid back to us like they owned it the whole time. There was a divide among us: those who wanted no drama, and those who wanted the government to pay even more. It continues to this day. I sided with one, and Makoto sided with the other. I suppose you can guess what that means."
Deon lifted his hand up. A smoky, green aura emanated from it. It progressively formed into a miniature bull. The bull hopped on the table. Its landing made the table rattle. "So, you want to identify them? You look for signs of persecution," Deon revealed to them. "The Tribunal are the precursors. They want to reach the level that they believe they were unfairly deprived of. No one else can do that before them. Not Jews, not Native Americans, and certainly not African Americans."
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Post by Andrew Bullock on Oct 25, 2019 22:51:51 GMT -5
Andrew was writing some notes down about what Deon was saying. This was definitely a good insight into what was potentially going on. The U.S. government has been guilty of controlling behavior for some time now, especially the state and local governments. Police shootings of unarmed African Americans was only the icing on the cake...
"How did you acquire your power? What does it mean when they want to 'save' people? Who are the 'knights of rebuke'?" Andrew asked all at once.
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Post by Deon Irvine on Oct 25, 2019 23:11:06 GMT -5
"I've always had it. I couldn't tell you if my parents awakened their powers, or my grandparents, or any further down the family line," Deon shrugged. "You'd have to ask our tribe's elders for that information; however, considering you work for the federal government, the only thing you'll be getting is an arrow to the knee. They're all empowered too. Well...not the ones who Makoto followed. They were missing one crucial element, so I was told."
"As for being 'saved', that is a different thing altogether. Practitioners from back then would host services, not unlike what you'd see in a church. They'd sacrifice people. Most of them were children, innocent children. Someone back then was visiting Boston when such a service was happening. A kid got sacrificed, and then the bastards were rejoicing in how they were weakening the seal on some god of theirs."
"And then those knights you speak of. Look no further than the creature a certain redhead uses in battle. Such a ridiculous being. I can't wait for the day when he's finally exposed for who he truly is, because he cares nothing about justice. He only cares for what he was built for. I'd love to figure that out for myself. There are also those who are empowered as well. Extraordinary abilities like those of that purple-headed woman and that blue-haired ruffian. Sometimes, it's even more difficult to differentiate between power like mine and theirs. I suppose you could say we're both similar."
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