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[h1][center][color=00aeef]The Conduit[/color][/center][/h1]
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Jim walked into the main hall of The Hub, the slang name for his base of operations, and made a beeline straight for Pyotr Radskov, his technical specialist. The man was a whiz with technology, completely independent of any ability he might possess. The short little Russian grinned at Jim as he approached. [color=7ea7d8]"What do you need boss? Somebody steal some money? Lose a bet?"[/color] Pyotr winked pronouncedly. Jim wanted to kill the man, but he was too good to get rid of. He frowned and a spark jumped.

[color=00aeef]"Somebody was watching my little demonstration last night. Find out who."[/color] Pyotr nodded, catching the impatience in Jim's tone. Scuttled off to do his job. Jim turned and marched towards his office. He overrode the code that most of his "employees" would have to put in to get into his office and stepped through the doorway. Richard Noldor leaned against Jim's desk, flipping through a heavy, leather bound book. Richard was the only man Jim would ever allow to do such a thing, because he was the only man Jim trusted enough to give him free reign. Mr. Noldor was the number two, and he was damn good at his job.

Richard glanced up. [color=0054a6]"Oh good, you're back. I've got a double deal for you today."[/color] Richard smiled wickedly. Jim noticed he had bent the metal in the table. Jim would have to fix that. Richard's superhuman trait allowed him to make any metal as malleable as a piece of silly putty, a handy trick, but Richard was shit at controlling it. Richard closed the book and held it up. [color=0054a6]"First, I think I finally tracked down another shard. It should be in the park, right near the water."[/color] Jim grinned. [color=0054a6]"Second, one of the bosses in the Political district wants to speak with you, some guy named Prophet. Should I put you through?"[/color] 

Jim considered carefully. Finally, he nodded. [color=00aeef]"Alright Rich, set it up. Also, I want you to contact the leader of old Malikane's gang, the young one. Tell her I've got a business proposition for her. I'm going out to the park to get that shard, so hold my calls."[/color] He laughed. It was an old joke between them. Neither of them had ever gotten any calls. Jim walked back out of his office, Richard following. Hopefully nobody would get in his way again.

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Jim walked in the park, his trademark trench-coat lacking in order to blend in. Instead he wore a plain leather jacket and a T-shirt, complete with aviator sunglasses and jeans. Sometimes it was nice to travel in relaxed clothing. He walked down to the waters edge, looking at the odd almost-lake the island formed between the park and political districts. He gazed among the sand, looking for the signs of the strange force that had given him his powers.

Part way down the beach, he came across what he was looking for. A rock with an odd, curvy burn in it projected out from the base of a small cliff. Jim lay his hand over it, and then jolted it with electricity. The face of the cliff slid away in a spot, and Jim grinned. He stepped through the hole into a cave. The room was pretty bare, just a roughly circular rock cave, a single shaft of light, and a raised lump of rock with a pottery shard jabbing out of it. He cautiously crossed the cave, making sure it wasn't trapped. At the pedestal, he grabbed and lifted the shard out of the rock, like the sword in the stone. There was a rumbling, and Jim turned and ran for the entrance. He slid, just missing the slamming shut of the door. When he looked back, the marked rock was gone. Eerie.

He looked down at the pottery shard in his hand. The strange jagged markings covered this piece just like the last. He smiled. He walked back up the park and got back in his mustang. The all-black car purred happily, and he drove it home as fast as it could go, just for fun. He returned to his office, and placed the shard next to his original, on the pedestal next to his bookshelf. The pieces vibrated, and his eyes widened ever so slightly as they clicked together, and were suddenly one. Now he had an arched piece of pottery probably 9 inches long. He nodded curiously. He would have to find the rest.