[u][color=fff200][b][center]Science meets Conscious[/center][/b] [/color][/u] Briley’s phone buzzed, Home.. Getting some Ice Cream then meeting a friend. Gonna discuss some magic things… Briley read the texts from her niece as she pulled up to the Pacific Point facility that had finally finished repairs from the last attack. It was twelve o’clock sharp, and her white car pulled through the security checkpoint easily. Only to be met with the acting supervisor William Phister, a tall man with broad shoulders who looks more like a Gorilla than a human being. “William, repairs have gone well. How are the increased security checkpoints, we spent the money for a new armed staff and automated turrets.” “A few scientists have forgotten IDs lately, putting security through extra procedures. But that has thus far calmed down, now only one or two employees a week forget their badges. No need yet for a full live test of the new system, but considering the rumors I’m hearing we’ll need them soon. But inside I’ll take you on a tour of what we’ve done.” “Before you do, I should have another joining me.” As Hound Dog kept his arm up with his sling he zipped along power poles, speeding through the city at speeds that blurred the skyline. Stopping only to get his bearings he finally reached the outside gate of the facility Briley wanted him to meet her at. The guard still following protocol stopped him as he approached. “Hey there cool cat, Miss Patton invited me for a tour, mind ringing her up.” The guard said nothing, but rang up Briley’s phone as he was told to expect a guest of her’s. “Yes.” “Got a guy hear to see you, calls himself Hound Dog, he at least looks the part of the Hero. Rules state, you need to be here to authenticate him. That okay Miss Patton.” “I shall be there in a moment, William, if you’ll come with me I have someone I’d like you to meet.” The gate was not far from the parking lot, only a few minutes walk. Hound Dog slowly tapped his foot as he tried to chat up the guard only to silence himself as he saw Briley Patton walk up. “Your guy is stone cold, I swear Lawyers are more chatty than this Clyde. Don’t mind the sling arm still has a bit of healing to do. And that, that is one big man. Sure a Zoo isn’t, you know. Nevermind.” Briley raised a brow but did not comment on his last remark, “William Phister meet Hound Dog, I was hoping a full tour will convince him to represent us publically as we move to support heroes.” “You better get any Gorilla jokes out of your system now, but remember. My hand is bigger and stronger than yours. Do it after we shake.” William said. As the trio went inside to see the changes and operations first hand, William stopped short in the entrance hall as a familiar face nearly ran past them. “Martel, you’re here early! Busy day ahead of you?” “Me? Oh yes, very busy. Very busy indeed,” Dr. Alexander Martel replied, sounding out of breath as he nearly skidded to a halt. Judging by his appearance, it did look like Martel had been incredibly busy, Briley pondered to herself. His graying hair was uncombed, his hands couldn’t keep still, and judging by the bags under his eyes he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for some time. “I understand putting in extra hours, but you do not look well, are you alright?” “Yes, I’m fine, just...bit shorthanded with this latest project.” “Yeah, I know how that feels,” William remarked. “We of course had staffing issues when we were trying to set up the new systems. Shame too, I bet Fletcher would have liked to try out the turrets, eh Doc?” “Ha ha, indeed she would,” Martel responded, sounding like Phister had just diagnosed him with a terminal illness. “Well, I must be going, need to get this installed…” Hound Dog stepped forward, wondering if it was Poseidon pushing unreasonable timeframes on it’s employees. “You always push your employees this hard?” “No no, it’s just...wait, Hound Dog?” Martel asked, sounding a bit taken aback. “What is he doing here?” “Just taking a tour, of our facility,” Briley said. “I’m hoping he’ll agree to stand with key members of the hero community as we announce our goal to support the hero's actions amidst the terrorists these Hound of Humanity.” “Key members of the hero community…” “Not doing much for my rep if I stand by and let guys up and steal my nom de guerre.” Hound Dog replied. “Still, deciding though, on representing you guys.” Martel didn’t respond, but kept glancing between Briley and Hound Dog, his expression communicating that the wheels in his head were turning. Briley nodded, “Try not to overwork yourself Doctor Martel.” just as she and the group began to turn away he spoke. “Miss Patton, when you have a moment there’s something I need to discuss with you. Perhaps you should come as well,” Martel added in a deeply urgent tone, nodding in Hound Dog’s direction. “I’ll be in my office when you’re free.” Returning to some semblance of his usual demeanor, he turned and purposely strode out of the entrance hall, leaving the small group without so much as an explanation. The trio stopped and assumed it regarded some project or something he wanted to show them. As William continued showing them through what would normally be restricted areas they would soon come to a break, “Perhaps now is a good time to take an hour lunch, we still have much to see and our cafeteria is also among them. “ William said leading them to lunch. As they ate Briley thought it would be a good time to see what Doctor Martel wanted, Hound Dog came in tow as he was not so subtly requested, knocking on his door after a good walk through a few corridors Briley spoke. “Doctor Martel, you had something?” “Yes, please come in,” Martel called out, already sounding much better than he did when the pair of them arrived. When they walked in and closed the door behind them, they found Martel already seated at his desk, his hands folded in front of him as he looked over a small stack of documents, apparently pulled out of the open file cabinets behind him, weighed down by an odd looking paperweight. As the two of them took their seat in front of the desk, Hound Dog found his attention drawn not to the papers but to the object weighing them down, a donut-shaped thing made of glass and metal that looked like it could fit around your wrist. He hadn’t seen a paper weight like that before, but there was still something incredibly familiar about how it glowed purple. “I’ve, I’ve seen that before. Where.” Hound Dog said pondering, as Briley Patton interrupted. “A power inhibitor, doing more research into meta containment and control. Powered Villains do pose a greater problem now that STRIKE is no more as of current events.” “Yes, Miss Patton is correct,” Martel nodded, taking a deep breath before going on. “And I suspect, Hound Dog, that you may have seen someone who used something like these before.” “Well.” Hound Dog started to say. “I think that Voyager girl had bands, got her color scheme going on too. You aren’t supplying her or something?” Hound Dog said joking. His joke gave her questions however, “How did you come about them?” She said seriously. Martel, quietly, lifted the device and handed it to Briley along with the top sheet of the stack. “I built them,” he said simply, waiting for the hammer to fall. “I...have been building them.” “I see.” Briley said not fully understanding the implications behind his words. “I’m not too familiar with their specifications but there does seem to be modifications added.” “The principle behind my design and the variants that you’re used to are similar, though I built them specifically to help Voyager control her abilities.” He finished by handing nearly all of the documents in his stack. “To be clear, Miss Patton...Voyager has been operating out of this facility and I have been assisting her.” “Radical, so you’re her chair man, the tech guy, the hackerman.” Hound Dog joked on as he saw Briley adopt a cold somber expression. “I’ll um, be quiet now.” “Yes, thank you for that.” Briley took the stack and read through a couple sentences. “This, is not what I was expecting. Not at all. Thankfully we are about to roll out plans for public cooperation with heroes, though we will need to discuss your; privileges moving forward. Why reveal this now though?” Martel nodded his head in understanding before going on. “The last I heard from Voyager was three days ago, the night of the Hounds uprising.” “I.” Hound Dog started as Briley silenced him with a quick look. “Is Voyager missing then?” “Not just Voyager, I’m afraid,” Martel said somberly. “Jordan Fletcher has been assisting Voyager out of this facility as well. Nobody has heard from her since the night of the Hound attack either, and I fear the two disappearances are related.” The doctor hung his head over his desk, looking older than he ever did before. “I...I’ve failed to protect my staff, and I’ve failed to protect Riley. I will explain and answer for everything when there is time, but right now those two need to be rescued, and I cannot do it alone.” “There are things we’ll need to discuss once we see to Voyager’s and Jordan’s rescue,” Briley confirmed as she spoke to Hound Dog. “I know this is not what you were expecting but ca-” Hound Dog interrupted. “Can I, of course I can. I’m a Hero it’s what I do! And my namesake isn’t just a Elvis reference, no. I am able to see the electromagnetic spectrum, and all those with unusual biochemistry have a slightly different pattern, it’s not like I’ll turn the corner and see Voyager, but I’ll tell when something is off from a normal unpowered person.” “If it can help, I’ve been rigging some of my test equipment to help locate Voyager’s unique energy signature,” Martel included. “It casts a wide net so I think if we combine that with your abilities it should be able to locate her.” Briley nodded. “And I too may know someone who can help.”