1 - 010: The Rage of Engels

[K Man]

{Excellent role-playing everyone...good discovery of your powers. I don't think there was anything asked of me and it seems the consensus is to follow the leader into the nearby base, if I'm wrong, let me know.}

---

The Germans continue to remain meek and passive. Those that are not wounded happily march in front of you at gun point, those that are weakened or injured remain behind in the shadow of the wrecked truck--their faces are cast down as well...it is doubtful they will tell this story to any who cross their path.

The sun begins to set in the sky, settling to the West behind the rising and rolling dirt fields all around you. It feels like it never completely disappears, replaced by the brilliant flares of mortars and shells pounding far off in the distance...familiar sights and sounds of war. The Germans continue to lead the way, slowing only a little when the light completely disappears lest they trip over a dirt hole or something else...

Despite your success on the field an less than an hour ago, you can't help but repeat the events over and over in your head. Bullets bouncing off of you, trucks disentegrating at a distance from weaponry none of you can mimic...then there's the doctor's arm! What happened at the palace? The last thing you can remember, the Orange Glow, did it do something to you? You've heard of radiation, or neuroniums or whatever the scientists call it, could be used for some kind of super-bomb that could end the war...but it could also make you sick. Did you get exposed to something like that?

You shake the thoughts from your head as the Germans leading the way stop. They shuffle to the side, lowering and motioning for one of you to approach with a nod of their head. {Assuming you do.} They point over the hill and speak in hushed tones, though you're certain no one is around you.

{In German} "Just there, over that hill. You can see the lights. It is a temporary depot, surrounded by a fence. Two guards at the least, fifty soldiers total if they are all here."

...did he say FIFTY soldiers?

The young German keeps his head lowered, but you can read what he's thinking in his eyes--they don't stand a chance...

You crawl to the ridge, arms digging into dirt and clodded earth, scrambling to see exactly what lies ahead. Sure enough, just to be expected, you see a large encampment of Germans surrounded by a high barb wire fence. The depot is butted against a hillside, giving it cover and making it so you wouldn't know you were upon it until too late. Contained in the fence are at least a dozen tents, four transports like the one the Doc destroyed, one Panzer IV tank currently being attended by two mechanics and a large open air mess hall. Many of the Germans are under the cover of the mess hall, barrel fires keep them warm as they drink and mill about. There is but one gate into the camp, guarded by four Germans similarly armed as those you fought earlier. All in all, right about fifty men.

Not as easy as walking in taking what you need.

[Spot Checks; Stone, Clemente, Hall and Jeremy sucesses] A few faint glow catches your eyes. Like fireflies in the states back home, they are small amber lights that glow for a brief second then disappear--cigarettes. Ahead of you, about forty feet or so and a mere thirty feet from the mouth of the camp, someone is trenched in the potato field and having a smoke. You count at least four cigarettes.

Could someone else be considering the prospect of attacking this base?

[Jolith]

Scooting back away from the crest of the hill, Jeremy will whisper for all to hear, "Sir, did you see those cigerattes? Seems like there is someone else here besides us. Let me go scout, I can find out if they're friend or foe."

Taking a look over his shoulder at the germans, "It might also be good if you gag those two. Since we're this close to the germans, we don't want them making any noise. It'd give us away, and I don't want to face that many head on."

Jeremy couldn't help but look over in the doctor's direction. It wasn't that he was afraid of him, but he just didn't like the fact that he could blow up a truck with who knows what kind of power.

"Anyways sir, I'm the best suited for the job, I can sneak down there and stand in between them without them knowing that I'm there." It was an obvious exaggeration of his abilties, or at least he thought it was.

[TheUdjat]

The whole walk, Daniel tries to think of ways to deny Dr. Hall's suggestion. Powers? Nonsense. Strange things happened in war, that's all. The truck blowing up, Dr. Hall's arm... they had to be tricks, or freakish events or something, but not powers. They couldn't be... Because that would mean that everything Daniel saw, everything he felt between the orange flash and waking up... it would mean it was true.

And that would be the most frightening prospect of them all.

They say 'war is hell', and Daniel always thought they were right. But they weren't, not really. There was something else, something more horrible, and Daniel needs it to be false, needs it to be a dream. Because they alternative is just too much to bear.

Shaking his head clear and remembering his duty, Sgt. Storm eyes the compound. Maybe this would be a good way to test their theoretical abilities, to see if Dr. Hall's hypothesis was true. If he dared.

Daniel dutifully gags the Germans if instructed to. "What's the plan of approach?"

[chunker]

He wanted to say, ‘Actually, I bet I could crawl over there faster by becoming one with the earth,’ but he wasn’t ready to let go of his façade (or the uniform and gear he dragged along with him even in particulate mineral form). An officer’s duty, and in theory his talent, was to keep order amid changing circumstances. Stone, in truth, was much better at punching people and speaking German… So far he’d simply kept out of the discussion of ‘powers,’ avoiding the changed circumstance.

“Yep, go get ‘em, Caldwell. Make sure they’re not some of ours,” Stone orders casually.

“No gags. I don’t expect trouble from these too. They could have led us right over the hill into sight if they’d wanted too.”

“Whatever happens, we will all spare the lives of these two as long as they cooperate.” Stone emphasizes his last point. Then he repeats it to the prisoners in German, adding “you can live if you want to…”
He’d picked up on their fear. They were just common men.

[Jolith]

Yep, go get ‘em, Caldwell. Make sure they’re not some of ours.

"Aye aye Captain."

Moving off to the right, away from the group, Caldwell will start down the hill. His years of practice in the woods out near his house combined with his military training made him perfect for this type of assignment. Crouching down low he made his way down the hill toward the other group.

Stealthy as a cat, quiet as a mouse. That was a mantra that he had learned a long time ago. He knew it was silly to repeat it in his mind over and over again, but he had long ago accepted the fact that he does it.

Though something was different this time, something stirred within him. He didn't know how to describe it, but he knew that no matter what he did those down the hill would never see him. He even let himself get closer than normal, closer then he would normally dare to go, hoping to hear what they had to say.

As he stood there, a little distance off, his ears went back to that strange feeling. The feeling that he could hear people talking from miles away was upon him once more. Even his eyes felt different, as if they could pierce the night around him and see through it.

It was strange and alluring, as if he owned the night. He could move unsee, see and hear everything. It felt as if he had turned into a predator, a cat on a hunt. It was intoxicating.

(OOC) Concealment and his super senses kicking in.

[Deekin]

Just in case, Clement uses his scope to check out the cigarette lights.

[Toptomcat]

Hall takes the time to watch the German prisoners, moving among them and providing basic medical care while keeping any of them from escaping in the dark.
Notice: taking 10, 19

[Rojito]

Williams watches over the prisoners with his knife drawn, any gunfire at this range would alert the Nazis.

(I am assumeing Dr. Halls arm regenerated as my power wore off right? that would be a sight to see as well)

[K Man]

{No sense in a new post for what Caldwell will find...}

You blend with the night, becoming nearly invisible. You slither to the cigarette lights unseen and unheard, only felt as the hairs on the backs of necks rising.

There, scouting out the German depot is a small troop of American Soldiers. Eight in all, they sit comfortably against the ridges in the field, some of them having a smoke. Judging by their patches and insignia, they are the 81st Mobile Battalion--light infantry soldiers. You can make out some ranks, the highest being a Sergeant.

"Hey Sarge...you...feel that?" One of the men asks in a low whisper, looking around nervously. "It's like it just started fuckin' snowing."

The Sarge shoves his cigarette into the dirt, extinguishing the light. He grips his rifle tightly, eyes darting around, looking for the source of the cold chill...

He says nothing.

{I will assume you return and let everyone else know. Everyone can respond with what you will do, now knowing they are Americans.}

[Jolith]

Sucking in the light from all around, his eyes move over the Americans below him. Instinct tells him that suddenly popping up next to them could cause one to make enough noise for the German's below to hear. So instead he slowly makes his way back up to his group.

Cresting the hill with a crouch position, he feels the predator sensation drip off him like rain water. To those in his group they'd see Jeremy waver as if behind heat lines before solidifying.

Unaware that one of his new found powers had manifested, "So I went down the hill and saw some soldiers from the 81st Mobile Battalion down there. There are eight of them standing around. Not exactly sure what they're hoping to do with just eight of ..."

Looking around at his group, he realizes they had less than that and planned to do the same thing, "Well, at least we have someone on our side to help now. You want me to get their attention Sarge? Maybe we can flash light at them, hoping they'll see it. You know, cover it from the direction of the Germans, but not them. Maybe that'll work, unless you guys have something better?"m

[chunker]

"Americans! Excellent. We'll want to coordinate our assaults. Everyone ditch your German hats so we don't confuse them. " Stone replaces the German helmet with his own green and sheds the coat.

"Seargeant, what are your ideas for neutralizing the tank?"

[TheUdjat]

Daniel looks at the tank with a frown, shaking his head. "It'll be tricky. We could tack Clem on the area and make sure he puts a bullet in any drivers or gunners that try to get in, but he's just one gun. We could also let them use it, and instead draw them out of the base while a couple of us sneak in to secure a transport. If we spread our firepower, we could get them thinking there are a lot more of us than there are."

"Worst case scenario, there's always the Kid's rocket." He nods towards Billy and his bazooka. "Though I'm not sure how much of a dent it'll put in that thing."

He gives Dr. Hall a shifty look. "On the other hand, we could just see if Doc can blast the thing to smithereens like he did the truck. See if we're all going crazy or if there really is something weird going on around here. If it works, maybe we could convince them we have some kind of superweapon and get them all to surrender, nice and easy."

"Assuming we're not going crazy."

"For now, though, I recommend we contact the 81st and see what resources they've got."

[Jolith]

He wasn't sure if he should speak up, but he decided to anyways. "Sir, I know this might sound strange, but considering the circumstances ... " Looking around he leaves the rest unsaid. "Sir, if you need someone to take that tank out, I think I can do it."

Once again his eyes scan his fellow soldiers, the ones he had come to trust with his life. "I know I can. I can get inside it without anyone seeing me. Then when you attack, I can take out the tank from the inside, you'll never need to peirce it's armor."

He waited to see what the Captain and Sergant had to say.

[TheUdjat]

Daniel gives the scout a dubious look. He's expecting a joke, but the man seems straight-faced. He glances at Stone uncertainly. "Caldwell, I know you're good, but you're not that good." His eyes drift again to the Doctor. "At least not normally. Have you developed some kind of strange, um, abilities as well?"

[Rojito]

"Sir, I could go with, and if a situation arises..." Billy pats the light-weight bazooka. "A tank would be a very very nice thing to have while behind enemy lines. Right up untill we get shot by our own men...."

[chunker]

"I like your ambition, Caldwell, but Williams is right. Our priority is to sync up with the boys in the 81st." Stone too feels like he's ready to take on a tank, but he knows it's not yet time...