[video]

[turntex]

[The post that pops up in the feed in the middle of the night doesn't appear to be made with Dave's comm device, but it's Dave that pops up on the screen anyway, and he looks like hell. A split lip, a bruise blossoming along the jaw, nose bloodied, and...there appears to be a dirty sock caught on the collar of his uniform?

Honestly, the weirdest part is probably that it's a video post in the first place. He doesn't have time to sit around messing with this too much, though. Even as practiced at typing as he is, it's harder to do while moving and judging by the background, he's definitely on the move.]

Rise and shine, [PROFANITY CENSORED]. Elevator closest to the infirmary. I know y'all are functionally a bunch of temporally helpless infants, all shaky legged, eyes barely open and all that, but I need you to get your [PROFANITY CENSORED] down here yesterday regardless.

[He's not even trying to dance around the vulgarity filter. It's real bad.]

Found our baddie. Tall lady, redhead, red tattoos. She originally had on a suit and a blonde wig and some kinda mask but no idea if she's sticking with all that. Crazy strong and fast. Pretty sure she can heal herself up, so that's awesome. Lots of ninja weapons, like this [PROFANITY CENSORED] not only ripped off Tenten's skin but also her whole schtick, it's pretty insulting honestly. The skin thing's probably still a bigger deal but hey, I'd be pissed.

[He's babbling a little, half mumbling by the end there, but his expression remains flat and unreadable the whole time. Finally he seems to get where he's going and he pauses, swinging the camera around to the scene in question. Blood everywhere, dents and furrows in the metal walls, smoke still pouring out from the elevator shaft.

The camera spins back to him, and he somehow only looks more tense.]

She got Wash. Probably someone else too, judging by the blood she already had on her when we ran into her, but [PROFANITY CENSORED] if I know who or where.

[He leaves it at that.

For anyone actually sleeping like a normal person at this time, someone comes running through the dorm area soon afterward to bang on walls and make sure people wake up. Seems like Dave sent over the people that had been on watch outside the infirmary.]

Comments

[turntex]

Dave.

[He shrugs, shoving a hand in one pocket. The whole chill image is a little spoiled by the other arm still hanging gingerly at his side there.]

And I've got shenanigans on tap. Time fuckery, don't worry about it, I can draw y'all some diagrams later if you need it. Let's just get going.

[hallelujahjunction]

And I got a wrench, so we’re set. [The fact that he’s planning to use said wrench against a super-strong ninja with a healing factor doesn’t faze him whatsoever. He’s got a wrench and a shoddy sense of self-preservation.]

Beckett, you got the trail? Let’s go.

[vampthropologist]

[Beckett nods, making no comment on the wrench. He knows a fellow who likes to hunt werewolves with a baseball bat; he isn't one to judge.]

This way.

[Another rush of air, inward this time; where Beckett was is a huge black wolf, its jaw level with Dan's ribs. Its eyes glow a familiar orange-red. Beckett puts his nose to the ground and follows the trail.

It leads them down three stairs, and to the start of the maintenance section. There are several prominent signs, along the lines of FORBIDDEN - NO TRESPASSING - NONCOMPLIANCE WILL INVOKE VIOLATIONS.

The black wolf sits back on his haunches and tilts his head at the other two in a wry and silent question]

[turntex]

[A fucking wrench. Jesus christ.

But he doesn't complain, because that's just gonna open him up to questions about whether he's up to dealing with any mess either. His house is glass and he knows better than to throw stones.

Besides, more important is the giant black wolf suddenly right there. His frown deepens – he's not really a dog person – but he trails along after the hellbeast. He's less chatty than normal, understandably. Silence doesn't sit well with him, but the sound of their footprints is just enough to keep him from getting too twitchy.

It doesn't last long, at least. He eyes the warning signs and arches an eyebrow.]

You quitting already?

[hallelujahjunction]

[Dan isn't even slightly concerned with Beckett turns into a wolf. He has plenty of werewolf friends. They're handy as hell, if a little unpredictable during a full moon or around dog parks.

He gestures with his chin to the writing.]

Unless this says "radioactive", we're going in.

[vampthropologist]

[Beckett had been hoping for that response. He trots in, following the trail all the way to the ransacked locker room, where he goes up on his hind legs and keeps going, stretching out back into a man's form]

"She cleaned up - it ends here, in a cloud of chemicals."

[turntex]

[Dave follows them in, but the unceremonious end to the trail certainly doesn't improve his mood.]

Can't you track the chemical smell? That shit's gotta reek. Or are you like, tuned in to blood exclusively?

[vampthropologist]

[Beckett is swiping at his nose as he responds]

No, all I can smell is chlorine. Like if a flashbomb went off in your face.

[hallelujahjunction]

[Dan takes a look around the locker room, keeping an eye out for blood, hair, fingerprints, anything that could give them a new trail now that Beckett's nose is beat.]

Think maybe she switched out of her clothes and changed into someone else's.

[He goes to look through the trash for any identifying information - maybe something new for Beckett to smell, maybe something else - and pauses when he sees something alarming.]

Don't touch this. Give me a second. And, uh...stand as far back as you can. [He gestures at the wire and the shredded clothing in the garbage, then, gingerly, starts to pick through it, holding the wire taut with one hand. He's seen these, used these before, ever since his dad took him and his big sister out to the range to practice setting them up and defusing them in case the feds ever "stormed" them. Dan was young enough at the time that he assumed that "storming" meant sending lightning and thunder.

Never disarmed one in a trash can, but it's the same thing. Steady the wire, disconnect, carefully remove the shipping plug and blasting cap. Dan bites his lip as he works, and breathes a sigh of relief when he's done. It's not that he cares too much about getting blown up - as far as deaths go, it seems fairly swift - but he'd rather not die from a mine in a trash can splattering his body parts all over two colleagues, because fuck that.]

She knew we'd follow her, and she's got access to military weapons. That was a claymore.

[turntex]

[Genre savviness says to listen when someone says "stand as far back as you can", so Dave clears out without question. It's only once Dan's finished that he pops his head back in, brows arching up over the rim of his shades.]

Oh, shit.

[vampthropologist]

Hell. Last time I tangled with one of those, it took a year to grow my legs back.

[And you don't want to know how much human blood]

Thank you, Mr. Sagittarius. Now, how could she get access to that kind of weaponry? Does Jorgmund keep any in the armory, do you think?

[hallelujahjunction]

De nada. Glad I could contribute. [Because while he's willing to take on a murderer with a wrench, he's not going to pretend he's the most useful member here.] Not sure where she got one. They're not in the training area, I'd know.

[dan lieks 2 look at gunz.

He starts to dig through the shredded clothing, now that the mine is disarmed.]

She must have stashed the mine here before she attacked you and Wash, Dave. This must be one of the spots she retreats to, stores some of her shit. Expects people to follow her through.

[Less useful than a trail, but maybe if they turn the room upside down they'll find something.]

[turntex]

You wanna sweep this place for more traps, then? Don't really feel like testing whether I'm faster than a landmine.

[It almost makes him miss Bro's traps. That's a pretty fucked up thought.

In the meantime, he steps back out into the hall to scan the network for any updates. There's still probably another body out there somewhere they haven't found yet, and hopefully those others got Wash to the infirmary by now.]

[vampthropologist]

[Beckett examines the room, thoroughly, starting on the opposite side from Dan. He finds nothing of interest except an abandoned... adjustable wrench-cum-multitool? He isn't sure what to make of it, but it's got enough attachments that it might be useful.

It's engraved To Daddy, and Beckett pockets it with a silent and utterly insincere apology to whoever he's filching the token from]

Clear, so far. Anything interesting?

[hallelujahjunction]

[Dan does a sweep, including picking open several locker, but there don’t appear to be any other traps. Whatever she set up was probably in a rush; she didn’t have more time than for the claymore before they were on her.]

Far as I can tell we’re clear, but don’t touch anything you ain’t looked hard at first.

[For his part, Dan pockets someone’s wrist watch, a candy bar and someone’s belt, because why not? If he’s caught in here he’s going to get zapped again anyway, and it’s not distracting from their tasks, so may as well enjoy.]

I hate to say, but this trail might be dead.

[turntex]

Super dead. Deceased as fuck, in fact.

[Dave stays where he is while they ransack the place, leaning heavily against the hallway wall as the fading adrenaline starts to translate into exhaustion. He pokes through the network a bit more to no avail.]

Still no word about other victims either. Whoever else she shanked, she did a slightly better job hiding it.

[vampthropologist]

Fie.

[Beckett sniffs the air once more, winces, and gives up.]

You're certain there's another victim? If you can remember which direction she came on you from, maybe we can track her that way...

[It's a reach, and he knows it]

[hallelujahjunction]

Damn it. [Dan shakes his head. Fucking figures that there's another attack, one which wounded a kid and possibly left others dead, and they've managed to someone be no more equipped for the next one than they were before. The details they have seem to give them fuck-all for a plan.

Dan sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, then drags his hand over is face.]

Reckon we need to do a headcount. And Beckett's right, if you know what direction she came from... [Dan's tracking skills have amounted to just about nothing here, but maybe if he and Beckett can find the trail of blood from the unknown victim they can find someone. Probably not the bad guy, probably a corpse, but hope springs eternal.]

[turntex]

[Dave just shakes his head and slides down the wall into a crouch, dropping his head to run the remaining good hand through his hair.]

Nah. She was just there in the elevator when it opened like guess what's behind door number one, motherfucker. No idea whether it was even going up or down. Guess it's possible the blood on her hand wasn't from murdering someone, but whatever it is, I'm not into it.

[Gross.]

[vampthropologist]

Well, I'm out of ideas.

[Beckett slumps against the wall, moving his hands like he expects to put them in pockets that the jumpsuit doesn't have. He scowls, and does his best to turn it into an inscrutable but purposeful gesture]

Blood on her hand? As in she'd dipped it in, or painted it on? I can think of a good dozen magic rituals and techniques that would involve getting your hands bloody. Aside from human or animal sacrifice, that is.

[hallelujahjunction]

God, I hope we're not dealing with blood magic. [Dan hates blood magic. He tries not to hold it against the people who use it, but there's something inherently distasteful about draining other people dry just so you can juice up your powers.] Bad enough it's a mutant healing ninja.

[Dan does, however, get an idea.]

If she had blood on her hand, she might have pressed some of the buttons. It'll give us a better lead than nothing. [Dan's sense is that the alternative will be to just go check out every floor one by one, looking down the hallways for blood. And there are a lot of floors.]

[turntex]

No clue. Only got a glimpse of blood dripping from her hand before she tried to cave my head in. I'm still up for clue-hunting, but one problem with that idea...

[He gestures at the open elevator shaft, smoke still drifting out.]

The elevator in question is a mess of rubble at the moment, so good luck finding anything. If you're hoping for fingerprints, we'll have to climb up and down to every floor that shaft connects to and see if there's anything on any of the call buttons.

[vampthropologist]

The thought doesn't appeal. Have we any magicians on board? The, ah, Easter Bunny - [this pains him deeply] - said she was supernatural. There may be another kind of trail to follow.

[hallelujahjunction]

If you got a better idea than digging through rubble or going floor-by-floor, I'm all ears. Far as I'm concerned, we got all night.

[Dan's certainly not going to sleep while there's anything he can do, even if what he can do is painstaking, probably futile stairclimbing and debris-parsing.]

[turntex]

Maybe. Pretty sure there were some magic peeps on that AMA thing.

[With the deft motions of a teen who spends way too much time on mobile devices, Dave quickly flicks through pages on his comm to find that post again. He scrolls through the network one-handed. The other arm is really starting to throb, and he's beginning to think he should maybe listen to Adora and go to the infirmary.

Speaking of Adora. A new post pops up at the top of the feed and Dave pauses.]

Oh, shit. We may have found our missing victim. Either that, or this bitch just decided to get in an extra murder attempt before calling it a night.