Track Six: Up, Up and Away

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I'd better get you to where I can run some tests on you," says Liz, supporting Tony to keep him from falling over. "Would you care to go to the infirmary? We'll have to keep you in isolation until I can determine it's safe."

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice]

On the way to the infirmary, two of the men in black suits intercept the pair, simply saying, "You better come with us."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm afraid there's a bit of a medical emergency," says Liz. "Gamma radiation exposure again. This time it looks like it was done on purpose. He needs to go to the infirmary."

[jp1885]

Staggering, Tony coughs dramatically, whilst tensing up ready for action if need be.

“Who the Dickens are you people anyway?” he splutters.

[SunlessNick]

The scuttlebutt around the water cooler is that the head honchos are discreetly seeking candidates from within the organization who can be trusted to keep their mouths shut; who have no close connections with other people, who might be concerned about their whereabouts for an extended period of time; and who would be interested in high pay for a position requiring extensive travel, and one not without risk.

"That sounds way out! Are you going to go for it?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I'm afraid there's a bit of a medical emergency," says Liz. "Gamma radiation exposure again. This time it looks like it was done on purpose. He needs to go to the infirmary."

With a slight smirk, one of the men remarks, "We know all about this kind of 'emergency.' Come with us and everything will be explained to you. Unless you'd rather face the consequences of being uncooperative."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Staggering, Tony coughs dramatically, whilst tensing up ready for action if need be.

“Who the Dickens are you people anyway?” he splutters.

The other man answers "Let's just say we're in control of the project. You just be aware of that, or you wouldn't do what you did."

The other fellow waves at him and whispers "Ixnay on the ojectpray."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The scuttlebutt around the water cooler is that the head honchos are discreetly seeking candidates from within the organization who can be trusted to keep their mouths shut; who have no close connections with other people, who might be concerned about their whereabouts for an extended period of time; and who would be interested in high pay for a position requiring extensive travel, and one not without risk.

"That sounds way out! Are you going to go for it?"

"Not me, honey," a secretary remarks. "I've got a hubby and a couple of kids. What about you? Feel like being a rich heroine?"

[SunlessNick]

"It sounds tuff!" Zara replies. (She's not really lying either - if this is all about going to the Moon, that's pretty exciting)

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, when you put it that way," says Liz, "of course I'll come with you." She's keen to hear the explanation anyway.

[jp1885]

"Oh yes, the project..."

Tony has half a mind to strike these impertinent fellows, but eases his posture when Liz agrees to accompany the goons.

"Very well, I'll tag along. Let us show some respect to the young lady here though, hm? Manners maketh the man and all that."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"It sounds tuff!" Zara replies. (She's not really lying either - if this is all about going to the Moon, that's pretty exciting)

Not too much later, one of the men in black, who seems a bit more friendly than others seen before, manages to draw Zara aside.

"If you're serious about signing up for this project," he says, apparently aware of everything she said about it, "let me show you where it's all going to take place."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Well, when you put it that way," says Liz, "of course I'll come with you." She's keen to hear the explanation anyway.

The men lead Liz and Tony through an unmarked door, down a dimly lit corridor, and down a long flight of stairs, eventually arriving at a large, seemingly empty room, containing only a few naked light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, with concrete walls and floor. The hum of machinery can be heard coming from below.

"Crossing the Rubicon," one of the men says softly.

"Huh?" replies the other.

"No turning back," the first says. "Once you're committed, anything you witness here never leaves this room. It's your call."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Oh yes, the project..."

Tony has half a mind to strike these impertinent fellows, but eases his posture when Liz agrees to accompany the goons.

"Very well, I'll tag along. Let us show some respect to the young lady here though, hm? Manners maketh the man and all that."

While walking with the men to the underground room, Tony, who is a bit closer to them, observes one putting his hand to what seems to be a tiny hearing aid in his ear. The fellow whispers to the other "We might have another one. That would make two female and two male. Perfect." His companion hushes him.

[jp1885]

Reckoning that there's no harm in ragging these chaps a little, Tony chuckles.

"Oh I suspect we should all have been commited ages ago... Two pairs eh? Who's the other lucky couple?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I won't very well turn back now," says Liz. "I'd always wonder what I'd missed. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but cats have nine lives. Lead the way." She already has a pretty good idea that this involves travel to the moon, but she can't let on about that, and she's eager to find out what they have to say about it - and possibly even make the journey.

[SunlessNick]

"If you're serious about signing up for this project," he says, apparently aware of everything she said about it, "let me show you where it's all going to take place."

"Groovy! Lead the way."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Tony soon learns the answer to his inquiry, as Zara is led, by a torturous path, to the same location where he and Liz and, emerging from a nearly invisible door in one wall of the large underground room, the Professor are already standing.

"Got a full crew now, Prof," one of the men says.

"Excellent, excellent." He stares at the fellow for a moment in an odd way. "Run a full diagnostic on yourself when you have a chance, by the way. I see some loose wirings."

With a gesture on his part, the men in black suits depart. The Professor touches a part of the wall and a previously unseen control panel emerges.

"Stand away from the center of the room, please," he warns. For good reason, as that part of the floor retracts, revealing an even deeper chamber below, where sits a large, curiously shaped thing, something like a recreational vehicle, but without wheels. Instead, a nearly transparent pair of objects, shimmering with rainbow colors that change with the slightest stirring of air in the room, are attached to its sides. The "windshield," to speak loosely, surrounds the entire vehicle, revealing a complex set of controls, chairs bolted to the floor, cots secured in a similar fashion, and four small, closed rooms.

"There only remains the question of enhancement for the new recruits," he goes on, "unless they choose to do without the treatment. There is some risk, to be sure."

[SunlessNick]

"We're-" Zara starts to say before deep-sixing the sentence. "What enhancement?" she asks instead.

[Mr. Handy]

"I think he means enhancement through exposure to gamma radiation," says Liz. "He himself was accidentally exposed to it the other day. It could be dangerous. There's no way of knowing how it will affect us. It's different for everyone." She watches the men in black retreat. "I should have guessed they were robots. Actual men would have looked at me differently."

[jp1885]

"I simply had them pegged as cold-hearted goons, but being robots makes more sense; only an automaton could resist such charms."

Tony winks at Liz, before turning to Zara.

"Yes, enhancement. You'll get zapped by radiation, which gives you super powers. Well at least it did for me - did you know I can teleport now? Gives me the collywobbles mind you."

He casts an inexpert eye over the vehicle, wondering how on earth he's supposed to operate all those complicated controls. He also wonder idly where Lew is.