Having a new power was exciting but tricky.  With each new power, comes a suite of issues that have to be ironed out and planned for.  In this case, Sebastian was figuring out how to time port to Rotterdam St and Salem Ave, without being seen.  He was still ironing out the rough edges, and was fairly certain that he could work it out.  ...but it was unnerving.

After calling up a map of the scene, and determining the most likely alley in which to make his appearance, Sebastián checked his gear one last time.  Digital Camcorder, both cell phones, his ever present iPod and a pocket full of cash for 'emergencies'.  Satisfied he had what he needed, he began his journey to the accident.

Arriving at the scene, Bastian saw two patrol cars and one other car that was totaled.  Any other signs of the accident had been swept away, and traffic was moving again.  Both of the officers were out of their car and speaking to the driver of the incapacitated vehicle.  As the Conquistador watched on, he saw them administer a couple of sobriety tests and finally a breathalizer test.

Phi had contacted him over the bond, and verified that Mason would be there soon.  She also had told him that he was bringing a couple of people that might be able to help.  Unfortunately she didn't have any useful details on either of them.

Trying to remain unobtrusive, Sebastián picked a spot close enough to the accident scene to get a good view of things, but not close enough to draw the attention of the police officers.  Turning on his digi-cam, he pointed it where most of the debris littered the ground, pressed record. Once he'd given himself a cover story for standing still and staring at the accident scene, he began to rewind time, searching for a clear view of the beast.  

The scene quickly flashed through the last ten minutes, patrol cars sitting and then reversing back out of the frame.  Another fifteen minutes zoomed by, with the man in the car again.  At about the thirty minute mark, the man was out of his car again, speaking with another man.  Upon closer inspection, Sebastian decided it might be Mason, but he couldn't tell for certain from this distance, especially with the coat he had on.

The scene continued to scroll backwards, and about twenty minutes later Bastian froze the film.  His heart was racing a bit at the sight of the monstrosity, and even though he knew that time separated him from it, there it was, far too close for comfort.  The thing was huge as the car slammed into it at about knee height, and other than a grunt of inconvenience, it's pace never slowed. 

It was running on all fours like a dog, but it's face and mammoth hands looked more like a Gorilla. If he had to describe it, King Kong versus a junk yard, popped into his mind.  So much of it's right side was infused with metal and wires that it almost seemed like an entirely different entity.  

'Madre santa de Dios." Sebastián breathed as he carefully studied the half animal half machine creature. It was as if he was watching something on the SyFy channel, and not a real life occurance.

Once he was confident that he could remember this beast, he let the vision proceed, carefully watching which direction it ran off in.  Once it was out of sight, he let his vision shift back to the present time.  Seeing that no one else had arrived yet, he meandered over towards the police officers, to see if he could get any statements.

As the richly dressed DiSantiago headed over to the scene, camera in hand, an officer stilled him with a halting hand.  He said something quietly to his partner, which was followed by them both looking in his direction, and then one of them made his way to meet up with him.  There was a stern and puzzled look on his face as he approached.

"Can I help you sir?  Were you a witness to this accident?"  The officer asked once he was close enough to be heard.  It was also fairly evident that he didn't recognize Sebastian as a DiSantiago, or any other person that would have reason to be lurking about the accident site.

With careful deliberation Sebastián reached into his suit coat pocket and retrieved his credentials, passing them to the officer as he spoke. "I'm Dr. Sebastián DiSantiago. I'm here on behalf of the Conquistadors. We received reports of some oddity's regarding this accident, and I've been sent to see if this requires our further attention." 

"Oh."  The officer said in surprise, a bit of a smirk on his face as he inspected the credentials.  "Yeah.  Well, you're welcome to take a look.  Nothing out of the ordinary as far as I can tell. The man said he hit a dog or something."

Repressing the urge to wipe the smirk off this officer's face, Sebastián angled his camcorder, to get a good shot of the officer's badge number and name, silently promising some payback in the future.  "Thank you officer, I'll do my best to stay out of your way." he said, smiling and moving past the man, towards the site.

"You do that."  The officer mumbled just loud enough for Sebastian to hear as he moved away.

As he walked, he reached out to his sister, hoping to distract himself from making a problem with the officer. "Phi, I got a good look at this thing, and it is monsterous, like out of some crazy scientist's nightmare." He called the images up and shared them via the mental communication.

He could feel her concern over the link as she shared his sight with him.  "Wow.  That's...a monstrosity. I'll let the others know what we're dealing with.  YOU.  Be careful."

"I know which direction he/she/it is heading and I'll start moving that way as soon as Mason gets here. I'm going to take a few statements in the meantime."

* * * * *

Mason was finally closing in on the accident site. He'd left the park by the Birch street exit, intending to triangulate a little on the Beast's location. He cut west on Birch and north on Rotterdam, finally arriving at the accident scene to see it mostly cleared away.  The scent of the beast continued to be strong, and he was confident that as long as it stayed on the ground, he would be able to track it.

There were two policemen on the scene and they seemed to be wrapping up their investigation. Mason immediately recognized one man as the driver of the car. He didn't look happy and Mason suspected the police weren't as believing of his story as Archon had been.

Mason focused his senses on the other civilian as he closed the distance. The scent was familiar, sandalwood and spice, a light musk and expensive aftershave, the perfect counterpoint to his twin. Sebastian had arrived. Mason let out a sigh as his shoulders relaxed slightly.  He wasn't too sure if Bastian shared any of Phi's gifts, but if Phi sent him out here, then the rest of the team wouldn't be too far away. 

Mason studied the scene a moment, standing in the shadow of a tree, using its shade to blend in with the trunk of the tree. He watched as one of the officers opened the back door of their patrol car for the driver.  Once the man got in, the police headed out.

Sebastián softly cursed under his breath, these idiot officers were taking the person he wanted to talk to away.  Morons.

Once the officers left, a large portion of the tree's shadowy trunk peeled itself away from the tree and moved towards Sebastian.

Mason called softly when he was close enough to be heard only by his friend. "Bast, its Mace."

Turning his head towards the voice, he smiled at his old friend.  "About time you showed up."

"This is my second time here, you know. Just because you're never late, doesn't mean the rest of have that knack." Mason's smile reflected Sebastian's own.

Mason's smile faded a little at the edges. He wore sincere concern in his eyes now. "I'm sure Phi told you a little about what's happened to me. I don't have a lot of time to explain it all, but you need to know. I trust you. Call me Archon. I know you'll do everything possible to keep my name between you and me." Mason clapped Sebastian's shoulder. His emerald eyes, with their feline slitted pupil simmered with the strength of their friendship and shared past.

Sebastián studied his friend, watching as he revealed his secret.  He had some inkling, some supposition that something had changed, but nothing tangible.  He nodded slowly and with his familiar mischievious grin, "Well, we'll have to sit and talk sometime soon.  My constant punctuality isn't just because I'm diligent in my appointment scheduling."  He was finding it easier to discuss his gifts, well the more easily explained and seemingly harmless ones at least.

"Any way," Mason said as he frowned a little and his eyebrows furrowed. His words were careful and measured as he continued.

"I was on patrol and I caught the scent of this thing from over a mile away. I followed it here and I happened to be first on scene. I checked for injuries and spoke with the driver the cops took away. He was the initial encounter." 

Mason continued, "I quickly realized this thing was out of my league. even though I hadn't seen it.  I knew EMS was on its way, so I booked out after the thing. I tried to call Phi but couldn't get through. I rattled off a message and sent a 911 to her."

Mason glanced around, as if looking for someone. "As I was waiting for Phi's callback,  I realized one of my contacts has the pulse on most of what goes on in the tunnels and such. Based on the information I had, I suspected it had spent some time in the tunnels below the city. I headed back to the LeMastre's to try to find him. I made contact and it turns out he knows what this thing is. He says he's bringing a magician to deal with it. I'm supposed to track it for them. Once we find it, the magician is supposed to handle the creature somehow."

Mason shrugged as a small frown curved his lips.  "Anyway, my contact is an odd sort. I'd say feral would be a good description, though he's more intelligent than he seems, which makes him dangerous. He's a meta, really quick, pretty strong.  He doesn't seem to think much of the Conquistadors, and I'm not sure how he feels about your family."

Sebastián silently mulled over the 'magician' as he described the creature he'd seen, subtly implying that he'd garnered the information from talking to people on scene.  "It was reportedly moving off in that direction." he said with a gesture.  "As far as your friends, I'll just assume they hold my family in the same light as the Conquistadors.  If that isn't the case, I'll be pleasantly surprised.  It's not like any of us lose sleep over not being liked." he added with a wry smile.

"We always did have that in common. Didn't we?" Mason chuckled softly. 

Smiling, Sebastián nodded at his friend. "We did. At first it was annoying, meeting people for the first time and realizing they hated me with a burning passion, the only reason being my name. Now it is almost amusing. Almost."

"I'm not sure what's worse. The instant hater or the instant sycophant. While I admit that I mostly enjoy the attention among the fairer sex, the constant attempts to curry favor or secure a piece of family fortune through me is tiresome."

As Archon and Bastian spoke a black Lexus sedan pulled up, and a man - quick as lightning dove out of the car.  It was almost enough to cause alarm, but Mason quickly placed Adam's scent and knew it was his odd companion.  The driver took longer to make his way out, leaning heavily against his cane as the two of them conferred. 

After a few moments, Adam walked purposefully towards Archon.  His companion, the one smelling faintly of coffee, remained to study the scene before following.

"You came," Adam said. The homeless meta was wearing clean clothes and his scent said he'd bathed recently - definite olafactory improvements over their last encounter. Sun-gold eyes took in Sebastian, moving rapidly over the psychologists form, then returned to Archon. "Who's this? The mage is coming."

Mason nodded. "Of course. Did you have doubts?"

Adam replied almost instantly. "Yes."

Mason thrust his chin towards Adam's companion. "I see. Not much to look at eh?"

Adam blinked as he considered the question. 'He's the magician. He has as much power as Hyperian. He looks... like a magician." Adam's sing-song voice seemed partly confused, but mostly irritated.

Mason gestured towards Sebastian. "He's Bast. He has eyes Above where I don't. You brought the magician. I brought Bast." Mason shrugged and promptly dismissed the issue. "Your scared beast has a head start but he was heading south when he left here. How are we travelling?"

Adam looked at Bast. "What do your eyes show you?" 

As Sebastian studied the peculiar bird eyed man in front of him, he had the strangest sensation that maybe he knew him from somewhere.  He shook off the thought quickly, it was hard to look at him for long before those eerie eyes became unsettling.

With the clicking of his cane on the oil stained asphalt marking his limping arrival, Xavier Relaford finally joined the three super heroes and their conversation. "Hello. I'm Xavier Relaford." He said simply. He had heard much of the conversation as he approached, but if  he had heard that he didnt look like much, he gave no sign of it. Leaning heavily on his cane, he set the silvered Haliburton case on the ground, and nudged his wayward glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose.
Happy for the distraction, Sebastián reached a hand out to the newcomer. "Hello. Archon contacted me through a mutual acquaintance, and I came out."

Relaford accepted the offered hand, and nodded quickly. His hazel eyes seemed to continually move between Sebastian's own gaze, and the air around him, as if something curious was happening in the air that surrounded the man, "I am here at the request of... well, it's enough that I am here, I'm afraid. Are you a DiSantiago?"  The last question was almost a non-sequitor, added in a rush, as if he were broaching an uncomfortable and awkward subject.

Sebastián chuckled softly to himself and flashed his best "hand in the cookie jar" grin.  "You are correct, I am inf act a DiSantiago, Dr. Sebastián DiSantiago, in fact.  I hadn't kept that information from you to be deceitful. I, we just want to help, and people tend to distrust our family's name.  I only omitted that bit of information to make sure I was able to assist you."  Sebastián's eyes moved between Adam and Relaford, but due to the unsettling nature of Adam's visage, Relaford got the bulk of his attention.

"As far as the creature, based on descriptions, this thing is huge.  The vehicle that struck it impacted at around the creature's knee level.  It appears to be half gorilla, half machine and it was moving off in that direction. The police seem to think the driver 'hit a dog or something.' they don't appear to be taking this very seriously at all."

Professor Relaford had been about to reply, when at the mention of the name "DiSantiago", Adam hissed softly and took three steps back away from the group, gaze locked on Sebastian like a terrier on a rat, face contorted in anger and fear. "You brought this? Why?" He demanded, though it wasn't particularly clear who he was making the demand of. Whatever the case, the transformation in the homeless man was near instantanious; one moment he was serious, the next furious.

Mason recognized the signs of imminent attack, and moved between Adam and Sebastian ready to intervene physically if necessary. "I brought him, because you gave me very little information on what we're dealing with here. I brought him, because he can bring help if your magician fails. I brought him because I trust him. Do we have a problem here?" 

Mason's voice had grown progressively hoarser as he spoke, more guttural and forceful. Quite unlike the smooth tones Sebastian was used to hearing from his friend.

Adam's attention shifted reluctantly from Sebastian to Mason, sun-gold eyes narrowed to slits, but otherwise he seemed to not be aware of Mason's gradual shift to battle readiness. "Told you before. You didn't listen. DiSantiago's..." He spit on the ground. "Look at you - what?" His eyes widened as he realized what Mason's posture meant. "Will you fight me now? They twist everything - they are bad!"

Mason kept his eyes on his counterpart. "This DiSantiago is my friend. I've known him since we were young. Whatever argument you have with the family in general does not, I repeat, does not carry onto Bast. He is here, like you are here, to stop your beast from harming any innocents. I don't want to fight you Adam, but if you attack my friend I will."

"Not mine... Hyperion's." Adam snapped back, craning his neck to glare once more at Bastian. "You fight too fast. You trust too much. They are wrong." The words were uttered as though they were facts. Which they might have been from Adam's somewhat skewed point of view - whatever that might have been. He took a deep breath, and turned, dismissing Mason's combative stance. "Don't trust that one," he said to Relaford, flinging up a hand and pointing a quivering glassine-nailed finger at Sebastian.

Mason being in the way might have confused things, but the mage was at least eight rungs up the Clever Ladder from Adam. He got the point. "DiSantiago's are bad." He sulked.

Relaford was seriously confused. Why was Adam so angry, and what would anyone's name have to do with it? He didn't know, and he wasn't sure he cared who could pee in the biggest circle as long as none got on his shoes. For a moment he just stood there trying to determine if he should head back to his shop, and save himself a night of these Super People's company again.

Sebastián hadn't moved an inch during Adam's display of aggression, he'd not flinched or moved into a defensive posture. When Archon stepped infront of him, he half-smiled, knowing it was a noble but unnecessary gesture. Now, he studied the birdlike man, trying to discern if his anger and hatred was of his own thinking or he'd been conditioned to hate all things DiSantiago. 

He couldn't know why the bird man felt the way he did, but his reaction thus far had been raw. There was no question that for this man, anyone bearing the name of DiSantiago was a minion of Satan. The force of his reactions so far, and his apparent fear and distrust, made it clear that some other connection was stronger to him than his hatred for the DiSantiagos.  He hadn't fled or attacked...yet.  So, whatever his part was in tonight's events, or his connection to this beast, might hold more answers.

That feeling that Bastian had pricked hard at his mind again, as he studied Adam.  Something about him was familiar, there was no time to obsess on it now, but he knew that it was going to bug him until he could place it.

After he'd observed Adam for a short time, he turned to regard Relaford. Truth be told he'd expected the reaction to his name to come from this gentleman, and not Archon's friend.  With an apologetic look on his face, he spoke "I do apologize for this, I don't know what this man's problem with my family is but I do hope we can get past it to get our task accomplished tonight.  If not, it won't be the first time we've had to endure negativity when trying to do the right thing."

Mason filed the name Hyperion away for future research. It tickled his memory, but he didn't have the focus to worry about it right now. He turned his cat-like eyes to Relaford.  "Is this settled? Can  we go about our business now? There is a giant mecha-gorilla loose on the city, and its getting farther and farther away as we sit here pissing and moaning about names."

"Pissing and moaning?" Relaford asked, as he nervously tugged the cuff at his cane propped wrist. "Forget I mentioned anything." He shook his head, and stepped back with a raised brow.. His countenance stayed calm, as if he were ordering coffee in his favorite diner, and not caught in between a parrot, a cat, and a cursed man.

Relaford watched as Archon seemed to shrink a little into himself. His eyes still retained their cat-like slitted pupils, but they didn't seem to blaze with the same feral intensity as they did a moment before. He appeared to relax somewhat as he took in a deep breath. "I apologize, Mr. Relaford, for my behavior. I find Adam a handful at the best of times." Mason offered his hand. "Its a pleasure to meet you. Shall we start over and find this missing beast so we can all go home?"

"No need to apologize to me, Archon. I have to admit that I've only just met Adam, but I can say he has excellent taste in music, therefore can't be all bad."  Relaford said, deadpan. 

Adam ignored Mason entirely, ignored them all really as he loped in long, casual loops about the area. If the thing had been here it would have left it's smell, and Adam knew all about smells. He'd gone into the room it had been kept in, down below, and drank deep of that exotic brew. Above was full of conflicting smells, true, but it shouldn't be hard at all to find. He glared at the DiSantiago whenever his gaze happened to fall upon him, hands flexing of their own accord. 

But not out of a need to attack. Out of a need to run away. 

There.

Heavy. Male. Dominant. A scent of metal and a feeling of something else, something other. It had moved across the street, up another, and then into the alley between two buildings and yes.. one of the policeman was stringing yellow plastic around a shredded package lifter. Several others from above were standing around this and talking and gesturing at where it had gone below, the metal doors shredded; just a hole in the sidewalk now.

Below.

Adam loped quickly back to the others, steadfastly ignoring the DiSantiago. Instead he focused his fierce gaze upon Archon. "It has moved below. There." He pointed back up the street. "We can follow it. But we have to go below." He shifted his attention to the magician's stick, and then to the mage himself. "Can you move fast?"

"Down there?" Relaford, looked down at his beautiful Italian shoes. "Yes. I will need a moment, however." He didn't even look up, he just moved to a mailbox, and set his case on it, propped it open, and extracted a tiny jar. He  removed the lid, and his glasses, and mumbled a few words as he smeared the contents of the jar onto the lenses of his glasses. There was no puff of smoke, or flash of light,  just an odd little fellow who attatched a strap to the earpieces of said glasses, and managed to look even more nerdy, as he donned them, and fitted the strap to the back of his head.

Closing the lid of the case, he turned round and pronounced, "Ready."

Adam had watched the strange little operation the mage had performed on his glasses with interest. It gave him something to look at besides the DiSantiago.

Sebastián froze momentarily at the mention of 'below.' Fucking sewers.  He glanced around quickly. "Maybe it would be better if he and I shadowed your movements up top, " he gestured towards Relaford, "while the two of you track it below. If Archon can maintain contact with me on our cell phones, we can get it done I think."

Adam flinched at Sebastian's voice, then glared at the psychologist. "Come or stay. I don't care about you," he spat. He snarled, actually snarled, like a cat or dog, shoulders hunched and eyes narrowed to golden slits. With an effort, he tore his gaze from Sebastian and looked once more at the mage. "Come with me. Jorge and I will keep you safe. Jorge can carry you if you need it." he said, the venom that had just laced his sing-song words to Sebastian nearly absent.

Nearly.

"You can track it? I'm with you, Adam. Lead on and I will do my best to keep up." He looked over to Sebastian and shrugged. "I will be staying with the ones who can track it. I doubt the cellular phones will work from down there." He had no idea if they would or not, but he had accepted this as a sort of job, after all. He had to see it through.

With a bit of effort, Adam shepherded the group to a place where they could access the underground network of tunnels without being seen.  The bird-like man moved with relentless purpose once they'd dropped through a manhole cover three streets up, their feet slipping and sliding in a mess of mud, human waste, and God alone knew what else.

Negotiating a vertical ladder would be quite impossible for Professor Relaford. A ruined knee, the cane, and the case prevented it. When Adam began to descend, Relaford peered into the blackness below, found a likely place to stand, and stepped there. In one step he was above, then he was below, waiting for Adam at the bottom.

The homeless man paused in his decent, eyes widening at the sudden appearance of Releford below him. Then he continued down the rungs, dropping heavily to his feet near the bespectacled mage.

Adam seemed almost nimble-footed as he lead the group ever onward into the dark, foul smell tunnels. Constantly he checked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed to slits as he glared at Sebastian. He muttered to himself, hands opening and closing, a constant litany of "DiSantigo in the Below. Not good. Don't trust them. Never trust them. DiSantiago in the Below. Must watch him, keep our secrets, never trust him. DiSantiago in the Below..."  His constant checking over his shoulder and endless sing-song about Sebastian was unsettling, and by the time they were deep into the damp dark tunnels, both Releford and Mason both found their nerves becoming frayed.

Mason kept his peace, though it required a fierce grinding of teeth to do so. He let Adam lead the way through the dismal tunnel. The scent of the beast they followed was almost swallowed by the stench of the sewers they traveled in. The foulness of stale water, rotting vegetation and human waste filled his nostrils, nearly overwhelming his ability to retain his lunch. If he hadn't already caught the beast's scent Above, Mason doubted he'd be able to track it Below. 

He wondered how Bast was holding up. Mason knew just how much his friend absolutely hated to be dirty, in any way. He could almost imagine the mental tirade bast was sending to his twin. A smile graced his lips, his fangs giving it a dangerous tinge.

"Jesus Mary and Joseph!" Relaford yelled, as a rat ran over his ruined shoe. "Adam, if you start singing about pools and live fish, we are going to have an issue." Even though his spell allowed him to see reasonably well, the Gollum like behavior of his guide had him feeling much too Frodo-like for comfort. "Are we in danger down here? I mean, is it lurking round the next bend, or is the trail old?" 

Mason choked back a laugh.

"No." Adam replied, as a massive... something... stepped out of the wall before them. It looked as if someone had scooped out a ten foot, man-shaped chunk out of the dank tunnel wall. It stood on chunky, misshapen legs, it's torso a massive barrel of rock. Three-fingered hands dangled at the end of arms the size of sewer pipes.

"Jorge," Adam said softly.

Twelve years of primary schooling, four years at Princeton as an undergrad, another four working on two different doctorates, Relaford knew words in languages that hadn't been spoken for tens of thousands of years before even Abraham had lived on this world. Now, here, in the sewer tunnels under Hudson City, faced with what can only be described as an elemental force, the only thing he could think to say was, "Hello, Jorge." The dumbfounded look on his face spoke more clearly than any words could have, anyway.

The ceramic man laid a massive hand surprisingly gently on Adam's shoulder and squeezed lightly; the eagle-eyed meta returned the gesture by placing his own palm against Jorge's barrel chest. He smiled up at his friend, then turned to look back at the others. Jorge acknowledged the magicians greeting with a nod of his massive head - a sound of stone on stone.

A sharp hiss of surprise escaped Mason as he dropped into a crouch, the nails of his hands extended into wickedly sharp claws. There was no warning, no scent of anything approaching, only a soft whisper of stone on stone before the massive stone shape appeared beside Adam. Only Adam's greeting kept him from leaping to the attack. It dawned on Mason that Adam must have been expecting this ... Jorge's ... presence. They were going to have to work on Adam's communication skills. 

With massive effort, Mason calmed his beast, forcing back down into the void within. It went reluctantly, clawing, hissing and biting the entire way. When he was sure he had control again he spoke. "A friend of yours Adam?"

"My brother. Jorge," Adam said simply. Then he laughed, his voice melodious as it slid up and down the scale, face screwed up in delight. "Below is not what you think."  Jorge had dropped his hand and simply stood, glittering agate eyes studying his 'brothers' guests.

"Great, all that thing is missing is a big blue 4 on his chest." he (Sebastian???) muttered under his breath. He studied the creature, trying to make sense of everything going on, while trying not to freak the fuck out about being surrounded by shit. 

After the brief introductions, the unlikely group of heroes continued their hunt, with the lumbering Jorge following behind.  While it might have been unsettling at first to have the giant on their heels, something about him was so soft and genuine, that for the most part their nerves were able to rest.  And there was something to be said at having such a formidable ally.  

Sebastian started after the group, and nearly fell as his shoe came down in a gigantic pile of squish. He reached out to catch his balance and swore under his breath as he got a handful of slime.  Irritated, he reached out. "Phi, are you near some paper, I need you to write this down.  One pair of imported leather shoes.  One pair of black egyptian cotton socks. Oh and my suit is going into the incinerator, I'll never get the STENCH out of it. Can you please explain to me WHY I am traipsing around in the Sewers?!!!!"

"Not now, Bastian...  Sewers?!"  Phi hesitated a moment and sent him a wave of calm through their link.  "Sorry, I know how you hate getting your hands dirty, but we've got our hands full topside.  Keep safe." 

Travel was difficult in the below, and everyone with the exception of Jorge and Adam were feeling it.  The smell, the dank atmosphere, the invisible creatures that bumped and scurried around every corner, and sometimes the water would rise to almost knee level.  The scent of the beast was still thick for Mason and Adam, and they were able to make good time following it.

Relaford, for his part, was bearing up better than anyone would have guessed from his demeanor and stature. None of his current companions knew the paths he had tread, deep under ancient ruins. While that did not compare to the raw and disgusting nature of the sewers, he at least had been in tunnels before. The dripping of the abandoned steam pipes, and the hissing of the ones still active made a noise very similar to a downpour in a forest. He stoically ignored the other living creatures he glimpsed, or half glimpsed. Both in the water and out. He had no further outbursts, as he placed his safety firmly in Adam's clawed hands. Just as firmly as he had held the strange fellows welfare when they navigated the streets of Hudson city in his car.

Jorge however was another matter. The professor was having a hard time getting his head around the rock-fellow. He knew of elementals, and certain other forms of existance based not in flesh, but in stone, but Jorge seemed something else entirely. He was not magical, Relaford was rather sure of that, and he was trying to learn more as they traveled. At first he tried to be subtle, glancing at the behemoth, looking at his joints, knees and shoulders, trying to learn what it was that made this particular boulder moved. He would have spoken to the giant, but he didn't want to rouse anyone's ire, least of all Jorge's, and Relaford had a talent for saying the wrong thing. So he held his silence while they navigated the darkness of Below.

 Mason stayed on point with Adam, giving his counter part the lead. This was his domain after all, Though How Adam could stand regular travel through this area was beyond him. He knew the man had senses as keen if not keener than his own, and Mason knew he couldn't stand it for long.

He'd traveled some of the sewers and tunnels around Le Mastre's and the other parks. but he preferred to stay out of them when possible. Unlike Bast, he didn't have any hang ups about getting dirty, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Thank god his leathers had been treated to be water repellant. The worst of the foulness hosed off, but he was beginning to think he would need a new set if they stayed in these tunnels much longer. Thank god they seemed to be catching up to the beast.

??- any optional reactions or additions to the travel in the below.  Feel free to make up an encounter if you're so inclined to help portray your character disads and such.

There were a few times when the beast had back tracked, and both of the feral types knew that they were getting close. Adam seemed much more calm with Jorge in tow. A tenseness had gone out of him, and it could almost be said that he was enjoying himself. Enjoying traversing filth and mildew encrusted tunnels. Happy at wading through calf-deep sewage. Content at tracking whatever it was that they were tracking. Gone was the litany of 'the DiSantiago'; now whenever his gaze fell upon Sebastian, it was with an almost smug knowing smirk. 

Nearly a decade ago, there had been a popular television program about a group of "The City's" dejected, living underground in a near feudal society. They were watched over by a wise and loving 'Father', and a bestial but poetic protector. Nobody was missing any teeth, or starving or freezing in some forgotten niche or tunnel. The passageways their protector moved through were free of filth and vermin, and the whole setting had rung very nearly of Camelot, complete with its Lancelot and Guinevere love story. 

This... this was none of that. Not even a little. It was dark and rank and putrid; the few other souls they did encounter on their journey were little more than retreating shadows, slipping off deeper into whatever cesspits lurked further down. Rats the size of poodles glared balefully at the group as it passed by, the sound of their squeaking the below-street equivalent of crickets on the lawn. 

"We are close," Adam said, looking to Mason for his confirmation. His eyes gleamed in the pitiful light. 

Mason nodded. "Yes. Very." 

The smell of the beast had become almost overpowering for Mason and Adam, so close were they.  Even Sebastian and Xavier could smell a heavy musk in the air, distinct but unlike anything that they could place.  Strained ears picked up on a scraping and swishing sound ahead of them, as if someone or something was wading through the dank waters just around the corner.

Hearing that they were close made Sebastián smile, for the first time since he'd set foot in the sewers, soon this would be over and he could get clean.  Glancing around, he positioned himself in a place where he might escape notice for a moment.   He took a breath, closed his eyes and stopped time.  Immediately the familiar oppressive silence filled the tunnel, and he carefully waited, wanting to be sure everyone was frozen before he moved.

Everyone became immediately still, even the sounds of the below came to an abrupt and uncanny halt.

Slowly, Sebastián moved closer to the rock creature, studying it from a short distance as he recovered his strength.  The creature was facinating, in an absolutely horrifying way.   After a few moments he turned his attention to Adam, using this opportunity to get a better look at the man. There was something oddly familiar about this man, and he'd not had the chance to study him very much, with his constant moving and intense distrust of all things DiSantiago.  For several minutes he gathered his breath, as he tried to place the familiarity he'd felt earlier.

When the realization finally dawned on him, his gathered breath caught in the back of his throat.  The man standing in absolute perfection and stillness in front of him, had a startling resemblance to Danny McClain.  He was bigger, more muscular.  His teammate's familiar and endearing smile lines were all but absent around Adam's eyes and mouth, but with time stopped, the resemblance was there, and strong at that.

"Danny never mentioned a twin." Sebastián muttered to himself, unable to tear his gaze away from Adam.  Thoughts, scenarios started zipping through his head, trying to explain what he was seeing. Phi was the only one who would believe him, because she could see in his mind and see what he saw.  He took a step back finally, taking one last look at the man infront of him, before forcibly turning away.

Finally, unable to resist he carefully crept to the corner and took a quick peek around it.  The beast stood there in a frozen intent state, one of his front arms lifted in it's lumbering stride.  His momentum was headed further down the tunnel, and even though Sebastian's gut told him that it could smell those that were following him, it didn't show any signs of flight, fight or stress.  At least none that he could see, it almost looked docile.

Taking careful note of how far from the group the beast was, Sebastián looked around at the tunnel, plotting out likely safe corners, or places where he could get cover if the beast turned violent. Once he was confident he had a place or two memorized, he crept back to his position in the tunnel, and let time flow naturally once again.

Splish.  Splash.  Echoed the sounds of Mason and Adam's footfalls as time resumed it's normal course.  With a silent wave of caution, Mason turned the corner and saw the giant beast lumbering forward.  If it noticed them or was bothered by their growing proximity, it made no show of it.

Mason's jaw almost hit the floor. The thing they were following was huge. Now that he'd put eyes on the beast he understood what his nose had been telling him. This was something that shouldn't exist. And yet, there it was, not more than a hundred yards away. He hoped the professor was as good as Adam expected him to be otherwise this would be a very nasty fight. One that Mason didn't relish. Especially in the close confines of the sewers.

Suddenly, Mason caught something else on the foul air of the tunnels. The scent he identified as Bast's seemed to come from ahead of them, beside him, and behind him, yet he hadn't seen Bastian pass him at all. In fact, he didn't appear to have moved from his relative location in their odd little train. Curiouser and curiouser. Mason suspected there was much more to his friend than he'd ever realized. Their talk, once this expedition was over, would be quite interesting. 

Adam nodded briskly at nothing in particular, then turned to Xavier. "It's up there. Go do your magic on it," he said, making little nudging motions in the air with his hands. "Jorge and I can be here to help if you need it." Jorge moved into place next to Adam with the barest sound of rock shifting on rock, eyes glittering. 

"Go and do my..?" There were many, many things competing for his mental attention at the moment. The first and foremost of which was nearly abject terror. Then after that in no particular order came horror at this created monstrosity, curiosity about its origins and purposes, fascination at the evidence of the spells that had been laid on it. It was really intricate work, whatever it was. In the end, it was his peculiar obsession with the arcane that won out.

"Who did that?" He asked, forgetting for a moment that he was the only one who could see the magicks. "The spells, who laid them on this.. thing." He nearly spat the last word. Hyperion was no doubt the maker of the gorilla looking organic parts, but someone else had done the magic. His eyes began to see the patterns in the weaving. The whole thing, even the metallic parts had been wrapped and netted in a spell or series of them that were thin as a bridal veil. Why would anyone do that? The questions were beginning to lead to one conclusion. Still, he waited for an answer before he let his conjecture move too far ahead of his knowledge.

Adam stared at him blankly for a moment, then shrugged. "Someone?" he offered quietly. "It's time for the magic now," he added, once again urging Xavier towards the tunnel juncture. "Before it gets scareder and hurts someone." 

It was about what Relaford expected, but he had had to ask. It mattered little, in the end. Whether Adam knew the answers or not, the little scholar's eyes told him what he needed to know. The spells *were* intricate, but somehow incomplete. The weavings and nettings were in place around it, but they were being put to no use. Like a fish in a net, that hasn't been hauled to the surface. Hyperion's 'someone' had not completed his work, and for some reason the man had not imparted to his parrot the purpose of the spells. It seemed likely that there was a way to control the beast using the framework that was already laid here.

"Very well." He said, as he set the case that he had been lugging with increasing difficulty on a three foot diameter steam pipe, that was waist high, and bolted to the bedrock wall behind behind it. "I will have to just, wing it, then."

The beast paused for a moment and turned it's massive gorilla like head to give them a good look and a long sniff.  When it was done, it shook it's mane and head vigorously and picked up it's pace down the dank tunnel.  As it departed, Bastian was somewhat reminded of one of Phi's horses, a curious beast that could be dangerous if provoked, but docile if left alone.

Sebastián considered what he'd seen when time was stopped, and what he was seeing now, processing it all in his typical, methodical manner.  Something struck him as odd in the animal's behavior.  "Wait.. wait.  This beast is a monstrocity, granted, but let us consider it's actions so far tonight. It ran through traffic, and when it was struck by a car, it did not lash out in anger. Instead it left the scene without further violence.  We've been tracking it for quite a while now, and it's not left a wake of destruction or death behind it.  This is by all observations a docile, harmless creature for the moment.  I cannot say that will continue to be the case should we antagonize it.  It could be that it's looking for something, perhaps we could use that to lure it back where we need to."  

Adam scowled. "Be quiet," he snapped at Sebastian, glaring at the DiSantiago furiously. "You cannot do the magic. Your eyes have seen nothing. Let him work." Adam pointed a finger at Xavier. 

"You know he's right." Mason growled. "You know as well as I do there's no fear in it's scent. It's stayed below for quite a while now, so it's intelligent enough to know it's way around. It hasn't reacted to our presence except to move a little faster ahead, that means there's nothing threatening in our scent. I bet because it's familiar with at least two of us. You and your brother Jorge. What's it looking for Adam? What is it hunting?"

Jorge said nothing. Adam slashed at the air with a hand, dismissively. "Don't know. I've not seen it before ever. Catch it with the magic, bring it home. That's all." 

As Bastian waited for the others to reply, his phone vibrated with the Conquistador alert in his pocket. When he checked it, there were two alerts back to back, both from JACE. The first was - *JACE to Conquistadors. I have contact with a target that is potentially the source of the acidic urine. I will provide further information as it becomes available. I am currently in the sewer at 35th and Avenue D.* The second was - *JACE to Conquistadors. The creature appears to be based on a gorilla, with significant size enhancements. It also appears to have been heavily modified, potentially by both cybernetics and bio-engineering. It does not appear actively hostile at this time. I will maintain contact and report should that change.*

The beast had picked up speed and was swallowed by the darkened tunnel before Xavier had a chance to get his briefcase in order.  Shortly after it disappeared, a loud roar of frustration echoed deafeningly through the corridor. (the beastly types will have rattling heads from that roar, but no flash attack or anything, rust RP)

Adam winced, eyes narrowed in irritation as the roar echoed back and forth in his head. He wanted to throttle the magician for having not actually done anything yet aside from magic himself a pair of glasses and down a ladder, especially as the prize was getting away. Still, Hyperion had said that this twig of a man was as powerful in his own field as Hyperion was in his, so Adam clamped his mouth shut and did his best to not bodily shove the man down the passage. 

"It's leaving," he offered, in what he hoped was a helpful tone. Jorge had moved out into the the tunnel intersection, wading through the ankle-deep filth and muck with utter indifference. He pointed a rough and gnarled finger at the creature and looked back at the others. 

Mason had crouched lower in the tunnel at the roar. The throaty challenge echoed sharply through the tunnels. Mason's hearing was a curse instead of a blessing in this instance as the sound tore through his head. His beast roared to the fore, and it took all of his willpower to avoid roaring a challenge in response. 

Relaford glanced over his shoulder, more at Adam than up the tunnel at the source of the roar. "Yes, indeed it is." He still wasn't  completely sure exactly *what* he was supposed to do to the beast. He pulled a small uncut and unpolished diamond from a pocket in the briefcase's lid and began to quietly intone words that had not been spoken for eons. Timeless powers responded to his words, and infused the gemstone with an eldritch aura.

He hoped the diamond would be a focus. The mystical version of a wooden cross with strings attached that could be used to make a marionette dance. He had no clue if it would work or not, if it would enrage the beast or not, or what he would do if he actually managed to snare the thing.

"Be ready." He said, as he closed the lid and used two fingers to press the stone to the center of his forehead. When it stuck there, seemingly of it's own volition, he removed his fingers and grabbed his cane.  "It may not enjoy this." He was grateful for the cane and case at that moment, they kept his hands from shaking. He was positive however, that his knees were knocking so hard everyone could see it.

"Yes," Adam replied, nodding his head earnestly.

Xavier turned, and opened one of his shimmering doorways, and stepped through, disappearing as he passed through the misty seeming portal. The portal swallowed him and closed, and he was simply gone. In the next heartbeat, even his footprints in the muck were filling in.

Adam blinked at the spot the magician had occupied just seconds before. "What is he going to do," he asked Jorge. The stone man shrugged. "Follow it," Adam said, then hurried down after the rapidly disappearing creature in a series of noisy splashes.

Mason watched as Adam sprinted after the beast. He looked at Jorge and Bast. Bast looked annoyed and the stone giant looked worried, if that was possible.  He wasted no time in lumbering after his brother.  Bast on the other hand was not quick to follow, but that was to be expected, considering the state of the tunnels they'd been traipsing through. Oh Lord, I bet he's just pissed. I'll owe him a new suit at the least. Mason made a mental note to contact Bast's tailor. 

"Well, what do you think?" Mason asked. 

Sebastián glanced over at the his friend, and shrugged his shoulders. "I think that Gorilla beast isn't going to hurt us unless someone is stupid enough to make it really angry." His voice hardened, borderline angry. " I think that your 'friend' has a grudge against my family.  I think stone creatures coming out of the walls are stuff of children's stories." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, checking first to see it was clean of course. "I need to check in before JACE meets Adam and Jorge and a fight breaks out.  They'll leave us behind if we don't catch up, they don't really seem to need you and I'm something to be scraped off the bottom of Adam's foot.  We better go, or they might be the ones doing something stupid. I hope they do, it will really annoy them if we pulled their bacon off the fire."

Mason laughed, a full deep belly laugh the echoed off the tunnel walls. He reached out and clapped Sebastian on shoulder. Despite pulling his swing, Bast still rubbed his shoulder a small grin on his face at his friend's exhuberance. "Somehow, I don't think it would improve Adam's opinion of you in any way, but I'd pay money to see it." 

Reaching into his pocket, the DiSantiago pulled his comm out. "JACE, this is Sebastián. I'm with a group of people trailing the Gorilla through the sewers. Our group consists of 5 people, including Xavier Relaford. We are close, coming after the beast."

Mason chuckled. "JACE, Hunh? Somehow, I just can't picture him as a Big Game Hunter."

Jorge had silently moved off after the hunched form of his friend. Mason took a second to make sure they were alone and abruptly sobered. "What do you think this thing is looking for. It's certainly not looking for home. It doesn't act lost, or seem to be very fearful. If I didn't know better, I'd say it's got somethings scent and is stalking prey." 

<?> -Bastian

ooc:Just looking to fill in the blanks on this one, but I'm not waiting for the plugs before moving on. Just looking to close this one.  :)