"Where do you want to meet?" He asked her. He wondered at the significance of the vacated apartments.

"Back at the scene of the crime.  We'll exchange some information and decide where to go from there."  Agent Showalter seemed a little terse in her comments.  Just before she abruptly hung up, Brice could hear Jahck in the background saying that what he saw was amazing, almost real.  Brice could probably guess at what he was feeling.  She had used her power on him and he probably witnessed the crime or beforehand.

The pine shaped air freshener swung around as Brice navigated the streets on his way back to the apartments.

It made the most sense to Brice that Jahck should be the one to witness that event through her ability.  He alone could positively identify the three murderers.  Although they had tied three people to the car now through the Boston PD computer systems and had MVA photos of them, tying them to this crime would be difficult at best.  Again he wondered how agent Showalter knew that they were the same culprits.  He would have to ask her when he got there.

He made his way through the traffic to the scene of the crime.  Redlights, rude drivers, and slow pedestrians plagued his almost as much as the one wrong turn, but he arrived.  Sitting on the couch waiting for him was Jahck.  He was leaning back on the sofa reading a book.  Agent Showalter was in a nearby chair typing away on a laptop.  When Brice entered she stopped typing briefly to lookup.  "Just finishing some notes,  What did you find out?  Jahck, here, saw the same trio that had been in the caverns.  Also there was a witness."

Brice fished the papers out of his briefcase and handed them over to agent Showalter.  As he did so he spoke to Jahck.  "Cool talent she has, huh?"  To the FBI agent he added: "This is the information that the Boston PD could dig up from the tag information I gave them.  The three of them work together out of New York City, mostly anyway.  There are MVA photos and mugshot photos.  Jahck can probably match them to the suspects.  All their personal information is here, addresses, everything."  

"But while I was there I got to thinking.  How did you initially fit this incident together with the case in West Virginia?"

"It's what the boys back at headquarters said,"  she held up her cell phone and shook it a little.  "Why do you ask?  Thanks for the information though.  I'll plug it in and then we can probably find them pretty quick."  Agent Showalter took the papers and laid them to the side then looked at them.  She picked them up again and looked up at Brice then started setting them down again, but stopped herself.  "Interesting.  Any resistance to the case and keeping track of information?"

Brice looked around the room with interest, wondering what Jahck had seen.

"I asked because there had to be something that helped someone at your headquarters connect the dots.  That something could be very important to this investigation.  As for resistance?  Well, yes, sort of.  I'm sure that for some reason the Sgt. I spoke with is convinced that I have some special powers.  How he is connecting those particular dots I haven't a clue.  And he is downright hostile to the concept of people with strange abilities.  Well, that's not exactly it.  He either has a fear of, or is already prejudice against, Supers.  

And, without any actual circumstances or facts linking the case in West Virginia, whatever happened in New York and here in Boston, you might understand why he would be suspicious.  We just show up out of the blue and have information about the killers?  We have no way to link them, not really, without your special abilities.  And even before you confirmed with Jahck that they were one and the same trio of villains...did I just say that?  Um, anyway, even before you showed Jahck what happened here we still have that missing piece."  

I think we need to look where the finger is pointing to instead of looking at the finger doing the pointing.  I trust the guys back at HQ.  If they put it together, I'll fill in the details as we go along.  It's a team effort.   How many times in the past have I been told to dig and found nothing.  How many times have I been told to dig and I find the bones.  Sometimes I am the one that makes the call and sometimes someone else has more insight than me.  That's how it works.  And now we need to keeping looking forward in order to get Leon and the other," Showalter makes it all sound matter of fact.  She looks towards Brice to see if there is anything else before tapping away at the laptop again.

Brice's expression did not change.  He knew that agent Showalter was not stupid; she knew exactly why the information was so important to the case.  Her irrelevant analogy was a clear signal from her to drop the subject.  She had no intention of helping the Boston PD catch the killer in this apartment because Justin was going to bring this victim back to life.  When and if the victim showed up alive and well, the evidence the FBI had could add to the growing mountain of proof that Supers existed.  At the very least it would also add some confusing information in the case against these three killers.  And if they had that information, the more they acted on it the more apparent and visible it would be to anyone scrutinizing this case.

He nodded, giving up the discussion entirely.  But he said: "No, nothing else.  Unless we have some way to track their car with red-light or traffic cameras.  Or perhaps we can search the various telecommunication databases and find out if one of the suspects has a cell phone.  We can get a subpoena to ping the phone and get a fix on their location from any cell towers they pass."

"Good idea, and we can post-date the subpoena," Agent Showalter types out some commands on the laptop.  "Getting the boys back at the office to hone in on some traffic cameras won't be too hard either."  Showalter's cell phone rings and she answers it quickly and is off just as quick.  "Agent Short is coming back with Justin and the newly resurrected victim."  She smiles to herself like victory is within grasp.

Brice blinked at the information.  He mumbled the word "resurrected" to himself as if testing it out on his lips to see how it felt or sounded.  He was not sure he knew what to make of that.  "I only hope we get more answers than questions from the man.  Before they get here, can you tell me if he knows he's been resurrected or is there a cover story?"  He did not want to slip up and knew how to keep silent to let the G-man and woman run the show.  But if it came to it and he could find some way to avoid giving up too much information he would like to know what risks were worth taking.

"By the discussion, I'd say that the formerly deceased isn't in on the accomplishment, until he says something we don't," she nods and smiles.  Her laptop chimes dimly.  "We've got a hit and a judge has agreed to sign whatever paper we come up with.  Let's wait until the others get here.  Then we can follow them to whatever quiet hole they crawl into."

Brice watched Agent Short as she worked on her computer.  He thought she might be wondering when he would bring up this next topic, given what she had just recently told him.  He launched right into it.

"What are the chances we can get Justin to resurrect Ben Cardin's son in law?  He could not have been dead for more than two days longer than our mystery man from this apartment."

"Ask him," Showalter looks up at Brice.  "It's up to Justin to use his power.  He should be back to the apartment here in a few minutes.  If you think that's a wise use of his power, convince him of it.  But what will the consequences be when a Senator knows that someone out there can raise the dead.  How much would you spend to control that kind of power?  What would you do to hold it?  The whole world can be reckless because some kid can erase any stupid mistake you make, just need to make it to him in a day or two.  Or worse yet, do you kill the kid so that you can kill your enemies with a more guaranteed permanence."

"Damn!  When you put it that way, I'm not sure I even want to ask him.  That's an out-of-control spin cycle we need to stay clear of.  I guess we just wait for them then."

He went to his own lap-top and set it up on the small eat-in kitchen table.  He plugged it in and booted it up.  He wanted to catch up on the news and put a note in his virtual case file.  He asked the FBI agent a question while he waited for his computer to get up and running.  "Any instructions on handling my case file?  There is obviously a lot I can't put in here.  But is there some note about the case moving into Federal Jurisdiction I should put into the file to close it out?" 

"Hmm," Agent Showalter seemed thoughtful for a moment as though she had some insight that would spell out the answer perfectly, but then she smirked and looked back at her own screen, "I'm sure you'll come up with the best thing to say in there."  There were footsteps in the hallway and there was a quick timed knock at the door before it opened.  Agent Short walked in followed by the man who used to live in the apartment and Justin.

Justin smiled at agent Showalter, if Yolanda wasn't his girlfriend he was sure he'd have a crush on her by now. Looking about the room he imagined Yolanda and smiled thankful that she was safe. Turning to the others "Greetings all how goes things." he prompted nodding as they replied then adding "Mr Lazarus here is quite fortunate that the concoction they slipped him wasn't as lethal as they had hoped." Once the general inquiries had been addressed and the debriefs completed, during which he text the key points each of the others provided, he offered Showalter a copy of his findings.

Brice logged off and closed his browser.  "Hey there yourself.  I'm glad Mr. Lazarus is finally up and about."  He nodded to the resurrected man.  Any information on those responsible for trying to kill him?"

"They're all scum," Lazurus interjects.  "Mafia hitmen of the worst kind, successful.  I thought that I'd hid my trail.  I was careful.  I know the tricks.  I wonder how they found me."

"You said they were the worst kind.  Additional proof," Agent Short said.

Brice nodded.  "You were indeed very fortunate, Sir.  But the question remains unanswered.  Those descriptions are just about useless.  Do you have any information about them or their boss that can help us?  I'm talking about names, addresses, phone numbers, and actual physical descriptions.  They already tried to kill you once.  Staying quiet as a means of protection or self-preservation seems moot at this point."

Justing grinned at a thought "Just think of the bother these alleged hitmen will be in They would have collected their fee for a failed job... I'd think they would be looking to hide themselves especially when they realize that their employer is out of pocket and has been taken for a patsy....Wouldn't you say Mr Lazarus. how will Mr X react if they finding out your not dead."

"The boss will not find out, because I'm thinking that Sheep herding in Antigua is sounding more and more appealing.  My only problem was that I did not make that decision sooner.  I'm not a narc.  Now those bastards that thought they could get away with whatever it was that put me in the morgue," he takes a deep breath and rubs his neck briefly.  He gives brief but accurate physical descriptions of the three.  "If I'm anywhere near this I'll be dead, and I'd rather take my chances somewhere else, understand?"

Brice was a very patient man, not quick to anger.  This guy would not get to him, regardless of how many corners he took to avoid giving them information.  "You do not need to worry about being near any of this, Mr. um, Lazarus.  Unless the federal government needs to your proximity for some reason.  We already have information on those three. Names and all necessary information to ultimately identify them.  What we need is information on how to locate them and, more importantly, information on their boss."

He turned to Agent Showalter.  "Ma'm, if Mr. Lazarus here provides the needed information, what additional cooperation will the FBI need from him?  Will he be needed for court testimony?"  Brice knew that Showalter knew what he was talking about.  He voiced it for Mr. Lazarus because he was not willing to drag this out.  Lazarus would never agree to a witness protection program and he would never agree to testify in court.  Once he was on his own he would do everything he could to get off of everyone's radar, including the FBI.  Ultimately it was up to Agent Showalter to convince him to give up information about his boss.  

Since this guy was a messenger or something of the sort, he was not likely to have any documentation or hard evidence to provide other than his personal testimony.  But Brice had been wrong about such assumptions in the past.  That was going to be his next, and possibly last line of questioning.  But he needed Agent Showalter or even Agent Short to provide some incentive for Mr. Lazarus.  Justin had already hinted on how he thought they should proceed.  If they could not get him to cooperate willingly, then perhaps threats were necessary.  What would Mr. X do with that information? And not just regarding the failed hit-men but with their intended, and still living target.

"Sergeant, I wasn't aware that some mob boss was the focus of our mission.  I want these thugs for reasons we are well aware of.  Mr. Lazurus, if Antigua you want, then Antigua you shall have.  When we return, if you are here, I'll get you a ticket to somewhere out of the way, you like fruit?"

"Well enough," he says and suddenly becomes tight lipped.

"Return?" Jahck says.

"We've got satellite lock on the car.  I think we should go and take care of those killers personally." Agent Showalter says closing her laptop.

Suddenly Brice felt uncomfortable for some reason.  He did not comment and realized he had a lot to think about.  He quickly packed up his own laptop and briefcase.  "Ready when you are."  He said.

He knew damn well that the head of the snake was always the focus of the mission, any and all missions in fact.  Dealing with the body was always important but also always a secondary concern to the ultimate prize.  He now knew that Showalter was more concerned with dealing with those with special abilities.  Perhaps he had to do some serious paradigm shifting or something of that sort.  This was something he should have figured out from the start.

Brice had assumed they were on a mission to stop the killers and bring them to justice.  That was the mission Brice had started out on yesterday morning.  That mission would obviously entail investigating whoever hired them and bringing that person or persons down as well.  But that was not Showalter's mission.  She had just made it clear she was solely focused on the three killers and not concerned with their employer.  That was not at all the way law enforcement went about doing things.

But the world had changed.  He was not sure of the true nature of the task force to which he was now attached.  He did not know who their own boss was or their mission parameters.  He had gone along with all of this thinking they were still primarily law enforcement.  But now he was coming to realize that they might be less of a "law enforcement unit" and more of a "monster abatement unit."

He considered some of the things they might have to do in order to catch or defeat these three criminals.  Powers he might personally have to use and how they might be explained to observers.  The world had changed.  He only hoped that his small group was the start of something important.  The problem was that Brice also knew that with his personal power he was likely the heavy hitter of his small group of superheroes.  He only hoped they were superheroes.  He did not feel so heroic at the moment. 

Justin considered various aspects of the situation, he found himself in. A myriad of alternatives presented themselves. True the FBI had hastily raised and recruited specialist individuals. but there's sure to be those who would use their abilities to further their own ends.

Anyone with an ability to read minds, or manipulate electrical currents could be a serious threat to the country and hey even the world. Considering how many bodies rely on technology to function.

Eyeing the laptops dubiously he tagged along with the team When they were in the car he looked about to make sure they weren't being overheard he hoped. "SA Showalter has the agency any protection against possible specialist hackers who may be able use such abilities to infest your system. Also have you considered people able to hear over great distances, read lips and even mind read."

"Good questions."  Added Brice.  "She did say there was a new, special division of the FBI being created for people like us.  Now might be a good time to tell us about this division, its mission, any restrictions on the use of our powers, and who is in charge of it."  He wondered if she was in charge of it and it consisted of only those in this very car.  He got the distinct impression that she was flying by the seat of her pants and making up the rules as she went along.  Not that it was a bad thing, but it would be nice if their little band was truly sanctioned by the FBI.

But when they caught these three killers and...did whatever they were supposed to do, he wondered what would happen next.  But he also supposed he should be concentrating on what was in front of him.

Once in the confines of the car and the conversation quickly shifted to talk that at one point in recent history would have been ridiculous, Agent Showalter looked at the others around her.  "Good questions indeed, Justin, such possibilities have been thought about along with far worse.  How much planning can you do against an asteroid the size of the moon heading in a collision course towards the Earth?  How ready can you be against a serial killer who hasn't yet started his terrible run to turn him into that aforementioned serial killer?  While you know such things exist, sometimes you have to wait until the event presents itself before dealing with it.  Strange abilities on the horizon fall in this category."

She then looked at Brice, "Now would be a better time to focus on what's coming up ahead.  You strike me as someone who is thinking about that rogue meteor, sergeant.  Regardless some of that information is pertinent at the moment as well.  Supers are fair game.  Keep yourselves alive and don't be afraid to take out a super who is trying to take you out.  In a fistfight against a terrorist you don't pull your punches.  That goes figuratively and literally.  If any of the three that we are hunting are Normals, then certainly we can round them up without bloodshed.  I will add that, if it's possible to take a Super alive, then we want to do that.  These powers that we exhibit are... are... so far outside of normal that we need to understand them.  The more data we have from living beings, the better.  But the salvation of all of the human race Super or Normal is of paramount importance.  This is the mandate from the office of Federal Bureau of  Investigation the Division of Supers Acquisition, FBI DOSA."

As they went through green light after green light.  The distance between them and the killer was closing.  Agent Short in no time pointed ahead through the windshield.  For Justin, it was a familiar looking vehicle.

Brice was silent as he listened to agent Showalter.  She was dead wrong about him and had been from the start.  Or at least the attitude she displayed towards him gave him that impression.  Rogue meteor indeed.  The information he had asked for did not fit that profile at all, not in the least.  He wondered if their misunderstanding was his fault or hers.  The disconnect was evident in that she was constantly using metaphors and analogies that were wildly inappropriate.  

He was definitely a team player and wanted to do the right thing, which was what brought him to a career in law enforcement to begin with, and stopped him from outright questioning agent Showalter's decisions and authority.  She was the boss.  Unless she asked him to do something that was against his code of ethics, he would always go along with her directions and not complain at all.  She certainly seemed extremely competent and had a good deal more information than he did about what was going on.  She was able to keep the bigger picture in mind with regard to the consequences of supers in the world while he was just beginning to think about these things.  And he liked her professionalism, though he wondered if she was able to relax at home.  

He had always been the law-abiding citizen/boy scout-type: Loyal, Trustworthy etc.  But he also knew there were people out there who were strictly loners, not team players, but who still wanted to do the right thing.  His best comic book analogy along those lines was spider man vs. the avengers.  Or at least that was what he came up with in his mind.  He had not been much into comic books as a kid.

In any case he wondered about this DOSA business.  The name would never inspire trust among supers.  The word Acquisition would be downright scary for some people.  He hoped it was not a case of acquire the super or dispose of the super.  But again, he was looking too far into the future and considering problems that had not yet reared their ugly head.  But he also knew he had to prepare himself for the worst.  At the same time he certainly wanted to embrace this new reality and become a force for good.  He truly hoped this new division was not as heavy-handed as the name seemed to imply. 

When Agent Short pointed to the car ahead, he began thinking of the best possible course to take; mentally running through the possible tactical situations just as he had been trained to do.  He was not happy that his bullet proof vest was in the trunk with the rest of his gear.  He had only his sidearm, his skills, training, wits, his partners, and his new power.  He hoped they would be enough.  He waited for Agent Showalter to make the call on their plan of approach.  This was after all, her Show....

"Short, get up ahead of them and force them off the road.  If we can do this quietly that would be great, but I doubt that'll happen.  We still aren't entirely sure what we are dealing with."

"Are you sure this is what we want to do?" Agent Short said.  "What if we just let them go, head back to base and look for another target."  The others in the car were a little quiet.  Agent Showalter shook her head a little like trying to clear her mind.

Brice could see that he was the only one who was a hundred percent focused at this point.  Short started to slow down a little.  Showalter stared at the target car and then looked briefly down at her laptop, "No we need to get that car.  The contents, something..."

Jahck started shaking his leg a little and the sky was slowly darkening.  He leans over to Brice past Justin, "I feel like I just want to get back to my caverns and forget this whole mess.  I can't seem to get that thought out of my mind, like I just want to forget.  Whenever I try to think of dealing with what or who is in that car?  You getting that?"  Agent Short speeds up a little again.  Brice can see a little into the car ahead and it looked for a second like they'd noticed that they were being trailed.

Justin watched the leading vehicle, intently as they closed on it. Noting three occupants who were as Agent Showalter mentioned persons of interest. Turning to the left he mentally ran through a host of courses of action, discarding each in turn, Who did he think he was fooling, these abilities didn't make him a Spiderman, batman or daredevil sort of person, besides he wasn't being trained or even authorized to deal with any of this. The best he could do was to remain in their car and let the professionals deal with any arrest or whatever it was they intended to do.

"Interesting, most interesting..." Justin commented pausing to consider something "How many of you share the thought to look elsewhere of ignore these three. I'd surmise it may be an form of mental manipulation. If this source of this doubt is one of the occupants perhaps they should be rendered unconscious asap."

Justin found himself thinking down strange lines of logic about causality and the resulting effects and wondering if he should be writing it down someplace else safer.  He determined that he didn't need to be there and that it wasn't really necessary to catch whoever.  The faces of the people at the bakery were becoming hazy to him.

Brice shook his head.  "No, I'm not getting that."  He replied to Jahck.  "We need to apprehend them.  Showalter, plan of action please.  I think we've been spotted.  They will likely begin evasive maneuvers shortly and we need a way to stop their car.  Are we authorized to display our abilities at all?  Lethal force guidelines would be helpful in relation to Supers.  I have my sidearm for offense and my abilities for defense and possibly more.  And neither Jahck nor I will be able to change form until after we exit the car or we will slow us down measurably."  He remembered when he turned into metal in the car on the way to Boston.  Showalter almost took his head off as the car drastically changed it weight distribution characteristics.  

"Stop the car, use whatever means necessary.  Stop the ones inside, lethal force is not permitted except in self defense.  They need to be brought in alive.  Try to stay focused," she seemed to struggle with the last statement.  Agent Short guns the vehicle forward and races up next to the other car.  Inside, two men and a woman.  In the backseat, the one known as Eli is watching them.  He is talking to the driver.  The woman is screaming and bouncing around.  Agent Short cuts the car off and forces it to the side of the road, but both cars are moving fast.  The vehicles are touching side to side.

Brice thought about turning into metal, reaching out, bust through their window, and grasping the other car somehow.  Then he could climb into the vehicle.  But he thought that he would immediately gain so much weight that he would throw this car out of whack somehow.  He rolled down the rear passenger window.  If it busted, he did not want the inside of the vehicle to be showered with glass.  

It was not easy to break a car window, not with mortal flesh anyway.  He hoped he could transform quick enough not to ruin everything.  He got up onto the seat so he was crouching there, holding onto the door frame and facing the window.  It was very apparent what he was going to do.  "Here goes nothing!"  He said.  "Or everything!"  He thought"

He acted when the windows were aligned and the distance was close enough.  As he launched himself out the window, he transformed into metal.  He was trying for titanium, very strong but very light by volume.  If he could get through that window and climb into the other vehicle he would try turning into steel.   

Justin shook his head vigorously, gritting his teeth and forcing these thoughts from him. 'Good try, whoever you are, but get out of here'.  He mentally thrust against the foreign lines of thought; attempting to drive them back and follow them to their source with his own thoughts.   Justin quickly learns a limit of his ability as his mind is distracted again and it doesn't seem like he knew how.

Brice looked through the window.  The passengers in the other care were looking more and more concerned.  When the widows aligned Brice felt his body change and he launched himself hard through the open window and against the glass of the other car.  The last image in his mind before crashing through the glass was the hue and refraction of his hands, he was blue and translucent.  The glass shattered under the force of his impact, showering the inside of the other vehicle.  As his body passed the threshold of the door of the other vehicle he immediately began to change his body again to the zinc that he had once been before.

The screaming of the passengers and the screeching of the vehicle as his weight shifted the balance of the vehicle filled Brice's head and the air around the vehicle.  Brice was in the other vehicle for the most part.  Most of his legs were hanging out but enough of him was in the vehicle to keep him with the targets.

Justin and Jahck, Short and Showalter, saw Brice change to a giant blue gemstone of a being and break through glass and crash into the other car successfully.  For a moment, the spell of misdirection was broken.  Everyone realized at once that there was a mission at hand.  Someone in that other vehicle had been forcing their brains to work against finding them.  Someone had comprimised the strongholds of their minds, of almost everyone.

Brice took Showalter's advice to heart: "Stay Focused."  She had said.  His blue translucent form...that he was now that original Zinc form...none of that entered his conscious mind.  He was indeed focused.  He had no idea if they were capable of hurting him in this form but took that gamble anyway.  He had felt the car shift with his weight, far more than normal.  He dispensed with defensive action as he moved.  He doubted he was very vulnerable and this allowed him to focus solely on offense. 

He pulled himself fully into the car and knew that as soon as they stopped they could easily, and simply run for it.  His new FBI partners could not and would not easily be able to call for back-up to chase them down.  He focused...on their knees.

These were killers, hired muscle, but powered muscle.  And the heavy was in the back seat with him, Eli.  Once he was inside fully, he struck Eli's knee with a ridge-hand strike.  He felt the bone and cartilage crumble beneath the strike.  

Eli was screaming in pain and rage.  Brice ignored him now.  He wanted to just climb into front seat on top of her, pin her to the seat.  But his weight might be fatal to her.  Instead he reached between the front seats and pressed the button releasing the woman from her seat belt.  He reached out and pulled her to the back seat with him.  He gripped her by the arms, hoping he did not crush bone as he drew her to the back seat.  As calmly as he could, he said aloud to the driver as he worked: "By all means, keep driving, I've got all day."  

Justin gave a mental shrug, rousing himself from the thoughts that had occupied his mind. If this was the sort of things field offers were up against he decided that it was better if he remained on the R&D or administrative side of things. After all If they Agency doesn't have  enough Field Supers now, he was sure  it would get more, eventually. After all there's always the type who are good at that sort of thing popping up.... Considering how in less than a week he'd come in contact with four of them Showalter, Brice, Jahck and now the perp who messes with others minds.

Once he had the woman in the back seat with him he put a hand on her knee, griping it tightly.  "Tell him to stop the car."  He told her.  "Or you will have a permanent limp.  You don't want to end up like Eli here."  He also braced himself against the back seat.  Brice almost expected an immediate and sudden stop in an attempt to throw him off balance.  It was something he would do himself.  But her knee would certainly suffer.  He was not letting go.

"Leon," she says a little frantically as Eli thrashes at Brice's side.

Leon looks in the rear view and seems to read Brice's mind.  Leon turned the wheel a little out and away from the road then jerked the wheel hard back towards the center.  The centrifugal force and the added weight of the zinc beings in the back quickly turned the car on its side and it tumbled side over side down the road.  Brice's grip on the woman's knee was sufficient to ruin her leg and that pain superceded the fear for a moment.  Eli in the seat next to Brice was being crushed beneath the weight of the metal as it slammed against him.

Agent Short was quick to react as the vehicle beside him turn a disasterous turn.  He swerved and slammed on the brakes as Showalter, Jahck, and Justin lurch forward watching the car wreck in front of them.

As the overturned car comes to a stop, sliding along the pavement.  Eli and the woman are dead.  Brice is on his back looking upward to the broken side door of the vehicle.  The car was on its side covering three lanes of highway.  There was however a body missing.

As quick as he could, Brice went through that broken door.  He realized that death was not necessarily a permanent condition anymore.  It was, however, a good way to capture someone...if Justin was willing to bring them back.

As Brice Jennings emerged from the car he looked for the direction Leon had gone.  If he got any hint at all of his direction of travel, he was going to pursue him.

Justin's hand hit the back of the front passenger seat hard, sending a jolt of pain along his arm. Thankful that's all it was; he watched in surprise as the vehicle in front toppled over and aver bouncing about several times before coming to a halt. Suddenly Brice erupted from the wreck hurriedly glancing about. "That's great" Justin quietly cursed it looks like one of them got away, my money's on the mental one... he thought. What this could mean was that they would all need some manner of mental protection or shielding... He closed his eyes and shook his head in concern about the way this whole operation was shaping up... Hopefully his mind hadn't been messed up to much, or the mentalist type didn't get to pick his brains or those of any of the others... he grimaced at the thought. Massaging his aching arm he looked about, scanning the area for signs of whatever Brice was looking for.

Brice emerged from the wreckage, his body changing over to Mercury as he climbed out, or flowed out, depending on one's perspective.  As Brice planted his feet on the ground he was zinc again.  Ahead of him down the road, off to the side on the medium, the man who was in the front seat stood in what seems to be a daze.  He is looking around a little confused but quickly his attention is refocused back to Brice, the living metal.

Justin for a moment sees the figure down the road.  It's the same man who was in the bakery back in WV.  Then Justin's attention is diverted to the wreckage and Brice jumping from the wreckage and shifting forms as he does so.  Justin can't seem to bring himself to focus on what he had seen before.  It seemed familiar but he can only look far down the road or at Brice.

Justin shrugged looked around and spotted a café, excellent he though just what I need. He strolled into the café ordered five large hot chocolates to go. The pleasant waitress quickly prepared five containers placing them in front of him He handed her a fifty collected the change picked up the carryall and headed back to where the others were waiting.

Brice immediately went after Leon.  He definitely did not want to kill him.  But he had to capture him.  He moved as quickly as he could to take him down.  He thought, as he moved, of several ways to restrain him.  Perhaps just laying on top of him, or his legs would work.

Brice's body shifted to Mercury and he flowed over the ground.  Leon was startled at the rapid movement in front of him and turned and started running.  He was there a moment and then was several feet in front of where he had been.  He slowed down and looked over his shoulder.  Agent Showalter got out of the vehicle and shouted, "Teleporter!" 

Agent Short stumbled out of the vehicle as well.  Jahck stepped out and suddenly has skin like the asphalt.  "In and out, I can't keep focus, and the damn kid had wandered off," Short said.

"Some power to hide from our thoughts?" Jahck said and Showalter looked at him a little dumbfounded, wondered why she hadn't thought of that, but the answer seemed obvious when she focused on another aspect of their work academically. 

Brice pressed rapidly forward and Leon panicked again.  Leon was looked past Brice back towards Showalter and appeared instantly in front of the car.  Showalter pulled her gun in one swift motion and fired a shot into Leon's chest.  It was over as quick and everyone found that they could focus easily on the dead body that lay sprawled out in the road in front of them. 

Returning to the vehicles Justin noted the others had gathered several hundreds of feet away, and were standing around a body discussing something. He could tell by the motionlessness of the body it was dead;. something he'd rather not face at this time. Looking over to the other car he checked that the two Brice had dealt with were still there. When the team strolled back to the vehicle he handed out the Hot chocolate.

Brice returned to his fleshy form as he approached at a jog.  He got there and looked down at the dead body.  "Damn!"  He looked at Justin.  "Reviving him would be dangerous.  We can't hold a teleporter."  He could not believe he just said that.  He looked at Agent Showalter.  "I suggest a thorough search of the bodies and the car.  We still need information."  He said that as he started the search of Leon's clothes.  He was very, very thorough.

"If we're taking the bodies, we have to hurry.  I'm sure the PD will be here shortly."  He said as he continued working.
Justin lowered his head in an attempt to hide his face. Moving quickly to their vehicle he slipped inside hoping the tinting on the window would conceal his presence, and identity. He started looking around for witnesses, camera's and such after all it wouldn't be ideal to have to many people with webclips of the group. Popping the door open a little "I think we'd better try and at lease stay under or even off the public radar" he suggested to the others before closing the car door.

Agent Showalter was relaxed.  She watched Brice search pockets and come up with a few sale receipts, some cash, a couple of wallets but otherwise slim pickings.  The trio were heading somewhere but it was un-determinate as to where they were heading.  Sure enough the distant sound of sirens crowded the distance and grew closer and closer.  As Justin hid inside the vehicle, Jahck stood next to Agent Short and looked at a laptop.  Agent Showalter was making a phone call and flipped the phone close before the local police force arrived.

"Don't worry.  The bodies will be taken by our people.  Our boys back at the office are working on a potential holding cell for the teleporter if we decide to bring him back."  She looked at the car at the waiting Justin then back at Brice.  "The other two, well.  I'm sure the bodies aren't in good condition, they can be body bagged and any next of kin will probably not be surprised.  For official reports, this was just a bad accident that occurred as a result of a high speed car chase.  Shame when someone runs from the FBI."

When the police arrived, Showalter was holding up her badge and cautiously approaching.  A few tense moments followed but was identities were established the aftermath began.  Following the police were ambulance, firetruck, and an FBI van.  The FBI van went straight for Showalter and the body of Leon was quickly removed from the scene.  The ambulance and the firetruck worked together to get the bodies of Leon's crew.  When the ambulance cleared the scene and the firetruck followed.  Police were moving people past with greater speed.  Towtrucks showed up and worked on getting the debris away.  While things were happening, Jahck and Justin waited in the car.  Brice was able to watch the scene with familiarity.

As soon as their presence was no longer required, Short, Showalter, and Brice were back into the car and heading towards the closest town for the last meal of the day.  Agent Short pulled into a Shoney's.

"I assume the vehicle and their weapons will be processed by your people."  Brice stated with a hint of a question in the tone, hoping for confirmation.  Showalter confirms with a hum as she sips as some coffee.

"Do you mind if I call the senator and my lieutenant?  I would like to report on the conclusion of this point in the investigation."  He asked.  He was sure Showalter would fill them in on the plans for the future. 

"Of course it depends on what you say in that phone call.  I'll assume that you keep it bland and too the point."  Showalter adds with a subtle glare at Brice.

Justin sat in the back seat staring out of the window, he didn't take in the scene he was simply trying to push the thoughts of the recent events from his mind, so he didn't hurl. True he'd seen more death this week than he'd seen all his life. Seeing how he now had this ability he'd just have to get used to the sight and smells that it brought with it, even if he didn't particularly enjoy the prospect it was a fact. Something he'd have to get used to and quickly else he'd be nothing more useful than a zombie. which in all the games he'd designed, played or seen was only good in numbers. When they pulled up to the Shoney's he'd managed to bring his thoughts under control, still he was a little pale. But that was an after-effect of adrenalin, nausea and concern.

Casting a glance at Brice, Short and Showalter, "s it always like this and how long does it take to adjust to this type of activity?"

"Even before January, this was not normal.  I went through so much training that trained me for any number of possibilities.  I know proper protocol for alien invasion," Agent Short laughs, but stops quickly as it may not be so far fetched.  "Regardless,
There were some courses in the far-fetched, but even that couldn't adequately prepare someone for the current reality.

"Really... that's sooo rad, now that it's out of the bag what's the skinny on aliens invasion Are the other nations in on this or is humanity in the main expected to perish under their warmongering tendrils, boots or whatever they use to squash us.... Are there hidden caches of food. medicines and weapons squirreled away in bunkers.."