Summary - Game 5

19-20 May 2000

Wraith travels to Joliet, to interview Dr. Peter Sagamon. There she finds out that he's been researching quantum energy, and how to tap it for power. Unfortunately, all he's been able to do at this point is create an opening into the basic energy source of the universe, with devistating results. The Sagamon Effect has so far been used to create a suitcase sized device that, when activated, has the explosive potential of 500 megatons of TNT.

And Black Jihad has the plans to build them.

Dr. Sagamon feels that, at the earliest, they could build one in one month, maybe two. There are three companies in the US that can provide the quality and quantities of rare elements needed for the components: Solomon Industries, Dupont Chemicals, and Alderman Chemicals. Outside the US, there are four companies: British Chemicals, Fordham Chemtech, Yoshida International, and Cho-Zin, Ltd.

Wraith also stopped by the University of Chicago, and met with Dr. Thomas T. Thompson, head of the meterology department there. She asked him about weather controlling experiments. He poo-pooed the idea, saying that most of the proponents of such things were wackos. He did, however, state that if such a thing were possible, it would be worth billions of dollars for the agricultural and entertainment industries alone.

Wraith also swings by Psychout's apartment, but finds no clues as to his whereabouts. A layer of dust is forming in, with no disturbances in it. The fish looked rather hungry, so she fed them. Picking the lock on his mailbox, she sees that he hasn't picked up his mail in probably a week. Bills, and numerous magazines and newsletter subscriptions. The magazines are primarily along the lines of "People", "Life" and "HeroTimes", while the newsletters are straight out of "X-files"...conspiracy papers, UFO stuff, paranormal/parapsychic stuff.

21 May 2000

Aftermath of Dexter's accident: Steve is grilled repeatedly by his vice president, who demands to know what possibly could have gone wrong with his drink to have caused such a catatastrophe. After all, the first formula gave the majority of test subjects massive migraine headaches. She wanted samples run on the flesh dropped by Dexter as he changed.

Steve ran the tests, and sure enough, there was a massive interaction between the zombie-making methamphetamines that were present in Dex's blood, and the metabolic booster he drank. The metabooster sped up the zombie process, but at the same time created an increased metabolic level in Dexter. Thus his increased strength and speed.

Steve then sent the lab results to his higher ups in his company via email, and at the same time sent them to Team America. TA never got them...all they got was a note stating that there was no correlation between the drugs, and it was a dead end to investigate it.

Steve then went home. He has terrible nightmares of Dexter melting before his eyes. Around 3am, he gets a phone call that wakes him. A barely understandable voice: What's happening to me? Why did you do this to me, Steve? Figuring it for Dexter, Steve used the auto-callback feature of his phone, and got a pay phone near a bar in the south side of town. As Speed Demon, he ran over there, and found a bit of grey flesh, and wet foot prints having left a canal towards the phone.

Upon returning home, his apartment has been ransacked. His laptop computer is gone, as is the hard drive from his desktop, and all backups of his research. Even the jug of Squirt that he kept in his 'fridge was taken, and Speed Demon desperately needs that drink, or else he'll slowly slide into a coma.

He then heads over to TA HQ, and calls Archangel (at 6:30am). Arch comes to meet him, and discuss getting a few more pieces of lab equipment that Steve'll need to make more Squirt. Around 8am, Adrian Jackson calls, wanting to know if Steve has seen her brother Dexter, who missed their mother's birthday party the night before. He told her no.

At 10am, WGN news is broadcasting that the police are looking for Dr. Steve Goslin, who is a suspect in the apparently grisley murder of Dexter Jackson. Immediately Steve's cellphone goes off again, and an angry Adrian is on the phone demanding to know what's going on. Steve hangs up on her, and shuts his phone off.

That night, Wario, Kris Young, and Adam Redman - DJ's from KTCH, the only Techno radio station in Chicago - are hosting a Rave downtown at the Electric Dreams dance club. "Trance Factor" and several local groups are performing.

While there, Wario spots the Handsome Stranger, with his usual group of lovely ladies. After dancing with Cindy, who excuses herself to use the ladies room, HS approaches Wario. He points out some drug dealers pushing some crack. Wario moves over to the shadowy section of the club to investigate, and the dealer bolts for the door. Someone hollars that the dealer stole his wallet, and Wario gives chase. Following the dealer to a nearby ally, Wario is then assaulted by Bone Breaker, Pusher and Blacklight, three paranormal enforcers with ties to the Carlotti mafia family. They proceed to beat the stuffings out of him.

Angelina is also at the club, and calls the Team out to assist. Strangely, when they arrive, she's no where to be seen. As Speed Demon runs up, carrying Wraith, they see Pusher taking to the air with an unconscious Wario, with Blacklight clinging to a nearby wall and Breaker standing nearby. A fight ensues in the street, with Cyrus and Titan arriving shortly. Pusher and Breaker are captured, but Blacklight escapes by going to the back of the building, then back into it via the second floor window and blending in.

(end of game 5)