capeandcowl | Day Two, Seventh Hour // Voice

This is Jack Bauer.

[Jack is speaking quietly, his voice hoarse and muffled.]

By now you've probably seen the statement posted by the terrorists who've seized control of NOHoPE. I can confirm this statement is accurate. This facility has been occupied, people have been killed, and its staff and patients are now hostages. I've managed to escape, but they're searching for me. I don't have much time.

[He goes quiet suddenly. There's the sound of footsteps passing by, two pairs of feet in heavy boots. Jack only starts talking again once they've faded.]

These people are professionals. They are well-trained, well-equipped, and they are serious about killing people to get what they want. But you can not give into them.

Maybe you agree with what they’re saying about me, about the things I’ve done. Maybe they have a point. But the fact is, they lost all legitimacy the moment they attacked a hospital and took innocent people hostage. The fact is, they are trying to make this world safer for criminals and terrorists by going after some of the bravest people in the City.

[Jack pauses, takes a breath, listens again.]

I know my so-called ‘accomplices’ are probably listening to this. If you are, I want you to listen carefully. You have nothing to be ashamed of. There are people who are alive today because of the things you’ve done, the things you’ve helped me do. You put it all on the line and never asked for anything in return, not even any recognition. I owe you a lot. And no matter what anyone says about us, no matter what these terrorists do, I want you to remember that.

I’m going to hide out as long as I can and look for an opportunity to sabotage the building’s security. If I can shut down the systems interfering with ImPort powers, I can create a chance to rescue the hostages. When that happens, I need people on the outside ready to storm the building. But first we need to know where the hostages are being kept and where the power-dampeners can be disabled from. If anyone has that information, I need it now.

And to anyone out there who is working on a plan to resolve this crisis, I need to talk to you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can already say as a former patient of the facility that they may not entirely understand how the power dampeners operate. If they only have the technological end of it in action, that isn't going to nullify all powers.

Do we know how many communicators they have access to?

Doctor McCoy. [He recognizes Hank from the D.O.I. meeting, but they never collaborated on a crisis like this before. Maybe they should form an ex-NOHoPEr club.]

You're right, there's a medicinal aspect to it as well, at least for inmates. If they don't know about that, then there could be a gap we can exploit.

I don't know about the communicators yet. It depends on how many ImPorts they got. As far as I know Danger wasn't present when they attacked, so we might be able to rule her out as one of the hostages. It would be helpful if we had a list of who they have.

[It would be a big club! Maybe not all of them would like each other, either, considering the hospital's namesake would be among them.]

If Danger were at her full power, I doubt this would have been possible to begin with. If the surveillance system is intact, we may be able to make some headway by gaining access to it. That would inform us of their hostages and their movements.

If Danger isn't among them, she would know more about what we have to work with. Though she isn't at her hacking best.

All right, that gives us a place to start. They must have compromised the building's electronic security in order to take control, and maybe with Danger gone it's not back up yet. A tech expert might be able to hack in and give us an advantage.

If Danger was going to take these people down, she probably would have done it by now. Until we hear from her, I think we have to consider her out of play.

[Jack friggin' hates Danger but he does wish she was around right now because she's good at what she does and he hates hostage situations much, much more.]

So, the first thing we need is someone to do the hacking. The second, a team of people who could work around the dampeners.

I've already got the second. Two teleporters are standing by. As for the first, are there any hackers here you trust?

Standing by. Are they being held back by the dampeners? What about those whose powers wouldn't be affected? I know I wouldn't hesitate to help with that, myself.

There are a number of hackers among us, I can think of at least three who would help off the top of my head, just within the Avengers.

I'm assuming they're being held back. The people who built NOHoPE had to have been smart enough to cover something like external teleportation, it's an obvious play in a city like this.

Do you know anyone whose powers wouldn't be affected?

When I was a patient, it was the chemical element that kept mine at bay. Felt a bit like being tranquilized constantly. Of course, in my case, my powers are all in my physiology, and that isn't something that can be disrupted like the energy many powers project.

Then ImPorts with powers based on their biology could have a chance at functioning in the building?

[Both interesting and encouraging...]

If I had to make a guess of it, yes. If it doesn't require any sort of relay or transfer that can be blocked, it should be perfectly operational. Something that doesn't require an active effort, perhaps? It's a bit tricky to say for sure on that one.

Is there any way you can find out for sure? Run some experiments, some simulations?

[Jack doesn't actually get science that well...]

What you're saying could be the break we need, but we can't act on it unless we're sure or if there's no other choice. A mistake will get hostages killed.

I'd need a copy of the dampening technology, or at least the schematics to make a workable program to estimate it. I doubt Osborn is about to release either to my custody.

I'm afraid my data is very unfortunately hypothetical and anecdotal. The only way to prove it is, well, to ignore what they say about fools rushing in.

Damn it.

[Another high-stakes borderline suicide mission based on scant evidence and imperfect information. Jack hates his life.]

All right, we'll call that our last option if they start killing hostages. I wouldn't expect Osborn to cooperate either, at least not within the timeframe we need.

If and when there is a rescue, we'll need people with medical skills. Not just for the people on our side, but for any surviving terrorists as well. I want at least some of these people alive. I want to find out who they are and what the story is behind this attack.

And even that aside, I'm sure a little brute strength and quick maneuverability would probably come in handy, as well.

You have my sword, as it were.

Day Two, Seventh Hour // Voice

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