The computer is still here, but the hard drive is designed to be taken away when whoever used it leaves. Or it.. hasn't been added in yet. I mean, the dust implies that it's been abandoned again but it might just mean that they're not that bothered about cleaning.
Heathens.
Seriously, PCs don't like dust. Too much build-up and it can foul fans, clog drive motors... Never mind the fire risk in hot spots.
Someone drilled a hole into the lift area to attach a power source, but like with everything else they took it with them. Or… They're a power-generating metahuman, but usually someone trying to channel lightning into any sort of electrical cable causing scorching as the voltage is far too high.
That would be a vexingly weak power, or a phenomenal amount of control over discharged energy.
Anyway, whatever cable they used is gone and the impression left on the system isn't unique enough to allow me to draw any conclusions.
And that's just about it. No personal mementos, or maps and calendars with conveniently circled locations or dates.
Safe bet that's all in the head of Lonnie. It's a safe bet he did this, or was involved somehow.
Johanna looks around the room. "It is strange."
"How so?"
"After you told me that it was normal to ask for help, you are trying to investigate this yourself."
To be fair, Johanna... Well, are
you trained in crime scene investigation? And could you know what you're looking for down here?
"Not time critical. And rest assured, I will be passing this over to Batman if I can't find anything."
Except… He's busy. Richard or Beryl should be available at this time of day, though they might have their own missions…
There's got to be someone the League can call in. Though I dread what might happen if the
Question gets involved here, assuming he's recovered from serving as part of the initial broadcast.
"Ah, look. Clearly you-." NO! "Clearly I inadvertently insulted your competence. I apologise."
She glances at me for a moment, then goes back to examining the room. "Do you want to keep talking about this?"
It's kind of an OL thing. He always likes to get along with co-workers...
"Poor interpersonal relations are likely to have a deleterious impact-."
"It reminds me of one of the American terrorist bases. Except that they always leave one of the old American flags on the wall. And here, there is nothing."
True, not even an anarchist emblem. You know, the 'A in a circle' icon?
"Resistance on your Earth is intensely ideological. There can't be all that many people left who even remember pre-War America. Whoever did this didn't feel the need to taunt the Justice League."
"Anarky?"
Maybe he didn't feel like vandalising the place?
"I don't know. Some of the other footprints look older, and some look more recent. No, sorry… Stupid. He's nine. He wouldn't be physically strong enough to move the equipment. Which… Doesn't mean that he wasn't working with someone."
"Normal strength or improved strength?"
I mean, how big was some of the equipment? I know some
X-Ray machines can be compact, but...
"There's no sign of lifting equipment, so I'd guess super strength. Except… Without a teleportation system they'd have to bring everything in piece by piece. People… Might have noticed all the comings and goings, but… In a neighbourhood like this I'm not sure that anyone would have commented."
Especially if it happened during the Anti-Life event. Even after... Well, people in places like this tend to consider inquisitiveness a social faux pas.
"Are there no flakes of skin or hair?"
"Sure, plenty. By default this isn't airtight, and several Justice League members came here before it was mothballed." I sigh. "And my ring scans still aren't working, and I haven't found the focus for the spell or the device that's causing the interference."
Johanna could help with that, make a sweep at speed. Though you might have to clean the dust out or her breeze might make for a cloudy moment.
"What happens if we restore power?"
"Stuff starts working again. The computer was removed, so while the intruder detection systems are still here there's nothing for them to report to. The automatic defences are disarmed, and I haven't seen any sign that they've been restored to operational status. The floor and walls are too intact for there to have been major structural work, which means no nuclear self-destruct or anything like that."
A fairly low-security facility, then, even before decommissioning.
I shake my head, pulling a bleed torsion generator out of subspace.
"At least it will put the lift back into operation."
As long as you keep an eye on the lift. Someone could be hiding from your ring scans, just waiting for you to plug it in.
Alright, internal generator used to be here… Use a construct to double check the proper current just in case Batman sleep-rewired the entire place… No, it's still to specification. So, plug-.
Heh.
So, construct barrier around both of us, then plug it in.
Just in case there's a booby-trap or something, eh?
Nothing happens.
Okay, good. Now throw the light switches?
Johanna winces slightly as the main lights come on and the emergency lights turn off.
That'll make a room-by-room sweep easier.
Three, two…
…
No? Nothing?
Expecting trouble, OL? Not surprised, this would have been a perfect moment.
…
Alright, I… guess we're leaving, then. I-.
There's a very quiet noise from the lift shaft.
Ah-hah! Someone
was lurking here!
Scan says that there's no one inside, but that's clearly bullshit. Active scans risk being detected, and… Between the two of us there aren't all that many things on Earth we can't take in a fight. Fewer that would bother to use a lift.
I dismiss the construct bubble, and Johanna moves to flank the lift exit as I swap to my heavier armour.
But is it going up or coming down? Going by the lack of making for the surface, I'd say it's descending.
Let's see who this is.
The lift doors open and-. I have no idea who that is. Male, Caucasian, square face, black hair with a short Mohawk. He's wearing faded orange corduroy trousers and a blue t-shirt-.
Hmm... Not sure if a notable character or not. Only mohawked characters I recognise in DC are
Nuklon/Atom Smasher or the
Buddy Blank OMAC. And the colours are definitely a callback to
that one.
It's not particularly cold, but it's not really comfortable t-shirt only weather.
He stand there, completely calm, as he sees me.
Definitely augmented, then. Or he's one of those fellows who toughs it out to seem macho.
"You're not authorised to be in here."
"I am Orange Lantern. I am investigating-."
Despite what he said, if he's League-affiliated, he should recognise Orange lantern by the sigils if nothing else.
There's a blue and red blur, then he and Johanna crash into the side wall hard enough to crater the concrete!
Darn it, I-. Okay, super speed and probably super toughness. The first can be countered with a vertigo inducer but I'm not sure about the second.
Quick-setting containment foam of some kind?
Dust explodes around them as Johanna evades his punches, dirt from the floor being joined by concrete fragments as I get an idea of exactly how strong he is.
"Blitzen, back."
Sturdy manacles might also work, especially if you can force him into a low-leverage position when you put them on. Because super-strong doesn't always translate to super-flexing, whatever iconic Superman covers might suggest.
I throw out the vertigo inducer before I get past the 'z', and she's responded before the inducer lands. The man-. He's grown, his clothes now tighter around his bulked up muscles. He looks around as he notices that Johanna isn't there any more, then staggers as the inducer gets to work on his inner ear.
"Okay, who-?"
His eyes flicker and the inducer explodes!
Was definitely leaning more towards Albert Rothstein, then. Size expansion was one of his powers alongside the strength/durability thing... Except he couldn't make things explode with a look.
Oh no, she's getting ideas.
