A CYOA in Worm or I think my name is No No

Reader mode
Regent is being pretty open about having a connection to Heartbreaker, isn't he? I figured he'd never say that under threat of torture.
 
Authors Update
  • Informational
    • So, little bit of an update on whats going on here,
    First, i'm still kicking, my muse has just been decidedly distracted with a new story that i'm only posting on QQ and AO3, If you want to look for it the title is "Simple Substitutions" and its a Battletech SI

    Second, with my muse being distracted, that of course means that this story, and any others have been put on the back burner
    Third, and particular to this story, i want to have the entire chapter written so that i can post it in a series of daily posts to cover the chapter. a bit different than what i normally do for postings, but its a matter of this is our big crossover chapter, so i don't want to leave people hanging.

    Other stories of course are in the same situation as this one due to aforementioned muse, they will also be seeing updates as soon as i can drag my brain back to those stories
     
  • Informational
    • Hear Ye Hear Ye
  • Informational
    • Hear Ye Hear Ye let it all be known that the author of this story is not yet deceased, but simply distracted by his other stories and RL issues.
    Forthwith, notice is hereby given that there will be no further updates to this story before Christmas, (December 24,) 2023.
    It is with hope that the author commends to you and yours a happy holidays for the intervening time frame and will hopes to offer you a pleasant New Year with a chapter or two.
     
  • Informational
    • Chapter 10 Crossovers
  • Threadmarks
    • And we're somewhat back. didn't get the chapter completely done, but i have enough that i'm comfortable to start posting it. Hope you all enjoy.

    Part 1-Crossovers

    **Michael Weston**

    Boston is a great city full of money, history, and little nameless places to do business in thanks to the various mafia influences over the years. On top of this it also has a waterfront that even in the age of Leviathan does so much business that the combined efforts of the harbor patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, and the offices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service can only inspect maybe ten percent of the materials moved through the port. Thus it is the next best thing to a free and open port for a smuggler, it is a buyable port.

    The meeting, contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, was not taking place in a seedy waterfront dive bar or warehouse, but a well-lit conference room in the FBI headquarters, where all the players could show their own contributions to the cause. Looking around as we entered the room, I could see a Coast Guard dress uniform standing shoulder to shoulder with men in both expensive and relatively cheap suits. We were greeted by a bubbly blonde twenty-something who smiled as she offered her hand. "You must be Michael Weston and his team," the blonde said shaking hands all around. "My name is Annie Walker, Joan has told me all about you."

    "I doubt she told you everything," I said with a smile most often seen on used car salesmen.

    She hummed a moment as she started to lead us to where we would be seated at the table before continuing. "I don't know," she said. "Joan showed me your team's files and allowed me to read them. I have quite a few questions, especially about your action in Guatemala and who you were there with."

    "Guatemala?" I said shooting Sam a glance even as he looked at me with a touch of what could be taken as fear in his eyes. "We don't talk about Guatemala,"

    Annie frowned and Sam added, "Yeah, Guatemala was not pretty, so we don't talk about it."

    Annie sighed but nodded, "I understand," she said as we sat down. "I only ask because most of the operation file has been so heavily redacted that you cannot make heads or tails of it. On top of that, you and Mister Axe here are the only personnel still available to be found to talk about it with. Everyone else involved in it has had their files removed from the normal HR location and put in a red file box for long term storage."

    I frowned even as Sam let out a low toned whistle. "Yeah," he said, "I could see those guys getting a RED designation, and Guatemala was the kind of mission that would get you that level of you don't exist anymore."

    "Word of advice," I said catching her attention. "Don't try and talk to them." She looked at me and blinked. "That file box," I continued with a small shake of my head, "the people who end up in it, the government wants them to lay low and stay out of the limelight, and they usually agree. They don't want to talk about their missions, not just because they are classified, but because they were not pretty. So let them enjoy their retirement."

    "I will," she said with a smile before leaving us to go join Joan and a brown-haired young man a little further down the table.

    "I wonder who she is?" Fiona mused, earning a raised eyebrow from Sam Jesse and myself. "In the grand scheme of things." Another look from the lot of us and she broke down and simply asked. "What is she doing here?"

    "Annie Walker is Joan's new project," Jesse said from his seat as he sat down. "Her golden child. Rumor had it just before things went to hell for me that Joan had pulled someone straight from training, without them finishing I might add, to go on a mission as a contact for a target. Caused all kinds of waves up and down the chain for it, most of which calmed down when she pulled the mission off after it went pear shaped. She's got contacts all throughout the near and middle east along with parts of Western Asia, is pan-linguistic…"

    "And quite the perky, bubbly personality to help get people to talk," I finished as I watched her lean down to look more closely at something on the brunet's computer screen. "She's probably being groomed for upper management through her field work so that she has the contacts she needs to be able to handle the next level of problems. My question is, who's the stone-cold guy that is handling the computer with her and Joan?"

    Jesse and the others watched as the blonde pushed a strand of hair back over her ear right in front of him with no reaction before she drew back to show the brunet's face and causing Jesse to smile. "That," he said as his grin filled his face. "Is Augustus Anderson, I took his place in Lebanon when he was blinded by a grenade during an operation. I need to go say hello to him and thank him for the prep work he did there. Kept me from getting sent home in a pine box."

    "Let me get this straight," Fiona said holding her hand up to keep Jesse with us for the moment. "They have a blind tech guy. How does he do analysis?"

    "Very well," Jesse answered. "I worked with him some even after Lebanon, he's solid."

    "Mike and I have seen weirder," Sam said as he settled into his seat. "The question is though, where's the rest of the party?"

    As if on cue, the remaining two men that were expected walked into the meeting room and everyone else took their seats. "Apologies for being late folks," the one in the nicer suit remarked. "We had to deal with an unforeseen problem that cropped up."

    "What kind of problem?" one of the two people in PRT jackets asked.

    **

    "Thank you for coming to meet with me on such short notice," the masked villain behind the desk remarked as they walked into the office. "I apologize for pulling you away so close to what is sure to be your own meeting over tomorrow night's operation."

    Neil looked at Peter even as Accord gestured for the pair of them to sit in the tasteful visitor's chairs. "I would ask how you came upon that information," Peter started only for the parahuman to wave away his concern.

    "Kaiser called me to inform me that he would be in my city making a purchase in person," Accord replied answering the question. "It's a small courtesy that we extend to each other if we find that we have to be in another villain's territory. Still, since I had no clue about such an auction I did a little digging, to make sure that no one was trying to slide something past me in my own city."

    "Well, I at least apologize if we've overstepped our bounds here," Neal said, keeping Peter from having to say something that could be taken as the government apologizing. "With it being a government operation, we honestly didn't think to involve you in it."

    "I accept your apology," Accord said inclining his head. "I would however like to assist if it would not throw your own plans out of the window, so to speak."

    "How so?" Peter asked, apparently mollified, about the villain's source of information.

    "I have never particularly cared for Kaiser's politics," Accord replied. "His father was at least honest about what he believed, but Kaiser, well, he is just in it for the power. Therefore, I will lend legitimacy to your operation by attending the auction. You will of course, arrest me along with everyone else in the building, I already have a plan in place for my lawyers to extract me from PRT custody."

    "Of course, sir," Neal replied. "And what would you like in return for your assistance?"

    "The artwork for the auction," Accord remarked. "Are they the actual originals, or forgeries?"

    "The artworks are forgeries," Peter remarked, "excellent ones in fact according to our experts. The memorabilia however are authentic, a ruse that we are using to help sell the authenticity of the artwork itself."

    "Then from the pieces that you are putting up for auction, I would like to have the "Triptych of the Nativity" and "Starry Night", Accord said with a smile. "Even as forgeries they would be excellent additions to my collection."

    "I will make sure you have them," Neal said with a smile. "Even if I have to remake them myself."

    Accord blinked at that and then smiled. "You are a man of many talents Mister Caffrey," the villain remarked as he stood up, the meeting clearly over. "I would hate to face you across the negotiation table," he finished holding out his hand.

    "I feel quite the same," Neal replied taking the hand in his own and shaking it.

    **

    "That could have gotten ugly," the PRT man said as he looked at the pair. "We were specifically trying to not poke Accord with this sting operation."

    "And yet he caught on to it anyway," the slicker of the two feebs returned. "He is going to play it straight though; do we have confirmation on all the targets that everyone wants to catch?"

    "For the most part," Joan replied. "Our sources have confirmed that persons of interest from Germany, Argentina and Chile are on the move and will be in Boston tomorrow for the auction. As soon as they shift their money to the fake account, that we are using for the auction we will begin backtracking their money to their sources and directing the local authorities on where to go and whom to arrest."

    "And what about our little side gig?" Sam asked before looking around the table. "I mean, I know we're not a part of the main gig, but what can you tell us about what we're doing?"

    "Your target has already been informed of his impending extraction," the PRT man answered. "His initial extraction will be by the Ninja team from Brockton Bay's Wards, who will hand him off to you while his stepmother is in overwatch to ensure that none of the rest of the Empire notice or take action."

    **
    **Taylor**
    Arcadia High School
    13:50

    The bell rang and I glanced at Akane and gave her a nod. She nodded back before we both looked at Katie who nodded at us in turn. Then as we left the classroom, we separated instead of leaving together. I took the short route, passing through the front doors and out the front gates to where a completely normal black panel van sat waiting. Climbing inside I could see both Battery and Assault waiting for me in the back while a PRT agent in civilian clothes drove. "How are things going?" Battery asked as the side door slammed shut and I strapped myself in.

    "Right on schedule," I replied as I watched both Akane and Katie through my insects. "Akane has just sat down at the basketball game that Greg drug Theo into and Katie is approaching the town car that would normally take him home." The older heroine nodded as I watched. "Go ahead and circle around to the far corner of the student lot," I continued. "She should be exiting the lot by the time we get there."

    "Roger," the driver replied before putting the van in gear and, checking traffic, pulled out into the flow of weekend traffic.

    **

    **Katie**

    I walked up to the passenger side of the town car before resting my hands on top and leaning in the passenger window. "Hey Michaelson," I said to the senior that was sitting there waiting. "How's it hanging?"

    "Get lost Fleisher," he growled half ignoring me. "I don't talk to traitors."

    "Geez," I replied to the hostility. "I'm just here to tell you that Theo is going to be a little late, my boyfriend drug him into a pickup game over at the ball court, that's all. I've gotta go to work so I'll see you around, right?"

    "You're keeping an eye on him right," the thug said not looking over at her. "Making sure no one hurts him?"

    "You mean Theo," I asked, genuine empathy coming from me. "Of course I am, nobody wants that chubby little cinnamon roll to get hurt except maybe his father. Theo's a good kid you know."

    "Yeah, I do," Michaelson replied with a sigh. "Just make sure no one hurts him, ok. Do that, and you and me, we'll stay square."

    "Sure thing man," I said tapping the roof of the car and starting to walk away.

    "Hey Fleisher," Michaelson called out causing me to turn back for a moment. "Keep them straight out there." I gave him a thumbs up as I walked the rest of the way out of the parking lot and to a black panel van that had just pulled to a stop. Climbing inside I looked at Taylor, "We doing good?" I asked.

    "Fine," she huffed out in annoyance. "But I might have to hurt your boyfriend after this."

    **

    **Akane**
    Theo Anders was gasping for breath five minutes into the game, and practically dead on his feet by ten minutes. Five minutes later he was calling a time out and staggering over to where I was sitting on the bleachers. "I'll tag in for you," I told him, catching his attention even as I shoved the folded slip of paper into his hands. "Catch your breath and stretch out some, you'll cramp up if you just go to a cold stop."

    Numbly he nodded taking the slip of paper and started walking a circle around the bleachers as I joined in the basketball game. The sport was not my favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but I could play it well enough. "Check in," Carlos said as I watched Greg cover Chris. I nodded and when he bounced the ball to me, I bounced it right back before charging toward him and stealing the ball. From the look on his face, he wasn't expecting the charge, or the steal. This allowed me to break left and spin into a fading jump shot. I missed, which was half the reason I didn't like playing basketball, but Greg got the rebound and passed it back out to me. Dribbling around the outside of the circle I then passed it back to Greg who set it up almost like it was a volleyball, only for me to charge in and slam it through the basket.

    "Alright," Theo said looking a little better for apparently having gotten a little water and walked around to stretch out. "I think I can take back over, thanks Akane." I nodded to him and gave him five, tagging him back into the game. "Oh, and Akane," he said causing me to turn around as I reached the bleachers and my book bag. "Tell Taylor that I'll see her tomorrow, like she asked."

    "I will," I answered even as Greg started to rib Theo about him and Taylor maybe being an item. I rolled my eyes and after gathering my stuff, walked off the outdoor courts and out to the street where I met the black panel van that was there to pick us up. I entered the van just in time to hear Taylor threaten Greg to Katie.

    **

    **Michael Weston**

    "So, we are just the getaway drivers," I commented with a smile and nodding. "Is there anything we should plan for just in case?"

    "Current expectations are as follows," the PRT man said keying the screen behind him to life and showing images of six different people. "We expect Max Anders, currently believed to be Kaiser, to take Jessica and Vanessa Bierman, along with James Fleisher with him to Boston as cover for the auction. The Bierman sisters are believed to be Menja and Fenja, while Fleisher, we are told is the villain Krieg. Also with them, but maybe not staying for the auction itself are Michael and Ophelia Carver. We believe that they are Victor and Othala respectively, and while Victor is likely to be brought in to verify the authenticity of the auction items, we do not expect the pair of them to stay."

    "What about expectations for Brockton Bay?" Jesse asked and the PRT man nodded,

    "With Purity out of the picture," he said changing the image to seven new images, "we expect most of the Empire's forces to either be laying low or watching over Medhall."

    **

    "And what are you doing?" Theo spun around at the sound of his father's voice in his doorway as he stood there considering the clothes he had laid out on his bed.

    "I was asked out for tomorrow evening father," Theo answered forcing himself to stay calm. He was less than thirty-six hours from getting out of this hellish existence and all he had to do was keep calm. "I was looking through my clothes to see what would be appropriate for a group outing with some of my classmates."

    "Oh!" Max Anders said, his eyebrows rising as he looked at his son. "And who has asked my son out on a date?"

    "Taylor Hebert," Theo answered, standing there at not quite attention. "The group is supposed to include Katie and her boyfriend Greg Veder as well as the Dallon sisters and Dean Stansfield."

    Theo's father nodded at the list. "I don't know the Veder boy, but I have at least laid eyes on miss Hebert and you could definitely do worse than to cultivate a relationship with her," the elder Anders remarked. "Sophia and Gustav will be here when you return tomorrow evening after your outing as I will be in Boston and will likely be there until morning." Theo nodded so his father continued. "And wear the light blue shirt with the dark blue suit, it doesn't make you look as washed out as the rest of them do."

    "Yes sir," Theo answered, then receiving a nod from his father he watched as the man turned and left. Great, Theo thought, Night and Fog are going to be waiting up for me. he started collecting the other clothes, leaving out the clothes his father had suggested and then froze mid-stride as he realized, They are going to be waiting a long time since I'm not coming back. The smile that spread across his face at that point could be classified as vicious as he placed the hangered clothes back on their rack and went in search of an appropriate t-shirt to wear under the suit so that he could ditch most of it once he was clear of the house.

    **
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Welp there is going to be a lot of interesting events going off at once. Things will be interesting in the near future.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top