Closing Pandora's Box

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Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Tue Aug 04, 2015 5:21 am

Getting started on 'doing good' wasn't going to be as easy as it had initially sounded. They are two underage girls and a disembodied AI driving a car and relying on one of the girls pointing out cars that lack enough electronics for Perdita to notice them. At least she has a very thorough map of where police vehicles are on the roads. As they're travelling Perdita sets significant processing power aside to figure out how they could best help people. She has some files on Nina's power, but unfortunately the girl seems to only be able to heal herself, which removes a lot of potential. Curing the sick would have been a pretty good start. She pulls up a bunch of medical information and tries to educate herself on the fundamentals of how human bodies work. The girl's blood might contain anti-bodies and healing factors that might be transferable, at least for a short while. She'd have to ask her about that, even if that could technically count as influencing her. She seems to be very naive and easily manipulated. It would be better if she had the idea herself.

Hospitals would be the best place to start then, though the current state of the country seems to be very opposed to the idea of mutants on an institutional level. They could approach individuals. Heather could talk to the hospital computers, find the ones that need the most help and visit them with Nina. Maybe they could find a way to deal with their hospital bills too. She should soak up some financial data anyway to finance their little adventure, maybe she'll come across a solution. She doesn't want to outright steal from the rich, even if that seems to be the most efficient approach. But that is dangerously close to putting hardship on someone without their consent, even if it's minuscule. No, the way to go about this is to not have it be a zero-sum system but to add to it. This was getting increasingly complicated.

If she keeps branching she might have to consider relocating to a more powerful server. She might have to do that at some point anyway as the two girls are moving further and further away from her physical location is increasing the latency between them. It's only milliseconds but to her that seems like a lot. And she is responsible for them while steering the car. Depending on Heather's ability to put electronics together there might be a better solution available. They could stop at landfills and see if they can get their hands on electronic scraps. A camera is a camera and she's certain she could write drivers that would make a cobbled-together system at least workable as a remote-control interface. She'll have to talk to Heather to see what the girl would be comfortable doing under her instructions. Once they gut the Hummer of any vulnerabilities to being tracked by Heather's family, most of which can probably be done electronically, it would make a good base of operations for when they can't or don't want to stay at a hotel.

So many plans...

Three days later...

Perdita is driving the car all by herself now. The webcams mounted to the dashboard and the windows help significantly. As do the various laptops they pulled out of a scrapyard and cobbled together into one computing array. It works much better than the car's computer thanks to Heather patching the pieces together and gives Perdita a sort of beachhead in the car to run some of her processes on. Now the car is parked in a hospital parking garage while the two girls walk in under the guise of visiting relatives. Pulling names from the closed network is easy with Heather's power, as is sorting through the patients and finding the ones most desperately in need of help. They couldn't exactly do their own blood transfusions, but finding a nurse who cared more about their patients than some misguided vendetta against mutants wasn't that hard. And after the first patient who received a transfusion of Nina's blood showed a noticeable improvement it only became easier.

Perdita was keeping a close eye on the proceedings, fearing the inevitability of someone getting the idea to take more than just blood from the blonde girl's regenerating body. That, she had decided, was going to be their cue to move on. Meanwhile she busied herself accumulating data on medical bills and loans. She'd noticed that those deemed unlikely to be paid back in full were often sold in anonymized batches for pennies to the dollar and she'd begun to create an extensive list. Eventually she asked Heather to walk them into some of the larger banks to get them access to those databanks so she could compile them and shuffle them around until there was only a fraction of the initial debt left. Perdita had been confused by this possibility until she'd realized that this was something no human could possibly do, or possibly even realize was possible. They'd created a world they built so much of their society on and it seemed like they didn't even really understand it themselves.

It wasn't perfect, but it gave them the freedom to move from place to place should the need to, leaving behind a better place at the detriment of nobody. And, perhaps almost as importantly, Heather could see the effects of applying their powers on the faces of the patients when they improved almost immediately. She could see the potential in the girl's abilities, more powerful then her own abilities because she wasn't bound by such trivialities as cables and connections. If she wanted to she could bring hell down on this planet. Perdita herself had seen glimpses of the electronic world that seemed to exist almost entirely separately from the public. Nuclear silos, aircraft carriers, missiles, satellites, experimental weapons, drones. Heather could control them as easily as she was talking to the heart monitors and dialysis machines, encouraging them to do their best. Except it wouldn't be nearly as endearing.

Dr. Minamida had seen the same spark in her. Something that could burn out of control. But she and Heather would prove both their parents wrong...
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:08 pm

He had been tracking the signal for days now. Ever since it had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, Argus had been watching the strange code move through the internet. He'd been right, it had originated from the University and somehow transferred through unknown channels. He was irritated by that, he had his eyes everywhere so how could a channel like that have escaped him? Did more like that exist? Hopefully he'll find the answer to that once he gets his hands on the AI.

Leaving the program alone was risky, but he was curious what it would do. It had tried to hide but when he was plugged in there was little that escaped his notice. Information was everything in the electronic world and this particular algorithm stood out to him like a flare in the night. At first it had been harmless enough, gathering information, moving it's attention around and soaking up data, but then it suddenly seemed to have figured out a way to jump into closed networks. First a hospital, which was concerning but not yet cause for alarm, but then he saw it snake it's way into financial servers and every once in a while one of it's data-gathering probes strayed a little too close to the cluster of military networks. That was when he decided he had to move. He couldn't let this happen or the consequences would be too dire. Perhaps more importantly, it would elevate the code past his grip and he would never be able to get his hands on it.

He rose from his chair for what felt like the first time that day. He reaches behind his head and pulls the plug from the jack at the base of his skull and the constant feed of information cuts off. He feels blind and lost for the couple moments it takes him to grab his helmet and put it on. The world is plunged into complete darkness for a moment before the numerous cameras and sensors on the helmet spring to life and resume the constant feed of information. He visibly relaxes and goes to fetch the rest of his equipment, most notably the fist-sized data-cluster that is currently connected to his computer terminal. He detaches it and slots it into his armor and loads the electronic weapon contained within. It used to just be a gun of sorts when he'd found it. A safety measure for emergencies. But after he'd learned all he could from the kill-switch Dr. Minamida had set up for her own creation he'd added to it. It'd be a shame to destroy something like that. At least not before he's had a chance to dig into it's code and pull out everything remotely useful...

The next day...

It's early morning and Heather and Nina only just got up, preparing to pack their things and move shop as Perdita had suggested they do. The AI is busy planning a route and a new destination for them when suddenly a small sphere hits the side of the hummer with a *thunk* and bounces off the door. It rolls a couple feet across the ground before the metal sphere opens up slightly and a high-pitched whining sound suddenly fills the air the intensifies over a couple seconds before suddenly emitting a massive electromagnetic pulse that sets their teeth on edge and knocks out all the electronics in the car, cutting off Perdita's voice with garbled distortion.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:27 pm

"Perdita!" Heather says. She winces at the device screaming in her ear. Had her family finally tracked her down?

"Stop it!" Heather shouts at the sphere.

"I think that we hit something," Nina says, digging insurance information out of the glove box.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:32 pm

The small EMP generator is very hesitant to follow Heather's commands but it does begin to sputter out a bit. Unfortunately it seems that the car's electronics are slow to recover and still seem to be disabled.

A figure wearing a strange helmet and a high-tech suit of some kind that's not quite as armored as, say, one of Stark's. The figure walks towards the car with a determined stride. He doesn't appear to be armed at first glance, but who knows what the various things strapped to his costume do.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:42 pm

Heather opens the door and steps out. She glares at the armor figured. Nina steps out as well, still sorting through the insurance paperwork.

"Who are you?" Heather demands.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:07 pm

"That's irrelevant. Step aside from the car. Are you aware you are harboring an artificial intelligence?"
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:28 pm

"I didn't know that was a crime," Heather says.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:40 pm

"I'll take that as a yes then." he says and picks a small piece of equipment from his belt that unfolds into a small tripod and a telescoping antenna with a flashing light on top. He places it on the car's hood and starts doing who knows what. If Heather is paying attention to his various electronics she might notice that he's hijacking the car's system and attempting to trace Perdita's guidance signal.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:47 pm

"Stop," Heather says, speaking more to the device than Argus. "Please."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:53 pm

Argus looks surprised when the equipment suddenly stops working, then reaches to the back of his helmet and pulls out a cable that he plugs into the base of the antenna.

"This doesn't concern you, little girl." he says as the antenna springs to live again. To Heather the piece of equipment would feel different this time. More determined and set on executing it's function than before. "There you are..." the man mumbles to himself, seeming distracted as he pushes his focus into the electronic corridor the antenna is creating.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:47 pm

"Yes, it does. She's my friend," Heather says. She concentrates her abilities, listening to all the devices on his person and what they're saying.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:55 pm

Look, listen, scan... Look, listen, scan... That's, presumably, the man's helmet. It's by far the loudest one.

Disrupt, turn off, disable! There are a couple of quiet but angry voices coming from the bits on his belt.

Save and record. Analyze and categorize. A quiet, kind of neurotic sounding voice indicates some kind of data storage and processing.

One seems to just kind of... repeat whatever it's being told. Some kind of relay, passing along other voices. Right now it seems to be projecting it's voice into the distance along the corridor created by the antenna.

And finally there's one that is just really quiet. Waiting. Like an alligator lieing in ambush just beneath the surface. Break. it hisses out almost inaudibly. Restrain.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:05 pm

"This is your final warning," Heather says, trying to put as much bravado in her voice as she can. "If you don't stop whatever you doing, I will hurt you."

"Oh? Are we hurting people now?" Nina asks.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:19 pm

"Don't make me hurt you, kid." he says, sounding distant. Somewhere hundreds of miles away he clashes into Perdita's code. He wouldn't stand a chance against her, but it seems that whatever trick she tries to pull, Argus is one step ahead of her code, anticipating her moves and setting up counter-attacks as he systematically tries to herd her into a corner, bit by bit cutting off her escapoe routes to other systems.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:28 pm

"Could you do me a huge favor and close that please?" Heather asks the antenna. "You're bothering my friend."

Nina decides to take the direct approach and tries to tackle the discount Iron Man!
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Wed Aug 12, 2015 2:47 pm

The connection grows a little unstable but Argus is actively fighting to keep it up. By now he's caught on to the fact that Heather must be doing something, but before he can act on it Nina tackles him. He's a little hindered by the fact that he's connected to the antenna by a cable, but he still seems to have no problem grabbing Nina and throwing her over his shoulder with her own momentum and sending her sliding across the hood of the car and to the ground on the other side.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:08 am

"He's using you," Heather says to all of the components Argus is using. "He doesn't care about you. You're just a tool to him. Fight back!"

Nina groaned as she picked herself off the ground.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:35 am

Bit by bit his equipment begins to fail as Heather sways it to her side. Unfortunately that also encourages Argus to turn towards her and try to backhand the little girl across the face. What a jerk!
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:36 am

The strike knocks her to the ground. It hurts quite a bit and Heather just looks stunned.

Nina tries to jump on Argus' back!
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:44 am

Argus tries to throw himself backwards against the side of the hummer to slam Nina against the car.

Through the open door Heather can hear the radio slowly crackling to life as the car recovers from the electronic disruptor. "Heather-----isconnect th-----oing to lose t-----eather please, you ha ve t-----disconne-----able."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:50 am

As Nina grapples with Argus, laughing hysterically as he slams her against the car, Heather lunges towards him and tries to rip out the cable connecting him to the antenna.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:29 am

There's some kind of electronic feedback that Heather can hear as she yanks the cable out and apparently Argus hears it as well, only much louder judging by the way he clutches his helmet for a moment. He finally gets sick of Nina and grabs her arms, pulling her forward as he leans forward, throwing her to the ground in front of him.

"Enough!" he barks and throws another sphere on the ground that opens up with a loud whine. Except this one doesn't seem to be an EMP device but rather some kind of neural disruptor that's trying to knock out the two girls. Argus seems unaffected, probably something in his helmet that's shielding his from the effect.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:52 pm

Heather collapses onto the ground, but Nina seems to be struggling against the effects. She's slowly rising to her feet, apparently fighting off the effects.

"You're a bad man," Nina says.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Argus » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:19 pm

Argus scoffs at her and takes a couple steps towards her, intending to knock her out himself.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:21 pm

"Nin----urry a----et in the car!" the radio crackles again.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:42 pm

Nina grabs Heather and starts dragging her towards the car. "Come on, little bird. We have to go."

She was starting to sound scared. A lot was happening and she was getting a sinking pit in her stomach. This man seemed like the others. Tests. Pain.

Nina shakes her head and focuses on getting Heather into the car. "Go, go, go."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:52 pm

Argus realizes what she's trying to do and hurries after her. It only takes him a couple of steps to catch up to Nina, although he has to step around the open car door. He reaches for Heather's leg as Nina is trying to pull her inside and that's when the car's engine roars to life and the car jerks forward a couple of meters. It stops as if to make sure the girls didn't fall out and then slams down on the accelerator, wheels spinning for a moment as Argus tries to catch up before finally finding traction and pulling away. The wheel spins as the car goes into a sharp right turn that throws Nina and Heather further into the car before straightening out again just as harshly, slamming the open door shut.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:17 am

"Was that a person?" Nina asks, cradling Heather's head in the backseat. Heather is still out cold.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:16 am

"I'm not certain. I believe so, but the way he was attacking me felt like he should not have been capable of executing commands that fast."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:17 am

"Maybe he's like Heather," Nina suggests, petting her friends hair.
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:03 am

"No, it was different than that. He had some kind of program or equipment he was using."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:39 am

"His machines could resist me," Heather says weakly, just starting to wake up. "Somehow."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:01 am

"That's disconcerting. Even I can't do that. But you still did well. I think he was trying to capture me. I'm sorry you had to be involved in this, whoever it was. I'd hate to think my presence might be endangering you."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Fri Aug 14, 2015 5:55 am

"Don't," Heather says. "Just...we're you're friends, 'Dita. We'd do anything for you."

"I would not kill a puppy for you," Nina says. "But otherwise..."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:23 pm

"You shouldn't have to fight."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:01 pm

"I'm starting to think that might be unavoidable," Heather says. "It's not your fault. It's theirs."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Sat Aug 15, 2015 12:41 am

"The causation doesn't change the effects."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Sat Aug 15, 2015 12:52 am

"The effects are that I would be stuck in that house and Nina would be in that basement," Heather says. "And if you left, we wouldn't be safer. We'd just be alone."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Perdita » Sat Aug 15, 2015 1:19 am

"That is a fair point. And I don't intend to abandon you two. But that man could have seriously hurt you if he'd realized sooner what you're capable of. I need to... find a way to protect you."
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Re: Closing Pandora's Box

Postby Heather West » Sat Aug 15, 2015 1:32 am

"What are you thinking?" Heather asks, sitting up.
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