[complete] X-FORCE: Prologue
Who: Bulma Briefs (notpanties ) and Logan [Wolverine] (aintpretty ).
Where: Gohl Ave. Garage.
When: September 15th, evening.
Rating: Uh.. PG for mild swearing.
Summary: Wolverine approaches Bulma about an upcoming project.
the log:
The sun was beginning to set. Logan frowned as he looked up at the sky, wondering if he was starting this too late. Bulma had said that any time was fine by her, and the ideas he had couldn't wait any longer. He'd been sitting on them from practically the moment he'd arrived. He inhaled deeply, beginning to walk in the direction of the garage. He couldn't be bothered to stop moving, despite the prowling monsters that were looming in the streets. Everything about this place was grating on his last nerves. All he could do was hope that this girl he'd spoken to over the communicators could actually prove to be useful in one way or another.
It seemed like he'd been walking for eternity, but the gruff mutant soon made his way to the garage, or at least, what he assumed to be it. He wasn't really sure. He didn't know Bulma's scent, and even if he did, the chip prevented him from really being able to track much of it. His senses were dulled down. None of that was really important at that particular time though. He let out a slightly frustrated grumble, stopping in front of the garage's door. There was no way he was barging into any place where a girl was alone. He knew better.
The week had gone from horrible, to fantastic, to downright strange for Bulma, and she had taken to her work almost immediately in reaction to it. Her mood held up well, despite all the chaos that seemed far away, concentrated on the central part of the city itself. She'd long since begun to outright ignore her communicator for that reason. Even when Trunks sad he was coming home, she hadn't tried to respond. She felt bad for it, of course, but at the moment, she wasn't exactly into the idea of going home to face her future son--if that was what he really was.
Her thoughts were disrupted by the low rumble of Logan's voice. It was distant, but close enough for her to pick up on it. The garage door was locked and sealed, and Bulma was hesitant to let nayone who sounded like that in. Still, it sounded nothing like the sniffer dogs, nor like any of the guys she knew.
Exchanging the blueprints in her grip for one of her guns, Bulma moved toward the garage door carefully, inhaling sharply when she stopped in front of it. "Who's there?"
Logan couldn't help but smirk at her security measures. She was definitely smart to realize that anyone could be a potential threat. Cautious. It certainly was something he'd never been good at, but was able to respect it after working under Scott Summers for years. For all of Bulma's caution, she was a small fry compared to him. Or at least, that's how he saw it. She had a bit to learn, but already, she was on the right track.
"It's Logan," He stated simply. His voice was gruff, and clearly so from years of smoking. Sure, he'd kicked the habit, but he'd been done it for so long... maybe even longer than he could possible remember. He folded his arms over his chest as he waited. He was clad in only a white undershirt, his pants and boots, making his short stature and hairy physique quite obvious. It probably wasn't the best way for a guy like him to make a good first impression, but he was never really good at that anyway. When your first words to someone are 'Ya fell right into the trap, bub,' followed by the SNIKT of his claws, first impressions aren't easily forgotten. "Don't worry darlin', I ain't gonna kill ya."
She tensed for a moment, before her shoulders eased and she lowered her gun into it's holster on her belt. Kneeling down, she grabbed the handle that opened the garage door and pulled it upward, slowly at first, before pushing it above her head and offering Logan a smile. He was a lot shorter than she thought he'd be. He spoke tall. Either way, she greeted him, and stepped back to let him in.
"Hey, Logan! You've got fantastic timing, you know." She nodded toward the desk that she'd managed to drag into the garage--rather, someone else had, but she'd asked them to--indicating the stacks of blueprints for several ideas that she had thrown on the backburner for the past few weeks. "I've got a few new things in the works over there." With the generators near-completion, she was already working on her next five steps ahead in Discedo, and she couldn't wait to start on them. "So, what's up?"
As he walked in, Logan took a look around the place. It was no X-Mansion, but it had it's bit of charm. The same charm that Bulma had. He could see she put everything into whatever projects she was working on. It was admirable. It was surprising to him to see her, though. He knew she was young based on her speech patterns, but he hadn't anticipated that she'd be the same age as his student's at the Xavier School.
The blueprints, the paperwork, the gadgets and tools. All of it reminded him of being home. If home even still existed. It it hadn't been destroyed in the short time he'd been gone. It was unlikely, but being gone, who could ever really know? It didn't matter. Now wasn't the time to think about it. He leaned against one of the tables in the garage, his arms still folded as he looked at her. "Wanted to talk to ya 'bout some stuff. Information on the scientist. Coupla ideas I got a-brewin'. Got a minute?"
"Yeah, sure." Bulma looked around, before she moved past him and dragged a chair over to her desk, setting it a few feet away from her own. The chairs themselves were beaten and used, remnants of what could have been gum at some point stuck to the bottom. Bulma had made a point of taking a few chairs from the high school, but not many. Three was fine, for the limited space that they had. With Ohura taking up a full corner of the garage, they only had so much to work with.
"I have a few ideas too, so, you go first." She moved to sit back into the chair that she was previously occupying, crossing her legs at her knees and pulling her notepad from the desk.
"Alright," He stated. He grabbed the spare chair, flipping it around and sitting backwards in it. He draped his arms over the chair, looking Bulma square in the face as he began to speak. "To keep it short, I ain't havin' these scientists usin' us fer their sick little pleasures. So I wanna handle things like I would back home."
Logan paused for a moment, giving Bulma time to process what he was saying. "Lotta weird stuff like this happened back home. We got a few teams who take care o'th big threats. The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, an' my group, the X-Men. We had another team a while back. Called 'em the X-Force. Secret ops. Undercover. Nobody speakin' a word about 'em so they can get their jobs done without worryin' about what the populace thinks. I wanna do somethin' like that here. The reason I'm comin' to you is ya seem ta have a handle on technology. I know stuff on my world, but it doesn't help much here. Need a way to keep in contact without usin' the communicators. I don't trust these scientists. Anythin' we're sayin' on 'em, filtered or not, they're readin'. I know it."
Given the circumstances, Bulma was ready for any kind of change. Anything to put a real end to what was going on with Walter, Azula, and more importantly, the scientists themselves. She frowned at the very thought of them. Wolverine's propsal was right up her alley, though, and she immediately took to brainstorming; things like that came natural to her. She'd start a plan, run it a few times in her head to analyze it, cancel ideas, note a few new ones, and write it all out. She crossed her arms as she remained sitting, tapping one finger onto her elbow.
"That's what I was thinking. I'm also pretty sure that they've implemented tracking devices into our communicators, which means they probably know that we're here right now. It's something I mentioned a while ago to a friend of mine. If you want a new communication system, we'll need to get to work immediately. I'd need new materials to build them out of--cell phones, walkie-talkies, anything you can find--but I'll also need something to program the frequency on, too, which means I need a working computer. Once the high school is powered, we might have that kind of thing in the computer labs, so that shouldn't be too hard. The range probably wouldn't last outside of the city, but it would work for what you'd need, I think."
"Wouldn't put it past those hoosiers to do somethin' like that. I wouldn't be opposed to leavin' 'em somewhere so they can't find us," He paused processing the rest of the turquoise-haired teen's words. He smirked in her general direction. She was a genius if he ever saw one. She would have fit in well in the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Stark Industries. Another time, he'd tell her all about those place. Bulma was sure to love it. "I got a cell phone on me, but that ain't gonna be enough fer what I got planned. At worst, we're gonna need three. At best, twenty. S'a lot, but considerin' nobody's phones're workin' here, we may be able to get people to give 'em up. Here's the thing - I don't think they're within city limits."
The smirk that had made its way onto his face had disappeared, replaced by by an intense, fierce look in the man's eyes. Logan wasn't messing around now. "When we went to the mountains, we were cut off. It looked deliberate. An' I think they have a hand in manipulatin' the weather patterns too. These guys are force to be reckoned with, they got a lotta power and technology on their side. We got a whole lotta crazies. We need ta weed 'em out, pick the best fit fer what we're doin'... an' make sure they can keep a secret. The last thing we need is this gettin' out all over the city, 'specially if we're plannin' on creatin' some new technology to a long with it."
"That's the major problem, then. I heard talk about referring to new maps, but I haven't seen any from the mountans themselves. I can help you guys plan a route, but I also have a few others ideas.." she trailed off, before scooting forward and slipping he rhand into her back pocket. Holdng her arm out in front of him, she presented her Dragon Radar, a grin playing upon her lips. "I used this back home to track down the dragon balls. I can re-program it to use as a tracking device for field work and missions, but I'd need to know exactly what the team would want to focus on--locations of our own would be the easiest. If Reno lets me take two computers, I can program tiny chips to make our communicators function on their own network, with their own tracking chips. If the teams move out together, we'd only need three. Making more would take time, and I'd need more backup to mass-produce these things, especially since I don't know what I'm working with yet. But it'd help keep a track on our team locations, I think. Wouldn't that be cool?"
As calm as she was trying to be, the idea of being a part of any kind of covert operations group was pretty exciting. Bulma wasn't into the idea of going out and fighting on her own, but helping out with computers and technology was right up her alley.
"If you're looking for team members, I know a few really great people. They're totally cut out for this."
"Yer a smart kid, but I'm sure you know that." He said with a bit of a smile. Her ambition was inspiring, to say the least. It made him more anxious to get started on everything he was planning. He looked at the small device in her hand. "Dragon Balls?"
He had no idea what Dragon Balls were, and part of him was unsure of whether or not he really wanted to know. It sounded like bad slang, but he was nearly positive it had to be something a little less vulgar. Though he would have laughed it that were the case. "I'm sure I could map out the basic area for ya. I wanna head back up into the mountains and investigate again, but without all the idiots jumpin' into stupid fights unprepared. We didn't find as much as I'm sure we coulda with the right people. I can give ya a hand with anythin' yer lookin fer too. I'm pretty good with that kinda stuff. So is Elf, an' I'm positive he's gonna want in on this whole thing once we get it up an' runnin'."
Bulma held her composure pretty well, but he could smell her excitement. His senses weren't completely dulled. Not to mention the fact that her eyes lit up like Iceman's on a snowy day. Of course she knew people, she'd obviously been around longer. "Yeah? I got a coupla people in mind, but I wouldn't mind hearin' who you suggest. Gotta see if my judgement is any good in this place. I been keepin' an eye on everyone over the network an' seein' who seems good."
"Elf..?" Bulma gave pause, before shrugging just a bit and leaning back to go over her choices. She'd seen a few good people over the network, but Bulma was picky; when it came to recruiting for a job like this, she'd only go with people she knew could do the job. The list was short, as a lot of her friends weren't into the idea of sneaking around and causing harm to actual people (and was she? Was she okay with it? She held still for a moment. The people they'd end up hurting were people like Walter. People like Nightmare. People like the scientists. People who couldn't be forgiven, no matter what they did or who still had hope in them. She decided she was fine with it) but there were a few who wouldn't mind.
Edward Elric was brilliant in his own right, and viciously defensive when it came to protecting people he cared about. Sticking him on the team would mean a technical and mechanical genius out on the field, when she wasn't around to help them. Sakura Haruno was another good idea, she thought, despite Sakura's current troubles in trying to deal with establishing order in Discedo. She was smart, fast, and above all an amazing healer, and the team would desperately need someone like her. Then there was Travis Touchdown; a guy who didn't seem really nice at all, but was totally sweet to her and also a self-proclaimed assassin. His gripes with the scientists would be more than enough to convince him to join.
The last person--or, well, her first choice, out of personal bias and experience around him--was Shotaro Kaneda. Aside from his sense of fearlessness and loyalty to anyone close to him, Kaneda had already proven himself to be amazing in a fight, and an ace at following through with a plan. On top of all that, he hated the scientists just as much as she did, and she knew that he missed home. Even if it would hurt (god, it would hurt) if they did succeed and finally leave, Bulma knew that she could face it if they left together. At least then, they could really say goodbye, and neither of them would be left hanging. She was a little proud to name him as one of her recommendations, and grinned as she listed her choices off for Logan.
"Edward Elric is one of the mechanics, and he'd be totally up for the job. Then there's Haruno Sakura, who's this amazing healer, and Travis Touchdown, who used to be an assassin. Shotaro Kaneda would be really great, too, especially once he's told that we're working on bringing the scientists out for good."
"Guess you wouldn't know that." Logan said with a bit of a laugh, remembering that strangers aren't going to know the nicknames that he has for people. "S'what I can Kurt. I dunno if you met 'im. Blue with yellow eyes, got a tail. I've known 'im fer years. He's a good guy, even if he don't look it." He found it weird to have to explain Nightcrawler to someone, especially when there were a few people of strange colors walking around. There was a good chance she wouldn't know who he was, but regardless, Kurt Wagner was definitely an asset to their team.
His brown eyes stayed focused on Bulma as she made her suggestions, mentally noting the people that he would have to look into. Some of them he was aware of, others he would have to check out for himself. "I'll keep 'em in mind. That Kaneda kid is definitely one'a my prime choices. He's kinda like me a few years back. Got a smart mouth, but a good heart. He'll be good for it." He paused for a moment, before beginning to share his picks. "Gotta say, I'm thinkin' that Sokka kid's gonna be pretty good. Worked with him for a bit on the Mountain trip. He's got some ta learn about team expeditions, but he's pretty level headed. That Roxas kid, too. Talked to him fer a bit, he's got a pretty strong opinion on the scientists. Smart too. I got a few people in mind. I'm gonna talk to 'em all personally as soon as I get everythin' finalized. There's other things that hafta be done too. All under wraps. If any o'this gets out, th' whole thing is ruined."
"Oh! That guy! Yeah, I know him! The one with the funny accent? He's nice." said Bulma, nodding as Logan continued and shared his choices. "I was watching Sokka too, since Yamcha was on that mission with you guys. I haven't really spoken with Roxas too much, but he seems really cool. And if you think they're fit for it, then I'm not about to say no, I guess." She leaned forward just slightly, looking down at her notes. She'd been jotting them down as he spoke; the communication ideas, supplies needed, and lists of names that they'd want to remember. It was almost a natural motion for her, and she was glad for it, even if it did make her look a little weird.
"You're telling me. Do you remember that machine I mentioned? Well, once we find out where it's stashed, maybe I can test it to see what it does. I'm thinking that, since it can bring loads of supplies and items from other worlds, it has enough juice to bring in actual life forms. It belongs to Ace, the scientist that talks to the population the most."
"Funny accent?" Logan couldn't help but question it. He knew the people here were of different worlds, but it was still fairly unbelievable to him that she'd never heard a German accent. Then again, he was lucky he could understand Sokka at all. His language sounded like a strange Chinese/Japanese hybrid, and if it weren't for his fluency in those languages, he'd probably be completely lost. "Yeah, they ain't bad kids. Lotta them are kinda young, but it's better they learn now than later anyway." His eyes observed carefully as Bulma took notes. It was another thing that was fairly odd for him. He shrugged it off, taking into consideration he was usually working with two to three telepaths. Writing things down was hardly ever necessary.
"Mmm, yeah." Logan replied, nodding in agreement with Bulma's second statement. "If we can get a holda it. If it's got that much juice, we're gonna need a solid plan. Gettin' supplies for rebuilding and sending people back where they belong. Maybe gettin their chips out 'fore they get sent back, too. In case they don't remember it. Wouldn't want to screw anyone over. We got a long ways to go til then, though. We better just keep it simple an' work on just gettin' this team together and start plannin' out these communication systems."
“Either way, it’s a while down the road for us. I definitely want to work on getting the communication system running first, but I’m going to need whatever help I can get from the ones who are in on this. I still have to manage the mechanics, you know!” She clapped her hands together, nodding once more. “But, hey, count me in. I’m up for anything that will get us closer to those scientists, and I'm pretty much your best bet when it comes to this kind of stuff." Egotistical as she was, she knew that she was perfect for the job, and she was more than ready to help Logan out.
"So, what now?"
Logan nodded his head, letting out a small smile. "Glad to hear it, darlin'. Yer a smart girl, I'm sure you'll figure it all out just fine."
He paused for a moment, thinking about what their next move would be. There was still a lot to be done in order to get the teams up and running. It wasn't going to be an easy task. He brought a hand to his face, scratching his beard. He'd been unable to shave since arriving, and the hair was growing quicker than he would have liked. "A couple of things. Gotta take it one step at a time though. First order is findin' a good base. You can work outta here, but the rest of us are gonna have to go somewhere else. One of the abandoned buildings, maybe. Clear out whatever's livin' in there and set up shop. Gotta get the people together, an' a coupla other things too."
"Alright. I've heard of a few guys hanging around the warehuses by the sea port, but there are more if you keep going south down Lander, I think. I've never been there, but I remember the clearing crews talk about it. And there are office builds out by the park, but those would be harder to clar if anything--or anyone happened to be inside." Bulma frowned a little at the thought. Still, the team they already had in mind was fully capable of doing it. They were tough, and Bulma would do her best to make the job easier and more efficient when she could. "What do you think?"
"Sounds like a plan to me. Ain't like I got a problem killin' those beasts." The expression on his face changed, making it clear that he was definitely not afraid to kill for his causes. "Whatever place you think is better works fer me. I haven't been here long enough to know. You make a decision an' let me know. I'm gonna talk to everyone in person 'bout what I'm plannin'. I got no intention of lettin' any of this leak over these communicators. Then it's just a matter of disguises an' codenames an' we'll be set."
"I'll do a little more research and see if I can check it out with a friend. We can meet up later this week, and by then we sould have a good ida of who we're working with, right?" Bulma made a note of this on paper, detailing it vaguely. "All of my ideas for this are going to be kept on paper, by the way. I usually archive my notes over the network, but I'll be sure to keep these locked away tight so that no one else knows about it. Once we have the teams assembled, I need those cell phones or walkie-talkies to make communicators out of, so-- ... code names and disguises?" She had to stop on that thought, raising a brow at Logan. "Like.. super heroes?"
"Yeah, that works fer me. It'd be good to keep track of what's goin' on. I just got the inklin' that anything that touches those comms is bein' tracked by the scientists. An' if they find out what we're up ta, they're gonna do whatever they gotta to stop it from happenin'." Logan watched Bulma's expression changed, and he let out a smirk. "Yeah, somethin' like that, I guess. Gotta do this without anyone else knowin' who's involved. Just in case we hafta use the communicators fer anythin'."
"Well, if you say so. I wouldn't mind a codename, I guess." Designing costumes would be fun enough, if Logan let her do it--she already had ideas for her friends brewing up inside of her head. She grinned at the thought of it, before setting her notes onto the table. "That sounds good, then. I'll ask and see if I can get a ride out to the warehouses, and I'll keep you posted on what happens. Let me know when the dream team is assembled, okay?"
"Mmhmm, sounds good to me." Logan nodded his head at the young woman. He smiled once again before standing up and putting the chair back where it had been. "I'll let ya get back to whatever yer doin'. I'll get on gatherin' the team. If ya need any help with anythin', just let me know. I'll be around."
Bulma stood as well, walking with Logan toward the garage dor and re-opening it for him to leave. "No problem! Thanks for stopping by. This should be interesting!" she smiled up toward him, folding her hands behind her back. "I'll see you later, Logan!"
Where: Gohl Ave. Garage.
When: September 15th, evening.
Rating: Uh.. PG for mild swearing.
Summary: Wolverine approaches Bulma about an upcoming project.
the log:
The sun was beginning to set. Logan frowned as he looked up at the sky, wondering if he was starting this too late. Bulma had said that any time was fine by her, and the ideas he had couldn't wait any longer. He'd been sitting on them from practically the moment he'd arrived. He inhaled deeply, beginning to walk in the direction of the garage. He couldn't be bothered to stop moving, despite the prowling monsters that were looming in the streets. Everything about this place was grating on his last nerves. All he could do was hope that this girl he'd spoken to over the communicators could actually prove to be useful in one way or another.
It seemed like he'd been walking for eternity, but the gruff mutant soon made his way to the garage, or at least, what he assumed to be it. He wasn't really sure. He didn't know Bulma's scent, and even if he did, the chip prevented him from really being able to track much of it. His senses were dulled down. None of that was really important at that particular time though. He let out a slightly frustrated grumble, stopping in front of the garage's door. There was no way he was barging into any place where a girl was alone. He knew better.
The week had gone from horrible, to fantastic, to downright strange for Bulma, and she had taken to her work almost immediately in reaction to it. Her mood held up well, despite all the chaos that seemed far away, concentrated on the central part of the city itself. She'd long since begun to outright ignore her communicator for that reason. Even when Trunks sad he was coming home, she hadn't tried to respond. She felt bad for it, of course, but at the moment, she wasn't exactly into the idea of going home to face her future son--if that was what he really was.
Her thoughts were disrupted by the low rumble of Logan's voice. It was distant, but close enough for her to pick up on it. The garage door was locked and sealed, and Bulma was hesitant to let nayone who sounded like that in. Still, it sounded nothing like the sniffer dogs, nor like any of the guys she knew.
Exchanging the blueprints in her grip for one of her guns, Bulma moved toward the garage door carefully, inhaling sharply when she stopped in front of it. "Who's there?"
Logan couldn't help but smirk at her security measures. She was definitely smart to realize that anyone could be a potential threat. Cautious. It certainly was something he'd never been good at, but was able to respect it after working under Scott Summers for years. For all of Bulma's caution, she was a small fry compared to him. Or at least, that's how he saw it. She had a bit to learn, but already, she was on the right track.
"It's Logan," He stated simply. His voice was gruff, and clearly so from years of smoking. Sure, he'd kicked the habit, but he'd been done it for so long... maybe even longer than he could possible remember. He folded his arms over his chest as he waited. He was clad in only a white undershirt, his pants and boots, making his short stature and hairy physique quite obvious. It probably wasn't the best way for a guy like him to make a good first impression, but he was never really good at that anyway. When your first words to someone are 'Ya fell right into the trap, bub,' followed by the SNIKT of his claws, first impressions aren't easily forgotten. "Don't worry darlin', I ain't gonna kill ya."
She tensed for a moment, before her shoulders eased and she lowered her gun into it's holster on her belt. Kneeling down, she grabbed the handle that opened the garage door and pulled it upward, slowly at first, before pushing it above her head and offering Logan a smile. He was a lot shorter than she thought he'd be. He spoke tall. Either way, she greeted him, and stepped back to let him in.
"Hey, Logan! You've got fantastic timing, you know." She nodded toward the desk that she'd managed to drag into the garage--rather, someone else had, but she'd asked them to--indicating the stacks of blueprints for several ideas that she had thrown on the backburner for the past few weeks. "I've got a few new things in the works over there." With the generators near-completion, she was already working on her next five steps ahead in Discedo, and she couldn't wait to start on them. "So, what's up?"
As he walked in, Logan took a look around the place. It was no X-Mansion, but it had it's bit of charm. The same charm that Bulma had. He could see she put everything into whatever projects she was working on. It was admirable. It was surprising to him to see her, though. He knew she was young based on her speech patterns, but he hadn't anticipated that she'd be the same age as his student's at the Xavier School.
The blueprints, the paperwork, the gadgets and tools. All of it reminded him of being home. If home even still existed. It it hadn't been destroyed in the short time he'd been gone. It was unlikely, but being gone, who could ever really know? It didn't matter. Now wasn't the time to think about it. He leaned against one of the tables in the garage, his arms still folded as he looked at her. "Wanted to talk to ya 'bout some stuff. Information on the scientist. Coupla ideas I got a-brewin'. Got a minute?"
"Yeah, sure." Bulma looked around, before she moved past him and dragged a chair over to her desk, setting it a few feet away from her own. The chairs themselves were beaten and used, remnants of what could have been gum at some point stuck to the bottom. Bulma had made a point of taking a few chairs from the high school, but not many. Three was fine, for the limited space that they had. With Ohura taking up a full corner of the garage, they only had so much to work with.
"I have a few ideas too, so, you go first." She moved to sit back into the chair that she was previously occupying, crossing her legs at her knees and pulling her notepad from the desk.
"Alright," He stated. He grabbed the spare chair, flipping it around and sitting backwards in it. He draped his arms over the chair, looking Bulma square in the face as he began to speak. "To keep it short, I ain't havin' these scientists usin' us fer their sick little pleasures. So I wanna handle things like I would back home."
Logan paused for a moment, giving Bulma time to process what he was saying. "Lotta weird stuff like this happened back home. We got a few teams who take care o'th big threats. The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, an' my group, the X-Men. We had another team a while back. Called 'em the X-Force. Secret ops. Undercover. Nobody speakin' a word about 'em so they can get their jobs done without worryin' about what the populace thinks. I wanna do somethin' like that here. The reason I'm comin' to you is ya seem ta have a handle on technology. I know stuff on my world, but it doesn't help much here. Need a way to keep in contact without usin' the communicators. I don't trust these scientists. Anythin' we're sayin' on 'em, filtered or not, they're readin'. I know it."
Given the circumstances, Bulma was ready for any kind of change. Anything to put a real end to what was going on with Walter, Azula, and more importantly, the scientists themselves. She frowned at the very thought of them. Wolverine's propsal was right up her alley, though, and she immediately took to brainstorming; things like that came natural to her. She'd start a plan, run it a few times in her head to analyze it, cancel ideas, note a few new ones, and write it all out. She crossed her arms as she remained sitting, tapping one finger onto her elbow.
"That's what I was thinking. I'm also pretty sure that they've implemented tracking devices into our communicators, which means they probably know that we're here right now. It's something I mentioned a while ago to a friend of mine. If you want a new communication system, we'll need to get to work immediately. I'd need new materials to build them out of--cell phones, walkie-talkies, anything you can find--but I'll also need something to program the frequency on, too, which means I need a working computer. Once the high school is powered, we might have that kind of thing in the computer labs, so that shouldn't be too hard. The range probably wouldn't last outside of the city, but it would work for what you'd need, I think."
"Wouldn't put it past those hoosiers to do somethin' like that. I wouldn't be opposed to leavin' 'em somewhere so they can't find us," He paused processing the rest of the turquoise-haired teen's words. He smirked in her general direction. She was a genius if he ever saw one. She would have fit in well in the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Stark Industries. Another time, he'd tell her all about those place. Bulma was sure to love it. "I got a cell phone on me, but that ain't gonna be enough fer what I got planned. At worst, we're gonna need three. At best, twenty. S'a lot, but considerin' nobody's phones're workin' here, we may be able to get people to give 'em up. Here's the thing - I don't think they're within city limits."
The smirk that had made its way onto his face had disappeared, replaced by by an intense, fierce look in the man's eyes. Logan wasn't messing around now. "When we went to the mountains, we were cut off. It looked deliberate. An' I think they have a hand in manipulatin' the weather patterns too. These guys are force to be reckoned with, they got a lotta power and technology on their side. We got a whole lotta crazies. We need ta weed 'em out, pick the best fit fer what we're doin'... an' make sure they can keep a secret. The last thing we need is this gettin' out all over the city, 'specially if we're plannin' on creatin' some new technology to a long with it."
"That's the major problem, then. I heard talk about referring to new maps, but I haven't seen any from the mountans themselves. I can help you guys plan a route, but I also have a few others ideas.." she trailed off, before scooting forward and slipping he rhand into her back pocket. Holdng her arm out in front of him, she presented her Dragon Radar, a grin playing upon her lips. "I used this back home to track down the dragon balls. I can re-program it to use as a tracking device for field work and missions, but I'd need to know exactly what the team would want to focus on--locations of our own would be the easiest. If Reno lets me take two computers, I can program tiny chips to make our communicators function on their own network, with their own tracking chips. If the teams move out together, we'd only need three. Making more would take time, and I'd need more backup to mass-produce these things, especially since I don't know what I'm working with yet. But it'd help keep a track on our team locations, I think. Wouldn't that be cool?"
As calm as she was trying to be, the idea of being a part of any kind of covert operations group was pretty exciting. Bulma wasn't into the idea of going out and fighting on her own, but helping out with computers and technology was right up her alley.
"If you're looking for team members, I know a few really great people. They're totally cut out for this."
"Yer a smart kid, but I'm sure you know that." He said with a bit of a smile. Her ambition was inspiring, to say the least. It made him more anxious to get started on everything he was planning. He looked at the small device in her hand. "Dragon Balls?"
He had no idea what Dragon Balls were, and part of him was unsure of whether or not he really wanted to know. It sounded like bad slang, but he was nearly positive it had to be something a little less vulgar. Though he would have laughed it that were the case. "I'm sure I could map out the basic area for ya. I wanna head back up into the mountains and investigate again, but without all the idiots jumpin' into stupid fights unprepared. We didn't find as much as I'm sure we coulda with the right people. I can give ya a hand with anythin' yer lookin fer too. I'm pretty good with that kinda stuff. So is Elf, an' I'm positive he's gonna want in on this whole thing once we get it up an' runnin'."
Bulma held her composure pretty well, but he could smell her excitement. His senses weren't completely dulled. Not to mention the fact that her eyes lit up like Iceman's on a snowy day. Of course she knew people, she'd obviously been around longer. "Yeah? I got a coupla people in mind, but I wouldn't mind hearin' who you suggest. Gotta see if my judgement is any good in this place. I been keepin' an eye on everyone over the network an' seein' who seems good."
"Elf..?" Bulma gave pause, before shrugging just a bit and leaning back to go over her choices. She'd seen a few good people over the network, but Bulma was picky; when it came to recruiting for a job like this, she'd only go with people she knew could do the job. The list was short, as a lot of her friends weren't into the idea of sneaking around and causing harm to actual people (and was she? Was she okay with it? She held still for a moment. The people they'd end up hurting were people like Walter. People like Nightmare. People like the scientists. People who couldn't be forgiven, no matter what they did or who still had hope in them. She decided she was fine with it) but there were a few who wouldn't mind.
Edward Elric was brilliant in his own right, and viciously defensive when it came to protecting people he cared about. Sticking him on the team would mean a technical and mechanical genius out on the field, when she wasn't around to help them. Sakura Haruno was another good idea, she thought, despite Sakura's current troubles in trying to deal with establishing order in Discedo. She was smart, fast, and above all an amazing healer, and the team would desperately need someone like her. Then there was Travis Touchdown; a guy who didn't seem really nice at all, but was totally sweet to her and also a self-proclaimed assassin. His gripes with the scientists would be more than enough to convince him to join.
The last person--or, well, her first choice, out of personal bias and experience around him--was Shotaro Kaneda. Aside from his sense of fearlessness and loyalty to anyone close to him, Kaneda had already proven himself to be amazing in a fight, and an ace at following through with a plan. On top of all that, he hated the scientists just as much as she did, and she knew that he missed home. Even if it would hurt (god, it would hurt) if they did succeed and finally leave, Bulma knew that she could face it if they left together. At least then, they could really say goodbye, and neither of them would be left hanging. She was a little proud to name him as one of her recommendations, and grinned as she listed her choices off for Logan.
"Edward Elric is one of the mechanics, and he'd be totally up for the job. Then there's Haruno Sakura, who's this amazing healer, and Travis Touchdown, who used to be an assassin. Shotaro Kaneda would be really great, too, especially once he's told that we're working on bringing the scientists out for good."
"Guess you wouldn't know that." Logan said with a bit of a laugh, remembering that strangers aren't going to know the nicknames that he has for people. "S'what I can Kurt. I dunno if you met 'im. Blue with yellow eyes, got a tail. I've known 'im fer years. He's a good guy, even if he don't look it." He found it weird to have to explain Nightcrawler to someone, especially when there were a few people of strange colors walking around. There was a good chance she wouldn't know who he was, but regardless, Kurt Wagner was definitely an asset to their team.
His brown eyes stayed focused on Bulma as she made her suggestions, mentally noting the people that he would have to look into. Some of them he was aware of, others he would have to check out for himself. "I'll keep 'em in mind. That Kaneda kid is definitely one'a my prime choices. He's kinda like me a few years back. Got a smart mouth, but a good heart. He'll be good for it." He paused for a moment, before beginning to share his picks. "Gotta say, I'm thinkin' that Sokka kid's gonna be pretty good. Worked with him for a bit on the Mountain trip. He's got some ta learn about team expeditions, but he's pretty level headed. That Roxas kid, too. Talked to him fer a bit, he's got a pretty strong opinion on the scientists. Smart too. I got a few people in mind. I'm gonna talk to 'em all personally as soon as I get everythin' finalized. There's other things that hafta be done too. All under wraps. If any o'this gets out, th' whole thing is ruined."
"Oh! That guy! Yeah, I know him! The one with the funny accent? He's nice." said Bulma, nodding as Logan continued and shared his choices. "I was watching Sokka too, since Yamcha was on that mission with you guys. I haven't really spoken with Roxas too much, but he seems really cool. And if you think they're fit for it, then I'm not about to say no, I guess." She leaned forward just slightly, looking down at her notes. She'd been jotting them down as he spoke; the communication ideas, supplies needed, and lists of names that they'd want to remember. It was almost a natural motion for her, and she was glad for it, even if it did make her look a little weird.
"You're telling me. Do you remember that machine I mentioned? Well, once we find out where it's stashed, maybe I can test it to see what it does. I'm thinking that, since it can bring loads of supplies and items from other worlds, it has enough juice to bring in actual life forms. It belongs to Ace, the scientist that talks to the population the most."
"Funny accent?" Logan couldn't help but question it. He knew the people here were of different worlds, but it was still fairly unbelievable to him that she'd never heard a German accent. Then again, he was lucky he could understand Sokka at all. His language sounded like a strange Chinese/Japanese hybrid, and if it weren't for his fluency in those languages, he'd probably be completely lost. "Yeah, they ain't bad kids. Lotta them are kinda young, but it's better they learn now than later anyway." His eyes observed carefully as Bulma took notes. It was another thing that was fairly odd for him. He shrugged it off, taking into consideration he was usually working with two to three telepaths. Writing things down was hardly ever necessary.
"Mmm, yeah." Logan replied, nodding in agreement with Bulma's second statement. "If we can get a holda it. If it's got that much juice, we're gonna need a solid plan. Gettin' supplies for rebuilding and sending people back where they belong. Maybe gettin their chips out 'fore they get sent back, too. In case they don't remember it. Wouldn't want to screw anyone over. We got a long ways to go til then, though. We better just keep it simple an' work on just gettin' this team together and start plannin' out these communication systems."
“Either way, it’s a while down the road for us. I definitely want to work on getting the communication system running first, but I’m going to need whatever help I can get from the ones who are in on this. I still have to manage the mechanics, you know!” She clapped her hands together, nodding once more. “But, hey, count me in. I’m up for anything that will get us closer to those scientists, and I'm pretty much your best bet when it comes to this kind of stuff." Egotistical as she was, she knew that she was perfect for the job, and she was more than ready to help Logan out.
"So, what now?"
Logan nodded his head, letting out a small smile. "Glad to hear it, darlin'. Yer a smart girl, I'm sure you'll figure it all out just fine."
He paused for a moment, thinking about what their next move would be. There was still a lot to be done in order to get the teams up and running. It wasn't going to be an easy task. He brought a hand to his face, scratching his beard. He'd been unable to shave since arriving, and the hair was growing quicker than he would have liked. "A couple of things. Gotta take it one step at a time though. First order is findin' a good base. You can work outta here, but the rest of us are gonna have to go somewhere else. One of the abandoned buildings, maybe. Clear out whatever's livin' in there and set up shop. Gotta get the people together, an' a coupla other things too."
"Alright. I've heard of a few guys hanging around the warehuses by the sea port, but there are more if you keep going south down Lander, I think. I've never been there, but I remember the clearing crews talk about it. And there are office builds out by the park, but those would be harder to clar if anything--or anyone happened to be inside." Bulma frowned a little at the thought. Still, the team they already had in mind was fully capable of doing it. They were tough, and Bulma would do her best to make the job easier and more efficient when she could. "What do you think?"
"Sounds like a plan to me. Ain't like I got a problem killin' those beasts." The expression on his face changed, making it clear that he was definitely not afraid to kill for his causes. "Whatever place you think is better works fer me. I haven't been here long enough to know. You make a decision an' let me know. I'm gonna talk to everyone in person 'bout what I'm plannin'. I got no intention of lettin' any of this leak over these communicators. Then it's just a matter of disguises an' codenames an' we'll be set."
"I'll do a little more research and see if I can check it out with a friend. We can meet up later this week, and by then we sould have a good ida of who we're working with, right?" Bulma made a note of this on paper, detailing it vaguely. "All of my ideas for this are going to be kept on paper, by the way. I usually archive my notes over the network, but I'll be sure to keep these locked away tight so that no one else knows about it. Once we have the teams assembled, I need those cell phones or walkie-talkies to make communicators out of, so-- ... code names and disguises?" She had to stop on that thought, raising a brow at Logan. "Like.. super heroes?"
"Yeah, that works fer me. It'd be good to keep track of what's goin' on. I just got the inklin' that anything that touches those comms is bein' tracked by the scientists. An' if they find out what we're up ta, they're gonna do whatever they gotta to stop it from happenin'." Logan watched Bulma's expression changed, and he let out a smirk. "Yeah, somethin' like that, I guess. Gotta do this without anyone else knowin' who's involved. Just in case we hafta use the communicators fer anythin'."
"Well, if you say so. I wouldn't mind a codename, I guess." Designing costumes would be fun enough, if Logan let her do it--she already had ideas for her friends brewing up inside of her head. She grinned at the thought of it, before setting her notes onto the table. "That sounds good, then. I'll ask and see if I can get a ride out to the warehouses, and I'll keep you posted on what happens. Let me know when the dream team is assembled, okay?"
"Mmhmm, sounds good to me." Logan nodded his head at the young woman. He smiled once again before standing up and putting the chair back where it had been. "I'll let ya get back to whatever yer doin'. I'll get on gatherin' the team. If ya need any help with anythin', just let me know. I'll be around."
Bulma stood as well, walking with Logan toward the garage dor and re-opening it for him to leave. "No problem! Thanks for stopping by. This should be interesting!" she smiled up toward him, folding her hands behind her back. "I'll see you later, Logan!"