Greywind

Indirect.

Holy Wall-of-Text, Batman!

With one leg tucked under and the other stretched out, Leah sat comfortably on the sofa in Jason's office. She peeled the plastic wrap off another tray of eye shadows. Giving the different powders another inspection she placed the tray in the makeup case beside her. She had already put the brushes in their respective places. Next on her agenda was the box of lipsticks. Pulling the overwrap off, she flipped open the lid. One hundred glorious colors, of which some she'd never find herself caught dead using on her own, but she never knew what the photographers had in mind. She began dropping those in one by one into the rack meant to hold them. On stockinged feet, Beth stepped into Jason's office. Leah gave her an appraising look. She had a stack of files in her hands, a pair of three inch black pumps with an ankle strap dangled from her fingers. Hanging from one shoulder was a bag. Her skirt was black or a dark gray. Without a closer look she couldn't really be sure. Beth's blouse was red satin. Around her neck and tied with a wide bow was black ribbon tie. Beth's hair was loosely curled, a change from when Leah saw her earlier. She either spent a lot of time with a curling iron or she had recently been to see a stylist. Setting the files and shoes on Jason's desk, Beth turned to the cabinet where glasses and drinks were stored and opened a drawer. Out of it she pulled out a makeup mirror. She took that and set it on the desk. The bag slipped from her shoulder and that joined her collection. “Hi, Beth.” Startled, Beth jumped. “Oh! I'm sorry, Leah. I guess I'm a little distracted. Trying again?” For a moment, Leah looked hurt. “No. We're just working on our friendship. Just back from the stylist?” Hand going to hair hanging over her shoulder, Beth said, “Yes. I have a...” “Date?” “Not exactly. Just dinner with an old boyfriend.” “So, all dressed up for not a date?” Leah asked with a smile. “You're a far cry from the slacks and blouse you had on earlier.” Pulling her makeup kit out of her bag, Beth blushed. “Oh, I hate this part.” “What part? “Warpaint, as my daddy says. I'm always afraid I'm going to end up looking like the Joker. Or worse. Putting on makeup was never really my thing.” “Maybe I can help?” Leah tapped her makeup case. “What's that?” Beth asked. “A gift from Jason. New makeup case. Freshly fully stocked as of,” Leah slotted the last lipstick, “now.” “That's a suitcase,” Beth pointed out. Leah laughed. “Actually, it is a makeup case. Professional quality. It's for when I have to do my or another model's makeup.” “You girls actually do that?” “And more if necessary. Would you like me to do yours?” Beth looked at her makeup kit and shoved it back in her bag. “Please?” She wasn't begging or whining, but her tone was close. Leah picked her case up, legs extended, and set it next to Jason's chair. Beth looked over the contents. “That's a lot.” “That's a major job expense. Have a seat.” Beth settled in Jason's chair. “Hmm. Raise it up a few inches, please.” Beth did so and sat back down. “Perfect. Color palette?” “I...don't know. Can you just do some magic and make me beautiful?” Leah made a face, closed her mouth tight and shifted it to the side. She closed her makeup case. “You don't need me to make you beautiful.” Beth smiled. “How about making it look like I didn't lose a fight with my makeup kit?” “Let me see your kit and what you normally use. Then we can go from there.” Beth pulled her makeup back out. Leah looked it over. Beth's normal colors were from a natural, neutral tone. “Hmm. How impressed do you want him to be?” Beth exhaled and thought for a minute. “I'm not sure I want him impressed. I'm not sure about anything right now. I never expected to see him in California. Much less in the boardroom giving a presentation. An invitation to dinner wasn't expected. I'm not really sure why I asked him.” “Oh?” Leah said with a smile. “Carrying a forgotten torch?”

Pickin' up the pieces of my sweet shattered dream I wonder how the old folks are tonight Her name was Ann and I'll be damned if I recall her face She left me not knowin' what to do Carefree highway, let me slip away on you Carefree highway, you seen better days The mornin' after blues from my head down to my shoes Carefree highway, let me slip away Slip away on you Turnin' back the pages to the times I love best I wonder if she'll ever do the same Now the thing that I call livin' is just bein' satisfied With knowin' I got no one left to blame Carefree highway, got ta see you my old flame Carefree highway, you seen better days The mornin' after blues from my head down to my shoes Carefree highway, let me slip away Slip away on you Searchin' through the fragments of my dream-shattered sleep I wonder if the years have closed her mind I guess it must be wanderlust or tryin' to get free From the good old faithful feelin' we once knew Carefree highway, let me slip away on you Carefree highway, you seen better days The mornin' after blues from my head down to my shoes Carefree highway, let me slip away Slip away on you Let me slip away on you Carefree highway, got ta see you my old flame Carefree highway, you seen better days The mornin' after blues from my head down to my shoes Carefree highway, let me slip away Slip away on you

Marlene dove into the pool, angling towards Dani. Dani floated below the surface. When Marlene got to her and rolled Dani over, a single large bubble broke from the girl's mouth and raced for the surface. Pulling her up, Marlene swam for the shallow end. “Give me a hand,” she called to Beth. Beth met her in the water, chest-deep. Marlene got her legs under her and the two of them pulled Dani to the steps. With Dani on her side, Marlene opened the girl's mouth. Beth compressed Dani's stomach and water came out of her mouth. Dani coughed. “What? No mouth to mouth?” She coughed again, bringing up more water. “That was quite a scare, Dani,” Marlene said gently, smiling. “Oh. I can't believe I got blindsided by a rookie.” Using the handrail, Dani pulled herself to her feet, further aided by Marlene and Beth. “Where did she go?” “Cemetery. Are you okay?” Dani nodded. “I will be. I guess I should have listened.” “Maybe,” Beth said. “If she's anything like me, she's probably terrified right now,” Dani said, punctuated with a hacking cough. “Jason followed her.” “I'm going after her.” Dani started off towards the woods, stumbling a step or two. “You need help?” Marlene asked. Dani just shook her head. Her steps became more steady, but she never broke into a run.

SFX: Noxious odor?

Yes, but will Mordo send Luke Cage to collect on it?

Because reasons.

Heart hammering in her chest, Theresa ran. She didn't know how far the grounds extended. The woods had always been her safe place. She ran for them. They called to her. A place to hide. She ran through a wrought-iron gate that stood open. Had she managed to get off the mansion's grounds? She stopped to look around, gulping in lungfuls of air. She bent over, hands on her knees. She'd ruined everything. Now they knew she was a freak. Theresa saw a bench and sank down on it. Several grave markers stood nearby. In her headlong rush and the tears in her eyes she counted herself lucky not having run into one of them. She drew her legs up, hung her head resting it on her upraised knees, and cried. Theresa didn't know how long she sat there like that. Her heart wasn't hammering quite as bad, but her ragged breathing had been replaced by sobs. She felt safe with Jason. This had been a new start for her, she could feel that, but she had ruined it by losing control. The bench shifted as weight settled on the other end of it. She wanted to peek, but instead buried her head a little deeper. Paper was turned and she heard what sounded like the skritch of a pencil. It went on for long moments and she wondered if it would ever stop. Curiosity finally got the better of her. She peeked out to find Jason sitting beside her. He had a sketchbook in hand and a pencil was working on a page. She tried to see what he was drawing, but her angle was bad. She didn't want to push. Not now. “Are you okay?” “I suppose you're going to send me away now,” she said quietly. Jason glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled. “Why would I do that?” “For what happened back there.” “You knocked over a couple of chairs. You didn't hurt anyone.” “But Dani...” “You!” Theresa looked up and saw Dani marching down the path. “I'm sorry!” Dani stopped in front of the bench. Her hair was still dripping from the pool. She knelt down in front of Theresa. “No, you're not. I'm the one that's sorry. I am impulsive, pushy, and sometimes I don't know when to quit. I should have listened to you.” “Why didn't you say anything about what you can do, Trese?” Jason asked. “That's the second time. Both times it happened when I was upset. I was afraid,” she said, hanging her head again. “I didn't want you thinking I was a freak.” “Trese?” Dani asked. “I like that a lot better than Theresa.” “She likes her friends to call her Trese,” Jason explained. “Trese, I beat up a biker gang for you. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a while.” Trese looked at him. “You're not going to send me away?” “For what?” Dani asked. “Being different? Look at me.” Trese turned her attention to Dani. Dani held her hand palm up to Trese. Flame erupted from the open palm and raced up Dani's arm. By the time Dani was fully engulfed she smiled at Trese. “And you're afraid that you're a freak? I'm an open-pit barbecue on demand.” “Hellfire,” Trese said quietly. “That, too,” Dani said.

If they're still in the air after the throw is fully resolved and they didn't hit anything, they start falling. If they get a phase before they hit the ground, they're golden. Otherwise, they're splattin'.

Turtles in the comics tended to be "Cowabunga!" The Runaways had "Try not to die!"

Wasn't the co-author of that someone named "Pal P. Tine"?

Which all tends to circle back around to the fact that the Hero System does not do absolutes.

They're also listing it as a Horror.

From what I've gathered, Mordo is the catalyst that puts Strange and Nightmare at odds.

They learned that stunt from Roger Corman.

Not that I'm aware of.

That was first from when it started on the NBC Mystery Movie. "Go Fight City Hall... To The Death."

From what I've seen Nightmare is the villain of the piece.

Gentlemen, you are about to enter the most important and fascinating sphere of police work: the world of forensic medicine, where untold victims of many homicides will reach back from the grave and point back a finger accusingly at their assailant.

Hold music.

Everyone laughed at Kate's joke. Except Jason. His omission was not lost on Kate. Jason lay another log on the fire, adjusting it with a poker. The older log snapped and spit sparks into the air as the newer settled in. Jason set the poker aside. “What have I done, Jason?” Kate said, a little loudly to be heard over the others. Jason dropped his head. “You hardly look at me. Let alone speak to me. You're really making me wonder why I bothered to come. What have I done?” Jason closed his eyes. His fingers curled into a fist. “It isn't you, Kate,” Kris said quietly. Jason exhaled and forced his hand open. “Then what is it?” Kate demanded. Kris looked pointedly at Aaron laying with his head on his mother's shoulder. “Aaron? What could Aaron have possibly done?” “Jase, does this have anything to do with you showing up in Aaron's room in the middle of the night?” Warren asked. “No, it doesn't have anything to do with it,” Jason answered quietly, easily heard since everyone had gone silent. He stood up. “It has everything to do with that night.” He stared into the fire. He brought his arm up and with a crimson flash, was staring at a sketchbook in his hands. The fingers of his empty hand traced something on the cover. “You did say you'd tell the story eventually,” Kris said. “Now seems like a good time.” Jason stepped around the fire pit and faced Kate. With both hands on the sketchbook, he presented it cover-first to her. Jason had marked the cover as he had with all the others Kate had seen; the name of the primary subject. In this case, Aaron. Jason had affixed the chain to the top of the cover. The double of her wedding band had been implanted into the cover. Kate reached for the book, sparing Warren a glance when he took their son from her. With both hands the book settled heavily into her lap. For some reason it seemed to her that it weighed more than it actually did. Her fingers traced the chain down to the band, never touching the metal of it.

My brother brought home an early version when he was on leave on year. I first picked up the Commanders and worked my way up to the Doomsday.