*shiver*

Let's... just pretend that didn't happen.

You step forward, blink, and find yourself moving at what feels like the speed of sound towards the explosion.

It's strange how you've only had this ability for a short time, yet you've become so accustomed to it. You aren't even sure how you turn it on or off... it just seems to happen.
It's as if it's a part of who you are now; you've just always had it.

You can see the dust cloud very near now. You're just about there.


A sound, not unlike an explosion, although higher pitched, assaults your frame. Your eardrums immediately give out, although you can feel its massive shock slamming into you.

Although it isn't enough to send you falling over backwards, the force of the impact causes you to lose your footing, your inertia sending you careening down the empty sidewalk.

You land on your hands and attempt to redirect some of the force so that you don't kill yourself, and it works, for the most part.
While your quick thinking does lower your speed, your lack of grace sends you straight into a telephone pole, and into a black abyss.


You awake to a young, thin hand moving over your chest, torso and head.

Your eyes open, and you spot a slightly more welcoming sight than your last encounter.

"Why hello there."

_
Equipped
- Clothes (Shirtless (Ooh la la), Shorts, Air Jordans, Ray-Bans)
Inventory
- Common Items (You have an excuse to use common items you might have in your pocket, like cell phones.)
- Switchblade (Fairly long blade, likely capable of killing or maiming)
- Colt Anaconda (Basically unlimited ammo. I might have you run out if you roll a bad roll, and you'll have to find some more.)
Abilities
- Sixth Sense: After being ambushed, Robert has learned to listen to his instincts, and has additional time to react to any incoming threats. (+1/-1 to dodging attacks)
- Hyper Speed: Enormous power courses through your veins, allowing you to think and move faster than would ever be considered humanly possible.
Conditions
- Bandaged Arm (-1 to using arms for 5 turns.)
- Temporarily Deaf (3 turns)

Trying to keep your mind off of a subject that might get you a bit too emotional again, you get to work on figuring out who this man is. Or, was, at least.

A quick run through of his pockets reveals a wallet, broken and torn. Blood seems to have soaked into it, likely ruining most of the contents, but you figure it's worth a shot. The fastener is already broken in half, so after a moment of hesitation you flick it open.

Blood has indeed soaked into the wallet obscuring some details, but there's one fact you can't deny.

"This is the man who held the door open for us...?"


You can't help but feel a little guilty about beating up his corpse...

The sound of someone talking nearby brings that train of thought to a halt, and you maneuver towards roughly where you remember the street being. What you see next startles you.

It's the broken body of what appears to be a... police officer?
His body is about as recognizable as the last man. Some of his ribs stick out of his torso, broken beyond repair. One of his knees is broken, and his arms lay at odd angles. Blood drips down the rubble he lays on like a small waterfall down to the floor, ending in a puddle beneath him.

Did I... do this?

As you lean forward to check for a pulse, he, quite literally, fades away before your very eyes.


A brief moment of indecision claims you, before you move up to your full height and look back.
That man... he's still there. Although, he is certainly dead.


Your mind stirs as you move once again towards the street, stepping around the space that once held a broken man out of respect.

A second explosion, just as large, if not larger, than the last, blazes past you.
If you were anyone else, you would without a doubt be dead, but your incredible power keeps you standing; having small scrapes and bits of debris stuck in your skin, where others would be struck through and through.

Needless to say your clothes are absolutely ruined at this point, and your head and ears ring from the shock wave.


You step outside and witness another scene of absolute carnage. Smears of blood and chunks of flesh are laid out conically around a small crater, smoke billowing out of it. A few corpses, torn in half by the explosion, can be seen with organs and intestines spilling out. The smell is terrible, even masked with the thick smell of dust. Another policeman or two lay nearby, their uniforms barely recognizable after being covered blood and globs of fat and what appears to be partially digested food.

One of the most recognizable officers, the one nearest to you, is quickly growing pale. Not from the scene before him, if he could even see, but more from the fact that one of his legs appears to be missing. A small pool of blood forms around him as he trembles weakly.


Slowly, these officers too disappear, leaving behind nothing but a crater.

Your face contorts in obvious pain of recent events, and you shake your head before you think too hard about it.
Instead you turn your attention to the area around you, and spy someone unconscious next to a telephone pole, with what appears to be a young girl next to him.

_
Equipped
- Ragged Clothes
Inventory
- Common Items (You have an excuse to use common items you might have in your pocket, like cell phones.)
-- Broken Cell Phone (Broken in car accident)
Abilities
- Rage: +2 to 3 rolls in a row when he gets angry.
- Bulletproof: Bravery fills your heart and soul, making you resistant to all physical damage.
- Empowered: Your body is imbued with some kind of energy, granting you immense strength.
Conditions
- Ringing Ears
- Various Shrapnel Injuries (-1 to actions until treated.)

This is almost a bit too much to stomach for you. You have a comfortable life, the most stressful events being lawsuits or failed promotions. A good drink would be nice right about now.

"Yeah. Just a few drinks..."


Almost in response to your ignorance, a second explosion rings out, louder than the first. A second plume, not far from the first, soon joins the other in the sky, almost acting as a beacon.


"... Fine."


A quick sigh, and you're on your way. It's not long until you're on a street heading straight for the explosion.

You're on your way, and pass many people going the exact opposite direction you are.

Perhaps that is wise...?


That doesn't matter right now. You aren't going to find any answers to anything unless you actively search them out.


(In the interests of not having you arrive on a realistic schedule, I'm going to delay your arrival another turn. Feel free to consider your next action to be free, while you drive towards your destination. It's not like multitasking is a major cause of car accidents, right?)

_
Equipped
- Clothes (Button-Up Shirt, Jeans)
Inventory
- First-Aid Kit
- Common Items (You have an excuse to use common items you might have in your pocket, like cell phones.)
- H&K MK23 pistol
Abilities
- Adrenal Bullet Time: Danger causes his mind to speed up to about 1.5x normal speed because of his intense physical lifestyle. (+- 2 to dangerous situations, can only be used 2 times in a row)
- Gun Kata: You have natural talent and ability with any gun.
Conditions
- Inebriated

Something about that suitcase catches your attention as well. You peer over the car to get a better look at the area.

One of the officers kneels down, towards the lone suitcase which feels so painfully out of place.
At the same time, one of the men who'd ran into the building stumbles out, shaking and obviously troubled.

Before he can explain himself, the officer by the suitcase undoes the latches on the suitcase, unleashing a thunderous roar.


You dart back behind the cover of the car, your ears ringing and your head burning. A hot liquid oozes from a cut on the side of your head, where something must have grazed it.
You're disoriented, but manage to get your hand over the wound to apply some pressure.

It's then, looking away from the explosion, that you notice someone, prone, next to a telephone pole.
You look over your shoulder at the explosion for a second and quickly turn away, biting your lip.

It's then you decide, and rush over to what now appears to be a shirtless man, unconscious on the sidewalk.
You lean over, and place two fingers on the side of his neck.

"No pulse...?"

He's breathing however, and placing your ear on his chest you can clearly hear a heartbeat.
Weird. Guess it's just hard to find the sweet spot on his neck.

He's bleeding a bit from his head, not unlike you. It looks like he smacked into the telephone pole, somehow.
You run your hand over his torso, checking for broken ribs or anything of the like, but everything seems to be in order.


Then he opens his eyes, and says... something. Still can't really hear too well.
Though, judging by the look on his face, your best guess is that he's flirting with you.

_
Equipped
- Clothes (T-Shirt, Jeans)
Inventory
- Common Items (You have an excuse to use common items you might have in your pocket, like cell phones.)
Abilities
- Escapee: +1 to actions involving speed and dexterity.
- Mind Control: You can control the thoughts and actions of other people through mere suggestions.
Conditions
- Bleeding Scalp (One hand is busy keeping the bleeding at bay, -2 to actions using two hands.)

"Okay, Johnny. Just clear your mind. Throw yourself at the ground, and don't miss. Gotta stay in that frame of mind."
You never thought you'd be giving yourself a pep talk on not flying, but there you go.


A small push off of the invisible wall, and you find yourself floating in the air.
Don't... miss...

After a big of maneuvering, you're pointing headfirst towards the ground, and gaining speed rapidly.

"Finally!"


The sky rises up to meet you, clouds flowing past your face.
Soon you can see the ground, and try to use whatever vague control you seem to have gained to slow your descent.

Another explosion rings out, and a new plume of smoke rises towards you. You move out of its way, and spot a small group of people near the blast site. It looks like two men and a teenage girl.

_
Equipped
- Unclean clothes
Inventory
- Common Items (You have an excuse to use common items you might have in your pocket, like cell phones.)
Abilities
- Inventor's Mind: (+1 to crafting)
- Incorporeal: Your body has no real physical presence, allowing you to move through objects at will.
Conditions