From what Justin could discover, Manticore's lab was located in an old salt prospecting shaft under St Clair Shores. Leonard had discovered it while sounding the suburb for moles, and had dug a hidden access through the sewage system, he also appeared to be stealing his internet from a local fast food restaurant.

Given that the Michigan Science Center was only twenty minutes away, and the doctor had been gone that long already, Justin's options were limited. Working quickly, he created a forwarding packet, and sent it to a random computer in midtown Detroit. The packet would take a random route and forward any files sent to it, after which it would delete itself, hopefully before it could be traced back to KIP. He wasn't opposed to Manticore's lab being raided, but he really wanted to have an escape route in place before risking it.

He packaged up Manticore's forum posts and all the files he could find about the super-bees (Leo had somehow managed to genetically cross killer bees with humming birds), he included a physical description, and then instructed the packet to forward it to the local police force and Heroes League center.

Before the packet deleted itself, he also had it make VOIP calls to the Science Center security department and managers offices.

His warnings out of the way, Justin decided he really needed eyes on the center. Working through their webpage, he was able to find their email server, and from that an IP address. Now he knew his target, he set to work weaving an advanced code packet, working with ERA to throw in some commands he hadn't had the chance to master. It was basically a worm, meant to sneak into a system and branch out, copying and forwarding files and feeds.

Once the malicious code was complete, he released it at the Science Center's network. It was more brute force than Justin was happy with, and would almost certainly leave traces of his origins for anyone who went looking. There was also a pretty good chance it would get zapped before it even got inside.

He checked his Focus, and with his last 30 points created a couple of send/receive packets, dispatching them to random locations to bounce the signal he hoped the worm would begin broadcasting from the Science Center. Fifteen seconds later, he created a couple more.

He was just starting to get nervous when he finally began to receive data, his worm had apparently hit the jackpot with camera feeds, and even access to the digital radio system the security guards were using. Score!

Justin threw a couple of the feeds to ERA and IRA, with instructions to look for the doctor or any sign of the bees, before scrutinising the rest himself.

He listened in as the security captain reported the anonymous phone call and the call from the DPD checking their situation. Apparently given the anonymous and unsubstantiated nature of the warning, management had decided to keep the center open, and the symposium on track to start in 10 minutes. God Justin hated management types, though maybe in their shoes, he too would have made the same decision not to interrupt a multi-million dollar conference off the back of a single phone call.

At least the captain was being pro-active, instructing his guards to search the building for Manticore and to ramp up patrols in areas around the hall. He let his men know the police would apparently have a presence on site in 5 minutes, but nobody had heard anything from the local heroes.

Justin was honestly a little confused. Arriving as he had, he'd not been able to investigate the local hero scene, but surely there were some heroes signed up to the local Heroes League. He'd even seen some on that morning's news cast, so there must be a team nearby. Maybe there was another attack happening somewhere else? Maybe they hadn't believed him? Had his NPC penalty or poor English caused his warning to be over-looked? They couldn't still be investigating the lake, right?

Then he spotted Manticore. He was wearing a wig, a pair of ridiculous glasses, and was dressed in a technicians jumpsuit. He was in one of the back service corridors, and was pulling a trolley carrying an apparently broken speaker unit. Justin would bet the 'faulty' speaker was buzzing.

Justin tensed as a pair of guards approached the mad-scientist, their hands on their tazers, but he showed them an ID card, and they waved him on, apparently satisfied. Son of a...

Justin jumped onto the radio feed and stumbled through his best conversational English. "Guards in back hall, stop worker, radio is bees!" Dammit that didn't sound right. It must have been close though, because the guards turned around and shouted after Manticore who froze with his hands in the air.

The guards approached slowly, tazers pointed at the doctor's back, when Manticore whistled. Giant bees flooded out of the fake speaker, swarming around the poor guards. He heard the captain shouting for more guards and for paramedics, so he must have been watching the security feeds.

A second later and the fire alarm was activated. Around the building crowds of visitors and attendees began a semi-chaotic evacuation.

Manticore glared at the guards writhing on the floor, and then up at the security camera. Apparently deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, he opened a window for his bees, and began headed for a high-traffic corridor, shedding his disguise as he went.

Justin lost him amidst the crowds.

Quest Completed!

Eye of the Bee-Holder

Type: Hero

Description: You have stopped Manticore's plans and the Michigan Science Center is now safe.

Rewards: 200 xp Congratulations!

You are now Level 2

Rewards: +1 Attribute Point, +1 Character Point.

You currently have 1 unspent Attribute Point, and 1 unspent Character Point.

Despite technically winning, Justin was far from impressed with his victory. He quickly sent the DPD details on Leonard's real identity (in case he was stupid enough to be driving his own car), and details on the route he should be travelling to get back to his lab. He also warned them about the bees, now flying loose around the Science Center. Next he sent deactivation instructions to all of his packets, and mentally settled back, brooding.

He was worried now that Manticore had escaped capture. What if he came back and shut down his lab? What if he trashed it in a fit of temper? What if he never came back and the diesel generator slowly ran out of fuel? He'd been feeling safe ever since finding his way here, but was he really? Did he need to be looking for somewhere safer to send himself?

He knew he'd been unreasonably lucky in finding such a under-used, over-powered system, owned by someone so technologically-inept. What were the chances he'd be able to find, infiltrate, and stay in control of another supercomputer?

Actually, now that he stopped to think about it, he didn't actually need a supercomputer to hide out for a day or two. Any system that could hold a compressed version of KIP should be fine, not comfortable, but survivable.

And for the future, well, if he was willing to dirty his morals slightly, he currently had access to a decent amount of funds, and the kind of contacts who didn't ask too many questions.