Oregon: Hot Spring Harbor

Usually people take off their shoes and socks before testing the water of a hot spring. But the spring knows no boundaries, so the hot water invaded the stranger's shoe.

Outside, a familiar squawking noise could be heard once or twice.

Agent lays his tools to the side (save his guns), and promptly cannon-balls into the pool, armour and all.

It never occurred to him to undress for this was a man who swam/floated from Orchid to mainland on a whim, who came int Harbour THROUGH the harbour.

Agent's beach attire was combat gear, it was that simple.

The therapeutic qualities of the pool would be questionable in full combat attire, but the soothing water washed all over the man's...beard and scalp? And his face, too I guess. Contaminants would begin to drift all over the water.

Outside, the cawing got louder, echoed a bit before finally fading into silence. Peculiar.

Agent blew bubbles in the water and drew his pistol. he fired a bullet into the water again, testing the (presumed) crows.

If the gun is silenced, and above the water:

Spoiler:

If the gun is un-silenced and above the water:

Spoiler:

If the gun is shot underwater:

Spoiler:

58664 holstered his gun and tried a different approach: he allowed himself to crystallize, but only his right hand. He began loosing sensation in his fingertips as dark energy swirled within his hands, reshaping them. His 'skin' became a hard, yet flexible, concentrations of DarkForce energy. He swirled the water with this hand, closed his eyes, and listened.

If one truly concentrated, one would hear alternating avian shrieks and snarling noises, almost as if whatever two (or more?) things that were making those noises were talking.

58664 considered truly letting loose what he had learned thus far, but as the effect on his body was worrisome (and I don't feel like revealing my powers yet), he opted to work the water up into a small whirlpool with his hand while listening to the sounds, gauging how far off they were.

The water swirled about and the sloshing noises drowned out some of the noise, but soon the incomprehensible gurgling ceased and the cawing got louder and more numerous. Do hawks even make flocks?

58664 got noisily out of the pool, little caring for the water he was getting everywhere. Keeping an eye on the only (known) entrance and an ear out for the noise of footsteps in the building, Agent gathered his things, drew both guns to hand, and stealthily went up the stairs.

Upstairs, Detective Romanoff and Lt. Danvers had, by sheer chance, entered the premises. The owners were known for not locking the doors, being the lovable and trusting small-town folk they were. The women kept their guns in hand as they tiptoed around the relatively small area.

Having not seen anyone, Agent makes his way towards the hot-springs

In the open, one would be able to see mountainous regions, and seven smaller springs in the immediate vicinity, each more identical than the last. Beyond them is a craggy area, fairly impossible to pass for a normal person.

Turning one's attention back to the outside of the spa or inn or whatever, one would espy several hawks perched on the roof, all eyes fixated on you.

Lt. Danvers would search the upstairs area while Romanoff checked the attic.

Agent had been looking for crows. He saw hawks instead.

Presuming the springs are within distance, 58664 stares at the birds, and fires into the springs, one at a time.

The hawks continued their unwavering stares and continued to perch, motionlessly.

58664 makes his way towards the central hot-spring.

Presuming nothing happens before he gets there, 58664 throws a stone into the spring.

The hawks stared at the man menacingly when Lt. Carol Danvers caught sight of the elder. She made her way towards the man who was dropping shit in the hot springs and asked "Do you know that you're trespassing?"

Detective Natasha Romanoff, hearing the break in the dead silence, came out soon after to investigate, stumbling upon her partner's confrontation. She postulated that the man, being unrecognizable and therefore new to the small community, would be a prime suspect for the murders of the Pym couple and for four other officers. They would be avenged.

"hm, trespassing you say? Was this not a public facility? Nothing was locked and there was no sign saying "we're closed," 58664 offered distractedly as he eyed the birds. He moved to put a foot into this spring too.

"Do you happen to know if it's normal for hawks to be out at this hour? Is there such a thing as a flock of hawks?" 58664 asked of the person he presumed to be a local.

Detective Romanoff stepped forward and piped up.
"You...You're not from around here, are you? They say there's a hermit up in these mountains that can...emphasize with these birds...and they're actually falcons."

"Yeah, what she said." Danvers replied. "And yeah, you're trespassing. No one really goes out at night, especially not here of all places. But us? We're out here looking for people like you. Why don't we just...go back to down?"

The falcons, as Romanoff correctly identified, made a sort of kek-kek-kek noise. What she did not know, was that there were indeed hawks and eagles among that group. That...doesn't seem right, some how.

" My name is Gravity Lad. Learn it well. I do what I believe is right, and I believe that gun should be destroyed."

Gravity Lad planted his feet in the ground. Ready for a fight he secretly knew he couldn't win. It didn't matter. He made his points, and he said his words. It was the android's move.

"I will not destroy this weapon. Its power may be what humanity needs to protect themselves from superhuman threats. That is my intent, my only intent. If you could persuade me, in any way, to destroy my creation, I would do so."

...Ok. Good answer from the robot. That answer means Gravity Lad will NOT be vaporized into a blue mist today. That's always a plus. Gravity Lad stood up straight once more, looked down at the ground. Synapse could easily observe that Gravity Lad was thinking of the words to say. He wasn't much for convincing people, let alone cutting-edge military grade technology.

"Yet isn't what you said a logical fallacy? You say you're above feelings and humanity's rage would ruin themselves if they had the device, yet you also say it's possibly their only tool to protect themselves. The destruction that weapon brings doesn't solve anything, and it certainly doesn't protect. It's not America's shield; it's a sword, a tool to kill and enslave. You follow the orders of the corrupt men you criticize, and if you don't,then you're above the law. Either way, you are not fit to hold that weapon. No one is. Killing anyone, even superhumans, will not bring peace."

The soldier also in the room, refusing to remain quiet, piped up and accused the the boy of being treasonous. "Hey, you insufferable little shit, who are you to call us corrupt? Our job is to risk our lives so that tykes like you can play in sunny parks and not nuclear fallout." He leaned in close to boy's face to emphasize his point, visibly upset.

The android pushed him aside and insisted he remain calm. He then returned his attention to the boy, and chose to respond with a question.

"Tell me, child, how would you deter these rampart crime waves and supernatural chaos? Rest assured, I will not kill, nor enslave anyone with this device. Doing so would put me outside the law, yes, but even then I am not restricted by the same laws that you are. It is just as well, my capability for reason surpasses that of your congressmen."

Gravity Lad dusted off his shoulders. Looked at the man that just verbally abused him. Nice guy probably, just had a bad day or something. Or he was a total dickhead, Gravity Lad tried not to think like that anymore. He thought about the question for only a split second, as if he was reconsidering his life's goal one more time before fully investing in it.

"Criminals and monsters are shallow creatures. Their morality is either nonexistent or hypocritical. Just like those Congressmen you claim to be better than, or the scientists that made cures and bombs and you. You make an example out of some of them, not killing them, but capturing them and imprisoning them where they belong for rehabilitation, and you frighten the other monsters and show the world that hope and virtue are always stronger. You can't do that using this weapon to vaporize half a mountain or putting them in a lab in a vial to study. One good man can save the world, that's why this crime and danger won't conquer us. That's why that gun is nothing but excessive force. Evil will always be broken and divided and afraid, and doing what's right will always unite the weak and oppressed."

"In the interest of time, I will no longer debate this topic. Instead, I pose a hypothetical situation. Say, for the sake of argument, a situation is concurring and you could easily assist. Your intervention might save, say, three lives, but would almost definitely endanger the lives of two hundred individuals inadvertently. Alternatively, you could permit those individuals to perhaps die, and save the greater majority of lives. What to do you do?"

The other man, sick of all this moral debating and shit, left the tent. He had work to do that didn't involve talking, and so did the android. The blue man continued:

"I will allow you to ponder the situation. In the meantime, you many do as you wish, my time is better spent actualizing and not debating philosophies."

He then detached the gun he was holding into a larger majority and a sort of cartridge, and placed the gun part on a nearby table while placing the cartridge in one of his sash pockets. Turning his attention to one of the bags, recognizable from the situation at the lab, and appeared to pull out some sort of human skin costume...what?