Between Sessions 7 and 8

[Adminenkainen]

Hour-Man and Captain Desmo (and Zatara, Doris West)
Sunday, May 7 - Wednesday May 10, 1940
Appleton City
Dinosaur Museum of Natural History

Rex Tyler had spent a lot of time at work so far this week, putting in extra-long shifts, but really staying after everyone left and using the facilities to research chemical formulas that would make his synthetic tissue heal faster.

Captain Desmo had spent a lot of time restocking on supplies, buying marbles (easily acquired in the children's department of a department store), and generally acting like a hous - making sure Hobbes was resting after work, doing the cooking and cleaning, and preparing space for Gabbby. Gabby would have a futon in the living room and a short chest of drawers for his things.

They were so busy, in fact, that they never saw each other again until the 10th, when Hour-Man, Captain Hawkman, Zatara, and Doris West were to meet at the Dinosaur Museum of Natural History.

Zatara was wearing a black suit and Doris was wearing a brown dress. ((How are you two coming to the meeting?))

Hobbes was present, wearing a brown suit. He was actually resting in the most comfortable chair in the conference room since before the meeting started; though he had come back to work right away, the museum's administration knew of his hospitalization and let him take long breaks as needed.

((We can assume Doris learns a full report of what happened; neither of you needs to recap for me, unless you have particular details you wish to stress.))

[dtspurrier]

Rex would come in his civillian attire as everyone here knows his identity

Hopefully got some healing

[Adminenkainen]

During a break in discussing old business, Rex mentioned his need for healing to Zatara. "Of course. Shall we step into another room for some privacy...?"

They adjourned to the library, for the moment unoccupied. Zatara cast his spell and a first aid kit magically appeared in the air. But then it whirled and transmorgrified into carpenter's tools.

"Interesting..." Zatara said as he watched his spell go to work on Rex.

((Hour-Man is back up to 15 hp!))

[dtspurrier]

Rex feeling a lot better  and says, " thank you for the healing. Like you who actually uses magic , with my super hero powers I am also a little different, not the same as a normal human person. "

[Adminenkainen]

"Hmm, I would say they make you a good deal different..." Zatara mused. "If you ever wish to talk about it, you can count on my discretion."

((Still delaying moving forward to give Tim more time to chime in.))

[Tim_Fox1002]

((Sorry I had no idea you guys already started here! Ok here it goes...))

I assume Desmo was able to find a couple of magical gifts at a local occult store for Zatara and also the Spectre (although he would keep that for now until they met again...). I'll fill in the blanks here for Scott (if it's alright). Desmo brought a book on transmogrification recommended by a very austere shop owner with slicked back black hair and a rather resplendent goatee in a part of the city near a carnival with a big ferris wheel called Coney-Fair Island. The book's title was, "Grindwurtle's Art of Transmogrification: from Expert to Mastery in 20 Easy Steps". He was sure Zatara would be pleased and use it well for his research. (He bought a book on candle magic and illusion for Spectre titled, "Candle Seance and Spells of Recall".)

He also bought some imported coffee beans imported from a South American Carib country he never heard of called Guadahualino Island. He hoped the crew would enjoy it for today's meeting, and with Hobbe's great health, he could set Hobbes straight to work serving coffee. (maybe he would help just this once!)

Desmo feeling in fine form despite being busy, showed up in his aviator outfit, and would give his gift to Zatara discretely at the first available chance.

Desmo wanted to stress at the meeting about the overall danger of their and how they needed to be better equipped, and have a quicker emergency response team in place so no one would have to wait for out of towners. He would tell them about Gabe coming to join the team as well.

[dtspurrier]

In private with Zatarra, Rex adds, "yes I will tell you my tale in another time. IF you are still in town after your show or a different day. I am hesitant on telling Agent west or Agent Bart as I don't want to bring to much government interference or possible danger the time line. Yes the actual time line not the example in HG wells fiction novel. Let's join the others."

Later when Desmo joins, Rex takes some coffee and says, " nice choice of brew. The cult will probably be back and they will definitely cause trouble. Maybe purchasing an abandoned building to set up a headquarters so we can avoid any damage to this place in case the cult finds us."

[Adminenkainen]

Hour-Man and Captain Desmo (and Zatara, Doris West)
Wednesday May 10, 1940
Appleton City
Dinosaur Museum of Natural History

Hour-Man and Zatara were still alone. "Any time you wish to talk about it, contact me," Zatara said before they went back in to join the others.

Everyone was thrilled with Captain Desmo's offerings, particularly Zatara.*

((*I should have assumed you would have wanted your gifts by the time of this meeting. In that case, CD lost some sleep getting everything done, and got really lucky combing the city's used bookstores. Let's say the two gifts cost him $60.))

"Grindwurtle?" he said, staring in awe at his present. "This...this is no charlatan, the name is well known in my circles. I...thank you, my good friend," Zatata said, with a tear welling up in one eye as he choked up. "I..." he cleared his throat as he got his emotions under control. "I will get your gift to the Spectre as soon as I see him again. In the past three days we have only met once, for 15 minutes, to discuss trading spells, but that meeting to trade has not happened yet."

Agent West brought the meeting back to order. "Captain Desmo and Hour-Man have both brought up issues - supplies and housing - that require funding. I am just going to remind you that, other than Agents Regan and myself, no one else here directly works for the federal government - and we need it to remain that way. As such, funding cannot come through our agency and you must secure funding yourselves for anything you need.

"As for the problem of needing a quicker response time, there will be times when our full roster is spread out 250 miles apart -- and that is when Regan and myself aren't out of the country on assignment, or any of you are busy elsewhere with your civilian, every day activities. Without magical aid that Zatara doesn't have-"

"Yet," Zatara interjected.

"Doesn't have yet, assembling the full team is always going to require lengthy delays. It was not always so, but it seems the majority of our membership are now based here in Appleton, so a rapid strike team would need to be based here. Something else to consider, though, is that the Sandman's turf, Philadelphia, is almost halfway between Appleton and Washington, making it a more ideal place for a central meeting location than here."

There was a knock on the door and Professor Grussbaker asked to be let into the room (the door had been locked for security, of course). "I don't believe we've met, but you are Doris West, I presume?" Professor Grussbaker asked when he entered. "There is an urgent call for you in the other room."

Doris looked startled. "I asked not to be interrupted here unless it was truly an emergency...excuse me, gentlemen. Please feel free to discuss the matters on the table while I'm out and let me know what you come up with."

[Tim_Fox1002]

Desmo took out his pipe and smoked with a coffee in his left hand.

"Trouble?" said Desmo with a nervous glance at the door, and then quietly to Hour-Man. "Maybe the best we can do, is take over an old abandoned warehouse for a headquarters. I'm not sure what to do about supplies, but having Gabby here will at least give us another local man to call on for help when we need a team. And, he is a local too and living with Hobbes and I now."

[Adminenkainen]

Also on the table for discussion were matters of recent political news:

The Democrats have been winning major primaries in Alabama, California, and Maryland. FDR signed a bill into law allowing the executive branch to freeze the assets of "belligerents." The White House denied a report from Rome that FDR offered to Mussolini to mediate the European War. There was a meeting of 40 international peace organizations at International House in Appleton (on the 8th) where they urged the creation of some form of international government.

Internationally, Great Britain occupied Iceland for its "defense" and Prime Minister Chamberlain narrowly squeaked through a vote of confidence in Parliament. In China, Japan broke through the Hupeh-Honan defense lines.

[Adminenkainen]

Mar 19, 2023 14:00:41 GMT Tim_Fox1002 said:

Desmo took out his pipe and smoked with a coffee in his left hand.

"Trouble?" said Desmo with a nervous glance at the door, and then quietly to Hour-Man. "Maybe the best we can do, is take over an old abandoned warehouse for a headquarters. I'm not sure what to do about supplies, but having Gabby here will at least give us another local man to call on for help when we need a team. And, he is a local too and living with Hobbes and I now."

While they waited for Doris to return, Zatara said: "As our number of enemies continues to accumulate, I am increasingly concerned about using a public location like this museum as our base of operations. Suppose the assassins came here after us, or worse, killed museum guests to get back at us? Maybe President Roosevelt can freeze their assets, as belligerents," he added with a smile, trying to lighten the heavy moment.

"A warehouse that serves no other purpose sounds like a good, and safer, plan, but we must decide - is the headquarters primarily for the strike team, and needs to be here in Appleton? Or primarily a place for the whole team to gather, and needs to be in Philadelphia?"

[Tim_Fox1002]

"Hobbes here, and Hour-Man too," said Desmo pointing the bowl of his pipe at them while making smoke rings. "They've got to work in Appleton. Also, so far all of our crime fighting work is here too. Philadelphia is too far from Appleton... What's more - Appleton is the most American place for me. A place for real patriots to live."

[dtspurrier]

Hour-man thinks and says, " a warehouse as a base is probably a best option here. Philadelphia would be a tough quick commute. However we should get phone numbers just in case. We can look for places later."

[Adminenkainen]

Hour-Man and Captain Desmo (and Zatara, Doris West)
Wednesday May 10, 1940
Appleton City
Dinosaur Museum of Natural History

"My understanding," Zatara added to the conversation, "is that Agent West wishes us to contact everyone else through her so no one of us can be used to access the rest of the team by our enemies. But I see your point, gentlemen. If speed is going to become our priority, then security must lose out to it. We can let her know when she comes back in how we feel on the subject. Ah..."

Doris West came back into the room. The look on her face told her that the news she had received was grim. "The news I just received was top secret," she said when she reached the table where everyone sat. "None of you have the clearance to know it...but I am going to tell you anyway. Our intelligence tells us that Germany is about to invade Belgium."

She paused. "And France."

"My God..." Zatara said, standing up slowly.

"And Luxembourg."

Hobbes fell off the couch he was laying on. "What? In the same day?" He asked, incredulously.

"And the Netherlands. And yes."

"How is this possible? Magic?" Zatara asked.

"Worse, science. Germany has built the largest war apparatus ever assembled."

"And...England?" Hobbes asked cautiously.

"Safe. For now. The United States is still, of course, neutral in this terrible war. Even our team, as unofficially aligned with the government as it is, will not be able to become involved. Yet. But the day may come when I will ask you to take missions in Europe."

[dtspurrier]

Hour-man stops and thinks about this for a second. He knows the history of WWII and will not intervene to change history or make suggestions about outcomes to not damage the time line. He does show distress look on agent west news and knows lots of people will die. Rex then says, " of course I will help out if needed. Right now though the threat is here."