Grip of the Mind Thieves, Chapter 16: Puppets and Strings! Report
General Summary
BREAKING NEWS!
CALM AFTER THE STORM
Mutant Tree by Dreamstime Stock Image
Another update on the Central Park situation.
The chaotic events of today came to a quiet end with the combined efforts of Code Blue, NYPD, and the local hero community. Drones, scattered across the more populated areas of Central Park, began dropping balloons filled with a mysterious substance mid-afternoon. At first, this was assumed to be part of the Stark Technology Expo that was in progress. But the reality of the situation quickly became clear.
The mutagenic substance, named 'orange ooze' by witnesses in the park, broke free of the balloons and splashed both park and park visitors. At current count, 50% of the balloons contained this dangerous substance. The other 50% contained nothing more dangerous than toy slime.
Any plants, animals, or people that came into contact with the mutagenic slime would suffer the effects immediately. Plants would mutate into new species within minutes. These, while not considered dangerous to visitors, have been marked as 'hazardous' while they undergo further study. Currently, top research teams and botany experts have been brought in to study the clumps of alien-like flora. The city has placed barricades along the perimeter around the mutated plants.
Animals and people, while not transformed into a new species, were mutated into a hybrid or 'meta', along with what appears to be random powers. But the combined efforts of Code Blue and local vigilantes corralled the monstrous animals and mutated people. This wasn't without effort, as many of the frightened animals went on a rampage across the north sections of Central Park.
People were a different matter. This depended on the nature of the mutations. Some suffered effects from sensory powers that left them incapacitated in one location. Others exhibited physical powers from pyrokinesis, cryokinesis, and more that presented a danger to the surrounding area.
Vigilante teams, such as the local group the Knights Vigilant, dealt with drones, ooze, and mutated victims head on. The Knights Vigilant faced the worst of the trouble in the highest concentration of the drones and mutated victims. In addition, they also confronted the criminals responsible.
Reports are still coming in, but the ones responsible for the chaotic outbreak of mutations have been identified are Dr. Overmind and two previously unknown associates: Black Scarab and Silk Sphinx. Until now, Black Scarab has been mistakenly identified as 'Nega-Knight'. NYPD has yet to release a statement detailing the ultimate goal of the criminal gang.
But, Dr. Overmind is known for his involved and long-range plans involving theft using mechanical mesmerization and 'mind control'. Reports of unexplained memory loss among employees from local security firms, such as Ironclad Securities, fit this profile. Affected employees are undergoing treatment at this time.
Unofficial reports have surfaced that the trio were initially after STAR Labs VR prototypes unveiled during the Stark Technology Expo. Using this technology, the current theory is that the trio were planning to target historical Romanov jewelry exhibits appearing next month.
OOZE EXPOSE: ORIGIN OF THE OOZE, PT 5
by Meil MingReporting from Vibora Bay, this is a continuing look into the Orange Ooze mutagen that threatens New York City's Central Park area. This is a breaking update in the investigation.
New analysis from Phoenix Industries delivered to the Dawn Sun Reporter show that the composition of the Ooze matches preliminary results against pollen from a rare plant called, the Crystal Jade Vine. This rare and endangered plant factors into cultural record legends in the Amazon Basin, Tibet, regions of the Australian outback, Indonesia, and oral traditions of ancient cultures in what is now Vibora Bay.
According to experts from the Franklin Institute and Leopardworks Savanna Ltd, the rare plant is considered critically endangered. As such, its illegal to transport without a license. This hasn't deterred certain organizations, such as the Golden Lotus, from smuggling and cultivating the plant. For the Golden Lotus, this is specifically for the meta-powered tattoos they are infamous for.
Anonymous sources in the Vibora Bay area suggest that the mysterious Ivory Talons are one of the major buyers. Currently, they are completing for sole control over the Jade Vine plant. Authorities in Vibora Bay have evidence that the Bonegrinders are the leading criminal gang that would traffic in endangered species like the Crystal Jade Vine.
Further information about the Bonegrinders and Ivory Talons with respect to their connection to the Jade Vine plant is forthcoming.
FROM THE BLOTTER
Police responded this evening to another outbreak of violence, this time at the 59th Street Marine Transfer Station at Pier 99.
This followed on the heels of a local vigilante group combating a collection of advanced robotic attack devices that had taken several city employees hostage. These devices were delivered to both the NYPD CSI division and the NYPD's Meta division, Code Blue, for study.
Local gang members of the Disco Boys, provided key eyewitness accounts of the rescue by the vigilante team and leads to the origin of the robotic devices.
Rescued city employees have been taken in for care and treatment at the time of this reporting.
FROM THE BLOTTER continued on page A6.
CITY BEAT
Department of Sanitation workers confirm that the battle below ground has ended. In the refurbished subway terminal, members of the Knights Vigilant subdued the criminal mastermind, Dr. Overmind, and his cadre of shape-shifting technological robotic terrors. This battle raged across the length of the underground complex.
The hero team wasn't without help. A previously unknown vigilante, a 'Silver Ninja', appeared in the main hallway to assist Taki and Sahara in their attempts to capture Dr. Overmind. Statesman by a person named 'Horus', a winged mutant, against Overmind's collection of combat robots.
Late in the battle, Dr. Overmind tried to use a STAR Labs transport truck to escape, but quick action from Statesman disabled the truck. Overmind was captured shortly thereafter.
The heroes uncovered the mastermind's machine shop and what seemed to be the center of his operation at the north end of the complex. There, a large vault-like device, was nestled into a security room. Speculation surrounds what the vault contains and what the criminal mastermind's plans were for the elaborate device.
It was confirmed that Dr. Overmind was not responsible for refurbishing the historical subway terminal. Code Blue reports confirm that the technology used in the refurbishment match techniques and designs used by the criminal terrorist organization, the Hammer Empire.
CITY BEAT continued on page A3.
STAR LABS / WAYNETECH PROTOTYPE TEST CONTNUES
Mid-day the new STAR Labs / WayneTech "Avatar" prototype took its first steps today outside the lab.
Fledgling research into the world of human to machine communication took a bold new step today, with the joint progress reporting success as a 'drone pilot' was able to successfully manipulate a holographic drone under controlled conditions.
This hologram was, with limited success, able to allow the pilot to access and enter a hazardous area though a new neural interlink technology.
PROTOTYPE FIELD TESTS continued on page A9.
KNIGHTS VIGILANT SEEN IN CENTRAL PARK!
Bronze Tempest
Moon Knight
Trickshot
Taki
Sahara
Report Date
10 Sep 2021
Primary Location
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