Tag Archives: Colette

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 5

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I asked, “Can you remove the suggestion?”

The scene froze, and Daniel frowned, “Well, it’s not easy. Sometimes. Dominator commands have a shelf life. If they’re close to expiring, telepaths have found that you can modify the victim’s memory of the event, and the command disappears. If the victim’s been in regular contact with a Dominator, the Dominator typically reinforces the command. Then, well, you know how the brain stores memories in multiple places? The best thing you can do to memorize something is to associate it with other things—other memories, colors, sounds…

“In that situation, we might remove the main version of the memory, but bits of it will remain connected to other things. Sometimes the connections will even reform. Then the victim will start following the command again or a mangled version, which can be worse.” Continue reading Regression: Part 5 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 4

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The scene switched from his bed to somewhere else. Jody didn’t know where it was. In his memory, we saw a brief flash after he’d reached a people-free corner downtown, checked his phone, and found himself somewhere else.

He’d reappeared outside a great white building. Behind the building towered a volcano. Along with that sight came a pervasive heat, a cool wind, and the smell of the ocean. He’d only ever seen the ocean when Stapledon fought aliens in and around New York City, but this felt different.

He’d seen it briefly then, framed by buildings. Here, it extended outward forever on the three sides in his view. He had to be on an island, literally a tropical island. He could see the palm trees. Continue reading Regression: Part 4 →

Arc 13.1.0: From Far Away

From Far Away: Part 11

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“I’ve known Magnus for a long time. He trusts me to handle the details he doesn’t have time for,” Colette said, her voice catching as she talked.

I couldn’t help but suspect that even though she answered Kals’ questions, she was screaming inside.

Kals sighed, “What kind of things do you do? I need to know more details.” Continue reading From Far Away: Part 11 →

Arc 13.1.0: From Far Away

From Far Away: Part 10

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What did I want to know? Everything? What she was about when she chose to turn Armory from a superhero into a purely profit-seeking weapons developer? How it happened that she had some kind of relationship with Bullet and why she did it? What did she know about Martin Magnus and what they’d been using Master Martian for?

We kind of knew the answers to those questions, but we only really had guesses and Master Martian’s version of events. Continue reading From Far Away: Part 10 →

Arc 13.1.0: From Far Away

From Far Away: Part 9

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Kals laughed, “Oh, really… I can join you then? Do you think I’ll want to? That I’m desperate enough that I’ll sit around waiting for something interesting to happen in my life? You’re very impressed with yourself and whatever you’re doing. I think you need to tell me everything about it.”

I didn’t need the buzz of the Defenders’ protections to tell me that Kals had chosen violence (or mind control. The difference was arguable). I heard the tone of her voice take on an odd tone, but not quite the one I remembered. Continue reading From Far Away: Part 9 →