Volume Seven: Escalation

Cover

1: No Man's Land

Chapter One: "No Man's Land"

May 28^th to ???, 2009

Staten Island. It is a festering sore on the face of New York City, and yet by merit of Law Enforcement refusing to take an active hand in its reclamation, it has become hotly contested territory for all manner of criminal organizations. Now that John Logan and James Muldoon are gone from the island, the leaders of the Triad — Liu and Song Ye — have begun setting their eyes on Staten Island as a staging ground to begin their war with Daniel Linderman. But now, with the United States Government preparing to unleash the hounds of FRONTLINE on them, it could mean that an all-out war for Staten Island is coming.
05/28	Jus Ad Bellum	A mysterious woman approaches an immortal pilot with a plan to take back Staten Island from the criminal element.
06/12	FRONTLINE	Representatives of the United States Government gather together to discuss the FRONTLINE Act, and drop names for their picks in the organization.
06/13	Reputations	President's Aide Tracy Strauss approaches General Sebastian Autumn about the FRONTLINE Act, and corners him for information.
06/15	Debrief	Fedor gathers his employees together to discuss the bombing of Staten Island.
06/17	The Valkyries Call, Part I	Special Agent Sarisa Kershner pays a visit to Michael Spalding and informs him that his government has chosen him for a special task…
06/19	The Valkyries Call, Part II	Out in the western United States, Sarisa visits a retired military officer and offers him a surprising alternative to a surfing vacation.
	Operation Lantern	Fedor and his accomplices pave the way for FRONTLINE with a targeted bombing of No Man's Land.
	Blind Spot	August White's participation in Operation Lantern does not go according to plan, and an unexpected turn of events has him angling towards the Company.
06/26	The Valkyries Call, Part III	In the remote American Northwest, Sarisa Kershner pays a visit to an army specialist with a unique talent for animals.
07/01	Interesting Night	When Liu and Song burn down the Happy Dagger (or so it appears), all hell breaks loose.
07/02	Collateral Damage	The truth about the Happy Dagger comes to light.
07/03	Fire + Water	Linderman Group associate Kain Zarek hires out a private contractor to infiltrate the Triad, who are trying to take control of assets on Staten Island.
07/09	Bettering His Situation	Caliban makes Logan an offer in the wake of the fire.
07/23	Something Stupid	Logan visits Niki, gets Jessica and warns them both not to do anything stupid.
07/25	Bullpen	Paying a visit to the Cong Clinic, Brian Fulk offers his services to the Triad… but for what purposes?
07/26	Welcome To The Family	Brian finds himself solidifying his connection to the Flying Dragons by way of a tattoo…
07/28	The Blue Glow	Adam Monroe takes his treasure stolen from Pinehearst to the attention of special individuals who can find a far better use for it, sending a new poison into the veins of the city.
07/31	Message In A Bullet	Richard Cardinal is brought before the triad by Xiulan Song in order to fulfill an arrangement, and Cardinal is chosen for a very specific task.
	As Clear As Smoke	Having known too well about her capabilities, Liu Ye draws Ling Chao further into his web of deception by inviting her to play herald to the city's new designer drug, Refrain
08/01	Push	Doctor Cong Bao-Wei visits Rapture with Ling to push Refrain out on the streets.
	Saving Grace	An unexpected visit by Huruma sends John Logan's life spiraling out of his control.
	Within Reason	Caliban finalizes an employment offer and more or less welcomes Logan into the Linderman Group's fold with a set of keys to an apartment at Dorchester Towers and an even greater promise.
08/03	Facades	In Chinatown, there are many masks to wear. But the masks of sincerity worn by Hao-Tung and Ellen Fung Xue are deceptively different.
08/05	Idle Chatter	Caliban approaches Gilbert Tucker about acting as Linderman's eyes and ears on Staten Island.
	Strengthless	Logan makes his last attempt to drive the point home to Sanders. It might not have the effect that the cause intended.
08/07	Triad Of Refrain	Three users of refrain get together to find out what the blue-high is all about…

2: All the Madmen

Chapter Two: "All the Madmen"

July 30^th to ???, 2009

When the Moab Federal Penitentiary was destroyed by a coordinated attack by Phoenix, it was not just their allies and those wrongfully imprisoned who were freed from the bonds of the law. Freed from their imprisonment and back on the street, dangerous and wildly unpredictable evolved with disastrous powers have returned to the lives they lived prior to captivity, and now the blood of their victims will flow again.
07/30	Faith and Despondency	A hostage situation at St. Luke's Hospital gets ugly when Adam Monroe decides to pursue a target in the midst of negotiations. It's a very unlikely hero who saves the day.
	Playing Maroczy	In the aftermath of Edward Ray's death, Richard Cardinal travels to the New York Public Library in an attempt to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and instead discovers that a whole new game is waiting for him.
	Lex Talionis	Cardinal and Sal discuss retribution, vigilantism, secrets, plastic surgery, and real estate while discovering they're players on a new board.
07/31	What's In The Box?	Detective Elisabeth Harrison opens up Edward Ray's safety deposit box. No answers there - just more questions.
08/02	How Blurry Can It Get Before the Line's Not There Anymore?	Liz brings Cardinal some of the stuff from the safe deposit box and admits having done something she's not proud of.
08/04	Manifesto	A web of events, and the manifesto of a dead man. You can't drink just six.
	Boy Hits Car	A stranger rolls into town on a day when serendipity and tragedy collide on the streets of Manhattan. But is he alone?
08/08	Enter The Sandman	This one does not appear to give sweet dreams. A new stranger makes her home, but it doesn't seem to go entirely as planned.
08/13	Sleuths	Following the attack in Queens, Diogenes and Kaylee do a little civilian investigation into the matter to learn the nature of the beast.
08/15	Bigots And Killers Are Easier Than Personal Problems	Elisabeth drags along Felix to talk to the latest witness of the woman presumed serial killer.
08/27	A Fist In The Air	Similar sounding ideals conflict at a meeting of powers on Staten Island.
08/29	Seeds Of Doubt	Richard Cardinal practices his green thumb on some of Norman White's followers.
09/02	Let It Snow	Raquelle's family is targeted by the Sandman.
09/03	His Girls	An unexpected intruder walks into an unexpected situation and makes a deal.
	The Third Guest	Diogenes is first on the scene when Raquelle wakes up from one nightmare only to find another waiting for him.
	What Must Be Your Marionette	One madman teachers another some life lessons, and rescues a little girl.
09/15	Especially With Kids Involved	Agent Carrie Costillo of the DHS is forthcoming with information on Maeve Buchanan when Detective Elisabeth Harrison comes knocking.
09/27	Jurisdictional Squabble	The inevitable interdepartmental politics ensues over the sharing of classified information concerning an Evolved serial killer.
09/28	Tiresome Business	…and some more. Sabra reprimands her agents for oversharing.

3: The Remnants

Chapter Three: "The Remnants"

May 23^rd to ???, 2009

With NATO and the United Nations hunting down the Vanguard's surviving members overseas, it falls to the United States Government to round up and execute the remaining survivors on American soil. Under jurisdiction from the US Government, a turncoat member of the Vanguard prepares to use this witch hunt to mask his own personal quest for revenge. But under the surface, a far greater danger is looming, and one that the Remnants know nothing of…
05/23	Shadow on Water, Part I	The criminal element of Staten Island is introduced to a shadow of different times.
05/25	The Past is Prologue	Gillian learns that her friend who dreams of the future is dreaming of a new future, one sculpted by the hands of a ghost.
	Down the River	When Feng Daiyu comes calling for Flint Deckard, down the river is exactly where he sells everyone and anyone he can think of.
06/02	It Never Comes the Way You Expect	When Rico Velasquez runs into the stalking shadow of Feng Daiyu, grievances are resolved.
06/03	Shadow and the Serpent	Feng Daiyu seeks out Richard Cardinal for a lead on the man he's seeking, and it comes to light that Deckard lied through his teeth.
06/16	Snakes and Rabbits	One usually hunts the other. This snake, however, is stalking a wolf. Feng drops by The Happy Dagger to inquire if its proprietor knows the whereabouts of one Ethan Holden. Ghost receives an inadvertent heads up.
06/17	Shadow on Water, Part II	Feng contacts his supervisor and reports in.
	Gasoline and Blood	Feng tracks Deckard all the way back to Manhattan and attempts to settle a score.
06/18	Forewarning	Ghost, under the guise of a Ferry operator named "Ian", comes by the Garden to warn Eileen about Feng's intentions regarding her surrogate family.
06/20	Cao Ni
06/23	Where Once Was Light	Eve and Gillian share a dream of a new terrible future with the leader of Phoenix.
	Feng-Shui	On his way back to his Staten Island safe house, Feng is confronted by Jensen Raith and the two tensely play at each other's weaknesses.
06/24	Live It Out	A struggling New York musician is determined to make one last play at fame…
	No One Else	…and she manages to get stage time at the Rock Cellar thanks to Cat's assistance. Her song, however, is a bit haunting.
06/29	Shadow On Water, Part III	Feng makes contact with his supervisor, who advises him to go to ground for a while.
07/06	Oil and Paint	Phoebe receives a very unpleasant vision.
07/06	Grain of Salt	After painting a picture or eight, Phoebe shares them and the ability behind them with Joseph.
07/08	La Mer	A vision of a terrible twist in the future reveals to Eve that the future is not as bright as once believed.
07/14	The Writings on the Wall	Eve reaches her breaking point.
07/15	The Past Repeats	Upon visiting her friend and firearms instructor, Gillian finds out about certain haunting dreams. For a change, Eve's the one needing to be taken care of.
07/17	She'll Be Back	Cat converses with Else. It goes less well than hoped.
07/24	Audible Ellipses	On the way back from Pinehearst, Peter Petrelli and Gabriel Gray discuss their lives, fathers, and Kazimir Volken.
	Flesh to Bones	Still wounded from the battle at Pinehearst, Gabriel turns to Flint Deckard for help…
07/26	At Bidding of Vast Formless Things	Cardinal and Xiulan sit Flint Deckard down to explain that it's what's on the inside that really counts.
	That's Enough	Else Kjelstrom's song brings a reaction of fear out of Eileen Ruskin, the Vanguard operative formerly known as Munin.
07/27	All Things Will Die	Peter attempts to speak to Eileen in private, but is interrupted by fear and a protective confidant.
07/28	Othello	A game of turning white to black, and black to white. Or, a Shakespearean tragedy. Both are equally appropriate.
	Butterfly Watching	Eileen and Ethan Holden spend a quiet time together, unaware that in the relative safety of The Garden, they are the ones being watched.
07/29	Shadow on Water, Part IV	The hunt begins again, but Feng Daiyu is haunted by memories of the past…
	Turned Around	Eileen finalizes her employment with the King of Swords over dinner.
	Speak of the Devil	And he appears. Gillian goes to warn Eve about Peter and catch up on things related to his new ability.
07/30	Not The Lone Wolf	Peter tries to leverage information about Else Kjelstrom from Phoenix.
07/31	The Syllabus	Struggling to control Kazimir Volken's power, Gabriel tries a cruel lesson in life and death to help him on his way. They are both educated.
	Simple Notions	Visited in a dream, Eileen is reminded of what is precious to her.
08/01	Serpent and the Raven	When Eileen attempts to make contact with Feng Daiyu on her own, she finds her life in peril, and an unlikely rescuer.
08/02	Watchdog	Bringing a drugged Eileen back to the Garden, Peter finds himself face to face with Gabriel and relents his position in the face of marked territory.
	Kabam	Raith imparts his first lesson on Eileen as her new employer: never let your guard down.
08/04	Sentimental	As Ethan takes his frustration out on his latest hobby, Eileen comes asking after Delphine. Conversation eventually turns toward Feng Daiyu and what he may or may not know before veering off in a direction that someone regrets.
08/06	Ivy and Thorn	Upon arriving at the Garden, Eileen decides to take advantage of a chance encounter and proposition Gabriel in Raith's absence.
08/07	Goddamn Pigeons	Eileen attempts to fight fire with fire by enlisting the help of Agent Felix Ivanov in her latest crusade against Feng Daiyu.
	What's Your Motivation?	Gabriel goes to see the King of Swords about a job, but has some questions first.
08/22	Patience And Procedure	After an evening at the Rock Cellar, something follows Feng Daiyu home… and tries to kill him.

4: And Then There Were None

Chapter Four: "And Then There Were None"

??? to ???, 2009

The Company was founded by a handful of unique individuals with special powers, people that possessed amazing abilities and were bound together towards a common purpose. The Company changed, lives changed, and the Founders divided themselves up and most vanished across the country. Now, with Kaito Nakamura dead, Adam Monroe begins his plan to hunt down the remaining founders one by one to exact his own, personal brand of revenge. But Adam quickly will discover… he is not the only one hunting the Founders, and the hunter may well become the hunted.
Previously…
05/21	Beyond Today	Matters of honor and vengeance lie at the heart of a fight between a leader and his former disciple.
And now…
07/26	On Board	Tamsine returns from the vacation Adam imposed upon her to keep her safe, and asks to be let into the loop from now on. He asks her to accompany him on his upcoming "tour."
07/28	Him	Maury Parkman faces death's door in his son's arms, and admits many truths and reveals one startling secret.
07/29	Old Business	Business long-postponed for a variety of reasons is returned to the fore, the lioness at last setting off on her hunt.
07/31	Alecto	Hana Gitelman has a score to settle; she and Teodoro Laudani go in search of Harold Fletcher, surgeon, member of the Group of Twelve, to do just that.
08/06	Discussing The Field Trip	Adam comes to Sabrina looking for information on the founders.

5: The Human Agenda

Chapter Five: "The Human Agenda"

??? to ???, 2009

We are your sons, your daughters, your mothers, your fathers. We are your police, your firemen, your cooks and your criminals. We are Human. Human. Is. First.
Previously…
04/19	The Most Excellent Way	Pastor Joseph Sumter preaches about the gifts that are Evolved abilities. For every action, there will be an equal and opposite reaction.
05/23	Curses into Blessings	Joseph and Abby discover the Guiding Light defaced by Humanis First! graffiti, and they work to rally some help to change a curse into a blessing, reminding the pastor he's certainly not alone when it comes to his church.
	Business or Pleasure	"Robert Kelly" visits the Guiding Light for what seems like neither.
And now…
06/01	Guerrillas In The Mist	Emile Danko steps forward in command of New York's Humanis First cell.
06/18	The Abyss Stares Back	Samantha Tanner's status as a secret Evolved is outed.
06/29	Death Warrants	Under guise of Noah Bennet, Arthur Petrelli plants a seed of death in Danko's mind.
07/07	A Paine To Watch	Danko and Aude attend a memorial to Humanis First victims.
07/29	My Name is Charlie	Emile Danko lays a long trap for Abigail Beauchamp.
07/30	Anything You Say Can And Will	Anything you say can and will be used against you. Joseph learns as much the hard way, without ever having known anyone was even listening.
07/31	Happiness Is A Warm Gun	Danko decides to round out his evening by breaking curfew and murdering Ferrymen operatives…
	The Right Idea	Danko uses one of the numbers he collected out've Joseph's phone to give an unimpressed Phoebe a buzz. Mainly to see where she stands. Also to make a point or two while he has her attention.
08/01	It	Danko finds himself face to face with another New York Humanis First cell leader… Helena Dean's father.
08/24	Maybe She Doesn't Like Bagels	Elisabeth Harrison spends a period as a guest of Humanis First. Then she's checked out.