Grip of the Mind Thieves, Chapter 7: Underground Enlightenment

GREETINGS TRUE BELIEVERS!

Welcome back!

After a brief stop at Fu's Herb and Tea Garden our heroes answered a message from Detective Hirokoma Kozu of NYPD's Central Park precinct. The detective wanted to meet the team on the roof of the precinct building to discuss the case.

The detective was waiting with a folder full of information. There were photos of the crime scene in the American Museum of Natural History and yet more Styrofoam diorama duplicates. Not only that, the detective had notes from a conversation with a Disco Boy gang member who might have been hired to distribute the orange ooze for one 'Silk Sphinx'.

In no time at all, our heroes put the pieces together. The diorama replicas modeled different time periods of New York City architecture, but they shared a common asset. The infamous New York City tunnel systems. Our heroes left immediately to investigate tunnels near the museums.

Moon Knight headed to the city planning and records office, looking for survey maps of the area. Specifically ones that documented the tunnel network. Statesman headed for the Stark Expo. It was an outside chance, but Dr. Overmind's real target might be at the Expo itself! Taki, Bronze Tempest, and Sahara investigated the area in and around Central Park at the first appearance of the mesmerized city workers.

While Statesman's lead didn't pan out, the others hit paydirt. New York has layers of tunnels, almost a maze of them, underneath the city. Many of which have been sealed off. Not only that, but under the Bow Bridge in Central Park, some of the team uncovered a mysterious Egyptian temple turned into a hidden garden. A garden full of blooming Crystal Vine plants! A key ingredient of the ooze!

Our heroes searched the two room complex but were interrupted by the arrival of the Golden Lotus. Based on the overheard conversations, they were the ones growing the Crystal Vine plants!

Now, trapped underground with seemingly no way out, will our heroes negotiate? Or fight their way free?

This is Not Stan Lee saying...

EXCELSIOR!

Components

Goals

The members of Mouse Force were mutated by a strange orange ooze. This is the same formula invented by Dr. Killian and almost used by the Clock King to contaminate the local water supply. Orange ooze known to the team to be made from the ultra rare and mysterious Crystal Jade Vine plant.

However, formula made from the orange blossoms of the vine are known to be unstable. Meta powers they grant are often temporary and harmful! Therefore, the Knights Vigilant have to...

... find where the remainder of Dr. Killian's nefarious formula wound up? Is it in the hands of Dr. Overmind? Or someone of an equal amoral and criminal mind?

... deduce the secret of the ooze, or at least a cure, for their old friends, Mouse Force. Time may be running out for them! Will our heroes, the Knights Vigilant, find a way to help them?

... last, if the technological hand of Dr. Overmind is behind this, our heroes have to deduce his nefarious scheme and put a stop to it, before innocents are hurt!

Currently...

What is the mysterious orange ooze that seems to be at the source of these troubles? Will Dr. Isley discover something no one else has?

The investigation at Pier I turned up a discovery that someone had been lying in wait in a closed down news stand. But who? Were they caught on camera? And how were the other people hit that ambushed our heroes?

Also! Our heroes have discovered Dr. Overmind is using the New York Times crossword puzzle as a guide to commit his crimes! But who is this "S. Sphinx" that submitted the puzzle to the newspaper?

Then there are the duplicates of the diorama. What were they for? What is Overmind's plan for them? And the latest puzzle... "A waxing or waning fortune or fame"... what does it mean?

And now!

The heroes meet with their ally, Detective Hirokoma Kozu, atop the Central Park Precinct. It seems he has important information concerning the case!

Relations

Protagonists

The Knights Vigilant!

Sahara

Taki

"Statesman" ( secretly also known as Trickshot )

Bronze Tempest

Allies

Dr. Pamela Isley, "Poison Ivy" Infamous eco-terrorist and expert on botany and botanical science. Working to analyze the mysterious fluid ... will she find something for the team that can help them?

Detective Hirokoma Kozu Veteran detective of the NYPD Central Park Precinct and contact with the Knights Vigilant.

Donata Gadgeteer and inventor for the team, Mouse Force. Occasional co-inventor with Moon Knight and Tesla Coil.

Neutrals/Bystanders

Detective Kato MacHale Seasoned Code Blue police detective temporarily working at the Central Park NYPD precinct. He helped the heroes during the fight at Manhattan's Pier I, and showed again at the Museum of New York. Is he a friend? or Foe? What is his connection to Taki?

Adversaries

Dr. Overmind! Brilliant inventor and mastermind. Expert at cybernetics and mental interface technology.

The Mysterious Black Scarab He seems to have a grudge against Moon Knight. What is it?

Silk Sphinx and perhaps her associated called 'Hathor'? Are they connected to Moon Knight in some way?

Mysterious Combat Droids that keep appearing! Who controls them? Hammer Empire? AIM? Some new threat?

Plot type

Chapter

Parent Plot

Grip of the Mind Thieves

Related Characters

• Bronze Tempest
• Dr. Overmind
• Moon Knight
• Sahara
• Taki
• Trickshot

Related Organizations

• Knights Vigilant

Related Locations

• New York City