Cold metal presses against Sketch Turner's back. A failing monitor paints the security station in sickly green, revealing cracked consoles, hanging wires, and dust gathered in the corners.
The Tactical Woman
Wake up! Come on, wake up!
His eyes open to a young adult woman with light brown skin and an athletic build. Her dark hair rises into two rounded buns, and a tactical visor shades her eyes.
She wears a sleek black combat jumpsuit beneath a tactical vest, dark shorts, and a bright belt with a yellow-and-red badge. Heavy black boots carry yellow straps.
Sketch Turner
The floor is cold enough to numb my fingers.
The Tactical Woman
Good. You're conscious. Don't try to stand yet. The station took a hit, and I found you under the console.
The Tactical Woman
I'm General Alissa Cyan. If you can hear me, blink twice and look at the door.
Beyond her, the reinforced security door shudders once. Every monitor flickers to black, then returns with a single red warning symbol.
✓ Quest Accepted
Escape the security station
Director's note
Is this a dream or did one of my comic book characters zap me into my own comic?
Director's note
She probably has no idea what I’m talking about.
Director's note
Alissa assists Sketch to his feet, as his pet black rat “Roadkill” scurries up his back to position himself on Sketch’s shoulder.
“I’m alright but I think my arrival here might have been that “big hit” you’re talking about. …Mortus! He somehow sent me here, during that lightning storm… I already know who you are Alissa…”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled -1)
Sketch Turner
I’m alright, but I think my arrival here might have been that “big hit” you’re talking about. Mortus sent me here during a lightning storm. I already know who you are, Alissa.
The woman studies him, visibly recalibrating. Behind her visor, suspicion replaces the urgency in her voice as the red warning symbol pulses across the dead monitors.
The Tactical Woman
You know my name, but I don’t know yours. And Mortus is not a name in any report I’ve seen. Start with the lightning.
She hooks an arm beneath Sketch’s shoulder and helps him upright. The effort costs her a glance at the monitors, leaving the warning’s source unchecked for another breath.
A small black rat, its glossy fur marked by a torn left ear, scurries from beneath the console, climbs Sketch’s back, and settles on his shoulder, whiskers twitching at the ozone stink.
The Tactical Woman
You brought a rat through the breach? Fine. Keep moving. If that storm opened this station, something else may have followed.
Sketch Turner
The warning symbol is newer than the damaged consoles.
✓ Quest Accepted
Explain how Mortus sent Sketch through the lightning storm
Director's note
Her blank stare means she has no clue about what I’m talking about.
Director's notewhole tale
Sketch looks to his right shoulder at his rat, Roadkill
“You’ve never heard of Mortus before because he escaped this realm & swapped places with me, in my dimension, before I could write him into a plot where you’d acquire data on him. As hard as this may be to believe, I’m the creator of this world & all of its inhabitants, including you. There was a crazy lightning storm over New York City when suddenly, a lightning bolt entered through my open window & struck my art desk, while was in the middle of drawing. Mortus, like you, is one of my character creations & he’s the most dangerous man in this world I named “Comic Zone”. Following the strike, he appeared in my room & flung me…here.. Hey buddy-rat! I’m glad you tagged along… Oh, about the rat. This is my friend, Roadkill. He was napping on my art desk when the lighting struck so it looks were in this together.”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +0)
Sketch Turner
You’ve never heard of Mortus because he escaped this realm and swapped places with me before I could write him into a plot where you’d acquire data on him. I created this world, Comic Zone, and everyone in it, including you. A lightning bolt struck my art desk in New York while I was drawing, and Mortus appeared in my room and flung me here. Hey, Roadkill. Glad you tagged along. He was napping on my desk when it happened, so we’re in this together.
Sketch turns his head toward the rat on his right shoulder. Roadkill’s torn ear twitches as Alissa assists Sketch fully to his feet, one steadying hand remaining at his elbow.
Roadkill
Krrt.
Alissa stares at him, then at the rat, her blank expression unchanged. The red warning symbol continues pulsing while the explanation consumes the station’s remaining quiet.
The Tactical Woman
I understand what you’re telling me. I do not understand how it can be true. You claim Mortus crossed over from your world, exchanged places with you, and brought you here before you finished creating him.
She releases Sketch’s elbow only after confirming he can stand. Her gaze returns to the monitors, and the unanswered warning remains a concrete gap in what she can assess.
The Tactical Woman
Then you know something about him that we do not. Start with what makes him dangerous, and keep moving.
Quest Complete
Explain how Mortus sent Sketch through the lightning storm
“Sure, I’ll explain further but I think we need to escape this security situation, based on those pulsing “warning” symbols on all of these monitors. As far as the danger Mortus poses, since he’s now in the “real world”, he has access to my art tools. He can draw in or erase anything out of Comic Zone. If he chooses, he can literally set the very pages that we’re in on fire. He won’t destroy the entire book because he’s not fully materialize in my world as a flesh, blood & bone human being, yet so for him to set every page on fire would not only kill us but him as well. He needs me to die in Comic Zone in order for him to become flesh, Alissa. Now, let’s get out of here before Mortus figures out exactly what issue I’m in & the page that I’m on.”
SUCCESS (Great Agility, rolled +0)
Sketch Turner
Sure, I’ll explain, but we need to escape this security situation. Those warning symbols are pulsing on every monitor.
Sketch Turner
Mortus is dangerous because he now has access to my art tools. He can draw in or erase anything from Comic Zone, even set these pages on fire. He cannot burn the whole book without killing himself too. He needs me dead in Comic Zone to become flesh, so let’s leave before he finds this issue and page.
General Alissa Cyan’s blank stare holds for one beat, then the warning symbol flashes faster. Roadkill grips Sketch’s shoulder as the station fills with a sharp electrical whine.
The Tactical Woman
I cannot verify any of that. I can verify the station is compromised. Move, Sketch. I will question you where the walls are not warning us.
She reaches the reinforced door and drives her shoulder into the manual release housing. Sketch follows, quick and balanced, while the monitors spit sparks behind them.
The damaged lock gives under Alissa’s wrenching pull. She ushers Sketch through into a dim service corridor, then slams the security door shut behind them.
The Tactical Woman
Keep close. If Mortus can reach this place through your pages, distance and darkness are our best advantages.
Quest Complete
Escape the security station
Attribute Upgrade: Reasoning Good→Great