Zack
ACME
- Best answers
- 0
- Known Aliases
- Zack, Z, Lil'bro, Dan, Zack-Daniels, Bacon
- Color #
- 993300
Disclaimer: AU Universe/What-if/Fan Fic. This has nothing to do with the current time line, but is inspired by elements of previous role plays. I don't own any characters, original characters were used with narrator's permissions.
Author’s Note: This is my fan letter to the great people who have written with me over the years, and to the plots and stories we created. Some of you have read this and edited your parts, others are waiting to see what was written about them. This is pretty long as far as my writing goes so I’m breaking it into parts and will index them all at the start of all journal entries.
Zachary D. Monaghan waited, watching the news ticker for an interruption he knew would take place.The talking heads were reporting on San Francisco's newest environmental initiative, droning on and on about a green building scheme. Then it happened. Breaking News: THE TIGRESS DOES IT AGAIN.
Local police and the ACME Detective agency were tipped off as three high ranking members of an organized crime family were found locked in a Palermo hotel room, ledgers detailing their illicit activities were in the room next door along with audio recordings which may be the smoking gun in a case against them. It's believed the cartel's kingpin is now on the run.
Zack nearly jumped in his seat.
The TIGRESS program was performing better than expected. Bugs sent through various underground networks detected and analyzed would-be illegal activity at their planning stage, intelligently following communication paths. It worked best on vice cases where people had to organize themselves over distances and move contraband.
The received information was taken by covert means, so it could never be used to get a warrant. Though the bad guys who they could catch in the act would face a mysterious vigilante. They reported her appearing out of thin air, that she seemed fearless and that their bullets had little effect. Some of it was lore created from the minds the ‘superstitious and cowardly’ but most of it was pure, good technology.
"You're on television!” Zack shouted, pointing to the screen. The cameras had captured what looked to be a woman making her escape.
"Correction, we're on television," Tigress replied, her voice chiming and light, so different from how the audio distortion system made her sound in the field, "this was all created by you, after all."
"Hey, I'm not the one kicking butt in a stealth suit. Besides, I dig this whole secret identity thing.”
The young man stood, speaking freely to a seated Barbara Rosen and Director of Operations Chase Devineaux.
"Vigilantes can not be trusted, they don't follow our laws." ACME Commander Marcel Romero announced, "I'm not about to let this turn into a fiasco. We're the hunters, the crooks wear the masks. If Tigress doesn't turn herself in to work with our agency then we should consider her aligned with everyone and anyone we're up against."
The worry lines deepened on Barbra Rosen's forehead, "What about the attempts at contacting her? Her clues seem to be for our own detectives."
"We don't know that. They could have been sent anywhere, but our team has always been faster at cracking stray riddles than any other investigation agency."
"And your suggestion is?"
"We put her name out there, a warrant for her arrest. She's wanted for trespassing, vandalizing public property and unlawfully obtaining protected information. That's enough to get my team on her."
The Director of Operations, Chase Devineaux was silent until this point in the conversation. ACME had a lot of talent, and a lot of good detectives. They also had their fair share of deserters. The last thing he wanted to think of today was Carmen Sandiego, but he could not shake the similarities. Carmen was silent for almost a year, believed to have retired. This Tigress' antics, the showiness, the clues... it was too similar to his ex-partner, yet not.
He finally spoke, “How soon can your team guarantee contact?”
“With the rate that she leaves us clues, within the week,” Marcel was direct but always respectful, “we can do this, sir.”
“Then you have my clearance Commander Romero."
"You won't regret it, Director." he replied with satisfaction.
Zack felt like he hadn’t been out of the bunker in weeks. The Tigress program was a tough one to keep secret, but the rewards far outweighed the risks. His main problem was acting normal around his friends. It was easier to just be a recluse and stay hidden, but he wasn’t about to miss Elsa Olsen’s birthday dinner.
They had all gathered at the Dorm's meeting hall, a room bordered on three sides by glass walls and reflecting pools. Aside from a basic kitchenette and few comfortable chairs and tables, the room was stark. Kept purposefully minimalistic in a style that seemed uniform to Accolade tower. With a few dollar store balloons in teal and sunflower, it was spruced up just enough to be cheerful.
“You look like you’ve been dragged through a sewer, Zack. No offence.” Tanya quipped, ruffling his hair.
“Not enough coffee in the bunker.” He smiled back, hinting at the shy fourteen year old that he once was when he met ACME's current Public Relations Director.
She was just a detective back then, and they were thrown into a few cases together. For some reason, the beautiful blonde Russian liked him. He was scrappy, nerdy, and wore clothes three sizes too big and in some twisted turn of fate, she actually enjoyed his company. He still didn't understand how she agreed to date him for those three years. Her work in Russia and his double majors at Harvard caused them to finally call it off. It was only last year that she returned state-side, but with all that had happened in Kamchatka, romance was the last thing on everyone's mind.
Doctor Conrad was predictably punctual, a cake in her hands that looked too good to be home made, yet too personal to be store bought. The lettering was impeccable, it amused Zack at how Sophie was the only doctor he knew with perfect penmanship. It must have also spilled over to her cake decorating skills.
"There's the Birthday girl." Sophie smiled warmly as Elsa came down the stairs.
"Hey Happy Birthday," Zack greeted, passing on a small box. In the short time he knew Elsa, they really had nothing in common, but she was a nice girl. Always positive and friendly. He had gotten her, quite randomly, a coffee table book of San Francisco sunrises, "Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it up, I thought since you just moved here you might want to see how nice the city can get. Heh, when people's apartments aren't being blown up in front of you."
Author’s Note: This is my fan letter to the great people who have written with me over the years, and to the plots and stories we created. Some of you have read this and edited your parts, others are waiting to see what was written about them. This is pretty long as far as my writing goes so I’m breaking it into parts and will index them all at the start of all journal entries.
* * *
News Report
News Report
Zachary D. Monaghan waited, watching the news ticker for an interruption he knew would take place.The talking heads were reporting on San Francisco's newest environmental initiative, droning on and on about a green building scheme. Then it happened. Breaking News: THE TIGRESS DOES IT AGAIN.
Local police and the ACME Detective agency were tipped off as three high ranking members of an organized crime family were found locked in a Palermo hotel room, ledgers detailing their illicit activities were in the room next door along with audio recordings which may be the smoking gun in a case against them. It's believed the cartel's kingpin is now on the run.
Zack nearly jumped in his seat.
The TIGRESS program was performing better than expected. Bugs sent through various underground networks detected and analyzed would-be illegal activity at their planning stage, intelligently following communication paths. It worked best on vice cases where people had to organize themselves over distances and move contraband.
The received information was taken by covert means, so it could never be used to get a warrant. Though the bad guys who they could catch in the act would face a mysterious vigilante. They reported her appearing out of thin air, that she seemed fearless and that their bullets had little effect. Some of it was lore created from the minds the ‘superstitious and cowardly’ but most of it was pure, good technology.
"You're on television!” Zack shouted, pointing to the screen. The cameras had captured what looked to be a woman making her escape.
"Correction, we're on television," Tigress replied, her voice chiming and light, so different from how the audio distortion system made her sound in the field, "this was all created by you, after all."
"Hey, I'm not the one kicking butt in a stealth suit. Besides, I dig this whole secret identity thing.”
* * *
We Are Hunters
In the Academy for Combat Missions Enhancement's board room, a heated discussion was taking place. A tall young man of Puerto Rican descent was making his case. He wore a variation of the ACME's Special Operations uniform with newly polished rank badges, kept his dark hair in a military crop and had the kind of face that people would either find attractive or annoying, but never both.We Are Hunters
The young man stood, speaking freely to a seated Barbara Rosen and Director of Operations Chase Devineaux.
"Vigilantes can not be trusted, they don't follow our laws." ACME Commander Marcel Romero announced, "I'm not about to let this turn into a fiasco. We're the hunters, the crooks wear the masks. If Tigress doesn't turn herself in to work with our agency then we should consider her aligned with everyone and anyone we're up against."
The worry lines deepened on Barbra Rosen's forehead, "What about the attempts at contacting her? Her clues seem to be for our own detectives."
"We don't know that. They could have been sent anywhere, but our team has always been faster at cracking stray riddles than any other investigation agency."
"And your suggestion is?"
"We put her name out there, a warrant for her arrest. She's wanted for trespassing, vandalizing public property and unlawfully obtaining protected information. That's enough to get my team on her."
The Director of Operations, Chase Devineaux was silent until this point in the conversation. ACME had a lot of talent, and a lot of good detectives. They also had their fair share of deserters. The last thing he wanted to think of today was Carmen Sandiego, but he could not shake the similarities. Carmen was silent for almost a year, believed to have retired. This Tigress' antics, the showiness, the clues... it was too similar to his ex-partner, yet not.
He finally spoke, “How soon can your team guarantee contact?”
“With the rate that she leaves us clues, within the week,” Marcel was direct but always respectful, “we can do this, sir.”
“Then you have my clearance Commander Romero."
"You won't regret it, Director." he replied with satisfaction.
* * *
Sunrises
Sunrises
Zack felt like he hadn’t been out of the bunker in weeks. The Tigress program was a tough one to keep secret, but the rewards far outweighed the risks. His main problem was acting normal around his friends. It was easier to just be a recluse and stay hidden, but he wasn’t about to miss Elsa Olsen’s birthday dinner.
They had all gathered at the Dorm's meeting hall, a room bordered on three sides by glass walls and reflecting pools. Aside from a basic kitchenette and few comfortable chairs and tables, the room was stark. Kept purposefully minimalistic in a style that seemed uniform to Accolade tower. With a few dollar store balloons in teal and sunflower, it was spruced up just enough to be cheerful.
“You look like you’ve been dragged through a sewer, Zack. No offence.” Tanya quipped, ruffling his hair.
“Not enough coffee in the bunker.” He smiled back, hinting at the shy fourteen year old that he once was when he met ACME's current Public Relations Director.
She was just a detective back then, and they were thrown into a few cases together. For some reason, the beautiful blonde Russian liked him. He was scrappy, nerdy, and wore clothes three sizes too big and in some twisted turn of fate, she actually enjoyed his company. He still didn't understand how she agreed to date him for those three years. Her work in Russia and his double majors at Harvard caused them to finally call it off. It was only last year that she returned state-side, but with all that had happened in Kamchatka, romance was the last thing on everyone's mind.
Doctor Conrad was predictably punctual, a cake in her hands that looked too good to be home made, yet too personal to be store bought. The lettering was impeccable, it amused Zack at how Sophie was the only doctor he knew with perfect penmanship. It must have also spilled over to her cake decorating skills.
"There's the Birthday girl." Sophie smiled warmly as Elsa came down the stairs.
"Hey Happy Birthday," Zack greeted, passing on a small box. In the short time he knew Elsa, they really had nothing in common, but she was a nice girl. Always positive and friendly. He had gotten her, quite randomly, a coffee table book of San Francisco sunrises, "Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it up, I thought since you just moved here you might want to see how nice the city can get. Heh, when people's apartments aren't being blown up in front of you."
