From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

This is an entry for Ascendant's Signs and Portents group of stories.

Signs and Portents: Blackslash

Mercy Island

Blackslash's Apartment

Invasion -00:33:22:31

"Hrmnh."

Blackslash sat at an old, particle board card table with fake woodgrain that had peeled off in several places. In front of her were 7 stacks of CDs from a music company that she believed Nemesis invested in, in 1999. Lateralus by Tool was in the cheap, plastic CD player in front of her, and playing the last track for the 27th time.

"OK, um, um, OK, what, what we're thinking of as, as aliens, uh, they're, they're extra-dimensional beings that-" Blackslash turned off the CD player with a snort, popped the CD out, and jotted down some notes in pencil on a notepad she'd stolen from school supplies that Longbow had been delivering to a school teacher in Grandville. Longbow, who didn't exist until she'd changed history by virtue of her presence and actions in this time. She'd have to fix that later, after locating the one, true, real Nemesis.

Compliation #41, Lateralus. No detectable presence of subliminal messages. Several possible patterns revealing different overall themes. Final track possible mockery of paranoia given writer's history previous to Nemesis involvement (57.60%), possible plant by Nemesis to lower public view of legitimacy of alien threat (41.42%), possible warning by writer possessing inside knowledge (0.98%, unlikely Nemesis would allow this out). Likelyhood of relevancy to old Nemesis plot: 28.73%. Likelyhood of relevancy to current Nemesis plot: 2.35%

After taking the next CD in the stack, and putting it in the player, she began a new page.

Compliation #42, Running with Scissors.

She set the pencil down, sat back in her worn plastic lawn chair, and rubbed her bald, scarred head while listing to a song that she now knew, for sure, was integral to one of Nemesis' most subtle and intricate plans. Two minutes and 10 seconds into the song, her League of Evil communicator flashed. She answered.

"Yes."

"Ook! Muahahahaha! Blackslash, report to headquarters immediately!" 'trocious Monkey ordered over the comm. "Crom has discovered something monumental, and I want everyone here to discuss how we can best take advantage of it."

"Understood."

The comm flashed a second time.

"Also, pick up some 'naners at the market on the way, or the little ones will eat the Cable of Evil again, and I'll miss Return to Planet of the Apes."

Blackslash snorted, then shrugged.

"Understood."

She donned the suit her Godfather gave her (will give her?) 10 years from now, and flew out the broken window of her run-down apartment.