1) – Mary checked that Channel 2 on her communications Earpiece was set for encrypted conversation between her and Chrono.
2) – She obtained a private phone number for use on Channel 5 and purchased a number of burner phones (pay as you go) while Jamaican Tommy ‘arranged’ for the number from one of them to be transferred to her earpiece,
3) – She gave one of the new burner phones to Ace, the current girl-friend of Jim Gordon and told her to use it at any time if she feel under threat or at risk.
Ace had acquired a bruised eye which, embarrassed, she refused to say how she got – she looked surprised at getting a phone… Mary got the impression that it’s likely to end up being sold but she’d done what she could.
4) – Mary gave the extra phones to the “good guys” in Container Town (Jeeves, Big-Hearted Bertha, Albert, Ben Bishop, Father John) for use in case of emergencies, and asked them to keep an eye out for Ace (or any other current girl-friend of Jim Gordon).
Both Ben Bishop and Father John refused the phones (Ben with a statement about mobiles being an instrument of the devil and how could homeless people afford to buy phones (or did you steal this?)
When asked about keeping an eye out for Ace Ben replied “which Jezebel is that, all these young sinners look the same to me!!!”
Father John was happy to agree and he too had been worried about the young lady and offered Mary his number which he said Bertha also had…
5) – Mary asked around Container Town about the new young woman seen about there recently, named Mary Ann MacCarty apparently.
Other than she was 17, Irish, called Mary and had arrived in Wessex from London nothing was known – Jim had shown an interest in her from the beginning much to Ace’s dismay… Bertha thought she was a nice, polite girl.
6) – Research via Channel 4 on “Mary Ann MacCarty” and Superintendent Cunningham revealed no criminal record.
A facebook account existed for a Mary Ann MacCarty (previously Kelly – she changed her last name online to MacCarty when she discovered the name of her father a few months ago) and showed a 16 year old Mary with Red hair – she’d been searching for her father who she had never met and believed he was somewhere in Wessex. A common theme were posts asking for help finding him.
A PM to Trouble Alert revealed more information (much taken from Police Records) regarding her status as a victim – her mother, Katherine Kelly, had a history of alcohol abuse and violent behaviour especially towards her daugher Mary Anne Kelly.
Mary had been born out of wedlock when her mother was only 16 and she had been raised by her mum alone. In an alcoholic fueled fight (one of many) a few months ago she had thrown her out of the house (she had done so before). Determined not to go back this time she had taken to calling herself MacCarty and travelled to London where all records of her ended.
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Julia Cunningham also had a low internet profile – Second generation Afro-Caribbean, usual family information.
Her father was career military (RAF medical services) and she was subsequently sent to Walford Defence Six Form College where she underwent officer training prior to herself entering the RAF as a lieutenant rising to the rank of Captain as a supply pilot. Currently joined the Met’ Police and quickly rose to the rank of Superintendent.
Her ECHO (European Coordinated Heroes Organisation) database profile was more interesting –
Her ID as Codename Archon was not a secret but nor was it public knowledge…
Offered a position in the Archon programme. Julia eagerly participated because she saw it as an opportunity to quickly climb the ranks and work towards the Top Gun status she yearned for.
The Archon program began as an experimental research project, but quickly gained focus once Julia joined. With her on board, they began concentrating their efforts on weaponising a suit in a way that could provide aerial support for military and police actions.
After some initial combat tests, it was decided the Archon project was better deployed by the Police, specifically CI-5. Julia was seconded to the Met Police at Chief Inspector’s rank and given training on how to support civilian authorities when they found themselves unable to deal with superhuman threats. Chief Inspector Cunningham also found herself thrust into a position of authority and given access to the META (Metahuman Evaluation and Tracking Authority) database.
Within three years she had elected to move over completely to the Met Police and was subsequently promoted to Superintendent in charge of Meta Response.
Codenamed Archon, as she is known to the public, almost always appears in her powered armour. This sleek, shiny battlesuit is powered by a biological energy field and does not work for other wearers. The unit is equipped with jet boots, wings, a high-tensile polymer armor sheathe, targeting computer, and plasma projectors; occasionally, however, the Archon suit will be fitted with temporary equipment providing abilities specific to a given mission, such as special forms of shielding or stealth capabilities.
Cunningham has accepted her role as an “Official Government Approved Superhero” with pride, feeling that her unique powers and training place her in the position to act as a watchdog of “Private Citizen Superheroes”.
Because she spent much of her formative years in the Air Force (growing up in a military family, attending military preparatory schools and entering the Force at 18) segregated from the general ranks of pilots, she has developed an extreme “Type A” approach to life. Everything needs to fit into neatly organized boxes or checklists, or she quickly becomes annoyed. While she can have reasonable discussions with people about society and the role of Meta-Humans in it, in practice she is very demanding of both herself and other Meta-Humans she encounters.
Comments from ECHO members about Cunningham: Anyone she finds wanting can quickly find themselves on her bad side. She is believed to be a good woman at heart, and puts the defense of civilians and her country as top priorities because she honestly believes that is how she is going to help make the world a better place.
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7) She had a chat with Chrono to concoct a story for Supt .Cunningham to cover what happened at the hospital – possible suggesting that “an alien force was using various female patients to manifest in our dimension, modelling itself on the old myth of Raggedy Anne. That force has now been expelled and the portal it was using has been closed.” Any holes in that?
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The HCP License was unknown on her Earth so it was time for a little research.
The Hero Certification Programme (HCP) license was created by the UK Ministry of Powers so that the government would be able to use metahumans and powered individuals to protect people by ensuring the proper training and qualification as special constables without being held liable for incidental damages and accidental injury caused by their line of work.
HCP registration consists of various tests and monitoring carried out by Ministry of Powers/META authorised teams and institutions over a number of years to ensure competence and compliance with UK laws.
Students must be 18+ to undergo Final HCP Certification. This assessment and training can be carried out by the Metropolitan Police, certain schools and colleges (such as Walford DSFC, Claremont Academy, Pryde Foundation for Gifted Children, Wessex University, Metropolitan College etc.), apprenticeships with teams and registered individuals (such as Aontacht Éire, London Watch or the Commander etc.) or under corporate sponsorship ( Dalton International etc.)
Under UK common law, powered individuals are not required to hold HCP status to stop a crime being committed or to chase and catch criminals who are in the process of committing or have committed a crime. Without HCP certification however they may not apprehend someone who they merely believe to be planning to commit a criminal act or who they think may have committed a crime but which has not been witnessed/reported and there is no evidence to collaborate.
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Slang: IDeX (or Leash) : street name given to warrant card issued to HCP qualified supers confirming META status and equivalent Police status. The law requires the card is carried at all time when on duty.
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The existence of superhumans has created volumes of law and legal precedent over the years. The salient points of superhuman law are:
The 2005 Superpower Registration Act was enacted throughout Europe but the UK version allows individuals to register under a unique ID rather than their own details provided the individual’s identity is officially confirmed and then securely sealed until a court order requires it be unsealed for identity purposes.
• Offensive super-powers are considered weapons, and using a power against someone is generally considered aggravated assault unless the individual is acting in self-defence or to prevent a crime. Individuals with offensive super powers must be registered, though this can be under a registered identity rather than under their own name. The Hero Certification Programme allows heroes to be classed as having undergone the proper training and qualification as special constables without being held liable for incidental damages and accidental injury caused by their line of work.
• Superheroes do not have to follow criminal procedures unless they are members of a police force or other law-enforcement agency even if they have HCP status. Among other things, this means superheroes don’t need to read a criminal his rights when making a “citizen’s arrest.”
• Superheroes (even with HCP status) can be charged with “excessive force” if they use more than the minimum force required to disable or restrain opponents. This is most often invoked in the case of violent vigilantes who kill or maim criminals even if it was unintentional. The use of deadly force is not considered excessive if the super was trying to save a life or they believed was necessary to prevent the use of deadly force.
• Costumed identities are recognised as legal entities, allowing costumed superhumans to engage in commerce, testify in court, or be sued without revealing their alternate identity. Their alternative identity does still need to be registered with the Police and META and DNA data provided which is immediately sealed and securely stored to prove proof of identity as and required.
See http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/v_to_z/witness_protection_and_anonymity/#a05 – legal right to anonymity.
• Superhumans are public figures, subject to the same sort of media coverage as other public figures.
• The use of Super-Senses and powers like Telepathy can be considered a violation of a person’s right to privacy and a legal prohibition against “unreasonable searches.” No one can be forced to submit to a telepathic scan, and evidence acquired solely through extrasensory means is not admissible in court.
“In this country, for longer than records can show, citizens have had a shared and common obligation to pursue and apprehend offenders, and to bring them before a court of justice. The police have a vital role in investigating crime and anti-social behaviour. They enjoy special powers, resources and expertise specifically for this purpose.”
Commissioner Sir Raymond Doyle.
Superhero Adventures, UK Style 