Freebird
Sorry for the wall of text. I may have gotten... over enthusiastic at times. Thank you for the opportunity to add to the world.
Marcus changed his appointment to three days out. He figured that might be enough time to at least get his feet under him.
Marcus's eyes widen to see names he recognized:
Captain Trevor Nowles was a leader who sacrificed himself and his squad in an action against the Authority. He was hailed as a hero and martyr. Marcus himself had met the man when he incorporated and installed a concealable sonic canon in the man's cybernetic arm. He'd said it saved his life in a few confrontations (when he came back to have it repaired).
To find out that he was now a teacher was awesome. The older man had always been an intelligent tactician and charismatic leader of men. Marcus would definitely have to see the man he thought lost to the world over a year before his own death.
One name he was slightly surprised to see was Herbert "Lightbringer" Nasmeth. You hear about guys like Nasmeth, sorry "Lightbringer" as he preferred (though Marcus later learned that it was the name of his paladin character in a childhood MMORPG). These folk had the crazy theories about aliens infiltrating the government or shadowy organizations amassing the power of pyramids or something. The thing is... Herbert's theories were usually right. The man was a savant at taking information (usually gained through a well-honed hacking skill and dark web trolling) and piecing it together to get to the truth. He had personally broken whatever new Authority security firewalls 4 times, only managing to get snippets of data before being booted (or logging off to avoid their aggressive trace programs) but even a little data in the hands of this conspiracy theorist was enough for this Sherlock to work his magic of intuitive leaps. Marcus had never met the man in person, in fact, no one Marcus knew had. He suspected Herbert was a germaphobe or agoraphobe or both. Or maybe Herbert just lived in his mother's basement and was embarrassed to have people over. Honestly, no one Marcus had talked to knew how old Lightbringer was, or what he looked like. And after asking (in innocent, idle curiosity) Marcus received a text message asking why. He shared his harmless intentions and the two got to talking. Herbert even invited Marcus to join his web-hosted role-playing game. The musician tried it, but though his bard, Von Halen of Townshend, was cool, it wasn't really Marcus's scene. But he was glad to get to know Nasmeth better. He had still, to Marcus's knowledge, been alive when Marcus died so he didn't know what the man was like now or even how someone had gotten a soul stone implanted into the recluse.
Nasmeth apparently made his way with online journalism. Marcus asked Janet to 'bookmark' Lightbringer's online stuff for later perusal.
Marcus' heart sped up at reading the name Dr. Tate Merridon. Dr. Merridon was a post-op FtM and preferred the masculine pronouns. He was also the inventor of the Stealth Suit technology the Marcus's Awesome Suit incorporated. Marcus was eager to talk with this brilliant Materials Engineer and Pioneer in electro-chemical stimulation but his heart fell to read that the scientist was still in the hospital due to 'psychiatric' concerns. What could this contemporary of his have gone through after Marcus's demise, or maybe there was something in the reintegration procedure that created a mental schism? Was there an unforeseen psychic consequence to exposure to the stealth tech? He'd have to visit his old friend in the hospital to find out. Marcus wondered if maybe his 'clutchmate' psychics, Vee and/or Billie might be able able to help him sort this out.
The fact that he found a fourth person he personally knew didn't surprise him. He was from a time of turmoil and strife. If soulstones were put into 'heroes', the opportunity to rise to such were prevalent in the conditions of the world Marcus lived in. If heroes were forged and tempered then the Resistence was the fire and the Authority the Hammer and Anvil.
What DID suprise him was the name itself. Cynthia "Bastet" Brooks was a well-known figure. With a... erm... well-known figure. It was never clear to Marcus whether her Cat features (fur, cat eyes, tail, retractable claws) were a result of genetic manipulation, or a manifestation of a power, or if she was from a 'race' of catpeople (alien or otherwise), or.. if she'd maybe been bitten by a radioactive cat or something. What he did know if that her increased agility, close combat AND sniper prowess, natural stealth, perception and tracking skills, and overall attitude made the Resistance a safer and nicer place to be. (And maybe the fact that one of her photos was his desktop picture for many years had something to do with it).
With her grace it was no surprise she became a well-known dancer in this new world.
He wondered if she'd remember him. They didn't have many interactions (and he was always a bit tongue-tied around her when she was present). But he does recall an Authority raid on one of the early labs where he and Tate and several other scientists her to be escorted out. Cynthia was one of those assigned to the protection detail and he personally witnessed her fluid lethality as well as her forewarning of people approaching. When his own extended hearing and ability to differentiate even the smallest, minute sounds came to be known she seemed impressed (or maybe Marcus was projecting). In either case, she was instrumental in getting them to safety and promptly left for another assignment. Still, Marcus could hope.
He immediately texted Herbert, even sharing the video of him playing his stratocaster (hospital gown and all) and asking the guy how he'd been doing and what he thought about this new world.
He sent a message to Captain Nowles, asking if he'd even remembered Marcus as asking after the man's new life.
He Sent a message to the Hospital asking if Dr. Tate Merridon was allowed visitors and if so, what time. He posited that if a friendly might be helpful in Tates's condition he was willing to do anything that might help.
He... hesitated to send a message to Cynthia. She was so... He stopped his thinking by bringing knuckles to his forehead with a resounding 'thwap'. He told himself to stop being stupid and composed a simple message.
"To Cynthia Brooks. Hi! I don't know if you'll remember me or even want the reminder of that time in our lives but this is Marcus Siemmens. I worked with the Resistance, Tech Development, and I was just 'woken up' this morning and trying to connect with those I might know. I understand if you're busy. I imagine you get tons of fanmail, (or whatever the equivalent is). I suppose I just wanted to say 'Hi' and 'Yay, we won... ultimately'. Anyways, I hope things are going well for you. Feel free to write me back or call sometime tomorrow. Take care. Marcus."
Be cool Marcus. He told himself as he directed Janet to send it.
And just like that, it was done. He immediately thought of a hundred rephrasings, better word choices, or other things he could have said.