Aberrant: Spirits in Steel - Spirits in Steel

[ConcreteDragon]

Interstate 15, NV:

"Well, personally I'd love to see your lab and lovely home, Doctor. Why don't we make it at your place, say around 3 o'clock?"

←

"Ok, 3A.M it is...(Robert makes a note on the date-pad) Now, if you could forward me some of those specs, I could get started on th-"

he doesn't give the inventor on the other end a chance to object. Forcing a jovial tone, he says, "Doctor, I am sorry about this but somethings just come up that I have to attend to. I'll call you again tomorrow before our meeting to confirm. Good-bye!"

"-em in the morning..."

Oh well, thinks Dr. Svallo, where are those notes from our last conversation? They should be right over here next to...Herbie! :jumping40: ............

[madcat82]

"You lead the way."

Nodding, the girl does just that, walking quickly outside. Waiting only long enough to make sure he joins her, she continues through the parking lot to her car, an ancient giant of an SUV. Painted black, with red and orange flames dancing across the broad hood and along the sides, it sat heavily on oversized offroad tires. Grinning, she ran a hand along the thick metal bumper as she moved to the driver's side and hopped in. Literally hopped; she was dwarfed by the vehicle and had to jump to get in. Reaching over, she manually unlocked the passenger door for Jamie and fired up the engine while he climbed in. With a deep bass rumbling purr, she carefully backed the behemoth out of it's parking spot and headed towards the shopping center exit.

"We goin' someplace private. Someplace maybe you can see where your frien' is."

Jamie looked with obvious displeasure at the car. He where a man who prefered either classic or practical, and this car struck him as just flashy. However he quickly climbed in.

"Now my dear, could you pleas tell me why we need all this secrecy? Not that I disaprov, discretion is the better part of valour after all, however it does make me a tad curious..."

[archer]

Interstate 15, NV, Southbound:

As Shelby got on his own phone and contacts the local authorities, Manifold(the original) noticed the tour bus that had stopped earlier starting to move. He wasn't sure, but it looked like the driver was going to try to make a u-turn and head back the way he came.

Interstate 15, NV, Northbound:

Erwin, staring intently at the accident up ahead, didn't hear the driver at first. Finally, the driver's bellow managed to get his attention. "Did you hear me? We are leaving! Right now! Highway patrol is on it's way, and my boss is on my ass to get all of you to Vegas on time. Sir, you need to get back in here or I'm leavin' without you."

After one more long look towards the scene, Erwin made up his mind and resumed his seat on the bus. After all, he needed to find this Miner fellow, and the quickest way he knew to do that was to get to Las Vegas.

Soon enough, the bus driver managed the tight u-turn to head back towards another route, explaining the detour to his passengers in an apologetic tone.

Las Vegas, NV:

Jamie looked with obvious displeasure at the car. He where a man who prefered either classic or practical, and this car struck him as just flashy. However he quickly climbed in.

"Now my dear, could you pleas tell me why we need all this secrecy? Not that I disaprov, discretion is the better part of valour after all, however it does make me a tad curious..."

The woman, in between cursing vehemently at other drivers, explained. "See, your frien' only contac' me thru computadoras, an' sometime on the phone. Me n' him go back, I the only person he know out here. So he got in some' trouble, and he tol' me to get you, cuz' you know what to do. And now," she took a quick puff of the cigarette dangling from her lips, "I gonna show you where he at. But only kinda, can't get too close, or we get spotted."

From the few signs Jamie manages to read at their breakneck speed, it seems that she's taking him towards the city limits, or possibly even out the city entirely.

Noticing him looking around, she grins as they hit the highway. "We goin' to see some crazy t'ings. We be there soon."

San Francisco, CA:

Oh well, where are those notes from our last conversation? They should be right over here next to...Herbie!

Sure enough, Svallo found the notes he was looking for underneath some scattered parts next to his toy car. Noting too extraordinary, he thought as he reviewed the notes...Miner had asked some questions regarding his familarity with AIs and robotics.

[malkboy]

Erwin stares out the window watching the scenery pass by the bus. Something just wasn't right about leaving the scene of an accident, but Miner had to pay and that was the most important thing for the moment. Besides, the vehicle that had hit the person didn't run off, so at least someone was doing the right thing.

[archer]

Interstate 15, NV, Southbound:

Meanwhile, Manifold's clones had gone back to studying the body. Something just didn't seem right...suddenly both clones looked at each other in unison as they reached the same conclusion. ::blink ::blink "Oh, crap."

In perfect harmony they moved, both turning and sprinting towards the car. "It's a trap...!", shouted the one on the left, just before his body literally split down the middle, spraying blood and entrails across the asphalt.

The clone on the right spun on his heel smoothly, trying to avoid their sudden attacker by changing direction. Almost...but the blurred figure behind him cut him down with horrific accuracy. Cut from left to right in a downward diagonal, his shoulders and head slid from the remaining torso.

The original Manifold stared in shock. The sheer speed of the attack left him stunned; only seconds had passed since he'd turned towards the shout.

A wavering image of the assassin stood alone on the highway, surrounded by gore. He could clearly see the road stretching behind and through the near-invisible appariton. Near-invisible, and only, he suspected, because of the ripples caused by its recent movement. Even as he watched, the killer began to fade from view...

[ConcreteDragon]

San Francisco, CA:

Sure enough, Svallo found the notes he was looking for underneath some scattered parts next to his toy car. Noting too extraordinary, he thought as he reviewed the notes...Miner had asked some questions regarding his familarity with AIs and robotics.

←

As much as Doctor Robert N. Svallow wanted to go back to tinkering with is pet car, he decides its better to refresh his memory on AI. Grabbing his suped-up Alienware lap top, he sits down into his leather "thinking chair" and activates the 'Do-Not-Disturb' program on his homemade security system.

Activating the wireless network, he surfs the web, reading the latest papers on AI, and compares them to his own notes stored in the laptop. When he feels sufficiently refreshed, Robert shuts down the computer, changes the security program to 'Sleep', and and proceeds to go to bed.

[malkboy]

Erwin's face suddenly lights up as he thinks of something. Quickly to his feet and out of his seat again, Erwin jogs up the aisle of the bus once again. Erwin's looks at the driver and says firmly, "I'll walk... Ssssomebody has to stay and do the right thing. Even if it means being not getting to Las Vegas on time. Just have my bags ssssstowed at the bus depot and I'll be along for them."

Waiting a moment for the driver to acknowledge his request and stop the bus, Erwin quickly exits the transport again. Running back towards the scene of the accident, Erwin glides across the roadway as fast as he can.

[Steele]

Meanwhile, Manifold's clones had gone back to studying the body. Something just didn't seem right...suddenly both clones looked at each other in unison as they reached the same conclusion.  "Oh, crap."

In perfect harmony they moved, both turning and sprinting towards the car. "It's a trap...!", shouted the one on the left, just before his body literally split down the middle, spraying blood and entrails across the asphalt.

The clone on the right spun on his heel smoothly, trying to avoid their sudden attacker by changing direction. Almost...but the blurred figure behind him cut him down with horrific accuracy. Cut from left to right in a downward diagonal, his shoulders and head slid from the remaining torso.

The original Manifold stared in shock. The sheer speed of the attack left him stunned; only seconds had passed since he'd turned towards the shout.

A wavering image of the assassin stood alone on the highway, surrounded by gore. He could clearly see the road stretching behind and through the near-invisible appariton. Near-invisible, and only, he suspected, because of the ripples caused by its recent movement. Even as he watched, the killer began to fade from view...

Well now, Manifold thought, ain't this about some shit!. "Shelby! We need to leave! NOW!" Taking a moment, Manifold moves around the car making more clones of himself to protect the sides. "Sir, if you would kindly take cover."

[madcat82]

The woman, in between cursing vehemently at other drivers, explained. "See, your frien' only contac' me thru computadoras, an' sometime on the phone. Me n' him go back, I the only person he know out here. So he got in some' trouble, and he tol' me to get you, cuz' you know what to do. And now," she took a quick puff of the cigarette dangling from her lips, "I gonna show you where he at. But only kinda, can't get too close, or we get spotted."

From the few signs Jamie manages to read at their breakneck speed, it seems that she's taking him towards the city limits, or possibly even out the city entirely.

Noticing him looking around, she grins as they hit the highway. "We goin' to see some crazy t'ings. We be there soon."

"Are you nervous? Never heard you say more than a few words, no you are shooting of whole sentences... "

Jamie looked out the window again, considering the situation. From what he just gathered it had become quiet a lot more complicated, since now there where someone who might spot him. The girl did not seem very stable either.

A sad smile touched Jamies lips at the mentioning of crazy things. "If you dont mind, I would like to avoid crazy things, I have seen enough of them to last a lifetime"

[archer]

Las Vegas, NV:

"Are you nervous? Never heard you say more than a few words, no you are shooting of whole sentences... "

Jamie looked out the window again, considering the situation. From what he just gathered it had become quiet a lot more complicated, since now there where someone who might spot him. The girl did not seem very stable either.

A sad smile touched Jamies lips at the mentioning of crazy things. "If you dont mind, I would like to avoid crazy things, I have seen enough of them to last a lifetime"

←

"You wanna see where your frien' is, we gotta go someplace not so safe. He says you gotta see it to understan'. I ain't nervous, you jes' ask a lotta questions; figure I tell you before you ask more."

Interstate 15, Southbound:

Well now, Manifold thought, ain't this about some shit!. "Shelby! We need to leave! NOW!" Taking a moment, Manifold moves around the car making more clones of himself to protect the sides. "Sir, if you would kindly take

cover."

Since Shelby had turned at the shout as well, and witnessed the dual murder, he didn't waste any time arguing. Tossing his still-active phone to Manifold, he slid smoothly into the driver's seat. Slamming the door closed, turning the key and shifting into gear were done near simultaneously...not a matter of anything super, just years of practice. With a roar, the engine came to life and the car shot forward.

Manifold, having taken his chance to produce more clones, gave them their instructions to guard the side doors. One of them shouted in surprise as a rippling figure suddenly appeared outside his window, then abruptly disappeared.

Less than a heartbeat later, all the occupants of the car clearly heard a thump from the roof above, as if something, or someone, had just landed on it. ::ninja ::ohmy

Miner, safely tucked on the floor of the car, continues speaking calmly into his phone. "Looks like I may need that emergency transport after all. I assume you have my signal locked in? Good. I'll activate my transport signal in a minute if Shelby can't get rid of our guest. Miner out." He raises an eyebrow at Manifold. "Any second now, Shelby will likely pull some harebrained maneuver to shake off our invisible friend up there. If it doesn't work, I'll need you to get rid of your duplicates, we'll need the room for a different escape plan."

As if on cue, Shelby spoke up. "Buckle in, fellas, this is going to be tricky." With no further warning, he twisted the wheel violently and yanked on the parking brake. Manifold's two clones suddenly slammed against the side windows, pressed by momentum of the abrupt spin. Manifold himself, having grabbed on at Shelby's warning, held Miner and himself pinned in place through sheer muscle.

The car went into an insane 360, tires screaming in protest at this speed. After one more half-rotation, Shelby released the brake and shoved the gearbox into reverse! Engine roaring, the black sedan shot backwards in a burst of acceleration. "HOLD ON!" Shelby bellowed.

Ripping the steering wheel to the side again and dancing on the brake pedal, Shelby whipped the car to face their original direction and shifted into forward gear in a classic bootlegger's turn. Stomping on the accelerator, the car lurched ahead and Shelby shouted back at Manifold. "Check to see if he's gone!"

Interstate 15, Northbound:

Pacing himself, Erwin glided swiftly towards the accident scene, covering the distance at a very respectable speed. Figuring it in his head, he thought he should make it there in no more than a few minutes.

[madcat82]

You wanna see where your frien' is, we gotta go someplace not so safe. He says you gotta see it to understan'. I ain't nervous, you jes' ask a lotta questions; figure I tell you before you ask more."

"Good enough for me" and with those words, Jamie shut up.

[Steele]

Since Shelby had turned at the shout as well, and witnessed the dual murder, he didn't waste any time arguing. Tossing his still-active phone to Manifold, he slid smoothly into the driver's seat. Slamming the door closed, turning the key and shifting into gear were done near simultaneously...not a matter of anything super, just years of practice. With a roar, the engine came to life and the car shot forward.

Manifold, having taken his chance to produce more clones, gave them their instructions to guard the side doors. One of them shouted in surprise as a rippling figure suddenly appeared outside his window, then abruptly disappeared.

Less than a heartbeat later, all the occupants of the car clearly heard a thump from the roof above, as if something, or someone, had just landed on it.

Miner, safely tucked on the floor of the car, continues speaking calmly into his phone. "Looks like I may need that emergency transport after all. I assume you have my signal locked in? Good. I'll activate my transport signal in a minute if Shelby can't get rid of our guest. Miner out." He raises an eyebrow at

Manifold. "Any second now, Shelby will likely pull some harebrained maneuver to shake off our invisible friend up there. If it doesn't work, I'll need you to get rid of your duplicates, we'll need the room for a different escape plan."

As if on cue, Shelby spoke up. "Buckle in, fellas, this is going to be tricky." With no further warning, he twisted the wheel violently and yanked on the parking brake. Manifold's two clones suddenly slammed against the side windows, pressed by momentum of the abrupt spin. Manifold himself, having grabbed on at Shelby's warning, held Miner and himself pinned in place through sheer muscle.

The car went into an insane 360, tires screaming in protest at this speed. After one more half-rotation, Shelby released the brake and shoved the gearbox into reverse! Engine roaring, the black sedan shot backwards in a burst of acceleration. "HOLD ON!" Shelby bellowed.

Ripping the steering wheel to the side again and dancing on the brake pedal, Shelby whipped the car to face their original direction and shifted into forward gear in a classic bootlegger's turn. Stomping on the accelerator, the car lurched ahead and Shelby shouted back at Manifold. "Check to see if he's gone!"

No time for thinking, Manifold thought as he pointed to his two clone and then pointed to each window. Understanding the plan, each clone rolled down their windows. As quickly as they can, each one of them climbed to sit on the doors and attempt to grab at........

[archer]

Interstate 15, NV, Southbound:

No time for thinking, Manifold thought as he pointed to his two clone and then pointed to each window.  Understanding the plan, each clone rolled down their windows.  As quickly as they can, each one of them climbed to sit on the doors and attempt to grab at........

←

Nothing, as far as they could see. Two pair of hands slapped ineffectually at the roof, finding no trace of the assassin, at least not on top of the car. One of the clones, though, quickly slipped back inside the car and pointed out the rear window.

"The dust! Look at the dust!"

Manifold quickly lifted himself to look out. Sure enough, there was a dust trail rising from the opposite side of the highway, at least a hundred feet back. As he watched, something came stalking through the cloud. A distorted image of their hunter appeared, parts of its body fading in and out of view in a random pattern. As he watched in disbelief, the figure simply moved its head side to side abruptly. He recognized the gesture...he'd seen a lot of fighters in the ring do the same thing; a quick movement to crack the neck before the fight began.

Then with a purposeful stride, the hunter gave chase. With inhuman speed it raced after their car, its now patchwork invisibility allowing all the occupants to see it clearly as it slowly gained. Miner, having decided he'd had enough of the floor for awhile, had sat up and was staring out the rear window next to Manifold. "I think it's time for Plan B. Get rid of your clones, now."

Waiting only until Manifold makes them disappear, Miner shouts at Shelby. "Plan B! You know the drill!" At Shelby's nod, Miner flips open a small, previously hidden panel in his belt buckle, and presses the small white button contained within.

An ear-splitting roar burst into being above the car, accompanied by a sudden shadow. Miner simply smiled, and shouted to be heard over the noise. "Looks like our ride is here!"

Interstate 15, Northbound, NV:

Erwin frowned. He could swear he just heard what sounded like a jet turbine screaming through the air up ahead. Straining his eyes, he thought he could make out some kind of large metal object reflecting the oranges and reds of the setting sun.

Las Vegas, NV:

"Good enough for me" and with those words, Jamie shut up.

The woman drove on, occasionally glancing over at Jamie with a small smile. Wherever she was going, it wasn't anywhere close. She stayed on the highway for a long while, and Jamie was starting to get worried. Soon enough though, he saw signs for Boulder City, a small town south of Las Vegas.

She kept on without stopping, going straight through town on the main drag, but soon made an abrupt right onto a rarely-used dirt road. Though the vehicle itself wasn't his cup of tea, Jamie soon appreciated why something with four-wheel drive had been necessary. Bouncing over what was now no road at all, his mysterious driver soon slowed to a near crawl, carefully maneuvering over deep ruts and avoiding larger obstacles. After what seemed an interminable period of tooth-jarring shocks and sudden dips, she finally parked and shut off the engine. The subtle hues of sunset started to color the rocks around them, and made almost fiery highlights in the short woman's hair.

She looked over at Jamie. "We close now. Rest of the way on foot. They hear cars too easy."

[Steele]

Nothing, as far as they could see. Two pair of hands slapped ineffectually at the roof, finding no trace of the assassin, at least not on top of the car. One of the clones, though, quickly slipped back inside the car and pointed out the rear window.

"The dust! Look at the dust!"

Manifold quickly lifted himself to look out. Sure enough, there was a dust trail rising from the opposite side of the highway, at least a hundred feet back. As he watched, something came stalking through the cloud. A distorted image of their hunter appeared, parts of its body fading in and out of view in a random pattern. As he watched in disbelief, the figure simply moved its head side to side abruptly. He recognized the gesture...he'd seen a lot of fighters in the ring do the same thing; a quick movement to crack the neck before the fight began.

Then with a purposeful stride, the hunter gave chase. With inhuman speed it raced after their car, its now patchwork invisibility allowing all the occupants to see it clearly as it slowly gained. Miner, having decided he'd had enough of the floor for awhile, had sat up and was staring out the rear window next to Manifold. "I think it's time for Plan B. Get rid of your clones, now."

Waiting only until Manifold makes them disappear, Miner shouts at Shelby. "Plan B! You know the drill!" At Shelby's nod, Miner flips open a small, previously hidden panel in his belt buckle, and presses the small white button contained within.

An ear-splitting roar burst into being above the car, accompanied by a sudden shadow. Miner simply smiled, and shouted to be heard over the noise. "Looks like our ride is here!"

Manifold recalls his clones as instructed and looks outside to see what's coming.

[malkboy]

Erwin frowned. He could swear he just heard what sounded like a jet turbine screaming through the air up ahead. Straining his eyes, he thought he could make out some kind of large metal object reflecting the oranges and reds of the setting sun.

Erwin grumbles and takes off full speed towards where the car was. He had missed his best opportunity and who knows if there'd be another.

[madcat82]

The woman drove on, occasionally glancing over at Jamie with a small smile. Wherever she was going, it wasn't anywhere close. She stayed on the highway for a long while, and Jamie was starting to get worried. Soon enough though, he saw signs for Boulder City, a small town south of Las Vegas.

She kept on without stopping, going straight through town on the main drag, but soon made an abrupt right onto a rarely-used dirt road. Though the vehicle itself wasn't his cup of tea, Jamie soon appreciated why something with four-wheel drive had been necessary. Bouncing over what was now no road at all, his mysterious driver soon slowed to a near crawl, carefully maneuvering over deep ruts and avoiding larger obstacles. After what seemed an interminable period of tooth-jarring shocks and sudden dips, she finally parked and shut off the engine. The subtle hues of sunset started to color the rocks around them, and made almost fiery highlights in the short woman's hair.

She looked over at Jamie. "We close now. Rest of the way on foot. They hear cars too easy."

Quickly Jamie got out of the car, he did not like it for some reason.

"We need some reinforcements I belive."

Jamie turned to the darkest part of the enviorment, then smiled a little.

"Ever heard of William Blake my dear? " Jamie did not wait for her to answere. "Tygger Tygger, burning bright in the forest of the night."

[archer]

Interstate 15, NV, Southbound:

Manifold recalls his clones as instructed and looks outside to see what's coming.

Glancing behind them, Manifold can see the assassin quickly skid to a halt, staring for a brief moment at whatever just appeared above the car. But the moment passed, and he watched as their hunter sped off into the desert and away. Dust, assumably kicked up by the craft above, obscured his vision, preventing the bodyguard from seeing where exactly the killer went.

Coughing in the sand-filled air, Miner tugged at Manifold's arm. "We need to get on the roof! It's the only way they can extract us!"

Suiting action to words, Miner gestured for Manifold to go out the opposite side, then snaked his way out the window nearest himself, scrambling onto the roof of the sedan.

Airborne

"No, goddamnit!" , the uniformed man yelled to be heard over the engines, "You need to pull your new boss off that car below us and get him in here!"

He pointed, and following his gaze, Carlos could now see that the craft they were in had pulled slightly ahead of the car below, showing the top of the car, along with the infamous 'Lucky' Miner waving wildly and grinning to split his face in two.

Still a bit stunned at the sudden turn of events, Carlos hesitated long enough to see another man emerge from the other side of the car; looking decidely irritated, he pulled himself onto the roof next to Miner.

Interstate 15, NV, Northbound:

In an impressive burst of speed, Erwin raced towards the accident scene. A massive dust cloud had appeared out of nowhere, concealing whatever was happening up ahead. As he got nearer, he realized he'd been right, whatever was up ahead sounded just like the turbines of a jet engine.

Boulder City, NV:

"We need some reinforcements I belive."

Jamie turned to the darkest part of the enviorment, then smiled a little.

"Ever heard of William Blake my dear? " Jamie did not wait for her to answere. "Tygger Tygger, burning bright in the forest of the night."

Though there was nothing in the desolate landscape to even hint at a forest, Jamie's words seemed an invitation. A shadowed cleft between two boulders suddenly sprang to light in a fiery glow. Jaw dropping to her chest, the woman goggled as a flickering tiger made of flame and shadow padded silently out from the cleft. It sniffed the air, made a low chuffing sound and then sat down next to Jamie.

[phoenix]

Airborne

A flurry of flapping leather erupts from the chopper as Carlo throws hesitation to the winds and moves, making a leap that no human could handle to plant his weight on the top of the car next to Miner.

OOC: Quantum Leap.

[madcat82]

Turning his attention back to the women, Jamie simply smiles.

"Let us get a move on, if anything happens let Tyger here handle it"

With a few pats on the Tiger he looked up at the femme, waiting for her to lead the way.

[archer]

Interstate 15, Southbound, NV:

A flurry of flapping leather erupts from the chopper as Carlo throws hesitation to the winds and moves, making a leap that no human could handle to plant his weight on the top of the car next to Miner.

Catching his balance, Carlo maintains his position easily atop the speeding car. Still being buffeted by the downdraft from the craft above, he offers a hand to Miner.

With a quick grin, Miner clasps wrists and allows himself to be helped up. Holding tightly onto his newfound rescuer, he looks up at the open loading hatch, and asks Carlo to carry him up.

Nodding, the Italian took a frim grip on Miner, and bending slightly at the knees, leapt. With inhuman strength and accuracy, he managed to alight gracefully about halfway up the loading ramp, handing Miner off to the uniformed man inside.

Below, Manifold was torn between relief that Miner was at least somewhat safe, and irritation at having to figure his own method of getting up there too.

Thinking quickly, he created another clone to help. After a quick discussion, the two stood up, leaning against each other for balance. Then, in one smooth move, the clone hurled his originator through the intervening space. Manifold shot over the lip of the loading ramp and tumbled his way to a stop next to Miner's feet. Dusting himself off, he rose, and shouting to be heard, asked how Shelby was going to get out. Miner shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about his driver as the loading ramp slowly closed, muting the roar of the engines. "He'll be fine. We'll meet up with him later, in San Francisco." Moving quickly to the cockpit, Miner stuck his head in and spoke briefly to the pilot before returning to the cargo area and sitting down. Looking at Manifold and Carlo, he motioned for them to sit. "I suggest you buckle up, sometimes the ride can be a bit rough."

Following his good advice, the uniformed co-pilot and Carlo, having both experienced the odd method of travel before, took their seats and strapped in. Manifold decided it might be wise to follow suit, and did the same, just in time.

With a lurch that rattled teeth, the craft began its return journey.

Interstate 15, Northbound, NV:

At a full sprint, Erwin noticed the dust cloud lessening suddenly, and out of its midst rose a gleaming steel something...an aircraft of a design he'd never seen before slowly gained altitude. As he gaped at the bizarre sight, the craft paused, maintaining a stationary hover for perhaps thirty seconds; just before it winked out of existence!

Stunned, Erwin barely had time to register the sleek black sedan racing out of the dust cloud's remainder before the cars horn started blaring. This close, he could see the driver's expression; one of total disbelief at a pedestrian on the highway, and directly in front of him. There was no way he could stop in time, and Erwin knew it.

Boulder City, NV:

Turning his attention back to the woman, Jamie simply smiles.

"Let us get a move on, if anything happens let Tyger here handle it"

With a few pats on the Tiger he looked up at the femme, waiting for her to lead the way.

Quickly masking her surprise, the woman nodded as if the fiery tiger appearing from nowhere was the most ordinary thing in the world. "Les go."

With a brisk stride, she headed south, picking her way carefully over the rocky terrain. After only a few minutes, Jamie could see the ground gradually sloping down and away from them, leading to what looked like a broad valley. By his estimate, it was nearly a kilometer away. Sighing, he started wishing he'd worn more appropriate shoes.

An ear-splitting roar over their heads made him forget about shoes or distance; and his companion's sudden tackle drove him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

[phoenix]

For the first time, Wayne Miner and Manifold had a chance to look over the new nova as he strapped himself in. He was taller than average, and very heavily muscled. He was wearing a leather coat, blue jeans, and a t-shirt with a message partly cut off by the lapels of his jacket: -'s time to f-. He had evidently dressed in a hurry, as he was wearing no socks under his boots and no belt. His short-cropped hair was brown with what looked like blonde highlights.

Producing a thin cell phone from his jacket, Carlo punched a few keys and put the phone to his ear. After a moment, someone apparently answered.

"It's me."

Pause.

"I know, I'm sorry. Don't worry, everyone's safe for now."

Pause.

"That would be good. I can't really leave right now."

Pause, then he chuckled.

"All right. I'll call you when we get this thing dealt with, all right?"

Pause.

"I know. I love you too. See you soon."

He put the phone away, then folded his hands on his lap and closed his eyes, still without comment to the rest of the cabin.

[malkboy]

Erwin swore at the sight of the disappearing craft for just a moment before the car horn registered. Quick to react however, Erwin judged the distance between the bottom of the car and the ground before taking a diving leap *UNDER* the vehicle all the while stretching his body as flat as can be.

[madcat82]

"Bloody Hell" Jamie growled befor he tried rolling away to get into cover and get an overview of the situation, at the same time summoning more shadow creatures...

[Steele]

Catching his balance, Carlo maintains his position easily atop the speeding car. Still being buffeted by the downdraft from the craft above, he offers a hand to Miner.

With a quick grin, Miner clasps wrists and allows himself to be helped up. Holding tightly onto his newfound rescuer, he looks up at the open loading hatch, and asks Carlo to carry him up.

Nodding, the Italian took a frim grip on Miner, and bending slightly at the knees, leapt. With inhuman strength and accuracy, he managed to alight gracefully about halfway up the loading ramp, handing Miner off to the uniformed man inside.

Below, Manifold was torn between relief that Miner was at least somewhat safe, and irritation at having to figure his own method of getting up there too.

Thinking quickly, he created another clone to help. After a quick discussion, the two stood up, leaning against each other for balance. Then, in one smooth move, the clone hurled his originator through the intervening space. Manifold shot over the lip of the loading ramp and tumbled his way to a stop next to Miner's feet. Dusting himself off, he rose, and shouting to be heard, asked how Shelby was going to get out. Miner shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about his driver as the loading ramp slowly closed, muting the roar of the engines. "He'll be fine. We'll meet up with him later, in San Francisco." Moving quickly to the cockpit, Miner stuck his head in and spoke briefly to the pilot before returning to the cargo area and sitting down. Looking at Manifold and Carlo, he motioned for them to sit. "I suggest you buckle up, sometimes the ride can be a bit rough."

Following his good advice, the uniformed co-pilot and Carlo, having both experienced the odd method of travel before, took their seats and strapped in. Manifold decided it might be wise to follow suit, and did the same, just in time.

With a lurch that rattled teeth, the craft began its return journey.

Manifold breathes a sigh of relief as he straps himself into his chair. He looks over at Mr. Lucky wondering what he got himself into.

For the first time, Wayne Miner and Manifold had a chance to look over the new nova as he strapped himself in. He was taller than average, and very heavily muscled. He was wearing a leather coat, blue jeans, and a t-shirt with a message partly cut off by the lapels of his jacket: -'s time to f-. He had evidently dressed in a hurry, as he was wearing no socks under his boots and no belt. His short-cropped hair was brown with what looked like blonde highlights.

Producing a thin cell phone from his jacket, Carlo punched a few keys and put the phone to his ear. After a moment, someone apparently answered.

"It's me."

Pause.

"I know, I'm sorry. Don't worry, everyone's safe for now."

Pause.

"That would be good. I can't really leave right now."

Pause, then he chuckled.

"All right. I'll call you when we get this thing dealt with, all right?"

Pause.

"I know. I love you too. See you soon."

He put the phone away, then folded his hands on his lap and closed his eyes, still without comment to the rest of the cabin.

A pained expression crosses Manifolds face and he looks down quickly to try to cover it. It'll be a long time before he can hear those words and not feel pain. He closes his eyes, bringing to mind the good memories of him and his family, trying to push away the feeling of loss. That seems to help......sometimes......

[archer]

I-15, Southbound, NV:

Erwin swore at the sight of the disappearing craft for just a moment before the car horn registered. Quick to react however, Erwin judged the distance between the bottom of the car and the ground before taking a diving leap *UNDER* the vehicle all the while stretching his body as flat as can be.

With marvelous dexterity, the snakehandler dove to the ground, managing just barely to make it between the wheels. His body already flattening itself during the dive, he continued to compress...within seconds his entire form was scant inches thick, more than thin enough for the speeding car to pass safely above him.

Unfortunately, Erwin had had no time to ready his clothing for the emergency compression, and his t-shirt billowed out behind him, snagging on one of the many hanging metal bits of the vehicle's undercarriage. Barely audible due to the car rushing over him was a ripping sound as his shirt was literally torn from his back.

Pressed to the asphalt as he was, the shirt's front half stayed put under him; but he could feel the remaining hot rays of the sun on his bare skin as the black sedan shrieked to an abrupt stop a short distance behind him.

Outskirts of Boulder City, NV:

"Bloody Hell" Jamie growled befor he tried rolling away to get into cover and get an overview of the situation, at the same time summoning more shadow creatures...

Tumbling across the dusty ground, Jamie managed to roll himself slightly behind a largish rock, where his companion already waited, peering intently into the sky. Calling upon quantum forces, Jamie extended his concentration to creation. First one, then two, three, four fire-tigers leapt from the body of the original construct, snarling and growling, having adopted their creator's mood.

For a moment they moved as one, spinning to track the airborne intruder. Then, with one long combined roar of defiance, they ceased to be. One after another, the forces that contained them lost cohesion, and blew apart in rapid succession. Deafening explosions of fire and shadow rocked the bare landscape, pelting Jamie and the latina with chunks of stone and dirt, which amazingly left both unharmed.

The sudden explosions did not go unnoticed by the passengers in the craft above. The increased air pressure bounced the ship like a ping-pong ball before their pilot's voice came over the loudspeakers, laced with tension. "Brace for evasive maneuvers!"

With a scream of focused thrust, the craft banked hard to the right and climbed for a few seconds before settling into a random set of stomach-clenching dodges to discourage further impacts. The pilot's voice came on again. "Sir, two organic targets identified, at our six. Quantum signatures reading loud and heavy. Do you wish to engage or make for landing?"

Gritting his teeth against the nausea threatening to spill his lunch, Miner slapped his hand against the ship's intercom transmit button. "Negative on landing for now, they're too close to risk exposing the base! Continue evasive maneuvers, but move to commence fly-by on their location, give countdown from five to mark as we approach target position."

Miner glared at nothing in particular. "This is not my day." , he muttered. Raising his voice, he addressed his protectors. "Mr. Giaccobbe, you and Manifold will be dealing with our intruders. Capture them if you can, but I need at least 30 seconds of distraction for our pilot to get me to a secure location and land. Cavalry will be on the way to help you ASAP, but right now it's imperative that this ship lands unseen. Understood?"

[phoenix]

Carlo wished that Miner would stop being so damned competent-seeming and unruffled. He had no idea what kind of rich man's game Mr. Lucky was playing, and didn't really want to know. Anybody who had to hire a quantum-fueled thug to do his legbreaking was officially out of his depth, and the Italian ex-translator would be happier once his employer started admitting it.

Actually, check that. He would be happy once this whole thing was over with and he could be with his partner again. But in the meantime, Wayne Miner was the one paying his bills. Besides, he probably was somewhat frightened, beneath his commanding exterior. He deserved the competence he had paid for, not a surly rookie Elite who wished he was somewhere else. Carlo straightened up slightly.

"Mr. Giaccobbe, you and Manifold will be dealing with our intruders. Capture them if you can, but I need at least 30 seconds of distraction for our pilot to get me to a secure location and land. Cavalry will be on the way to help you ASAP, but right now it's imperative that this ship lands unseen. Understood?"

Carlo opened his eyes and turned a cool blue gaze on Miner, smiling reassuringly.

"Yep."

His hand slid into his jacket again, drawing out a vaguely Oriental-looking green mask, which he donned. He also looked to the nearest security man and asked for a gun.

[malkboy]

I-15, Southbound, NV:

Pressed to the asphalt as he was, the shirt's front half stayed put under him; but he could feel the remaining hot rays of the sun on his bare skin as the black sedan shrieked to an abrupt stop a short distance behind him.

Erwin quietly lays for a few seconds to realize exactly what has come to pass, then slowly picks himself up off the ground and tosses the scraps of his shirt to the side as he strides towards the black sedan with his hands out non threateningly.

'Are you okay in there, missster? I hopped off the bussss to come back and make ssssure sssssomeone did the right thing to help you out. That wasss a clossse ssscrape we just had, good thing I passsssed on another round at the buffet.'

[Steele]

Miner glared at nothing in particular. "This is not my day." , he muttered. Raising his voice, he addressed his protectors. "Mr. Giaccobbe, you and Manifold will be dealing with our intruders. Capture them if you can, but I need at least 30 seconds of distraction for our pilot to get me to a secure location and land. Cavalry will be on the way to help you ASAP, but right now it's imperative that this ship lands unseen. Understood?"

Manifold looks down to the ground. He begins to scratch at his ear as he ponders how they mean to make their descent. A quick nod to Miner in understanding to his instructions and he prepares to follow Carlo.

[archer]

Divebomb in progress:

His hand slid into his jacket again, drawing out a vaguely Oriental-looking green mask, which he donned. He also looked to the nearest security man and asked for a gun.

The uniformed man holding tightly to one of the handles on the roof nodded quickly, and removing a semi-automatic pistol from a holster under his overalls, tossed it to Carlo.

Noticing Manifold's look of puzzlement, Miner shouts directions over the rushing wind as the rear door opens, revealing nothing but sky. "Carlo will have to carry you down! Get ready!"

Holding up a fist, Miner spreads his fingers in a countdown at a nod from the co-pilot.

Five...Manifold scrambled over to Carlo...four...the craft bounced hard; turbulence rearing it's ugly head...three...Manifold managed to latch on to his fellow bodyguard...two...Carlo nodded in reassurance as the ship slowly leveled out...one!

Straining against the yoke, the pilot pulled up sharply, the open rear end of the ship now facing almost directly at the ground below. Prepared, Carlo let himself slide to the lip of the exit and leaped into the open air, Manifold firmly attached to his back.

The feel of the fall made it seem like floating softly...but the speed at which the rocky ground became clearer dispelled that notion fast enough.

Carlo, more accustomed to falling from such heights, had the presence of mind to scan for intruders. They weren't hard to spot; two dark blobs against the uniform lightness of the desert floor. At his current angle of descent, he knew that he and Manifold would overshoot them by a good hundred feet; more than enough time for them to launch an attack.

He also realized they only had about 3 seconds before landing.

Playing in the dirt:

Still stunned by the pyrotechnics of his fomer creations, Jamie snapped to when he realized the craft was headed back towards them at an astonishing rate of speed. As a matter of fact, based on the angle of approach, it seemed the pilot was aiming for a strafing run! Glancing about, Jamie realized there was more good news...no effective cover anywhere close enough to hide behind before the ship was on top of them.

I-15, Southbound, NV:

'Are you okay in there, missster? I hopped off the bussss to come back and make ssssure sssssomeone did the right thing to help you out. That wasss a clossse ssscrape we just had, good thing I passsssed on another round at the buffet.'

Shading his eyes against the setting sun, Erwin watched as the driver's side door opened, allowing a man to step out. Medium-height; and with his sunglasses dangling from the front of his shirt, Erwin could see he was of Asian descent. Of course, the biggest detail the shirtless snake-man paid attention to was the seemingly huge tunnel of stainless steel pointed directly at him.

"So, who are you?", the man asked conversationally, peering over the revolver's sights at him.

Secret Underground Base, Hangar Bay Echo:

"Van goddamnit, get your ass in here!" The flight chief's voice bellowed from his office, more than loud enough for her to hear, even halfway across the hangar.

[Asbjørn]

Secret Underground Base, Hangar Bay Echo:

"Van goddamnit, get your ass in here!" The flight chief's voice bellowed from his office, more than loud enough for her to hear, even halfway across the hangar.

*Jeez... Keep your shirt on!*

Looking up from the latest flight data reports, the medium build, athletic looking auburn-haired woman shared a glance with the nearest techie, then looked across the hangar to her boss's office. With an exaggerated sigh she got up from her seat and walked over. Her long braid danced on her back as she moved, and dressed in uniform flight suit pants and a tight fitting tank top Vanessa Thompson looked to most of the guys she worked with like something they normally saw in their locker room pin-up calendars.

Well, not entirely. Although there were women out there - novas, obviously - with longer, shapelier legs, smoother skin and more enticing curves, the boys had yet to come up with a pin-up any of them would rate higher than her, even if they'd never seen her posing or undressed...

Entering the flight chief's office she resists the urge to scan the room to find out what's got him so upset, and instead stops in front of his desk and gives him a friendly smile.

"I'm here. Ass and all... What's up?"

[archer]

Entering the flight chief's office she resists the urge to scan the room to find out what's got him so upset, and instead stops in front of his desk and gives him a friendly smile.

"I'm here. Ass and all... What's up?"

The chief did not look happy. He slid an open folder across the desk towards her. "Orders from above. You've been assigned to go get this guy." He tapped a thick finger against the photo lying on top of the other papers in the folder. "Some science geek. He'll be working with our new interfaces, and bossman wants him yesterday. All you gotta do is go to his house, explain that he's desperately needed, fate of the world, yada yada, and fly him back here. Oh yeah, and all in secret."

He frowns disgustedly. "Why on earth they want to send you instead of some random flunky, I've no idea. Taking one of my best pilots..."

He continues to mumble for a moment, then finally looks up at Van suspiciously, worried she might have heard. Praise from the chief about a pilot was about as common as rain in the Sahara. "And why are you still here again? Details are in the folder, transport's waiting for you. Hop to it!"

[Asbjørn]

He continues to mumble for a moment, then finally looks up at Van suspiciously, worried she might have heard. Praise from the chief about a pilot was about as common as rain in the Sahara. "And why are you still here again? Details are in the folder, transport's waiting for you. Hop to it!"

"I'm already gone..."

Van picks up the folder and starts scanning the contents as she goes. Secure in the knowledge that she'll recall it all with perfect clarity she takes just a second to look over each page before she closes it.

She absentmindedly starts up the transport's systems and goes through pre-flight checks and radio requests as she approaches, while simultaneously going over the now memorized folder contents. By the time she climbs aboard and settles in the pilot's seat the routine procedures are done and her destination is clear. She settles back in the comfortable seat, and - On Control's permission - takes the stick and guides the craft out.

[phoenix]

As he plunged out of the aircraft into the frigid night air, Carlo faded from sight. For most of the fall, Manifold appeared to be braving it alone, but in the seeming nick of time, a large pair of arms wrapped around him before impact.

After landing, a voice came out of nowhere.

"Get there as fast as you can. I'm going in."

A small burst of sand on the ground next to Manifold implied that his partner was gone.

As Carlo jumped, invisible, into the air, he unstrapped the semi-automatic from its makeshift bandolier on his eufiber-clad back. The two novas had surely heard the plane's approach, but they wouldn't get the chance to do anything about it. He landed right next to them, but the only sign of his approach was a sudden bamf as his feet hit the ground.

From seemingly nowhere, Jamie and his companion hear the noise of an impact on the sand, followed by a flat, lethally calm male voice.

"Lay face-down on the ground and put your hands on your heads. No conversation. Do it or die."

OOC: Invisibility, attuning Manifold if necessary, Quantum Leap to survive the fall, another Quantum Leap to put him in position.

[archer]

She absentmindedly starts up the transport's systems and goes through pre-flight checks and radio requests as she approaches, while simultaneously going over the now memorized folder contents. By the time she climbs aboard and settles in the pilot's seat the routine procedures are done and her destination is clear. She settles back in the comfortable seat, and - On Control's permission - takes the stick and guides the craft out.

The voice at Control sounds confused. "That's a negative, pilot. Please disembark, and report to Briefing Room A. Details of your transport are waiting there, at the OpNet console."

She was as confused as Control sounded. She wasn't flying there?! Oh, no...did he say OpNet console? ::blink

Grumbling, she exited the craft and made her way quickly to the briefing room. As she expected, the room was empty...save for a bag full of clothing.

Groaning, her perfect memory kicked in. She'd been so caught up in the habit of pre-flight, she hadn't mentally read through the last page yet. Why did they always put the most important bits at the end?

You will dress in civilian attire, as to not upset the Doctor more than necessary upon meeting him. Time is of the essence, so you will be transporting yourself to a console near his home. You will immediately explain that he is in grave danger, and must accompany you. If he refuses, convince him. It is imperative that you make your way, with Doctor Svallo, to the Oakland Airport as soon as possible. An airplane will be waiting for you. You will then fly back to Boulder City's airfield, where security personnel will be waiting to escort you back to base.

A small handwritten note at the bottom of the last page made her groan again.

I picked your dress myself, pilot. Enjoy the city by the bay!

-Chief

Rummaging through the bag, it was just as she feared. A giant floppy hat with a wide brim, a light-blue cotton sundress with matching high heels, and a tasteful white patent-leather purse...the purse felt strangely heavy. Looking inside, she saw a 9mm autopistol, with a spare magazine, tucked in among the sundry items usually present in a womans purse. At least he'd been nice enough to keep her armed. Still, that small kindness wouldn't save him from her wrath when she got back from this mission...

[malkboy]

Shading his eyes against the setting sun, Erwin watched as the driver's side door opened, allowing a man to step out. Medium-height; and with his sunglasses dangling from the front of his shirt, Erwin could see he was of Asian descent. Of course, the biggest detail the shirtless snake-man paid attention to was the seemingly huge tunnel of stainless steel pointed directly at him.

"So, who are you?", the man asked conversationally, peering over the revolver's sights at him.

Erwin stops for a moment not sure what to make of the man. Erwin says calmly, 'The name isss Erwin. I'm not sure if you entirely noticed, but I just went under your car and I'm not really acting threateningly ssso I've no clue whatsss up with the piece. Since we're being so friendly like, what's your name and why the rush? If that'd been anyone else they'd be a permanent pancake."

Erwin slowly starts swaying as he speaks with the driver, just biding time until he gets more information but prepared to respond if a real threat emerges.

[Asbjørn]

The voice at Control sounds confused. "That's a negative, pilot. Please disembark, and report to Briefing Room A. Details of your transport are waiting there, at the OpNet console."

::blush

*D'oh! Read briefing first, execute orders second. I keep forgetting that...*

Rummaging through the bag, it was just as she feared. A giant floppy hat with a wide brim, a light-blue cotton sundress with matching high heels, and a tasteful white patent-leather purse...the purse felt strangely heavy. Looking inside, she saw a 9mm autopistol, with a spare magazine, tucked in among the sundry items usually present in a womans purse. At least he'd been nice enough to keep her armed. Still, that small kindness wouldn't save him from her wrath when she got back from this mission...

*What the hell is this? My job description never mentioned this kind of errands...*

Shutting down her impulse to go back to the chief and tell him where to stuff the dress, Vanessa grabbed the bag and headed for the nearest bathroom. Changing, styling her hair, putting on makeup and packing her regular clothes in the bag at an inhuman speed, she was back out of there before whoever was in the other booth had flushed. Giving herself an appreciative glance in the mirror, she made a mental note to take an opportunity some time to tell the chief a thing or two about sizes, but decided not to make a fuss about it. She was in a hurry, and besides; it looked good. Then again, how could it not? ::cool

As she returned to the briefing room, she checked the contents of her purse again - particularly the amount of ammunition - and walked over to the terminal. She let her fingers brush over the consol for a second, searching for the OpNet node closest to the scientist she was going to collect. Pinpointing the net address, she closed her eyes in concentration and let her body and clothes dissolve into trillions of electrical pulses and disappear, leaving behind a bag and a floppy hat...

[archer]

I-15, Southbound, NV:

'The name isss Erwin. I'm not sure if you entirely noticed, but I just went under your car and I'm not really acting threateningly ssso I've no clue whatsss up with the piece. Since we're being so friendly like, what's your name and why the rush? If that'd been anyone else they'd be a permanent pancake."

The hand with the revolver drops to hang by the man's right thigh. "Alright, Erwin. The piece is outta the picture for the moment, but it was there because I just had a very traumatic experience with some scary-ass invisible ninja, and I'm a bit twitchy. My name is Shelby. The rush is related to the aforementioned scary-ass invisible ninja, which is putting me in a hurry to exit this particular location. Said hurry is how I almost hit you. Which still doesn't explain why exactly you were sprinting dead-on towards oncoming traffic, and how you managed the neat little trick of sliding under my car unharmed."

Data-stream Fun:

As she returned to the briefing room, she checked the contents of her purse again - particularly the amount of ammunition - and walked over to the terminal. She let her fingers brush over the consol for a second, searching for the OpNet node closest to the scientist she was going to collect. Pinpointing the net address, she closed her eyes in concentration and let her body and clothes dissolve into trillions of electrical pulses and disappear, leaving behind a bag and a floppy hat...

Speeding through the OpNet at a pace unparalelled to anything else she's ever flown, Van felt herself approaching the desired terminal and focused...

In a bizarre but beautiful swirling stream of multicolored pixels, she re-materialized in seconds, and found herself in a darkened room. As her senses readjusted to their biological inputs, she realized she was standing in a kitchen; Dr. Svallo's assumably. Glancing to her left, she saw the tiny OpNet terminal that was built in to the high-end refrigerator, and mentally confirmed the node address. This was the place.

Somewhere below her in the house, she could hear what sounded like an alarm clock going off...

Bob N. Svallo's Basement o' Toys:

A horrid piercing shriek tore through Robert's slumber. *Just the alarm clock...*, he thought to himself, rolling over. *Wait. That's not the alarm clock, that's the...*

Intruder alert! , blared his security system, repeating the same phrase a few more times. Diving clumsily over to the monitors, he could see a blinking red dot superimposed on a blueprint of his house. Whoever it was, they were in the kitchen for some reason.

[Asbjørn]

In a bizarre but beautiful swirling stream of multicolored pixels, she re-materialized in seconds, and found herself in a darkened room. As her senses readjusted to their biological inputs, she realized she was standing in a kitchen; Dr. Svallo's assumably. Glancing to her left, she saw the tiny OpNet terminal that was built in to the high-end refrigerator, and mentally confirmed the node address. This was the place.

Somewhere below her in the house, she could hear what sounded like an alarm clock going off...

*Odd time to wake up... ::huh Oh, well. Guess the good doctor will be needing a cup of coffee, then...*

Looking around the kitchen, she goes about making coffee and checking the contents of the fridge, while simultaneously scanning the room and building for active and passive security systems and whatever other toys might be around.

[malkboy]

The hand with the revolver drops to hang by the man's right thigh. "Alright, Erwin. The piece is outta the picture for the moment, but it was there because I just had a very traumatic experience with some scary-ass invisible ninja, and I'm a bit twitchy. My name is Shelby. The rush is related to the aforementioned scary-ass invisible ninja, which is putting me in a hurry to exit this particular location. Said hurry is how I almost hit you. Which still doesn't explain why exactly you were sprinting dead-on towards oncoming traffic, and how you managed the neat little trick of sliding under my car unharmed.

Erwin thought to himself a moment, *scary-ass invisible ninja? Why does this have Lucky stench all over it?*

"Sssimple answers to all of your questions... To do the civilly correct thing and stay at the scene of the accident, I was rushing back to the original place I saw your vehicle. Your sssaid hurry forced me to use ssssome of my skillsss. Which isss why the hissss in my speech. It will disssappear soon enough. So Shelby, how'sss about a ride away from the ssscary ninja," asks Erwin non-chalantly as his body continues to sway as leaf on a branch being blown by a gentle breeze.

[ConcreteDragon]

Bob N. Svallo's Basement o' Toys:

A horrid piercing shriek tore through Robert's slumber. *Just the alarm clock...*, he thought to himself, rolling over. *Wait. That's not the alarm clock, that's the...*

Intruder alert! , blared his security system, repeating the same phrase a few more times. Diving clumsily over to the monitors, he could see a blinking red dot superimposed on a blueprint of his house. Whoever it was, they were in the kitchen for some reason.

←

*How the hell did he get so far into the house with out setting off any of the other alarms?*

Muti tasking, Dr. Robert dials 911 to call the police and sets the security system to play back all cameras in multi-picture mode (in reverse time) to see how the Intruder got in.

"Hello, yes, I have an intruder at 6969 Gank Square. Yes, I am safe, but please send an officer right away." *SHE's making COFFEE??? ::confused *