Aberrant: Quantum Zero - Quantum Zero

[brilyn]

Derek turns to the Stranger

"Well, I'm ready to go whenever everyone else is."

[Asbjørn]

- "Yeah, me too. Let's get in the cabs."

[ProfPotts]

Trying their best to make it through the crowds to the waiting taxis, the Novas start to envy The Stranger his ability to seemingly melt in & out of the crowd with little effort...

Climbing into the vehicle, the group are faced with various crowd members trying to still get close to them - cameras are shoved through half-closed windows, teenage girls press their bared breasts up to the windows, or smear lipstick-kisses over them... ::blush it's a hard life this Nova business... ::wink ::tongue

Luckily the local cabbies are old hands at this sort of thing - they gently accelerate just enough to cause the crowd to step away, one by one, & soon the group are on their way.

The taxis pull up in front of the Hotel Isla Blanca - the most expensive hotel on the isalnd, not far from the club, on Avenida España. The building is a resort in itself, thirty stories tall, with a large summer garden, & famous rooftop restaurant. The hotel's perimeter is surrounded by a high chain-link fence - the taxis have to drive up to the ornate wrought-iron front gate, where a security guard checks the vehicle's passengers against the hotel's guest list, before calling in on a radio for the gates to be remotely opened, allowing the vehicles to pass through. In front of the hotel doormen leap into action, opening the car-doors for the Novas, & asking if they have any luggage that needs attending. They then proceed the guests to the front-doors of the hotel, swing them open, & bow as the guests walk past.

The Isla Blanca has a plush interior - the lobby is clothed in marble & designed in a unique mix of baroque & Spanish mozarabic styles. The building is built around a central atrium featuring a muti-tiered artifical waterfall splashing down from the seventh floor to the ground-floor garden pool. Several escalators from the lobby are signposted to various exotically named conference rooms, the ballroom, rooftop garden restaurant, & penthouse suites. The ground floor sports an in-hotel discotheque to help get in the clubbing mood.

The various guests moving around the hotel are the rich & / or beautiful people of Europe & the world. Lots of neatly dressed, well-mannered, staff are around to cater to the guests' every need (some the beautiful people may also be there to 'cater' to the guests' needs... ::blush ::sly ).

[Archer21]

As they stand in the lobby, The Stranger(now in his version of civilian wear) says, "Wait here." Striding towards the front desk, he has a short word with the concierge, then walks back towards the group. Stopping, he passes out room keys to each person. "Here are the keys to your rooms. You'll notice they're sequential. Each room is connected to the next by a door inbetween. Why don't we head up, you're welcome to order room service before we start laying out plans."

With that, The Stranger heads for the escalators to go up to his room.

[brilyn]

Derek takes it all in, both appaising the decor artistically, and as an engineer. He's quite taken on both counts..... ::wink

With a sudden grin, Derek reaches out suddenly, and touches the wall.

The blue silk that was his skin roils away from the wall starting at this fingers, appearing to almost peel back revealing bone.

Yet the tone of muscle is still left.

As the rolls away over his body, it becomes apparent that where there was a silky-smooth Derek, there now lies a marble statue of Interface. His clothing readjusts itself to a toga.

Looking around at the onlookers:

"........."

::blush

"What.......?

"I'm just feeling kinda....... Romanesque...... all of a sudden....." ::biggrin

[Ayre el KaBeer]

quantifiably superior

\"It's the quality of a person that matters Derek, not their physical or mental prowess. From what I can tell, those like Pathfinder wouldn't even stop to pull someone who's fallen in front of a bus, even though it's well withing their power to do so. They'd probably see it as a sort of natural selection or something, and that's just cold, my friend\" ::confused .

Climbing into the vehicle, the group are faced with various crowd members trying to still get close to them - cameras are shoved through half-closed windows, teenage girls press their bared breasts up to the windows, or smear lipstick-kisses over them...  it's a hard life this Nova business...

Once they've gone through the crowd and into the cabs, will sighs "I've really got to come back to this place".

(OOC: damn, I missed a fair few posts)

[brilyn]

\"It's the quality of a person that matters Derek, not their physical or mental prowess.

::dontgetit

Still struck by the comments, Derek responds

"First I would like to point out that the "quality of a person" is not only unquantifiable, but highly subjective, and dependent upon not only the personalities of the two individuals (judge, and judgee), but also upon the situation, as the judge will only be privy to a single facet of the judgee's personality in any given situation.

"Second, both the physical and mental prowess of each individual on this planet matters. A great deal infact. The strong dominate the weak for the most part, and in many of those cases the strength is that of the physical kind. The smart manipulate those of lesser intellect, almost without second thought. Next time you're trapped under something extremely heavy, have think about who you would prefer to have with you: someone with the physical strength to lift the object, or someone who is a "better person".

"...........

"Though I suppose this would be moot if Homo Sapien (both Sapien and Novus) could grow beyond the irrational and childish needs to 'judge' other people 'better' than others, as if such a complex thing as a human could be quantified into something so small as a single word......" ::sarcasm

[Asbjørn]

\"Here are the keys to your rooms. You'll notice they're sequential. Each room is connected to the next by a door inbetween. Why don't we head up, you're welcome to order room service before we start laying out plans.\" 

With that, The Stranger heads for the escalators to go up to his room.

Nathan joins the Stranger in the elevator, then heads to his own room. After having had a brief look around he turns his cellphone off and knocks on Will's door. Entering, he walks over to the window and stares out as he speaks.

- "So... What do you think, Will? To lie or not to lie? You know, I'm pretty sure Masters would go along with an exchange, but I also have this nagging feeling that the Harvesters will refuse the whole deal if they think we don't do exactly as they said... And I keep wondering what the hell is in that book."

Taking out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one he he turns to look straight at Will and adds "Did you know that Emma knew this Dr Maxwell? He was the first person she asked for when she 'woke up'."

[ProfPotts]

The guests & staff alike stop to stare at Interface's little display of Quantum power - the scene is made all the more strange by the fact a marble statue in a toga is discussing philosophy... ::wacko ::wink

Later, when the Novas have headed off to their rooms to 'settle in', & Nate has joined Will to talk...

... each of the Novas gets a polite knock on their door, followed by a female Spanish-accented voice calling,

"Room service!"

[Archer21]

*Wait a second...I didn't order room service.*

Stepping out of line of the door, The Stranger slowly approaches it at an angle. "Just a minute! I just got out of the shower, hold on!" Pressing himself against the wall near the door, he makes sure to keep outside the door's opening path. "Come in!"

[brilyn]

\"room service\"

Buoyed up by his experience to date, Interface walks calmy to the door, safe in his certainty that it's some sort of compliments-of-the-house for the show-offy Nova guest.

He strolls over to the door, pulls it open wide while (in the most imperious voice he can muster):

"Yes? What?"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

- \"So... What do you think, Will? To lie or not to lie? You know, I'm pretty sure Masters would go along with an exchange, but I also have this nagging feeling that the Harvesters will refuse the whole deal if they think we don't do exactly as they said... And I keep wondering what the hell is in that book.\"

\"To be honest I'm not sure, either way, they never said we couldn't make a copy of it ourselves. It couldn't hurt if one of us read it first and then decided on what to do, if the info is as important as they say then that person can stay behind so Pathfider can't scan them and get the info regardless... So how good a speed reader are you, I'm not too quick myself?\" Will shrugs.

\"Did you know that Emma knew this Dr Maxwell? He was the first person she asked for when she 'woke up'.\"

"Nope, I wasn't up there when she awoke, wait a minute! ::blink How old is she meant to be? I assumed old William meant something like fifty when he said she's older than she looks. Hehe I guess we'll never know, hight of rudeness and all that..." ::sly

Later in his room.

Guessing one of the others made the order *Probably Stranger* , and greatful for it, but also alittle cautious at the same time "Great! What's on the menu? And who ordered it? because you might have the wrong room!" he calls from infront of the bed.

[ProfPotts]

Pressing himself against the wall near the door, he makes sure to keep outside the door's opening path. \"Come in!\"

The door opens, & The Stranger sees an attractive girl, probably late teens, walk into the room. From his rear-view vantage point he can make-out her stunning figure, as well as her long, wavy, dark hair. She appears to be wearing a light silk dressing-gown &, beneath that, he can make out stocking-clad legs & black suede high-heeled shoes. She has a bottle of champagne in one hand, & two glasses in the other. She closes the door behind her (failing to notice The Stranger ::ninja ), walks into the room, & places the bottle & glasses onto a small side table. As she glances around he catches a glimpse of her large, dark, eyes & pretty face; as well as the fact she's wearing black lacy lingerie under the dressing-gown ::blush .

The girl walks towards the door to the en-suite bathroom, slipping the dressing-gown from her shoulders as she goes, & calling gently,

\"Does señor wish to have his back scrubbed?\"

He strolls over to the door, pulls it open wide while (in the most imperious voice he can muster):

\"Yes? What?\"

Outside the door are a trio of young female beauties: a dark-haired Spanish girl, a black girl, & an Asian girl, all in their late teens. Each is dressed (just about... ::blush ) in rather skimpy 'tunics' & sandels that lace-up to just below the knee. The black girl is carrying a bowl of fruit of various types (including several bunches of grapes), the Asian girl holds a jug of wine, & the Spanish girl has a crown of laurel leaves which she reaches out with & places on Derek's head. All three smile, & the Spanish girls says,

\"Compliments of the management, señor. You were in a Roman mood?\"

Guessing one of the others made the order *Probably Stranger* , and greatful for it, but also alittle cautious at the same time \"Great! What's on the menu? And who ordered it? because you might have the wrong room!\" he calls from infront of the bed.

The female voice calls back,

"Anything you desire is on the menu, señor, compliments of the management. I'm sure this is the correct room - may I come in?"

[Archer21]

At seeing the girl, The Stranger mentally sighs. *Will temptation never cease? 'Room service'. Cute.*

As she walks towards the bathroom, his outfit shifts yet again, this time into a hotel bathrobe. His face now exposed, he hopes his disguise will work as he walks over and sits on the bed, trying not to startle her as he says in a friendly voice, "Hello there."

[brilyn]

Outside the door are a trio of young female beauties: a dark-haired Spanish girl, a black girl, & an Asian girl, all in their late teens. Each is dressed (just about...  ) in rather skimpy 'tunics' & sandels that lace-up to just below the knee. The black girl is carrying a bowl of fruit of various types (including several bunches of grapes), the Asian girl holds a jug of wine, & the Spanish girl has a crown of laurel leaves which she reaches out with & places on Derek's head. All three smile, & the Spanish girls says,

\"Compliments of the management, señor. You were in a Roman mood?\"

::blink

::blink

::blush

"..............."

Derek takes a moment to mentally slap himself into action (really REALLY hard mental slap).

His bluff called, as it were, he looks distinctly uncomfortable (but in a very "where the hell is this going, and am I likely to get away with this?" kind of way).

::biggrin

"Yes. Yes indeed I am. C'mon in."

Derek opens the door wide, and steps back to let the women enter.

As they walk past, momentarily Derek as a strange expression, something akin to "thank you god!!!!". But just for a moment...... ::wink

[Asbjørn]

\"So how good a speed reader are you, I'm not too quick myself?\" Will shrugs.

Looking a little disbelieving at Will Nathan replies: \"Really? I thought you were fast in just about everything? ::wink Me neither, actually. Gimme a software manual or something and I can leaf through it pretty quick, but cutting edge medical theory is a little out of my league...\"

\"Nope, I wasn't up there when she awoke, wait a minute!  ::blink  How old is she meant to be? I assumed old William meant something like fifty when he said she's older than she looks. Hehe I guess we'll never know, hight of rudeness and all that...\" ::sly

::biggrin Giving Will a knowing look, Nathan grins \"Well, I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you... ::cool Let's just say she had a good time in the twenties. She certainly doesn't look that old, though. ::biggrin \"

The female voice calls back,

\"Anything you desire is on the menu, señor, compliments of the management. I'm sure this is the correct room - may I come in?\"

With a shrug Nathan looks to Will and says in a low voice "Let's just get some snacks and drinks or something. I'm not in the mood for any big meals or entertainment or anything. OK?"

[phoenix]

After a while, Glacier drags himself out of the Amp Room and tries to find someone who looks like a Masters Inc. employee. Assuming he finds one who's prepared to take him to the rest of the group, he dorm's down and goes with him. If he can't find any, he calls Nathan asking for a location and takes a taxi down to the hotel.

Assuming he gets there in one piece, he'll see if someone left him a room key at the desk. If nobody did, he'll go up to the Stranger's or Interface's room and ask one of them for a key.

OOC: Sorry for the absence, guys!

[ProfPotts]

As she walks towards the bathroom, his outfit shifts yet again, this time into a hotel bathrobe. His face now exposed, he hopes his disguise will work as he walks over and sits on the bed, trying not to startle her as he says in a friendly voice, \"Hello there.\"

The girl jumps a little,

\"Oh!\" ::nervous , then turns, smiles ::smile , & glides over to the bed,

\"Señor... Stranger?\", she sits on the bed, very close to the Nova, smoothy crosses her silk-clad legs, & tosses her hair to one side. Reaching out to run her hands under The Stranger's robe she moistens her ruby-painted lips with her tongue, & asks (in all innocence ::halo ),

\"May I be of service to you?\"

\"Yes. Yes indeed I am. C'mon in.\"

Derek opens the door wide, and steps back to let the women enter.

The trio of beauties fairly bounce into the room, & are soon doing their best to drag the toga-clad Derek to the bed, where a goblet of wine is poured for him, he's fed grapes, & their hands seem all too willing to explore his smooth marble contours... ::blush

At Will's room there is another knock on the door, & a less certain repetition from the female voice outside,

\"Señor?..\"

After a while, Glacier drags himself out of the Amp Room and tries to find someone who looks like a Masters Inc. employee. Assuming he finds one who's prepared to take him to the rest of the group, he dorm's down and goes with him. If he can't find any, he calls Nathan asking for a location and takes a taxi down to the hotel.

Assuming he gets there in one piece, he'll see if someone left him a room key at the desk. If nobody did, he'll go up to the Stranger's or Interface's room and ask one of them for a key.

Glacier leaves the Nova-only club with a new understanding of the benefits of a Nova-class stamina (& a rather intensive education into the 'interesting' ways in which the stranger Nova bodies can be made to interact... ::wink ::blush ), but fails to find a Masters International employee (what do they look like anyway?.. ::sly ) [i'm sure one of the group will be willing to inform him of their destination]. Finding a taxi to take him to the hotel is no problem [if he's dormed], & both security & hotel reception seem to be expecting his visit [i presume a room was booked for Glacier as well, right?].

[Archer21]

Gently catching the girl's hands before they can slide under his robe, he responds softly. "Why don't you turn out the lights first, then we'll discuss that." He smiles in a very charming fashion. When she turns the lights off, he'll swiftly remove his utility belt from under the robe and slide it under the bed.

[Re: Glacier's room...edited to add: Okay, Glacier has a room, right next to Derek's. There ya go. ::cool ]

[phoenix]

Re: Glacier's room...edited to add: Okay, Glacier has a room, right next to Derek's. There ya go.

[Mr. Burns voice]Eexcellent.[/voice]

Finding a taxi to take him to the hotel is no problem [if he's dormed], & both security & hotel reception seem to be expecting his visit.

John heads up to his room. Deciding to quit while he's ahead, he decides to simply watch TV for a while, or use the Opnet if it's available, figuring he can always catch up with the others in the morning.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

At Will's room there is another knock on the door, & a less certain repetition from the female voice outside,

\"Señor?..\"

"Yeah sure, come on in!" Will says, expecting to see a trolley roll into the room as per usual for room service.

[ProfPotts]

As Derek explores Roman decadence, & The Stranger goes 'lights out' with his new friend, John is heading up to his room. Arriving at the corrador which houses all the interconnected rooms the group are occupying, he sees two attractive young Spanish ladies dressed in little more than lacy lingerie, silk dressing-gowns, & high-heeled shoes, each standing outside a door.

\"Yeah sure, come on in!\"

... John hears Will's voice call from inside one of the rooms. The girl (she looks a little younger than her friend - maybe mid-teens to the other lady's late-teens) outside the door glances at John & flashes him a quick smile, before gently opening the door...

... Will & Nate see the scantily-clad young Spanish beauty as she opens the door, smiling. She starts slightly as she notcies Nate in the room as well, then gestures to her friend down the corridor, who glides over to join her. The two then enter the room (smiling at someone in the corridor who Will & Nate can't see), & close the door behind them, heading over to the bed. Each carries a bottle of champagne & two glasses...

... John witnesses the second girl join the first - they both smile at him before heading into the room & closing the door. They were both carrying bottles of champagne & glasses.

[phoenix]

As Derek explores Roman decadence, & The Stranger goes 'lights out' with his new friend, John is heading up to his room. Arriving at the corrador which houses all the interconnected rooms the group are occupying, he sees two attractive young Spanish ladies dressed in little more than lacy lingerie, silk dressing-gowns, & high-heeled shoes, each standing outside a door.

As John strolls out of the elevator, there is a bounce in his step and a somewhat smug expression on his face. He is quietly humming \"Bipolar Bear\" by the Stone Temple Pilots. He turns the corner that he's fairly certain leads to his room, and those of the others, when he sees the girls. He gives them a polite nod and a smile, when he hears the voice of.. Will?

\"Yeah sure, come on in!\"

He stops for a moment while the girls go in, shutting the door behind them. He's somewhat curious as to what's going on, but frankly.. not curious in the sense that he really wants to know. Deciding to throw no stones from his glass house, he continues on to his room.

[Asbjørn]

... Will & Nate see the scantily-clad young Spanish beauty as she opens the door, smiling. She starts slightly as she notcies Nate in the room as well, then gestures to her friend down the corridor, who glides over to join her. The two then enter the room (smiling at someone in the corridor who Will & Nate can't see), & close the door behind them, heading over to the bed. Each carries a bottle of champagne & two glasses...

With a sidelong glance at Will, Nate whispers "Aw, man...! What the hell kind of hotel is this? I thought we were in a hurry here..."

As the two girls come closer he speaks up, smiling a little apologetically at them. "Hi girls... er... we didn't order any... room service, you know. Now isn't a great time. Maybe later?"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

As the two girls come closer he speaks up, smiling a little apologetically at them. \"Hi girls... er... we didn't order any... room service, you know. Now isn't a great time. Maybe later?\"

Finally figurring out what 'room service' means here, Will, though alittle disapointed (he doesn't show it) agrees with Nate "Yeah perhaps another time..." Still feeling hungry he adds "...though some hamburgers or steaks would be great."

[ProfPotts]

[The Stranger knows what he's doing... ::halo , we hesitate to guess at what Derek is doing ::squid, as for the others...]

As the two girls come closer he speaks up, smiling a little apologetically at them. \"Hi girls... er... we didn't order any... room service, you know. Now isn't a great time. Maybe later?\"

\"Yeah perhaps another time...\" Still feeling hungry he adds \"...though some hamburgers or steaks would be great.\"

The girls explain that it's all 'compliments of the management', & act disappointed at beng rejected, but don't push the issue (the younger girl winks at Will as she turns to leave ::wink ). Not long after they leave, 'regular' room service does indeed arrive, with a trolly full of hamburgers, steaks, & all the trimmings (they're aware of Nova-level appetites) - & the assurance that the guests can call room service for anything they require, day or night.

Soon after he arrives in his room, Glacier hears a knock on the door, & the (immortal) words,

"Room service señor!", in a Spanish-accented female voice.

[phoenix]

Soon after he arrives in his room, Glacier hears a knock on the door, & the (immortal) words,

\"Room service señor!\", in a Spanish-accented female voice.

John's brow furrows and he frowns slightly.

"What? I didn't order any-" Suddenly, his eyes widen and his nostrils flare.

"You have food?!" He leaps to his feet, bounds swiftly to the door and throws the door flamboyantly.

[ProfPotts]

Outside his door John comes face to face with the pretty lingerie-clad teenage girl he saw earlier outside Will's room. She's got a bottle of champagne, & two glasses, but no food. Aparantly startled by the young Nova's sudden appearance, she takes a step back, then blushes & smiles ::blush ,

"I am sorry, señor, I've no food - but I can arrange anything you might like."

Stepping closer, & looking up into John's eyes, she whispers quietly,

"Perhaps I can keep you company whilst we wait for your food? If that would please you, señor..."

[phoenix]

\"I am sorry, señor, I've no food - but I can arrange anything you might like.\"

Stepping closer, & looking up into John's eyes, she whispers quietly,

\"Perhaps I can keep you company whilst we wait for your food? If that would please you, señor...\"

John looks disappointed at the lack of food, but only for a moment. He bounces back, undeterred and smiling.

"Excellent! If you're hungry, perhaps you can help me eat it; I don't know if I can eat the amount of food that I feel like ordering just now." He goes over to his room's phone and says let there be meat (orders a great deal of food, though not a nova-level meal). After arranging that, he turns to his guest with a guileless smile, picking up a deck of cards off the table.

"Would you like to play Egyptian Rat Screw? Sounds a bit dirty if you haven't heard of the game, but I promise it's not a lewd proposal."

OOC: What's in the room?

[brilyn]

we hesitate to guess at what Derek is doing

OOC: Hey, what Derek is doing, I'm not asking. Consider excessive use of his Matter Chameleon ability + various substances in the room + 2 willing-and-able women. I sure as hell ain't going there..... ::wink

IC: Derek's face is a picture of "please don't let me wake up yet, please don't let me wake up yet, please don't let me wake up yet......" throughout....... ::blush

[ProfPotts]

OOC: What's in the room?

[Anything that would reasonably be in a top-of-the-range hotel suite for folks with more money than sense - anything not in the room can most likely be ordered via room service... ::smokin ]

\"Would you like to play Egyptian Rat Screw? Sounds a bit dirty if you haven't heard of the game, but I promise it's not a lewd proposal.\"

The young lady looks slightly perplexed for a moment, then heads over to play cards.

OOC: Hey, what Derek is doing, I'm not asking. Consider excessive use of his Matter Chameleon ability + various substances in the room + 2 willing-and-able women. I sure as hell ain't going there.....

[That's three willing & (very) able women, but (again) let's not get bogged-down in details... ::squid ]

[so, anyone doing anything specific before morning? If not - what are the characters doing the next day?]

[brilyn]

[That's three willing & (very) able women, but (again) let's not get bogged-down in details...  ]

[so, anyone doing anything specific before morning? If not - what are the characters doing the next day?] 

Derek is busy till morning (unless I'm otherwise informed).

[phoenix]

In the morning, John will call Derek to see if he's awake, and ask for an update on recent events. He seems to be doing this quite a bit recently..

[Archer21]

Roughly around 10 am, The Stranger will call everyone's room, and ask them to come to his room for a meeting.

[brilyn]

In the morning, John will call Derek to see if he's awake, and ask for an update on recent events. 

A bleary Derek answers the phone:

\"Huh....... John? ....... Morning? Can it wait a little?\"

\"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz\"

A few moments later, the phone rings. Again.

Roughly around 10 am, The Stranger will call everyone's room, and ask them to come to his room for a meeting.

"It's STILL morning? .......... Meeting? .......... Now? ......... Can't it wa......."

"..........."

"Yes, I'm still awake. Fine, I'll be there."

Derek then orders room service to The Stranger's room. And lots of it...... ::wink

He then dresses quickly, shakes the last of his sleepiness away, and heads on in.

[phoenix]

\"Huh....... John? ....... Morning? Can it wait a little?\"

\"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz\"

"Um.. what? Oh, of course.. uh, I'll talk to you after you finish sleeping." John hangs up, and sits on his bed for a while, not doing anything in particular or keeping track of the time. About a half hour later, the phone rings again. John picks it up before the first ring is complete.

"...

Yes, of course. It's not urgent, is it?

...

Alright. And which room is yours?

...

Right. I'll be there in a few minutes." John hangs up, pulls on some pants and a shirt, and walks out the door and over to that of the mysterious Stranger.

OOC: I'm assuming he got a no as an answer to the first question and directions to the Stranger's room for the second.

[Archer21]

Derek hears The Stranger's deep voice when he knocks. "Come in."

Derek being the first to arrive notices that room service has already delivered four meal carts groaning under the sheer volume of food. He also notices The Stranger turning away from the OpNet terminal in the room; the terminal's screen winks out as Stranger turns around. "Good morning. I hope you got some sleep. Coffee?"

Standing, he walks over and pours 2 mugs. Handing one to Derek, he sips his as he walks over to the bed and retrieves his multi-pocketed belt from beneath. Setting the mug down, he buckles it on with an audible click as John knocks, then enters at the Stranger's prompting.

Flicking his eyes to each of them, he crosses his arms. "So. Has John been brought up to speed yet?"

[phoenix]

John walks in, seeing the Stranger and Derek.

"Good morning", he says, picking a biscuit off the huge buffet, barely giving it a second glance. He settles down, leaning against the wall.

Flicking his eyes to each of them, he crosses his arms. \"So. Has John been brought up to speed yet?\"

"Nope."

[Archer21]

Picking up his cup of coffee, he takes a sip before continuing. "Let me give you the condensed version. In order to be able to visit Natalia, we have to steal a book from Masters, and give it to the people holding Natalia. The purpose of this meeting is to come up with a plan on how to do so."

Looking at Derek, he asks, "Can you provide any suggestions on where we should start looking for this book?"

[phoenix]

\"Let me give you the condensed version. In order to be able to visit Natalia, we have to steal a book from Masters, and give it to the people holding Natalia. The purpose of this meeting is to come up with a plan on how to do so.\"

John grins. "Any book in particular, or can we just swipe his copy of How To Be Attacked By Terrorists For Dummies?"

He gets serious for a moment. "Is Natalia safe?" ::confused "Er.. how unsafe is she, rather?"