Log:Night of the Sphinx, Part 2

From Champions MUSH

Advances Plot:
Night of the Sphinx
Previous Scene:	Next Scene:
Part 1	None
Contains Appearances by:
Fist, Jessica, Nexus, Shoro, Valencia, Yolanda
Log Date:
06/21/2008

The time is night, around 9 pm, yesternight, right after the heroes dealt with the minotaur goons at the Civic Center. While some of the heroes remained behind to secure the area and make sure no villain escapes the other heroes use the clue to bring them here to the MATRIX. The heroes are just outside the building. There are two security guards outside checking id and what not. Strange, there doesn't seem like many people here at the Matrix today. The youth hanging outside are all missing. It seems rather empty.

The heroes are here to retrieve a set of stolen gemstones worth many millions of dollars.

Fist plans to enter, but not while she is noticed by guards. She hasn't really needed to sneak into the Matrix before, so she has to wait until both guards are distracted and dive in between them from above.

The heroes are here to retrieve a set of stolen gemstones worth many millions of dollars.

The time is night, around 9 pm, yesternight, right after the heroes dealt with the minotaur goons at the Civic Center. While some of the heroes remained behind to secure the area and make sure no villain escapes the other heroes use the clue to bring them here to the MATRIX. The heroes are just outside the building. There are two security guards outside checking id and what not. Strange, there doesn't seem like many people here at the Matrix today. The youth hanging outside are all missing. It seems rather empty.

Valencia bounces along the rooftops towards the Matrix. She keeps an eye on Fist, a few steps behind her in the hero chain. She heads for the roof of the gaming building, also wanting to avoid the security guards and any chance of alerting the bad guy to her presence.

Yu left the scene, Jen having taken care of the authorities at the civic center, he's in black now, moving at speed to the Matrix.

Nexus , as usual, eschews the normal entrances, porting to the roof of the building and preparing to phase through the roof.

The heroes need to decide how to get in. Through the front or some other method.

POP POP..and the man in black is on the roof looking for Val.

Yolanda arrives in front of the trendy club. She steps out of a taxi and starts to look around for familiar faces.

Valencia stands near a vent, about to go liquid to get inside when she sees the man in black arrive. "Wasn't sure you were going to show, Shoro."

Shoro nods, "I am here..Yolanda on the way?"

Nexus really doesn't know what's going on, but that never stops him. He phases through the roof of the building and drops down, looking for something interesting.

"I guess so." Valencia replies. "Port in?"

Shoro nods..."I think I can do it.."

Nexus just drops right in..

Shoro takes hold of Val and gets ready to port in.

Nexus keeps drifting down through the building, looking for something interesting.

Fist plans to enter, but not while she is noticed by guards. She hasn't really needed to sneak into the Matrix before, so she has to wait until both guards are distracted and dive in between them from above.

Valencia stands ready as well, not looking forward to a vent dive anyway.

Yolanda walks up to the bouncers with the intention of heading inside. "How is it inside?" she asks one of them. If they don't stop her, she'll walk right inside.

A blue flash and Shoro and Val pop in down below, they avoid a pipe narrowly and arrive about 3 feet above the ground..he lands safely, letting his senses adjust to his surroundings...releasing Val so she may move freely.

Those teleporting in, fall through the building and enter the hunting grounds. It looks empty. There is some techno music playing. It's very dark.

There are strobe lights.

The guards glance up at Yolanda and tell her, "Some rich lady calling herself the Sphinx rented the place out for the night. Only special guests are invited."

Valencia hmms quietly at Shoro, settling into a ready stance as she steps away from him. "I think we're expected."

Nexus figures he might as well draw fire while he's phased out. He makes no effort to hide, just looks around around the strobe-lit room room for anything dangerous-looking.

Fist lands between the guards, realizes the doors are locked, pauses, and waves to the two of them. She points to herself, then the door.

The guards look at Fist and then at this clipboard. "Only invited guests... Whats yer name?"

Puzzled, Fist looks at Yolanda.

Yolanda smiles and bats her eyes and uses her typical line. "But my friends are already inside..." She spots Fist and waves. "Hey there."

For Val and Nexus, the darkness and the shadows and the misty misty thing that covers the floor seem to obscure enough that you don't really see anything noticable. It's a large room with lots of obstacles for laser tag.

Shoro nods silently to Val..he puts up a finger and turns on his electron cloak...

The guards ask Yolanda and Fist, "Please, miss, what are your names? Just doing our job."

The guards sigh and repeat, "Name please?"

Nexus starts moving out from the center of the room in widening circles, just walking through the laser-tag obstacles, looking for anything odd.

Valencia moves along a wall, sticking within striking distance of Shoro while her movements become more fluid in case she needs to react quickly.

The place seems empty inside!

Yolanda places her hand on the bouncers shoulder and speaks quietly to him. "Do you really have to check...?" she tries to ask sweetly. Seeing the bouncer's reaction she steps back a little, wearing a slightly sour expression on her face.

The bouncer/security guys wait patiently for the heroes to give their names, show id etc. Seems like they have been through this before.

Confused by this, Fist looks at the guard and tries to bridge a mental contact.

Nexus steps out through the front door (keeping it closed) and shrugs. "If there's anything in there, I didn't find it. What are we looking for, exactly?"

The guard blinks and looks at Fist, "Woah.. you ladies are metas?"

Yolanda says, "Yolanda Simmons and Xing-Liu..." Yolanda nods indicating Xing-Liu. "She's with me."

Yolanda answers the bouncer. "Yes, not that it's any of your business."

The guard nods and looks at the list.. "No Yolanda, Simmons,, but it says here that metas heroes are allowed in."

The other guard unlocks the doors and opens it for Yolanda and Fist.

"have fun" the guard tells the two ladies.

Fist shrugs at the question, letting a sigh at the odd shenanegans. She heads inside.

Meanwhile as Nexus and Valencia and Shoro look around they finally see a tent like structure at the end of the hunting grounds. There seems to be two men dressed up like cyclops standing guard at the tent.

Yolanda raises her eyebrows slightly surprised. She looks over to Fist. "After you... And I know how you feel..."

Yolanda thinks . o O ( Five years ago I wouldn't have had a problem getting inside... )

Nexus waves to the Cyclopses. "Guys... do you seriously want to do this? How 'bout you just go home, save yourselves the hospital bills. I promise, we'll wait here for the six seconds or so that you'd slow us down."

Valencia glances at Shoro, hanging back as Nexus engages the cyclopses.

Shoro wonders if they can even see him..and while still being stealthy he walks up closer to them trying to be silent...

Goons: Thugs dressed up like cyclops.

The cyclops goons don't say anything. From inside the tent comes a shrill laughter. "Hahahaha. So you figured out my riddle? Congratulations! It's just lovely isn't it? These gems.. they were made for me.. You will see the power they give me! HAHAHAHAHA" A beam of energy shoots out from the tent. From the light show you see the Sphinx and the gems now adorning her!

The Sphinx: A humanoid female body with lion-like features and a Golden haired woman's head. Eagle like wings on the back.

The beam blasts an obstacle from the Hunting ground, destroying it!

Yolanda presses a button on the device she wears on her waist, activating her personal force field. She speeds up in heading the source of the sound, but is careful not to get ahead of Fist.

The cyclops seems to be charging their eye for beam attacks.

Once she hears the blast, Fist is headed for the area of the kaboom. She does so under cover, hiding behind things while she moves.

Valencia drops into a crouch at the blast, looking around to get a full view of the sphinx. "Wonderful..." She mutters...

Fist watches the woman as she approaches, observing for snatchable things like huge gems. She remains hidden in the mean time.

Shoro remains silent as death, Fist is good enough to take on the sphinx, especially if the power she wields comes from the jewels, he'll take out the support structure..

Valencia literally melts into the shadows, moving as a smooth liquid mass to try and get behind the bad guys in order to support the hero attack.

The cyclopes, intent on other things is sent flying into a wall as Shoro's fist connects solidly with the eyepiece it is crushed in the blow and the cyclopes is out..

The other Cyclops sees shoro's devastating attack and aims an optic blast at him!

Nexus becomes slightly more tangible and charges the Sphinx, attempting to smack her.

Shoro is hit dead on with the optic blast, it sends him flying in the air himself, but with a quick flip and and roll, he's back on his feet...his electron cloak goes down, the surprise factor over..

Nexus 's fist travels right through the Sphnix's head, apparently harmlessly, but leaving her dazed.

Yolanda walks into the area with the Sphinx and the remaining Cyclops. For now, she just tries to figure out the situation at hand.

Fist dives at Sphynx from above, to throw her to the ground a little roughly. Once done, she passes off into the shadows to hide again.

Fist abruptly sends Sphynx crashing down, and vanishes almost immediately, then moves to another shadow to strike again without warning at some future, probably very near time.

The Sphinx screams in frustration! "You fools! You will pay for this!"

Shoro thinks..((cyclopes or Sphinx?...)) The closer target wins..or loses as the case may be...Shoro's leg Draws back and begins to kick nothing, but then with a *POP* he appears next to the Cyclopes Knee headed for said head..

Shoro's knee connect solidly with the second Cyclopes and he is sent flying into the ceiling before landing hard his eyepiece..and perhaps more damaged badly..

Shoro frowns..."These men are no fighters.." he begins to ready some chi-healing..

Valencia oozes towards the downed Sphinx, rearing up and appearing to form an outline of herself to give the illusion of a target when she's still liquid. "C'mon. This was a dumb plan. Give up, ok? We can help you."

The Sphinx gets back to her feet and points a clawed finger towards Shoro, the one who has put down her cyclops. "You will die first." A green beam of energy shoots forth from her extended finger towards Shoro...

The beam spreads out in a cone catching all inside...

Yolanda narrows her eyes, focusing on the Sphinx just before she can aim her attack.

Yolanda's intense gaze eases and she blinks, surprised!

The Sphinx grins and continues her blast at Shoro, "Surprised? Did you not realize the Sphinx is one of the most intelligent and mentally strong creatures of the ancient greece?"

Valencia frowns deeply as Sphinx attacks Shoro, her outline hardening. "You bitch!" She shouts, forming her fist into a hard, flat surface that aims to plow into the Sphinx's inviting face.

That's the most satisfying hit Val's landed in some time, a clearly pained and determined look on her face as the Sphinx reels from her blow. "More where that came from."

As Valencia knocks the Sphinx back, the heroes can see a glint of the gemstones fly up around her neck and then sink back into her feathers/fur.

Fist narrows her eyes, waiting for the next blow to connect so that she can enact a plan based on timing.

Nexus would say something about Sphinx slouching back towards Bethlehem, but he's not that literary. So he just punches her again

The sphinx grunts in pain. She sure can take a beating.. but somewhere some how she's not down and out.

Nexus 's fist plows through the Sphinx's head. And some of the floor.

Shoro is thrown back by the blast, he is stunned by the blast as it hits him, slamming him into the floor with such force that he bounces and when he lands he is dazed and groggy..half an inch from passing out..

Fist watches, focused on the gems' location and readying herself to snatch them away from the Sphinx.

Even though he is dead on his feet, he pushes through and acts as if he is unhurt, easily flipping to his feet..."Is that all you have you grand fakir?"

The Sphinx screams, "What? That cannot be, You should be dead! I will kill you!" Her eyes seems to be focused on Shoro.

Valencia advances on the Sphinx, her other hand morphing into a wicked looking block while the original releases. "Hey. Eyes over here." She twists around, driving her weapon-hand towards the beast's gut, using the elastic snap in her twisting waist to propel the blow forward.

The sphinx seems to shrug off Valencia's attack but the villainess is scooted back some.. more room for her devastating beam cone of death.. She gets up and concentrates on shoro..

The Sphinx screams, "Now stay down!!"

Shoro's weak body is throw across the room and lands in a limp pile against the wall.

The Sphinx cackles, "Hahahahaha! Who is next? Are you ready to surrender to my power now?"

Yolanda gasps as she sees Shoro thought across the room. Quicky, she spins back towards the Sphinx. She focuses, intent on finding a way into that lioness head of hers.

The Sphinx grins evily as Yolanda tries to use your mental powers. "That's not going to work on me, pretty.. Let me show you how it's done.." The villainess seems to have found her next target.

Fist moves in again, grabbing the Sphinx by the arm, hopping once to provide a bit of momentum and using her entire weight to throw the nasty woman down again, in Valencia's general direction without hitting the heroine in the process, then bounds off into cover again.

Yolanda swallows and takes a step back and the Sphinx's words. So far she's not been able to put a dent in the Sphinx's mental defense.

The villainess bounces on the ground. Clearly, she is annoyed and banged up. It seems that she is wearing down, breathing heavier. "Grr.. You are lucky speedy girl.. I will get to you soon enough. You are like gnat that is merely annoying."

Nexus still can't think of anything clever to say. But smacking this lion-lady is kinda fun. And she's got to go down eventually.

The Sphinx lady frowns and grunts.. She glances at Yolanda and then at Nexus, maybe nexus is the one who needs to go down next.

Jessica races into the sound of, if not gunfire then the next best thing. "Hi. Sorry I'm late. Bike got a flat tire on the way over here. What's ahappening?""

Nexus sticks his tongue out at her. "Nyah, nyah."

Nexus says, "We're pounding on the Sphinx. It's actually kinda fun."

This time, Fist waits before heading in...

Valencia takes a few steps towards the downed Sphinx, letting her arm stretch out as she swings it and the wicked looking heavy rubber ball on the end towards the Sphinx' face. "You've got more targets than you can deal with!"

Fist rushes to Sphinx then, making a grab for the gem-things.

The sphinx flies back from the force of Valencia's hammer like fist. She seems to sit there breathing heavily pondering what to do. (trying to recover)

Having caught hold of the gem-necklace, Fist plants a foot on Sphinx's upper back and yanks, headed to the shadows again. Whether Sphinx is in tow or not depends on the necklace strength.

The necklace breaks and Fist has possession of the gems.

Nexus cheers. "You go, Fist! They look good on you."

Jessica spares a look for Shoro to check nothing is obviously broken over there. Then she closes in on the Sphinx. "So the name of the game is beating on your skull, huh? Okay, I'm in for that. A quarter staff appears in her hands as she moves forward and lashes out in a blow aimed at the flank of the Sphinx.

The sphinx, without her gems, already battered, slumps over with Jennifer's vicious hit.

Nexus sighs. "Hey, I loosened her for you."

Shoro drools in his mask...

The Cyclops guys are coming about, but seeing their leader down and out, they surrender.

Fist drops the gems off with Yolanda, headed for Shoro. Already she has begun to apply healing.

Valencia breathes heavily as Jen and Jess finish what the others started. She stands over the fallen Sphinx, then looks up at Fist, but she's already gone and Val know she can relax just a bit.

Jessica slams her staff into the side of the Sphinx and sees she fold up around the staff and then drop to the floor. "Okay. That was easy. Next?"

the cyclops goons fall to their knees. 'we surrender!"

Nexus shrugs and waves to the goons. "They surrendered, but you could whack 'em a couple of times if you wanted."

Yolanda examines the necklace. "What is the stories behind these stones?"

"No please don't hurt us!" , shout the goons.

Nexus says, "Or, you know, if you wanted to go for two out of three falls with me..."

"No please don't hurt us!" , repeat the goons.

Nexus waves the goons away. "I meant HER, morons."

"Someone tie her up in case she decides she wants some more...Seemed kinda crazy..." Valencia comments to no one in particular before turning for Shoro and Fist.

Jessica grins at Nexus. "Not today."

The goons go huddle by their fallen leader. "did you guys kill her?" They ask.

Nexus shrugs. "Hey, just didn't want you to get bored." To the goons, he adds. "No... you want us to?"

Jessica says, "We don't do the killing thing. Not any more."

The goons aren't sure. They don't want to get punished by the Sphinx again, but they are safe now with the heroes right?

Shoro lies in fetal position...

Nexus says, "Yeah, yeah. Come on, I'll port you to a nice, safe cell."

Repeated use of Fist's healing glow eventually gives Shoro the boost he needs to wake from the awful punishment he got for annoying a confused greek lady.

Valencia smiles as she kneels down next to Shoro. "How you feeling, partner?"

Shoro's eyes open...."Ugn...I feel like 100 pounds of jello..."

Valencia reaches out to try and lend some support if Shoro tries to stand. "That's usually my gig."

Nexus pokes SHoro. "Nah. 100 pounds of Jell-O wiggles more."

Jessica gives the Sphinx a shot of healing nanos from her medikit. It won't do anything to bring her around but if there's any injury the nanos will start work on repairing that.

Shoro staggers to his feet..."T..thanks Midnight.." he is quickly gaining his strength though...his hands start to glow as he walks over to the goons, the one he kneed in the face..."You.." he says, clearly angry..

Nexus coughs. "Nexus."

Valencia follows Shoro, placing a hand on his shoulder as he speaks to the cyclops. "Hey. It's over. We got her. They're done."

Fist would look amused if she could be seen clearly in facial features. As it stands she's just on guard now.

the goon gulps, "yes..?'

Yolanda raises the necklace in front of her face. Even though she closes eyes, it's clear that she's still focusing her attention on the gems.

Jessica casually steps closer to the goon being address by Shoro and is ready to interpose if his anger causes Shoro to act without thought.

Shoro shoves a rough hand on the man's jaw and face and grips it...but..

The goon flinches but he feels healing power instead of destroying power.. "Oh momma..." He winces but realizes he feels better. "oh thank you!" he weeps

Shoro says, "Choose better next time, or I wont be so nice..." his voice still angry. "this is a lucky lesson for you."

the goons nod.

Nexus sighs. "Dear God, I'm in an after-school special." He turns to Jessica. "Can I just smack them once more? I mean, just to keep our PG-13 rating?"

Valencia smirks at Nexus. "Oh stop. There are no available chicks watching who are impressed with your dark edge Mr. Angst."

Shoro points at Yolanda, "Yoli's available, but I think she's looking for a different type."

Nexus shrugs. "Hey, sometimes you just make an investment in the future, you know?"

Jessica grins to Nexus. "Hitting prisoners while they're down is against the rules." She smirks, "As a deputised Marshall, well you'd just have to arrest yourself if you did that."

Yolanda's eyes remain closed, her attention focused elsewhere.

Yolanda says, "I heard that, Shoro."

Valencia grins at Yolanda. "And it was a compliment!"

Nexus hrms. "Good point. Plus, I'd have to report to my boss again. As it is, I haven't the foggiest idea what's going on. Saves on paperwork."

For Yolanda: Years and years of history pass before your very eyes. You see slaves mining in the ancient hills of Egypt finding giant emerald like stones. Next gem cutters doing their work on the stones. Years later, the mystical priests of the Pharaoh instilling power of the gods into the three stones. A beautiful priestess adorns these gemstones of power. The Pharaoh passes and all his belongings including the priestess is entombed with him to guard him in the afterlife. Thousands of years pass, underneath the rock. The powers of the stones fade.. Then centuries before the heroes time, explorers unearth the tomb and find the treasures. The spirit of the priestess awakens and watches as the explorers take the treasure of the pharaoh. The spirit of the prietess curses these men. Years pass, and the men die one by one of mysterious reasons. Who ever comes into possession dies. The image of a dead priestess floating towards Yolanda screaming is the last thing you see. There seems to be no relation to sphinxes though. Maybe that's just a super villainess.

Shoro raises an eyebrow.."who's your boss? Rebound?"

Yolanda smiles but sshes too. "I'm trying to roll back the sands of time here..."

Yolanda repeats her vision aloud, for the benefit of the others present.

Nexus shrugs. "Neat trick. Can you tell me what I've got in my wallet?"

Valencia rolls her eyes at Nexus after listening to Yolanda. She glances at Sphinx. "So...Who else thinks we're just dealing with a mutant who identified with a myth?"

Shoro cocks his head to the side, "So there is a curse of sorts...we should take this to..." he doesnt know who the best person to take this to is.."Perhaps Light ray?"

Jessica flicks a finger at Nexus' ear,a stinging contact if it touches, "Shut up, Nexus. Let Yolanda finish speaking."

Yolanda opens her eyes. "Yes, but it will cost you $300 an hour." She sighs relaxing a bit, and takes a moment to regard Nexus. "/You're/ Marshall Nexus?"

Nexus says, "Ow!"

Nexus says, "That's Deputy Nexus, actually. They try to promote me, I'm quitting."

Nexus shrugs. "Hell, I'm probably quitting anyway. But not 'till this Count business is taken care of."

Jessica chuckles, "Deputy Dog is more like it." But she grins at Nexus in a affectionate manner.

Nexus says, "Bark! Bark! Arrrooooooooo!"

Yolanda nods. "I had a chance to talk to Citadel about it. I'm trying to put together a team to head out to Utah to help with your problem there. Problem is, we're spread rather thin with another mind controller on the loose in Colonial Bay."

Fist finds there is little more she is able to do right now here, and waves, heading out of the Matrix and toward the first street crime she happens upon for thwarting purposes.

The guards from the outside come inside to see if everythings ok. "So you guys beat her in laser tag huh?" They don't seem to know what's going on. "You got the place for another hour. Have fun." they head back outside.

Jessica says, "What's that, Lassie. Timmy has fallen in the old well again?"

Yolanda quirks an eyebrow at Nexus. o O ( This guy is a deputy? )

Nexus nods eagerly. "Yeah. We have to board that thing up Some day."

Shoro sighs.." I'm too hurt for this...Yolanda, is the spirit of malintent?"

Nexus says, "But we should probably pull Timmy out first."

Valencia glances at Shoro. "You alright?"

Jessica smiles and rests a hand on Nexus' shoulder for a few moments, "It's good having you back. I'm missed the bantering."

Yolanda shivers. "Not malicious.... but these stones should be returned to their proper resting place, I sense, or spirit will be upset.

Shoro nods, "I can probably arrange that.>"

Valencia nods to Shoro. "Just don't go alone, ok?"

Yolanda offers the jewels to Shoro. "Please... I'm getting the chills from just holding them."

Nexus grins to Jess. "THe battering's kinda fun, too." He turns back to Yolanda. "Well, I understand the spread-thin thing. THough you should really talk to Rebound for advice on that. Incidentally, I'm under direct orders not to talk about the other mind-controller... so this might be a good time for you to explain it to everybody?"

Yolanda says, "Er, which one?"

Nexus says, "The one who _doesn't_ wear a toga. I mean, unless they both wear a toga?"

Shoro puts it in a pocket and the pocket disappears.

Nexus says, "I mean, wear _different_ togas."

Shoro salutes everyone. "I will see you all later. I need to get these to bed." he looks at Val, "Coming Partner?"

Yolanda says, "Right. Dancing Voice, at least that's what his name translates too. I'm sure that you've read about the superfight in Chinatown. There's a sorceror from Kihzra's home dimension who's sending hitmen to try and kill her in our dimension."

Nexus waves to Shoro and Val.

Valencia nods to Shoro. "I have some things I need to pick up back at the convention center anyway. Thanks for your help, everyone."

Jessica waves.

Yolanda says, "Dancing Voice has actually been here for a while. He escaped from Starguard custody after an attempt to poison Kihzra..."

Yolanda pauses in her story to waves goodbye to Shoro and Val.

Shoro nods and touches Val..and POP..they're gone.

Jessica says, "While Roger was in charge no doubt."

Nexus says, "So... now that he's out, what's his gig?"

Yolanda says, "He's a mentallist, and he's been taking some time to make friends in sensitive places like the power plant and the water plant. To demonstrate his ability, he gave us the name of the zookeeper who has the keys to Mung's cage. I helped deprogram her immediately. The last thing we need is a 50 foot gorilla roaming downtown."

Nexus chuckles. "Well. Maybe on the top ten list of last things. But, yeah."

Nexus says, "So. Any chance of getting someone to decondition the treasurer before he successfully kills himself?"

Yolanda says, "He wants us to release all of his teammates from jail and allow them to return to his home dimension."

Jessica nods as Yolanda speaks, then looks at Nexus, "Ordered to keep quiet?" she asks.

Nexus hrms. "So, if we take him down, can you find out who he's whammied?"

Yolanda shakes her head and sighs. "I'll see what I can do. Are you authorizes to sign invoices?"

Nexus nods to Jess with a grin. "Yeah. And here I am, not saying a word about it. See how good an employee I am?"

[To Yolanda] Nexus says, "Depends. What do you charge?"

Jessica is starting to look more than a little angry, "Ordered by whom? Citadel?"

[To Nexus] Yolanda hms. "Don't worry about it... we'll work something out with the city. And no... his form of mind control is very hard to detect."

Yolanda says, "Right now, I'm trying to figure out the best way to screen /everyone/ at the water and power plants."

Nexus chuckles and nods. "Yeah. Marshall stick-up-his-ass himself. Don't sweat it, though... 'till this count thing is resolved, I'd rather keep getting info from him."

[To Yolanda] Nexus says, "Hell, it'd probably be cheaper to give 'em all three weeks vacation and hire temps."

Jessica is close to blowing up from her expression. "Damn it, Nexus, we need to know what's happening. We're the ones with our necks on the line fighting out there for the city. Not knowing could get one of us killed."

Nexus nods. "Yup. Trust me, if this convenient opportunity hadn't turned up," indicating Yolanda, "some mysterious leak would've happened."

Yolanda nods. "I'm thinking there may be a handful of people who are necessary for knowledge transfer. We screen those people and then maybe move in replacements from other plants. It'll be tough, but manageable I think."

Yolanda says, "If the Treasurer weren't already ill, then all of these expenses would make him so."

Nexus nods to Y. "Cool. Geez. You'd think we could keep this down to _one_ city-threatening exercise at a time? As for the Treasurer, he can pay you out of his bribe money." He frowns. "Look, I've got my hands pretty full with this Count situation, but I know a little something about dimensional travel. If I can help, just give me a buzz.

Nexus says, "And if you could maybe find something out from Valance or the treasurer while getting Toga's, um, fingers out of their heads... that'd be useful."

Nexus says, "Or the Utah Squad, for that matter... but I'm betting they don't know anything."

Yolanda says, "I can release them from mind control, but that's about it... I'm a doctor. But often people are happy to share their knowledge after they've been freed from mind control."

Jessica sighs, "Starguard were a step away from having an operational Dimension Gate up and working when UE pulled the funding ladder out from underneath us. We could have used that to blip over and settled the Kihzra bad guy."

Nexus nods. "That works, too." Y is left with the impression that he thinks she's covertly agreeing to mindscan them.

[To Jessica] Nexus says, "Well... I can't promise I'll end up in the right spot, but I can cross over... maybe I can help kick your semi-operational Gate into shape?"

Yolanda says, "Jennifer, Citadel asked me to put to together a team, in case the opportunity arises to cross over to their dimension. Why he thinks I'm qualified is beyond me. If I could ask you to look at this..."

Nexus grins. "You authorized to sign invoices, Doc? Jen's rates as a tactical consultant are pretty high..."

Jessica shrugs, "What's to look at? Find their dimension, go over and kick some evil mage butt. Back by tea-time. The technical side I'd have toleave to Alex and co."

Nexus grins even more broadly. "See? Tactical genius like that doesn't come cheap! Seriously, Jess, this is Citadel. Can't tie his shoe-laces without forming an investigative committee."

Yolanda smiles. "I think I can afford the twins rates. Dinner on me at Serafina's once this is all through?"

Jessica nods to Yolanda "That would be great."

Nexus says, "Mind if I join you? I can pay my own way... hell, I'll pay extra just to hear the debrief."

Yolanda says, "I'm told that you've found a bunker where the Count's people have been tracked to?"

Nexus nods. "Yeah. Cit even put out a request for help. Which nearly made me turn him in for suspected mind-control right there.

Nexus says, "You want in? We've scheduled the takedown for ((train drives by))."

Yolanda says, "'Want in?' Heavens no. But if my going now means that I don't have to face mind-controlled heroes later on, then I choose to go now."

Nexus nods. "Yeah, there's that. Toga's got one hell of a whammy."

Jessica says, "You can count on me... to stay out. Sorry, guys, but seriously, you do not want to face a mind controlled me. From what I know it's just too risky to everyone else for me to be on the scene."

Yolanda sighs. "The Company has people who are trained to do this sort of thing. You get me, instead."

Nexus nods to Jess. "No worries, Jen... we'll leave it to us inept types." It's very hard to tell whether he's kidding.