Living in the Shadows: IC, your run might be over... Options

[Sedna]

1715 January 7, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Sara gets up at least three times during the short dinner to check on the current emulsion. Although she is paying attention to what Andie is saying, she's clearly more than a bit distracted. At least her preoccupation spares Andie the lecture on all the things that one has to watch for during the process, beyond the basic parameters of lunar phases, zodiacs, exact time of day. Ley line proximity. Current mana fluctuations: was someone else casting magic nearby? The presence of an astral form. To hear Sara talk about it, making orichalcum's not a routine thing, not at all.

"Sure I'll talk to him," she says as she returns to the dinner for the third time, "but don't get your hopes up too high. He's solid, with a solid clientele, and the price is certainly going to reflect that. Although at least you're good enough at this kind of thing that most of them wouldn't instantly walk." Andie didn't ask, but Sara answered the unspoken question on his face: "People like staying with whom they know, and if they can't have that they'll shop around for someone with as much experience as the person they knew. Doesn't matter how good the new person is, some of them will always walk no matter what. You could be good enough to hang on to some of them if you'd only get out a little more, but don't be surprised if you lose 90 percent of them."

And then the first part of what Andie had said connects, and she lets out a low whistle: "You found an affordable place downtown? Did you go just now to check it out?"

[WinterRat1]

1110 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Before anyone can answer, Virgil gets a call on his phone. Excusing himself for a few minutes, he returns and says with a tight look on his face, "Dragon, can I speak to you for a minute?"

Knowing something was up, Dragon replies, "Yeah. Will you ladies excuse us for a moment?"

Heading to the restroom area in the back of the restaurant, he looks at Virgil and asks, "OK. Who was that, what's up, and why do you look so pissed?"

[SentineloftheMou...]

1715 January 7, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Andie says to Sara in response, "Well, it sounds affordable." referring to the downtown building real estate listing. "I had hoped to go down there tomorrow and check it out. I placed a call with the building landlord while I was out for an appointment to see the building space tomorrow. Do you think you could cover for me for a couple of hours while I go to the appointment?? There's also a listing here in Tacoma that sounds promising."

"As for Jeremiah's place I would not be surprised if that happened." Andie shakes his head. "People always want you to prove to them you're good enough before they'll trust you enough to do business with you. However, I would appreciate it if would give him a call anyway and see if he is interested??"

Andie finishes his dinner, throws the trash away and comments. "Well, I have to check on the circulation for a while before I can go to sleep yet tonight. I'll see you in the morning." He then proceeds to the back of the shop and checks the circulation's progress.

[Sedna]

[Sedna]

1715 January 7, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

"I said I would," says Sara, a bit of an edge creeping into her voice. "And what time did you say for your appointment?" When Andie tells her on his way to the back of the shop, she expels a breath. "That'll work, then ... this time. But, Andie," and the tone of her voice pulls away his attention from the circulation, "next time you go making appointments around my 'free' time, clear them with me first? Seeing as this is supposed to be your circulation, I think my outside obligations take priority."

[Sedna]

[banditf50]

1112 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Dammit Dragon, what do was going through your mind when you recruited this women?

Virgil agreed that cultivating a contact with connections like those of a reporter would be invaluable for tracking down Julia, but the key word was cultivate a 'contact'. Dragon is taking a gamble with our security that I am not comfortable with in the least.

In life their exists a scale by which certain professions are judged for honesty, reporters (espically those desperate to become succesfull) are only slightly more honest than defenst attorneys. Dragon brought her into the fold as an equal teammate and that is simply not appropriate after knowing her for one day. No fragging way am I ending up as tommorow's big story.

[banditf50]

1112 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Virgil wasn't really pissed at the situation, just playing a more cautious role. He always had total faith in Dragon's judgement, they'd been through quite a bit together, but to Virgil the emotional factor coming out between Dragon and Tiffany was a little worriesome.

"First off, Galina just called. The fire victim is awake and able to talk now. We can visit the clinic after we leave here and see who exactly we pulled out of that rubble"

Dragon replied, "Good. With any luck we'll find out if the arson job on that building had anything to do with Julia. Maybe even net us a few leads to follow-up."

"I have to say Dragon I'm more than a bit nervous about how fast you've brought this Tiffany into our fold. She seems very competent to me, however I viewed her role to be a contact . . .to me that is the option that puts our perseonal sercurity at the least amount of risk. I have always trusted your judgement, but you've known her for no more than 24 hours and no matter what kind of background check you've done, it won't tell us how likely she is to be a security breach if a lucrative oppurtunity presents itself."

"One thing we should not do is bring her to the clinic with us. The women we took their is probably on somebody's hit list and we cannot afford taking a risk on security. Given that we do not even know all of the players in the mission we're on now I believe we should keep Tiffany at a safe distance from us until we both can be reasonably sure that she is a sound investment."

Pausing for a second because he hated sounding like he was lecturing, Virgil moved on. "I just wanted to provide a voice of reason here and will leave the situation in your hands now. Moving on to aiding Sybersnake I agree that is a high priority, but unless the details of her run are particulary favorable we probably do not have time to complete the buisness with her as I am sure we are on a limited time-line right now. I'm voting that we do out best to throw the heat off of her tail right now so that she can lay low."

"What is your assesment of the situation as it stands Dragon?"

[WinterRat1]

1113 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Nodding at Virgil's assessment of the situation, Dragon replied, "You're right, I can see how she'd make you nervous. Frankly, I'm more inclined to think she won't sell us out simply because she needs more than one break to get her where she wants to go, and screwing us isn't going to help that. But I follow you're thinking, and I'm ok with making her prove her trustworthiness. Of course, we have to make sure she doesn't think we're just using her as well. So what would you suggest we have her do for now?"

A quick glance at the girls revealed they hadn't tried to kill each other yet, and were even being civil. Thankfully. Turning back to Virgil, he continued, "I don't see how we can not finish Sybersnake's run and still help her. This isn't some piddling little corp we're talking about here, this is S-K, this is Lofwyr we're talking about, and if they want a piece of her, no matter how low we help her lay, eventually, they're going to run her to ground and get her. Right now she doesn't even have her deck, her main marketable resource, to help her out. If you've got any ideas as to how we can get her out without finishing the run, I'm all for it, but frankly, I don't see how we can."

Virgil holds up his hands placatingly. "Relax man, I'm on your side, and her side. I've been there for her before in the clutch too, remember? I'm just saying that we're on a tight timetable, and with all the stuff we've got going, this is definitely not coming at the best of times. Juggling all the ops we've got going right now will be tricky, to say the least. Juggling all the ops and not getting geeked by any and all comers who may or may not be in the picture right now, especially if Saeder-Krupp decides to join the mix, will be even harder. You scan?"

Taking a deep breath, Dragon answers, "Yeah, yeah I know. We do have a lot going on, and things just got a lot trickier. I'm just...I'm just worried, you know? Things are confusing personally too, and I don't need or want to have to worry about her getting geeked in the midst of all that. So what do you want to do about going to the clinic then?

Snickering, Virgil couldn't resist a little dig. "Hey look at it this way. If she gets geeked, your decision just got a whole lot easier. Unless of course, you're into the whole necrophilia thing."

With mock anger, Dragon wound up to clock the smart-hooped mage, when all of the sudden, the smoke detectors went off.

Immediately sobering up the two of them shared a look of suspicion, and began looking around for any immediate threats, one reaching for a gun, the other readying a spell. Not that they expected any trouble, mind you. But just in case...you know?

[Sedna]

1114 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

And then the sprinklers go off. Subdued consternation from behind the kitchen doors. Small shrieks from the various customers, trying to shield themselves and their food and sometimes their briefcases or knapsacks from the unexpected indoor rain as they flee for the main door. Sybersnake is one of those trying to shield the deck-sized pack she'd brought in with her and shrug into her jacket at the same time. Her indoor blouse seems to be one of those that goes transparent when it gets wet. She's scanning around for another exit.

Tiffany's pulled out a pair of tortoiseshell glasses from her blazer pocket and wiped them off, then stuck them on her nose before pulling out the wristcam out of her huge, bulky handbag -- what all's she got in there, a brick? -- and moves it, almost imperceptibly, to just barely above the table rim, pointing away from where the restrooms are. A soaked lock of hair bobs across her nose.

One of the sprinklers is right over top of Dragon and Virgil. They stare for a moment at each other ...

[banditf50]

1114 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

"Oh, wonderful." Virgil allows the sarcasam to drip from his voice as a few icy drips of water began to snake down the back of his neck. Flipping up the collar of his long coat in a vain effort to keep water from going down his back, Virgil turns to assess the scene in the restaraunt. Tommy Wong's always drew a good-sized lunch crowd so a small pandemonium had broke out with people going for the doors, some stopping to throw jackets over their heads. He could see that Sybersnake and Tiffany were not pleased and had started towards the door at the back of the pack.

Well, if I were them I wouldn't wait for instructions to leave a building when a fire-alarms goes off.

Turning to Dragon again Virgil instructs, "Can you corral are two companions and head towards the car? Just move your car a two blocks down the road so that if the SFD responds we won't be blocked in. I'll join you in a moment." Nodding his head Dragon complies, It doesn't take much encouragement to ask me to leave a fragging mess like this.

Curiousity got ahold of Virgil because he did not smell any smoke yet. Turning his attention to the nearby kithcen doors Virgil moves over to them and pokes his head into the kitchen. This is my favorite restaraunt, I have to at least check things out . . .

[Sedna]

1115 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Much rapid-fire Cantonese shot back and forth in the kitchens, as various staff members are quickly covering woks and loose food and someone skids on the tiles with a tray of dishes, just barely manages to get them onto the counter before he loses his balance entirely, dropping his cigarette and grabbing at the counter just as his feet go out from under him. Virgil winces in empathy: wrenched shoulder for sure.

One person's heading up front, the orders suggest that he's about to deal with the customers and any incoming firefighting personnel. Two people have grabbed fire extinguishers. Tommy Wong's one of those places which doesn't have an electronic panel showing the exact location of the alarm, so they're searching. It's obvious that if it had been something involving the open-flame stove, it would have been long drenched into extinction by now.

[WinterRat1]

1115 January 6, 2063 - Tommy Wong's

Dragon's acute senses and quick mind immediately pick up on Virgil's rationale for heading into the kitchen. No smoke, no fire...that isn't right...what's that saying, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you?

Keeping one hand close to one of his Savalette Guardians in its holster, he hustles over to Sybersnake and Tiffany. "Ladies. I'm thinking it's best if we don't walk out the front door. We're going out the back way. Oh and Syber, you armed? Just in case, you know."

The Latina decker nods, and a stray thought passes through Dragon's mind. God she's hot when she's wet...and that blouse...talk about a situation having positive fringe benefits, if nothing else...focus focus focus...take care of biz first. Oh well, enjoyable observation aside...

"All right then, let's go. Virgil's checking out the kitchen. It could be nothing, but it never hurts to be prepared." Heading for the back door, he also starts flipping through the radio waves, scanning for Fire, Police, and Paramedic dispatch updates. Never hurts to be aware of who might be showing up. Let's just see who's gonna be here, and when...

Arriving at the back door, he draws a Guardian with his left hand and cautiously pushes the door open with his right, scanning up and down the alley, as well as the rooftops above for anything funny...

[Sedna]

1115 January 6, 2063 - the back alley behind Tommy Wong's

You can always tell a popular shadowrunner locale because it will have a back door ... and a kitchen entrance ... and maybe one or two besides.

Sharp sting of tobacco smoke -- and other of the not so legit cigarette variety -- and then Dragon was clear of the back doorway, just ahead of Sybersnake, already loosening her own concealed pistol in its holster with her free hand even as he spoke, with Tiffany bringing up the rear. He'd temporarily lost sight of Virgil. The part of him that wasn't scanning for possible threats or appreciating fringe benefits noted that although the reporter hadn't stopped filming since she pulled out the camcorder, never once had she pointed it in either his or Sybersnake's direction.

The low roof overhangs added to the smells in the back alleys of this part of the city to remind him a little of other places, an ocean and a lifetime away; even as the cold tactical observation noted that the overhangs would make it extremely difficult for any attack to come at them from above. Useful, that. He'd have to lose the cover if he was going to get to the car, but it would get them most of the way, and maybe that would be far enough if it did turn out not to be nothing after all.

The standard emergency support frequencies weren't being much help: a fire truck called out here on the alarm, nothing else.

[banditf50]

1116 January 6, 2063 - Kitchen of Tommy Wong's

Damn I wish I could speak the language. Standing right inside the kitchen door Virgil could've been invisible for as much notice as he recieved from the workers running around trying to figure out what the frag was going on. To Virgil each worker looked about as bewildered as he was. If the fire had started in the dining room then there would be no mystery and an open fire kitchen seemed the most likely culprit. However this did not seem to be the case. Judging by the size of the kitchen Virgil guessed that their couldn't be many other places for a fire to start. A small corridor at the back of the kitchen probably led to storage, a freezer, maybe the manager's office, but the workers would've found the fire if it had occured their . . . wouldn't they.

Still bewildered Virgil walked out the kithcen door and back into the hallway where he and Dragon had been taking. On the opposite wall of the narrow corridor were a pair of doors for men's and women's restrooms, between those doors an older model pay-telecom hung. The corridor was wallpapered with a bamboo print that was fading and beginning to peel in places, although the appearence was not nearly as worn as establishments farther south in Redmond. Hearing the sirens in the distance and seeing the crowd formed outside of the restaruant Virgil decided that his curiosity about the 'fire' would be considered saited for now . . . and then it hit him.

Unless it's a distraction! That be a great way to wait for a target, watch them stream out of the building. Dammit . . Sybersnake was being tracked before, mayber her 'friends' have caught up with her. A thousand possibilites whirling threw his head Virgil began some quick stategy.

Dragon would've wanted to avoid the crowd even if he wasn't worried about hostiles. Turning his gaze the other direction Virgil's eyes fell upon an dinged up steel door at the opposite end of the hallway from the dining room. The door to the alley, that has to be the way that Dragon went. Either way it is the best path for my exit right now.

Pushing through the door and stepping out into the alley Virgil stopped for a second to survey the scene . . .

[WinterRat1]

1117 January 6, 2063 - Kitchen of Tommy Wong's

And runs smack in Dragon, who was surveying the scene. "Thought the same thing I did, didn't you? Distraction? Ambush? We just might get jumped? Maybe you should whistle up one of those spirits to cover us, just in case there's something nasty waiting for us? Then we can get rolling."

[banditf50]

1117 January 6, 2063 - Alley behind Tommy Wong's

It was a comforting thought knowing that he had predicted the direction that Dragon took out of Tommy Wong's. Though Virgil realized that both him and Dragon were just beginning what would surely be a period of myriad tribulations he was glad that Tyr had granted him an ally who's thought process under stress complimented his own.

Nodding his agreement to Dragon's suggestion Virgil closed his eyes and turned his thoughts away from the whine of the fire alarm and the closing sirens, away from the senses of the mundane, drifting to play upon the walls of the alley. Virgil had grown up in Redmond and it was the place that he returned to after spending several years away from, it was his home. In his mind he felt that this connection allowed him to speaker with greater empathy to the spirits that also called the barrens home. It was with this empathy that he called out to the streets for aid once again.

Here my plea watchers of man, come to my aid once again . . .not as a servant, but as an ally.

The aura of the ground beneath Virgil's feet seemed to bulge with is words and then released a small ball of energy that drifted up to eye-level. Greetings friend. Virgil took brief moment to admire the spirit as he always admired the beings who thrived on pure mana before snapping his senses back to the physical world and turning his attention to Dragon.

"We have help now, hopefully we will not need to call upon it. Why don't you asses the situation outside of the alley and lead us to the car. I'll take up the rear and provide any needed cover. . . ."

Dragon nodded in approval and moved towards the mouth of the alley, Tiffany and Sybersnake followed with Virgil taking the rear. Dragon quickly ran through things in his head as he looked out into the scence unfolding on the streets. Not much time to make a move here before we get boxed in for a while.

[SentineloftheMou...]

1715 January 7, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop
"Sara, you know that I will pay you back for the favor. Never fear. And I'm always around if you need help with something.", Andie replies.

He walks to the back of the shop and checks on the circulation for the rest of the night; taking notes and measuring the purity of the circulation contents so far.

It's seem to be going well...We'll see in a few more days how the progress is really going....

[Sedna]

1119 January 6, 2063 - Alley behind Tommy Wong's

At the mouth of the alley where it opened into the much wider street -- into the open -- Dragon could see the last of the people not so much pouring as trickling out from the restaurant. Certainly not panicked, more annoyed at the unscheduled interruption to their day, and more than a few rather drenched. Added to the ongoing emergency radio dispatch -- mostly ETA updates -- came the sound of approaching sirens. Standard procedure would have this block cordoned off within a minute of their arrival.

[WinterRat1]

1119 January 6, 2063 - Alley behind Tommy Wong's

Turning to Virgil, he asks, "You got that spirit of yours summoned yet?" At the shaman's affirmative nod, Dragon continues, "We'll just have to trust it to hide us then once we're out in the open. The cops will cordon off the area in another minute, so we have to roll. Tell it to conceal us or hide us or whatever the heck it does, and let's get out of here to the car."

[banditf50]

1119 January 6, 2063 - Alley behind Tommy Wong's

Hide our passage from prying eyes. Virgil reaches out with his mind to instruct the city spirit to materialize so that it can use it's concealment power on him and his three companions. The paper littering the alley begins to swirl around the group's feet as the spirit gathers mana around them. Thinking back to his recent ambush by the rouge fire elemental Virgil switches his senses to the astral plane. We have enough eyes watching the physical plane, also good to keep learning from my mistakes . . . live an learn, die and forget . . .who was it that said that?

A second later Virgil indicates his readiness to Dragon, who steps out of the alley and begins leading the group on a quick dart across the street and towards the car. Just a bit further and we're gone . . .

[Sedna]

1119 January 6, 2063 - Alley behind Tommy Wong's

Not as powerfully as yesterday, but once again that deep sense of belonging which so often goes along with a nature spirit's concealment, that utter sense of fitting into a place so well that other eyes slide over the small cone of whirling papers, taking what they might have seen for only a bit of debris vortexed against the side of the building, another part of the environment. Virgil's caught up in it, his astral senses keenly alert for anything out of step; but even Dragon can feel it as he cautiously steps out of the alley, the familiar half-awareness of having merged into one's surroundings and become part of them. Sybersnake's only a little behind him, a slight lag distance to allow an approximation of point position. Tiffany's almost directly behind her, her camera steady in her hand. Virgil's covering their backs.

The street's clear, not of people obviously, but at least of the kinds of things Dragon's most immediately concerned about, and at least for now of official vehicles as well. That wouldn't last. He's still uneasy, but that could as easily be due to having to step out into the open, or to the entire situation. He's at the edge of the street now, soon to be committed to a quick dash, and the uneasy feeling isn't going away any. A quick thought of using the restaurant crowd for cover, dismissed almost as quickly: simultaneously too far away and too close, milling about in the wrong direction, absolutely no cover from all the relevant directions. No, it's step out and move quickly and hope the concealment works and that there's nothing it has to work against anyway.

He moves. At his wave Sybersnake follows, with Tiffany ready to go behind her.

From behind them Virgil gasps a short warning: "Spirit!". Dragon half-turns and then stumbles as the ground beneath him shrugs -- and in that split second he reacts without thinking to pull Sybersnake down. Maybe there was a glint of light off metal. Maybe it was just pure instinct. But together with the blur of the concealment, the move was almost enough to get her clear of the bullet that splashed through her pack and her shoulder and part of her leg and shattered the brick of the wall behind them into bloody shrapnel. Without it, Dragon knew for absolute certainty that she wouldn't have had a chance.

Only then does the soft cough of the rifle reach them, almost lost amid the sounds of the crowd and the approaching sirens. A true sniper weapon, held in readiness for an opportunity -- but now it would be some time in reloading and re-aiming.

Virgil can see it all: just in front of him Tiffany starting to pick herself up, absolutely coated with brick dust and maybe a bit dazed but otherwise seemingly unhurt; a seriously-cybered man who'd been moving with the crowd to get away but who'd reacted with sharp surprise and frustration at the sound of the rifle and suddenly didn't fit; the ground beneath Dragon's and Sybersnake's feet beginning to shudder apart and drag them into it ...

What Virgil can't see is where that rifle is planted, although he, like Dragon, can make a good guess as to its direction. But at least he's got the mage spotted now: another one who'd been trying to get away and was caught by surprise by the sudden turn of events. So that means the spirit can't be working on immediate orders, it must have been holding off on a different order. Maybe I can use that. He's pretty sure the man hasn't spotted him yet.

[SentineloftheMou...]

1100 January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Andie continues to check on the circulation and it's progress.

We'll have to increase the temperature soon to enlongate the strata of the alloy to give it more flexability and strength. If this doesn't happen then the alloy will be hard to work with later on, Andie thinks to himself.

He finds Sara within the shop and lets her know he is going to meet with the realty agent downtown. He then takes public transportation to the meeting.

[Sedna]

1150 January 8, 2063 - the prospective place downtown

Well, it was big. No question there. Big and concrete-smelling and empty.

"And as you can see," the plaid-suitted real estate agent was continuing, "not only is the entire place pre-wired, but the plumbing in this building is quite extensive."

Andie could see. The exposed copper pipes were running everywhere.

"It's all nicely subdivided too. So you could have your major industrial water intake, or a central shower room, or a whole bunch of small washrooms. Heck, even a Starbucks, if you wanted to tuck one away in the corner. Nothing more water-intensive than that, coming in and going out!" He laughed at his own joke. "Though of course you'd have to talk to the zoning people if you wanted to do more than a single business under this roof. Single business industrial, it's currently."

"I thought this area was retail?" asked Andie.

"It is, most of it. Just this building and a couple of others have been rezoned by the previous lessors, back when they installed the rooftop water tank. Shouldn't be too much of a problem getting it zoned back, not if you grease the right palms, hey?"

Between the loud suit and the matching, echoing voice, Andie was starting to get a headache. He leaned against one of the teloposts, and was promptly informed that they were "solid, load-bearing pillars, earthquake-tested to Geiger 6. Just as well, in a post Ghost Dance world, you get what I'm saying?" He emphasised it with a dig into Andie's ribs. Andie winced and turned away, trying hard to envision walls, a dropped ceiling concealing some of the piping, the brazier would require its own air intake --

"With imagination, there's no telling what you couldn't put in here."

You'd need a whole lot of imagination to do something with a place like this.

The real estate guy had it in spades. "Why, there's space enough in these roughed-out storage areas to hide a whole slew of skeletons!"

Thanks.

He paced the length of it, the width, glanced up at the catwalks above and tried to work them into the loose concept. It could work, maybe: but there'd be a lot of work to do first. Still, if he dressed out the concrete in this small section first, he could maybe get a circulation going here at least, pay for the rest of the upgrades that way. Sara had offered to buy some of his future orichalcum at 66 k :nuyen: , but she'd already warned she didn't have enough use for it to stock up on more than ten or so units, not this year and maybe not next. After that, he'd be completely on his own, with no guarantee whatsoever of future customers.

He stared at the iron floor-to-ceiling ladders, noted how the plumbing elbowed and -- hmm, useful place for a valve, maybe I could turn the hydroponics into something more vertical? Some of those plants were originally climbing vines ... And that part: nice and flat, big enough to enscribe a good-sized permanent conjuring circle, maybe even more than one. His own apartment had always been so cramped for that kind of thing. Maybe now I'll finally be able to conjure something a bit more reasonable.

The floor was bone-dry. That was something. Actually, in Seattle, that was a lot of something. He'd skimmed far too many places where the sump pumps had failed. Whatever else, this building had reasonably good drainage.

And yes: that part could be partitioned off into a bit of a social area, coffee, comfortable couches, magazines, wood panelling? Fireplace ... maybe. The air exhausts looked to be adequate, but the smoke would need to be appropriately channelled.

It would take work, but it could be doable.

Still, maybe he'd check out Jeremiah's place as well, just in case?

[SentineloftheMou...]

1300 January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop
Andie returns to the magic shop from his meeting with the real estate agent with a lot on his mind.

He checks in with Sara to let her know he was back. "Well, the meeting was interesting. The place needs a lot of work, but it could happen. Did you happen to have a chance to call Jeremiah about his place?"

After talking with Sara for a while he checks the circulation's progress at this point. Everything looks OK.

He settles down for the rest of the afternoon in the back of the shop with the furnace and chemistry set; monitoring, testing, and stirring as needed.