"Right," he replies to his phone, "if you are confident in not being seen go for it. My phone will be off for a while, so if you need anything call PD or Sully. Later." Trace hangs up the phone, switching it off while he does so. Once the girl has sang again, and Trace has collected his supplies, he heads outside to find Sully.

"Hey, hope I didn't keep you waiting, you said you had a place? Can you give me a lift?"

"Not a problem. I take a cab everywhere so if you don't mind sharing the back seat we're good to go. How is everyone else doing?"

She hails down a cab as she waits for his answer.

"Wraith just called, he's on site right now checking the place out," he returns her worried look with a shrug, "he's confident he won't be seen so there isn't much I can say that wont make it seem I don't think he knows what he's doing. On another subject, how much am I going to owe you for the dos?"

"No need. Consider it a friendly gesture. I get the impression that Crimson wants us to work like family and soon so I'll start the trend. On the subject of Wraith, we have to give him a chance to prove himself. Success breeds confidence. We need to know now if he can cash the checks his mouth is writing."

A few hours of sleep and Jack rolls out of bed, suffering through a cold shower before taking up his position again in the wide windowsill, peering out at the sixty from 100 feet up.

"Only thing that makes this ratty apartment worth a good God damn's the view...". He lays the Deputy nearby and goes through the familiar dial up, gathering up most of the same items before he heads off again.

"Your right of course," he replies, before silently looking out the window. A few moments pass buy, the lights of the oncoming cars provide little illumination. "I," he stops and seems to think better of it. "Nothing, wake me when we get there, it's going to be a long night." He leans his head back and slips into a light sleep. Whatever troubles that were on his mind plague his fitful sleep.

The taxi drives for a while out into Snohomish. It finally stops at a service road. Sully gives Trace a gentle nudge. Sully hands over a credstick to cover the ride.

"We're here. Let me do the talking." They both exit the cab and walk down the road. The air is crisper out here away from downtown. In the distant a warm light can be seen. A cabin comes into view. silhouetted in the doorway is an old Sioux woman, wrapped in a faded blanket. Her skin is cracked with age and her hair unbound. Sully gestures for Trace to wait a ways back. She walks forward to the porch and begins to speak in Sioux.

"Evening Old Mother, I hope to find you well." The woman gives a grunt in reply. "I have come to use the barn out back as I have arranged with Wind." The woman seems to ignore Sully and stare pointedly at Trace. "That one, will he disturb the land?" Sully appears to take a moment to consider the proper answer. "He will not speak to those spirits here, you have my word Old Mother. He is a warrior like me and seeks aid in another place. He will do no harm here." With that she turns and shuts the cabin door. Sully lets out a long breath and relaxes as she heads back to Trace.

"She's a crazy old bird but has some serious juice in those wrinkled stumps she has for hands. I come her for any healing I need. Her associate Wind is a little more easy going. I think he's her son or something. She won't speak the white tongue, as she puts it, but Wind is a little more cosmopolitan. The barn is around back"

Sully leads Trace to a large barn. She fishes out a key and opens the large door. She motions for Trace to enter. The inside is lit with lanterns all around and the center is cleared away and open.

"This should do ya. I'll be right out here if you need me." She gives him a friendly squeeze on the shoulder and begins to close the door.

Wraith pulls up next to an alley way about two blocks from the target building and kills the engine. Taking a gook look around to be certain that he isn’t being watched, Wraith pushes the bike into the alley and parks it behind a trash dumpster. He pops the cover open on the bikes small storage area and removes his Stealth Suit. He then begins to methodically strip out of his current outfit, leaving only his body suit on. Picking up the suit, he slowly climbs into it and goes through the painstaking process of making sure everything on the suit is in place and buttoned down securely.

Satisfied that everything is in place, Wraith turns the suits Ruthenium Polymers on and lifts up his arm to look at it with his thermographic vision, making sure that the thermal dampening of the suit is working as well. Smiling inwardly, he moves out of the alley and makes his way down the street towards the Form Factor Five building. Even though he is nearly invisible to the naked eye and his heat signature is almost non-existent, he still makes sure to be careful and sneaks from one hiding spot to the next, trying to keep cars, bushes, and trees between him and the building.

At last he finds himself crouched down behind a row of bushes across the street. With a mental command, a red flashing dot appears in the upper right corner of his vision, letting him know that the recording has started. Wraith starts by getting a wide angle view of the compound, letting his vision scan up and down the street, getting a good look at the buildings next door. He then zooms his enhanced eyes in on the front door to get a good look at it, then looks up to the video camera just above it, trying to make out as many details as he can, specifically the manufacturer.

Time to move…

Checking for a lull in traffic, which isn’t too hard to find at this hour, Wraith makes his way across the street, making a point not to hurry, but not wasting a spare moment either. Ducking down behind the sign out front, he zooms back in on the front camera to get an even closer look. He then switches his vision over to ultrasound, checking to see if they have any ultrasonic sensors. At the same time he activates his full array of comm gear, trying to get a signal.

<to be continued…>

"Thanks Sully, see you in a few hours." Trace takes a good look around as the barn door closes. "Well first things first.". He closes his eyes and concentrates for a few moments. His eyes open, and before him is a cat, small and black. He smiles at what his subconscious brings up. He kneels down and rubs the cats neck, it responds with a purr. "Go outside and find the women with the white skin and black hair, once done circle the area 300 meters out. If anyone approaches report to her immediately and do what she says, ok?" The only response was the cat vanished.

Watchers.

The next part was far more complicated. Trace went to work clearing a large area in the middle of the barn, making sure that there wasn't anything flammable where he wanted to summon. After that he smoothed out the ground as much as possible then started drawing his arcane ruins in the floor with an old stick. Once his summoning circle was done he piled some old wood in front of it, and anything else he could find that was flammable. He liberally decorated with various objects required in the summoning. Once he was satisfied he stripped his jacket, shirt and armor off and folded them neatly on the side.

Removing the lighter fluid from his bag dumped half the can on it. He tossed it far enough away that ti wouldn't burn. Trace sat himself down cross legged in the middle of the circle, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Out of his pocket he produced a match. Igniting it against his boot he tossed it into the pile. The materials roared to life in a flame that nearly reached the ceiling. Trace began his concentration, willing and elemental to life.

Wraith:
:: The entire business park is quiet and empty when you arrive. You can easily tell which companies run a night shift by the unusual cluster of vehicles near a few of the buildings. They typically all park next to each other, in a vain effort to be as close to the employee entrance as possible. Apparantly the comany hires many more handicapped workers than they are required by law, or the night employees just ignore the warnings on the few marked handicapped stalls. ::

:: During the 10 minutes you take to move along the dark walkways between buildings and the spare trees in the landscaped break areas, you see a security patrol prowl through the streets. They are driving a marked ford escort with large dim yellow lights on their rooves. The windows are tinted, but not completely dark, but the layer of dust on them makes the light bounce off, revealing nothing more than an amorphous shape. ::

:: It only takes them about 30 seconds to drive past your target building before they are out of sight again. You hold your breath for a moment and move up closer. Your eye mag helps your camera to take very clean pictures of the cameras and they are easy to identify as the Fuchi SG17, then again, it's the second most common model on the market. It's a damn good camera with a built in detector wire to trigger the panic alarm if severed. It also has a fish eye lens which increases it's coverage distance considerably, which is why they are fixed rather than panning. ::

:: The maglocks are a little harder to identify, but they look brand new, maybe they are a new model. ::

Wraith slides down into the cover of some bushes and waits for the patrol car to come by two more times, timing how long it takes before it returns for another pass.

Jack:
:: After a long search, your hounds off sniffing out tidbits of information in far dark corners of the Matrix, they finally bring you back a strong lead. A very strong lead. It appears, through negligence of an incompetant secretary, the actual invoices for Factor Five were left ungaurded from her home computer. Luckily, she had been online while you were searching with left a hole for your hounds to sneak in and out of. The lack of IC on her system made the snatch simple. ::

:: Looking over it, you see many part numbers and a dozen different corp references, but you definately need to get your thief to go over it before it will make any rea sense. ::

Trace:
:: The barn seems to be perfectly suited to the tasks at hand. The summoning lasts several hours, but by then end you are comfortable with the results. Each elemental informs you that they are bound to you until the completetion of 4 services. It's almost creepy how timely the ring of your phone is. ::

"Hello Trace."

:: The smooth, seductive voice of Crimson is unmistakable. ::

"Unfortunately, young Mr. Trickster is no longer able to offer his services to your group. In his stead, I have aquired the services of another awakened individual who should be able to more than make up for his absense. At your convenience, I would like you to arrange to meet her at the Velvet Garage."

Wraith:
:: The patrol car's schedule is erratic. You suspect, by the speed in which they pass certain areas, that the variation is due to lack of professionalism. At one point, they even stop in one of the parking lots within your sight and stand outside their vehicle smoking and chatting loudly about the latest Urban Brawl game as well as the "sweet piece of meat" one scored at the bar the night before. They are probably there for at least an hour before one of them mentions they might want to drive around a bit more so they don't get busted for slacking off. ::

Ember:
:: Returning home after a week of quiet solitude, you sigh heavily at the plain furnishings of the tiny apartment. The usual beratements of your past mistakes making themselves known in your head as you remember flashes of your previous life. You shake them to the back of your mind - as you have become adept at doing - and drop your meager groceries on the worn armchair. Flopping down on the warm couch, you drape your arm over your eyes and yawn lazily. You fall asleep in a matter of moments.::

:: When you wake up again, there is a tiny Oragami Swan on your chest. After a moment of panic, you realize that whoever or whatever left the tiny gift is gone. Your sparse studio leaves little room for concealment and your astral vision detects no life other than your own. Nervously, you carefully unfold the parchment paper and see a simple note scrawled in a flowing script. ::

"Greetings Ember. I have a business proposition for you that could lead to lucritive ventures in the future. You would be an asset to the team. Please arrive at your earliest convenience at the Velvet Garage, Downtown."

Ember lazily balances the tiny origami swan on one fingertip, and after a moment, incinerates it. She smiles to herself satisfactorily as the ashes drift carpetward and unfolds herself from the worn couch.
She is familiar with the Velvet Garage, although she hasn't visited the place in quite some time; her connections to that end have long since evaporated, and she isn't nearly rich or influential enough to get into the joint on her own. The invitation, she muses, smells like money, and that is always a good thing.
Opening the tiny closet, she rifles through the some of the most valuable items in the room, although perhaps that isn't saying much. The fanciest of her clubwear was already sacrificed in favor of groceries and other necessities.
After a moment of deliberation, Ember carefully laces her slim figure into a red satin corset and a pair of pants low enough to take advantage of the fiery, dragonlike tattoo curling up from below the waistband. She shrugs into her secure longcoat, and is out the door to catch a taxi.
Upon her arrival at the club, she strides up to the bouncer and waits, quirking her eyebrow suggestively at the larger of the two, more out of habit than anything else.

Trace waves away his elementals, banishing them back to the astral plane to wait his commands, "thank you," he says as they fade. The phone rings, interrupting his tired mind. "Quit huh? Too bad. Sully and I can be there in an hour if you want. Right." He hangs up the phone and leans back against the wall. So damn tired.

A few minutes later he exits the barn, still haggard looking but with a crooked little smile, "hey Sully, we need to head back," he nods his head in the direction Seattle. "It looks like Trickster bailed on us, so we have a replacement to meet. After that, I need some sleep." The slowly brightening sky of pinks and reds reminds him how long he has been up. "Definitely need some sleep. Let's go."

Sully straightens back up from leaning against the wall of the barn and calls for a cab. "Any info on his replacement?" They walk out towards the road.

Ember::: The pair of sentries seperate long enough to allow you entrance, though they speak not a word and seem to look directly past you, though the dark glasses hide the actual direction of their eyes. ::

:: Entering the club, it brings back vague memories of the time He brought you here once. You were left in the main room while he had some sort of private conference and were pretty much left alone at that time. The uneventful nature of the visit had done little to cement the place firmly in your memory, but seeing it again brings the memories, both painful and empty, back. ::

:: You are able to make your way only about 10 feet before you are greeted by a tall bald man. His warm smile, pale perfect skin and breathtakingly blue eyes lend him an angelic aura that nearly takes your breath away. ::

"Welcome Ember. Crimson would like to speak with you. If you'll follow me."

:: He turns and leads her to the same velvet enshrouded room the team had met in earlier. Indicating the antique couch in the center of the room, he bows slightly. ::

"Please wait here. Crimson will be with you shortly. Might I offer you a drink in the interum?"

Satisfied that the local security guards are the goof-oofs that they appear to be, Wraith begins to slowly make his way around the building, getting a feel for the layout and looking for possible entry points and security messures.

Jack stretches lazily from the cramped position at the window sill, long, lanky limbs almost brushing the ceiling of the small flat. He tags the SAN for the secretary's home computer in his deck. If she brought work home from a closed system, she might have been careless enough to bring home passcodes and protocols as well.

He tosses another of the nutrisoy burgers in the reheater, tapping the small cellphone earplug into place as he dials Wraith's number.

He frowns a little when he's routed directly to the voice box, but vaguely remembers something about Wraith wanting to do more recon onsite.

"It's Jack. Ah think I've got what we're looking for, lemme know when you wanna get together and peruse tha data."

Just a few seconds later, Jack gets a call back.

"Its Wraith, I'm on site now checking things out. Upload the file to me now and I'll look it over. Maybe I'll find something that I can use while I'm here."

Ember's crimson lips curve into a lazy, catlike smile as she meets the man's gaze.

"Perhaps another time."

She folds herself onto the velvet couch, legs crossed, one arm draped over the back, and waits.

"Nothing really," he says to Sully as they walk down the path. "Just that who ever they are, their awakened, and it is a she."

As they climb into the cab and get comfortable Sully continues the chatter. "Do you think Trickster got a pink slip?" She raises an eyebrow suggesting a permanent retirement to his career.

Trace quirks an eyebrow. "I hope not, he seemed a little green but I figured he would wizen up." The thought of the kid getting geeked over this made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

"I don't think you should count on that. Our boss seemed pretty serious about all of this. I'll see if I can find out if he's still out there. I think we should tread carefully just to be on the safe side. " Sully plugs her external transducer into her phone. She pulls up the name for Weasel and dials out. "Weasel, Sully here I need to get a snap shot of a runner named Trickster. I need to know if he is still in the active file or if he's been deleted. Get back to me ASAP, the sooner the more nuyen you see. Got it?" She hangs up and unplugs. "I have some people checking it out so we'll see."

Jack shrugs, still trying to work some of the kinks out of his shoulders, and dumps the entire night's findings over to Wraith's LTG.

"Let the rest of us know when you've compiled all the info from the data and onsite, and we'll meet to get a quick update and tack some details on to this 'plan'."

He munched on the soy burrito, staring out of the living room window again. All of it used to be grass, just like in Texas. Now it was covered with concrete, just like Texas as well...He sighed, shaking his head a bit and settling back into his spot on the sill, dialing into his deck.

He stepped outside of the wooden cabin, walking around back to a little shed with a toolkit in his hand. He swung open the door and stepped inside, settling down cross-legged in front of the framework and pieces sprawled out. The smart frame wasn't going to program itself, and he'd gotten little enough done on it lately.

Trace nods at the deadly samurai. "Yeah, that would be good. I need some rest Sully, wake me when we get there."

"Sleep well." Sully relaxes her body into the seat and focuses her senses outward, standing guard as is her way.

Trace opened his eyes as Sully leaned in to wake him up. "Were here," she whispered. "Thanks Sully. Let's get this over with." Trace paid the cabby and got out. The cold penetrated his coat like a knife, sending a shiver up his spine. The ever present mountains of muscle and metal stopped the two of them up short. Trace hid his irritated snarl. This is getting real old, real fast. "Listen guys, if we show up you can pretty much guess that were invited ok? So cool it with the Andre the Giant routine and just let us in."

Trace and Sully step into the club and nod toward Maddy. Trace wanders over to the bar and sits down heavily. "I need some sleep," he says to no one in particular.

"You and me both." Sully orders a strong green tea to take the edge off the morning.

"Check", Wraith says to Jack before disconnecting the line. In an instant the data is scrolling before Wraith's vision as he runs it through his Knowsoft Link. He scans the data for all usful tidbits that he can find.

Sully & Trace:
:: Maddy is just removing her apron and wiping her still damp hands off it as she tosses it into an unseen basket. Seeing the pair of you enter, she smiles that friendly smile of her's as she lifts the counter gate up and slides through. Her warm voice is soothing to your ears as she speaks. ::

"Sorry you too, my shift has come to an end. Molly will be out in a sec, she'll see to your drinks."

:: Maddy disappears back into the rear doors of the hall, just behind the staircases and a split second later, she reappears exiting the door on the opposite side of the back wall. There is a slight bounce in her step as she approaches the bar and lifts the counter gate. Once behind the bar, she smiles at the two of you as she dons her apron. ::

"Green tea for the lady, correct? And Trace...did you want something while you wait for Crimson?"

Ember:
:: You aren't waiting long before Crimson enters the room from behind what you assumed to be just more of the decorative velvet wall hangings. She's dressed impeccably in a dark red suit and is easily as beautiful as her male counterpart. They seem to exchange a meaning full gaze before her attention turns to you as she takes a seat in her customary armchair. ::

"Good evening, Ms. Graves. I trust I find you well this evening?"

:: Rumi slips a glass of deep red wine into Crimson's waiting hand and she takes a careful sip of the exhorbantly expensive vintage as she watches Ember's response to the use of her real name. ::

Wraith:
:: Scrolling across the data, you break into a smile. While much of the information is useless, there is one invoice that is solid gold. It outlines each item purchased pertaining to their physical security, mixed in with the purchases of all the furniture and office supplies. ::

:: After organizing the data for easier reading and filtering out the extraneous line items, you can see that, while many items are of Ares make, they are quite a number which aren't. It seems that they were going mostly for cost effectiveness rather than absolute security so the cameras, the maglocks and the security main stations are all Fuchi throwbacks. It's all moderate quality, but super easy to bypass with your skills. The retinal scanner though doesn't seem to be listed. ::

Oh ho! Nice work Jack...

Wraith finishes his lap around the building, taking note of anything that looks important, then heads back towards his bike. On the way back, he puts a call back to Jack, "Great work man, this is exactly what I needed. Everything is on the list except for the retinal scanner, so I may have to do some research there, but I should be able to walk all over the rest of the building without a hitch. Lets get the group together tomorrow to go over everything, but for now, I'm headed home for a little shut-eye."

If Ember is surprised by Crimson's use of her given name, it only shows in the slight widening of her pale, almost yellow, green eyes.

She chooses her words carefully, her deep voice graced by an unusual respect. "I'm sure you already know the answer to that question, Madam." She unwinds her arm from the back of the sofa and leans forward. "If you'll forgive my frankness, I have little patience for pleasantries in these situations. Shall we begin?"

:: Crimson genuinely chuckles as she sets her goblet down on the table beside her. When she speaks, the soft soothing tones of her voice are gone and now ring with an authority that is difficult at best to ignore. Her eyes are hard and unforgiving, yet not the least bit angry or mean. ::

"I am aware of your situation, perhaps more so than even you. You've made quite a number of mistakes which have lead you down this path and it's about time for you to stop feeling sorry for yourself and take control over your life. You know full well your potential far outweighs your station and it's time for you to accept that and grow up."

"What I am offering you, is the chance to do just that. Your previous companions have made a number of messes that I am forced to clean up and you WILL help me accomplish that. You will be on a salary, the same as the team mates I have chosen for you. That's 10k a month when it's quiet and bonuses when it's not. You will keep a TIGHT reign on your pyromancy and conduct yourself as a professional."

:: She softens slightly after her chastisment and smiles softly, her voice once again resuming it's comforting tones.::

"Understand that I truly care about your future and can see great things ahead of you, but you MUST stop living in the mistakes of your past."

On the way home, Wraith puts a call in to Trace, expecting voicemail, but gives the same message if Trace picks up.

"Get ready to get the gang together tomorrow. Things went well with the recon, I'll have a full report for you tomorrow."

Ember's eyes harden at Crimson's presumptious tone. With a voice colder than the arctic, and as unforgiving, she replies:

"For all intents and purposes, Madam, I killed my own mother. I wouldn't advise attempting to take her place." She lifts one hand imploringly. "Don't misunderstand me, I don't presume to threaten you, only to leave no doubt that you are approaching me as an employee, and I expect you to treat me with that modicum of respect and distance.

"I don't care what messes you have had to clean up. I don't give a damn what you think I will or will not do. I have skills that you require. I am willing to part with them for a fee. I am a professional, and will conduct myself as one, with or without your encouragement to that end. You will do me the courtesy of not patronizing me."

The ice leaves Ember's voice as she leans back.
"If we're finished beating our chests, perhaps we can leave my personal life alone," she stresses the last word to leave no doubt, "and resume whatever negotiations you intended."

Ember:
:: Crimson's lips curl ever so slightly at the girl and her response. She had hoped for a little more, but expected no less in the girls capacity to deal with her past being laid on the table in so abrupt a manner. ::

"We'll see. For now, drop the attitude, you're about to meet the gentleman who will lead your team and you'll want to make a positive impression."

:: Crimson rises and stands above Ember for a brief moment before retreating back to the curtain that admitted her in the first place. ::

"You will come to know your place. One way or the other."

:: With that she is gone and Rumi turns to the door from wence you came. He pauses a moment to speak to you. ::

"Wait here, he will be with you shortly."

:: Without waiting for a response, he disappears through the velvet. ::

Alone, although quite certain she is being watched, Ember smooths her straight black hair with one shaking hand. She holds it up in front of her face and forces it to still.
In her experience, the most powerful people feel no need to force the weight of their influence down her throat as Crimson seems to, but the abrupt shock of being faced with a past she has ever so carefully buried is stunning nonetheless.
She closes her eyes and wills her heartbeat to slow...

Sully taps Trace to let him know that Rumi is coming. She turns and follows Trace. "I 'm going to follow your lead so there's no question who the boss is."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "He's coming now, though the bastard could try to make a little noise now and then. How do you want me to play it?"

"Cool. So far everyone she's hired has been good," he says while rubbing the five o'clock shadow on his face. "Let's just find out what she's all about, see if there is typical mage stuff," he waves his hands in the air. "Let's hope she's a pro, fill her in on the plan, and then I am going home." He says with a crooked smile.

Sully & Trace:
:: Rumi approaches and smiles at both of you, but then turns his attention first to Trace. ::

"The young lady, Ember, is awaiting you at your convenience."

:: Turning to Sully, he speaks in that quiet somber voice. ::

"If you would be so kind, Crimson would like a word with you."

Keeping the surprise out of her voice, she turns to Trace. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She gives a nod to Rumi and falls into step behind him.

"Right." Trace says to the departing figure. Hope she's not in hot drek. Trace take a moment to straiten his ruffled appearance before heading in. Prepared for anything he steps through the door to the waiting room. His brown eyes widen in surprise, whatever he was expecting, she wasn't it. He walks over to her and holds out his hand, "Hi, my names Trace, nice to meet you."

At six feet Trace is tall, but not overly big. He has brown hair and eyes that match and skin that has just a tinge of olive. His face is dark and there are shadow under his eyes, he looks like he has been up for a while. He is dressed in a salary man suit, dark colored with a white shirt and tie. Over it all he has an old brown leather jacket that falls to his upper thighs.

Ember unfolds herself from the velvet couch and clasps Trace's hand in a warm, steady grip.

She is of a height with Trace, slender and willowy, with peaked ears parting the fall of straight blue black hair on either side of her face. Her wide, dark fringed eyes are a pale, almost yellow green. A ring pierces her lower lip, with a stud just beneath it. For all the world, she looks less like a shadowrunner and more like a girl playing the clubs with daddy's money.

"I've just met with your.." she stops and struggles with her wording, "--our employer. She was vague, but I assume you can fill me in on any particulars."

In stark contrast with Crimson's heavy presence, which still lingers in the room like a memorable perfume, Ember finds Trace almost welcomingly average.

As soon as they move away a bit, Sully speaks. "So are we allowed to chat with you? I was curious since it's wierd not talking to you directly."

"Right. I would be happy to." As Trace speaks he slips his vision into the astral, and takes a good look at Ember. So far so good, at least she doesn't seem to be a ego maniac. His thoughts reminded him of a chinese mage he met once, an experience he did not wish to replicate.

"So far the job seems pretty normal, we work for Crimson, we don't work for anyone else. We get 10k a month and a 10k signing bonus, you just got 20k richer." He smiles at her as he speaks. The twenty grand certainly helped him out, even though it took him less then 12 hours to whittle it away to nothing. Ah well, easy come...

"This really isn't the best place to talk, something about being here makes me, jittery. If you don't mind being in the dark a little longer, we could go grab some breakfast down the street," he turns and gestures to the door.

Ember's lips curve into a wry, lopsided smile at Trace's confession.
"I'm almost certain it's intentional. Lead the way."