"He's saying that he won't be able to open doors or shut down security while he eats his breakfast." Ayo shook his head a little. He could never figure the damn things out, but even he could get the gist of the hacker's statement. "So, is it worth it for you to come into the clinic at all, then?"

As an aside to Ecklipse, "I know someone that deals in guns and ammo...primarily stuff that falls off the back of UCAS military trucks, but other stuff as well. Send me a list of what you're looking for, I needed to talk to him anyway. I don't know him well enough to just pass over contact info, but I'll talk to him. I don't make a good personal shopper." The last is said with a slighter lighter tone, although without being able to see facial features, it's hard to accurately gauge. Like listening to just the sound from a movie, hearing the voice without the accompanying expressions can be confusing.

The computer continues in the same flat tone, without inflection of any kind.

"More precisely, I'm saying that I won't be able to confirm what has been done to Emilio and if they have any plans or treatments for him that could keep him from walking out the door under his own power. Also, unless they are following plan B, won't be able to identify immediately who the other people who just had surgery are and if they are a threat to us.

"Without cracking their computers remotely, my value to the team is opening locked doors and cracking computers that they have protected on site. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it for me to come to the clinic. Anyways, I've been up for the last twenty odd hours, so I'm catching some sleep. Let's plan on touching base in about ten hours, to give anyone who isn't cranked up a chance to sleep before the job."

Cypher alternates through buses and taxis, spoofing the access ID on his commlink as he goes, back to the safehouse. When he gets in, he heads to the bedroom and grabs a few hours of much needed sleep. In the morning, he jots a quick message to Aideen saying that he picked up some work from their mutual friend. He expected it to take a few days, a week on the outside. He'd be away until any residual heat had worn off.

The note segued into the needs for a few items to complete the job. The list was primarily electronics, a few sensors.

Cypher
Thirty minutes after you sent your original message you see a message from Aideen letting you know the things you needed are no problem and she should have them in 24 hours. She indicates she is waiving her usual fee since this is a special case and asks where you would like to get the items ordered or where they should be delivered.

Let's try this again. I wonder if I can pull the whole strap out of its mount. They might not notice that and maybe I can surprise them.

Emilio struggles to break out of his restraint around his right hand, focusing on trying to break it off of its mount.

Emilio
You feel the purpose and anger move through you as you attempt to burst the straps - you strain against the restraint but nothing seems to give or slacken.

Fat Man
The paper held a handwritten address in Snohomish along with a time and day, delivered by a nun to your address from the odd spirit you spoke with. The paper felt authentic - real paper was a rarity along with the notion of writing something by hand.

As you make your way to the address you watch the city recede and nature assert itself. The building become less prevalent and the green begins to take over. You see animals and large isolated homes - you think they are called ranches where they keep larger animals. You see the signs of a more rustic existence. Small store fronts that don't seem attached to any of the large chains that dominated the core of the city. Vehicles become more robust and practical - trucks and jeeps replace small electric cars and motorcycles.

You arrive at the address and see a simple wood structure, a barn you think - large and in need of maintenance. The only other person is an elderly woman waiting just outside the massive double doors that lead into the building.

"Danke heren," mumbles Eklipse with a wry, somewhat sheepish grin.

To think, only a few weeks ago I was hunting down people like this thinking they were the bad guys. Now, it seems they are not only on the side of angels, and literally so in the case of Zerone, but they are also willing to help me. If only they knew my past.

"Zis it what I am needing. A few clips of gel rounds for a HK227. Hurts like hell but hopefully wont be damaging any vital equipment. Zen a couple of flashpaks to screw over ze eyeballs of ze guards and with luck any cameras looking at us. And last but not being least, some gas grenades. Preferably, fast acting Neurostun, but CS or ze gas that makes you vomit, ze name escapes me for ze moment, vould also be good."

<<@Cypher: I have purchased a helmet with thermographic capability and enhancements to both video and audio reception. I wear contact lenses with integrated smartlink and you can also access what I see and hear through the sim module in my commlink. Is this sufficient? Also, if you will be accessing my commlink, I would appreciate it if you also protect it from any unwanted intrusions by third parties. I have seen teams taken out by having their commlinks compromised by a proficient hacker.>>

More like I have taken out teams who had their commlinks compromised by corp hackers, but enough of that for now. Focus on taking down this woman, rescuing the hostage and hopefully finding a lead on whatever happened to Heidi.

Eklipse's information gets tallied in with the request for the additional firearms he'd been looking for anyway, and sent off, all harmlessly converted into arcane objects associated with golfing, if his notes were correct, to the General with a note about assisting some enthusiasts with a hobby. He'd never been able to really fathom the specifics for the General's need for the extra steps of security, but the man had a talent for providing things that killed people in a fast and cheap form.

As the others make preparations for gear, Zerone sends a message to Maggie to ask a favor from the Rev. Hannibal.

<<@Maggie: Hi Maggie, it is Zerone. Would it be possible to ask the Reverend to look into finding a Force Rating 4 health spell sustaining focus? I am hoping to have the full amount of nuyen soon, but I have some that I can put up as collateral. Could you ask him for me? Thank you very much!>>

Fat Man
You look across the field and at first the barn seems fairly ordinary but you quickly realize a small camera is planted on the top of the roof - it appears to be angled down to cover the actual entrance. You look closer at Hito and see a magnificent bird unfold before your eyes - her wings are a deep golden brown tipped with a brilliant white. Her entire aura pulses with energy - her raw ability to control and channel mana exceeds your own. Her emotions ripple across her form - concern and alertness dominate her feelings.

Zerone
You almost immediately get a message back from Maggie.

<<I am so sorry but the Reverend is unavailable right now but I will make sure to pass on your request. I'm not sure when he will be able to get back to you - he is in private conference with other religious leaders concerning a delicate matter. God Bless.>>

Ayo
You receive a cryptic reply telling you the game is set for the next day at 2 pm at the usual course. He mentions there will be a 10% membership fee for the items you ordered for the game.

Zerone immediately sends Maggie a reply.

<<@Maggie: Thank you very much for getting back to me so quickly. I understand that he is a busy man, and I certainly hope everything is all right. Go with God.>>

This must be the right place, Fat Man thought. He approached close enough to speak without shouting, then stopped and bowed to the old woman.

"Greetings. I am Zhi He, and our mutual friend is the honorable Hao Chen. I have come here in search of those of like spirit."

Fat Man
"Well don't stand there all day and get in here out of the cold."

She turns and enters the barn leaving the door open for you to pass through. As you enter the structure you feel a wash of heat and warm light fills the interior. It's clear that it has been converted into a comfortable living space. You see a small wood burning stove off to the side where Hito is stirring a large pot giving off a hearty smell and a small iron tea pot. There is a small table with cushions around it and old woven rugs thrown about to cover the dirt floor. Several large lanterns hang from the rafters giving the space a cheerful atmosphere.

"Well sit and let's see how much of the animal still lives in you and how far you have gone into the madness of man."

In the morning

Cypher stretches to work out the kink in his shoulder from sleeping on the couch. It was more comfortable than being strapped to a lab exam table, but not by much. He sniffs each shoulder and decides that a shower can wait for a few more hours.

The hacker pulls up the tacnet software and begins to go through the tedious process of configuring the network. He collects each of the access IDs for the devices and configures the devices to accept the subscription from his commlink. Cypher whistles to himself as he begins the encryption protocol. He enables the tacnet and leans back to view the feeds.

At first, the feed is overwhelming. Cypher tipped the view back on the display and began resorting the feeds. Connecting Fat Man and others to this would overload his display if everything dumped dead center. He parsed and sorted the field of vision, creating a heads up display that better filtered the data. The hacker cranked up the tacnet's UI and began scouring the Matrix for skins that fit a modern aesthetic.

Once the feed is working the way he likes, Cypher begins to add team members in to the network, one at a time. With the net up and running, he lets out a deep breath and heads for the shower.

Fat Man

Fat Man bowed politely to his hosts.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Your home is most welcoming."

Fat Man sat down on one of the cushions at the small table, quietly giving his hosts a chance to assense him.

Fat Man
Hito assembles a tray with cups and the tea pot. She makes her way back to the table and places the service between you both as she lowers herself to the cushion. She looks you over slowly seeming to take you in piece by piece. Her face is care worn and she smells faintly of some sort of flower - something clean and light.

"The guardian of the temple said you were seeking other skin walkers, to seek deeper mysteries and to learn more of the gifts in your bone and blood. What questions do you have for me then? What would you know of us? Think carefully, I will judge you by what you ask and seek."

As she speaks she pours out the tea, sliding one cup to you and cupping her's in her hands to take in its warmth and aroma.

Emilio
The sounds of the clinic filter through the walls of the room and above the hum of the machines around you. You can hear what sounds Japanese - you can't make out the words but the tone is light and conversational. You hear the locks being disengaged on your door and see it opening - a young man enters. He looks to be in his early 20s but he's an elf so their age can get fuzzy after awhile. He is dressed like a nurse or orderly with scrubs and some sort of hand held device - it looks similar to a commlink but not exactly the same.

Fat Man

"To be honest, I've never met another shifter outside my tribe, which is why I hadn't thought of looking for other types of skinwalkers until Hao Chen suggested it. Can you tell me more about your people? I don't mean to be suspicious, I just want to be sure that we really do have more in common with each other than we do with humans."

Fat Man
She takes a sip of tea before speaking. "The Hengeyokai are bound together by the ideals of the founder. She taught us the seven virtues - Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty. Each individual is free to pursue those principles as they see fit with the understanding that we must not stray from those virtues. We strive to remain connected to our core selves and that link to the natural world while trying to deepen our understanding of the the World of Man and what our role in it is to be."

She pauses to sip again with a wry smile on her face when she continues. "You should know that each of us will have a slightly different interpretation of the virtues. Think of it as light passing through colored glass - we each change the light as it passes through us. As an artist and a poet I believe the virtues are ideals that we must strive to create in the world around us. I create in the hopes that my work will touch others and move them to embody the principles the work represents. That my words are like seeds and will someday bear fruit, all I need do is plant the ideal."

Fat Man
"Yes, I understand. As a healer, I hope that those I save or protect will use their remaining time to do more good than evil in the world."

He paused to sip the tea. "I have heard of the virtues taught by the founder of the Hengeyokai; some call them the seven virtues of Bushido. But I know only rumors about the founder herself - can you tell me more?"

I wonder who this is. I don't remember him from earlier, though that could be the drugs. What's he holding?

"Hello, so what do we have planned today?"

Emilio's Japanese is comfortable and smooth, though obviously not a native speaker.

Let's see if I can get him to tell me anything. Useful would be good, but anything would be a start at this point.

Fat Man
"She was a warrior - self styled samurai, student of Bushido and defender of the temple where you were directed to us. She was a runner here in Seattle and though often lost and confused by the world she inhabited strove to correct what she thought was injustice and cruelty. She soon sought something larger than just amassing riches and sought others like herself out. She argued, debated and persuaded us to join together - to make something more of ourselves. She believed we were necessary for this world, a bridge between Man and Nature. Our ability to be both animal and people was a blessing that we must use to help the world become a better place."

She pauses to take a long draw of tea. Her face is softened and her voice has taken on the cadence of telling a story or a myth - a tale often told.

"While we all believe in the ideas she espoused, she acknowledged that we must all find our own path and our way to embody the virtues. She guided us through the first few years and helped us to understand the way laid before us. We are far from perfect though and this bond to one another carries responsibilities. She was clear that a balance must be maintained and should we slip too far one way or the other, man or beast, then we must act to remove them from our number and if need be from this incarnation if their imbalance threatens more than their own life. After she felt we understood the virtues and would continue on our own she left this place - seeking to find others and band them together as we are. She has returned over the years and I believe she is still in this world doing exactly that though again you may find others who disagree."

Fat Man
Fat Man listened attentively to Hito's explanation.

"Thank you. I had heard rumors of someone like that at the temple, but didn't realize that she and the founder of the Hengeyokai were the same. I believe that the path of the Hengeyokai is the right one for me to follow, if you will have me, and that I would benefit from the guidance of shapeshifters more experienced in maintaining inner balance."

Fat Man
"Then I will share with the others what has passed between us. We meet in two weeks time and you will have your answer then."

She drains the last of her tea from the cup before placing it down on the table between you. She rises and makes her way to the pot simmering on the stove. She stirs as she speaks, leaning over the pot and taking in its aroma.

"You are welcome to eat with me - this porridge is almost ready. I intend to spend the rest of the day in silence so you will be left to your own thoughts to pass the time. There is a piece I am working on that requires a deeper understanding of stillness on my part."

Emilio
You watch the man jump at the sound of your voice. A slow red creeps over his face as he looks your direction. He doesn't answer at first as he looks over the equipment and seems to consult the device he is carrying. As he draws nearer to the bed where you are bound he speaks - his voice barely a whisper.

"We're not suppose to talk to you. You're a special project."

He never makes eye contact and continues his work with the machines around you.

Feel the mana grow flat and blunt, woven into an instrument meant to subdue rather than slaughter, instructs Follower as the spirit monitors his protege's spellcasting. Zerone holds the spell carefully upon the razor thin line between incantation and evocation, and delicately reweaves it into a stunbolt. This was Follower's first lesson to the elf, whose creators had thought only to instill him with the ability to kill. Follower had helped him progress beyond being a glorified sword, reforging him into a shepherd's crook---someone with the willpower and astral power to protect the meek and fend off the wicked.

Although the stun spells have become second nature to Zerone, he maintains the practice to this day under Follower's tutelage. It now represents a form of meditation, helping him to hone his magical abilities and zone out the strangeness of the world. It also serves as a reminder of how far he has progressed from the day that he was rescued from an unmarked junkyard grave.

With the conversion complete, Zerone allows the spell to dissipate back into the Astral. He checks the clock, noting that three hours have passed since he first started casting the spell. When he was a novice spellcaster, the marathon casting used to exhaust him. Nowadays, he emerges refreshed. He wonders when he will hear back from the others.

Patience, my friend. They will call when it is time. I know those words may sound hollow when someone's life is at stake, but it is better to strike out on a journey prepared than to run blindly and recklessly into the unknown.

(Double post)

Fat Man
"Thank you for your consideration, and in any case for your oatmeal. I'll be curious to see the piece once it is finished; I believe I have a lost soul to rescue tonight."

Fat Man passed the meal quietly, not interrupting Hito's silence, before heading back to prepare for Emilio's rescue operation.

The Safe House
Gear is laid out and looked over, along with the new tactical network set up by Cypher as the team sits to go over the run one last time before making the actual extraction from the clinic.

He walked through his gear, checking each tool and piece of gear in an almost ritualistic fashion, murmuring a series of prayers to Panther that closely resembles chanting. The masked runner will flicker briefly under the lights of the safehouse as his camouflaged systems runs through it's built in diagnostics, the runner seeming almost as surprised as everyone else as it flickers on.

He turns to Eklipse as everyone else finishes similar ablutions to the Dark Powers that watch over shadowrunners about their tasks, those rituals that most runners have before the action starts.

"So, the hacker and myself in the back door, and elementals leading the charge and the rest of our group following close behind at the front?"

"Indeed. I will ask a shen to accompany you, just in case we are mistaken and you find magical resistance. Zerone's will be free to lead the assault."

With Fat Man's magical support girding him, Zerone centers himself and calls out to a ravmalakh far more powerful than any other he has ever dared to summon. As he casts forth supplications into the Primum Mobile, he touches a spirit's mind. She is astonished that one of his status would consider calling out to her, and even more surprised at the strength behind the words. She relents to his request and materializes in front of him, dressed in the familiar flowing garb and placid mask of its comrades, but exponentially more impressive in its splendor. A penumbra of gold and ivory fire dances about her form, and a flaming arc is sheathed at her waist.

"I am Isabela, a servant in the Fiery Sphere of Archangel Michael. You have called me, and I have answered." It looks about the room at the odd gathering of companions before continuing.

"What violation of His Will would you have vindicated?" she finishes, her voice intentionally betraying her slight confusion.

"Sister Isabela, there is a medical facility run by a wicked doctor who takes people and experiments on them. We intend to wrest control of the facility from her, and rescue the victims trapped there. The mana about the place has been wounded by her acts of cruelty. I believe that our magical abilities will be diminished, which is why I call upon your aid. The danger is great to all of us, but we must act to save them. At the foundation of His commandment is this lesson: 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'"

John 15, Verse 13.

"'This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you.' Very well, young one, you act with His Will in your mind and His Words in your heart. You shall have my sword and shield."

"I thank you, Sister. If you like, you may await my call in the astral."

The spirit nods, bowing politely before dissolving back into the ether.

When the spirit leaves, Zerone turns and gives thanks to his companions.

"Thank you very much," he says, "I was a little afraid of what might happen if the ravmalakh found my cause...uh...lacking. I remember trying to summon one for a conversation, but I was not focused on the matter. My nose did not stop bleeding for a week."

Cypher nods as the group seems to be coming together. He puts the final touches on his jury-rigged creation, adding in the ARO which would give Emilio the short version of their plan.

"So, Zerone since you are running point from the front door, you'll probably get to Emilio before me or Ayo. If he looks like he can walk, talk and shoot a gun, slap these on his chest, sticky side in. Make sure he's wearing a shirt or something--I'm not the one taking the heat for you ripping off all his chest hair. Flip the switch on the glasses and he should come online with the TacNet a few seconds later. The glasses will let him see the feeds and our message. Don't give them to him, if he's going to shoot us.

"Depending on how thorough the records are, I may need a few minutes in the computer. I will tell you when I see it. Lastly, and this is for the whole team--some of the guys on those beds may be friendly runners in a bad place, others may want to kill you. Don't let the killing type get to the office with me in it. I'll be a cranky e-ghost and haunt your commlinks until the day you die."

Zerone nods as he carefully takes Cypher's jury-rigged creation. He places it in his smart-pack, making sure to keep the sticky side from adhering to any of his effects. He visibly relaxes at the mention of protecting others from danger.

"I will make sure he has something over...um...on? ...before I stick it on his chest."

The Clinic
You see the sun setting over the city. The colors of the sunset made more vivid by the pollutants hanging in the air. The city seems to be shaking off the hum and buzz of corporate drones as it spills out gaudy lights and AROs promising distraction from the meaningless march of days they face. The laughter and faces sound and look strained as you make your way through the city making your way to the site. You see flashes of scenes like postcards - homeless digging through the trash, kids zipping by on bikes pursued by the local law, and the logos everywhere claiming to have your better life for a price. You arrive win the area of the clinic and feel the artificial calm and peace of bought off security. You arrive at your rallying point, the last moment to check in before striking out.

The mirror was broken. A sliver driving down at a sharp angle breaking the reflection of the small bear. He was battered, his stuffing had fallen out and his silver eyes were stitched X's. Across his belly the plaintive phrase "SAVE ME!" was written. The reflection shifted and she smiled over her shoulder at her furry companion. The teddy bear was sewn onto her backpack.

"She's the Greatest! She's Fantastic! She's the world's best Action Decker!!" The reflection showed a shock of long red hair, skin as pale as snow under a downy white fur. Besides the backpack, she wore a tight black jumpsuit with two oversized pistols on her hips. Earbuds playing music loud enough that the people around her could hear it gave the beat track for her soundtrack as she sang to herself.

Stepping out of the Stuffer Shack bathroom, Iblis glided on her skates through the aisles picking up snacks. She tossed some cred to the kid behind the counter and swept out into the night--baby needed a new deck and tonight was the night she'd get it.

--===--
It had been going perfectly until JJ showed up with his crew. Sure, they blew the other team sky high, which helped keep them from shooting at her, but they set off every damn alarm in the building. Sprinting across the roof at full speed, guns blazing to keep the rent-a-cops behind cover, she jumped.

And her boot caught on the edge of the roof...

"Hey good lookin'" The blonde turned to look up, just in time to break her fall with his body.

Cypher shivered as the memory washed over him, like someone walking across his grave.

"Last check, anyone see cameras at the back entrance and can you make out the lock on the door?" As he waited, he quietly hummed the theme song blaring in his mind a second ago.

Standing beside Cypher, tucked away in an out of the way alley, the freakish looking runner made the last few adjustments for actually working, things that might be a little too conspicuous during the normal day-to-day. The long, furry tail uncurled behind him, twitching and swaying like it's own restless animal, and the matte black fur covering him seemed to soak in the light, leaving a blank void behind. The camouflaged armor flickers to life, most of the runner's central mass conveniently becoming see-through, and the rest of his body seems to still, almost to the point of not even breathing as he waited for the go signal from Eklipse.

Fat Man stopped at the front of the building. To physical senses, it looked peaceful and normal, but on the astral plane he could immediately sense the corruption and misery pervading the clinic. His mind was drawn back to the abomination he'd found in the forest, the one that started all of this.

Best not to dwell on the past, instead to focus on the present. We can cleanse this place and rescue at least one person.

Fat Man's shen floated beside him on the astral plane, looking like a feudal Chinese warrior armed with a saber.

"I ask that you assist us in cleaning out this corrupted place. We seek to rescue one of the patients - *this one,*" Fat Man thought, as he communicated the sense of Emilio's aura he'd been given by the pigeon shen, "and to destroy the guardians of this place. There may be other innocents inside. We seek your help in hiding us from the guards, and that you go with these two," indicating the backdoor team, "and protect and assist them. I thank you humbly for your aid."

"To not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues. And I believe we are well-prepared."

Fat Man's proverb cues Zerone to give his spirit more details on the mission. He politely touches Isabela's mind, getting her attention. He can already feel the ravmalakh's distaste at being drawn into the disturbed area, but he can also sense her white hot desire to dispense justice upon the wicked responsible for the disturbance. He regrets that he himself cannot cleanse the place of the metaphysical stain of pain and dismay, but he hopes that their actions can help set things right.

"Sister Isabela, I ask that you defeat our foes once we try to take back this clinic. This is the victim we wish to rescue. If you manage to sense his presence, do your best to protect him from harm." He opens his mind to her, allowing her to scour his mind for the astral impressions he received from Brother Servan. The ravmalakh repays his prior courtesy in kind, gently sifting through his memories of his scouting mission.

"It will be done, young one. Let me know when you wish to strike."

At The Clinic
Each of you experience a slight sense of disorientation as the new TacNet settles over you. You see small sensor feeds scroll out and see a series of command lines execute.

Tactical network running.....
Channels being brought online....1....2....3....4....5.....
ALERT: 6 is non-responsive....
Analysis of sensor feeds underway.....
ALERT: external security detected via channels 2 and 4


You find an images brought up of three discreet cameras - one placed over the main entrance, one over the side front entrance and another covering the deck off of the office in the back of the clinic.

Tactical simulations running....
RECOMMENDATIONS: Disable the external security measures to avoid detection

With the feed scrolling across the TacNet, Cypher chews on his lip. He hadn't detected any nodes from cameras before, though he hadn't exactly looked for them either. A surge of confidence slams into him as the chorus line of the song running through his head comes into mental focus.

"Head's up, they have eyes to watch their prize. Give me a sec to see what I can do from here...otherwise we go loud and heavy."

He pulls up his hacking suite and gets to work. Scripts line his agents up around him automatically, one scanning the ports of his commlink for intruders, the other redirecting traces. The hacker begins scanning the area for wireless traffic, trying to sniff out the links for the cameras.

Smooth, Emilio, smooth. Melock's "How to influence others" sure came in handy there, didn't it? You choked up like you were flirting in a bar.

In frustration, Emilio tears at his bindings.

Next time, keep talking. Next time, slide from the nice to the con. You can do this.. They will eat you alive if you don't.

Cypher
You quickly cats out your agents and see the programs running, you see the "CLEAR" alerts scroll by as your sweep through your commlink for anomalies. You being to see results pop up but none of the nodes detected appear to be the cameras. You think with the signal null void the clinic was before they are probably hardwired.

Emilio
Hours maybe days has passed - its hard to tell since you have no external way to measure the passage of time - no windows, your commlink or clocks. You flex again against the restraints out of habit in the vain hope something will give at some point. You feel the augmented power of your body push and just as you about reach the limit of your sustained effort you feel a slight give on one of the restraints.

Cypher let's out a soft string of epithets in Sperethiel, oddly high pitched from his normal voice. As he looks at the team, his voice drops back to his normal timbre.

"Yeah, so the cameras are hardwired. Option A, one of you magics me up to the roof, all invisible like and I take control manually. Option B, we go 'too crazy to fuck with' and kick down the front door. There's of course option C, where we pretend we didn't see the cameras and be all stealthy, maybe we'll get lucky and they won't notice us.

"What's it gonna be?"

Zerone looks positively scandalized as he hears Cypher's choice of colorful metaphors. He takes a few moments to compose himself before replying.

"Um...I don't believe Isabela can conceal you, but she could carry you up and over the the camera. I think that your Option A is a better idea. My makers did not teach me the proper spells to...uh...go 'too crazy to fu...um... with...'"

"Alright, yeah. So if she can make with the Captain Underpants, and this fella over here," Cypher gestures at the shen, "can still do his part part hiding me, that should work."

The hacker double checks that all of his pockets are closed and the tool kit was strapped on tightly. He raises his arms up over his head and rolls on to the balls of his feet, preparing to launch into the sky like a trid hero.

"Any time you're ready, Isabela."

Captain Underpants? asks Isabela, using her summoner's native tongue with the hope of increasing the likelihood that he could explain Cypher's reference.

I do not know what he means, Sister. The words are lost on me. However, can you carry him safely to up and over the cameras placed on the building so that he can disable them? I also ask that you protect him if need be. I believe you will be accompanied by Mr. Fat Man's ravmalakh----oh, uh, he calls it a shen. Once again, Zerone opens his mind to the spirit so that she can see the cameras. She carefully sifts through the information, taking care not to disturb the timid elf.

Once ready, she flares mutely into existence behind cover so as to minimize the likelihood of unwanted eyes picking up her rather brilliant materialization. Unlike at the safehouse, Isabela's presence is slightly diminished. The stain on the astral space surrounding the clinic is clearly taking its toll on the spirit. However, she stands unfazed, her posture intimating that she is even more resolute in her desire to dispense divine retribution on those responsible for such pain and suffering.

She turns to Cypher, the ivory mask that hides her face showing its eternally placid expression. She speaks to him softly, using the tone of her voice to express her humor.

"I stand at the ready, child of man. Let me know once you are prepared to undertake the 'Captain Underpants' experience."

At The Clinic
The odd sight of the Cypher flying through the air with the assistance of the spirit quickly fades from view as they are concealed. The area around the clinic is quiet and barren. The ground slips passed and the hacker is placed gentle on the roof behind the visual arc of the camera.

Cypher
You feel the tingle on your skin from what you hope is the magic of the spirits keeping you from being spotted. It's grip was odd too - it felt more ;ike force or pressure than flesh and bone. Shaking it off you kneel and begin to fish out tools to splice into the wires and deal with the cameras. YOu examine the camera and realize at this range that they are just as deceptive as the "abandoned clinic" below you. The housing itself is stationary but this close you can hear the motors running and surmise that the camera must pan inside the housing giving it a wider field of coverage than the casing would suggest. You cut through the outer casing which looks fairly old and shabby only to discover the wiring underneath is not. More layers of the lie that keeps people from looking deeper. You run the programs and begin to access the security protocols. The system is fairly straight forward and seems to be relying on people not having any interest in the clinic to begin with. You quickly thread your way through and set up a loop on the system so that anyone manning the cameras will see the same 3 minutes. It's not the best but as long as you don't take too long it should hold no problem. You send the all clear to the team waiting across the street.

Oh!

A wave of excitement washes over Emilio as he feels the give. He follows it up with a good long strong pull.

Cypher
You begin to reach out through the system to see what's there and quickly find it connected to other devices - one appears to be a bank of monitors and the other an alarm system - otherwise the system is closed off. It appears the security here exists as discrete separated systems rather than the usual interconnected hive most use. Either the architect of this system was paranoid or deranged. The question remains whether there was a purpose or reason for their fear or madness. The system itself is reading all normal with no alerts or warnings yet.

Emilio
You feel the rush of energy move through you - you might be able to get out of these restraints. You stretch and struggle again, pushing yourself and trying to find where you felt the give - if there was someway to focus your efforts there. You are rewarded with another lessening of tension along the straps holding you down.

Scrawling a quick note across the net, Cypher puts his arms up again, gesturing to the spirit that it was time to go back down.

//Tactical Network [Incoming Message - Channel 1]
//Time to start hoppin folks. Cameras are spun up, but we only have a few minutes.

Cypher tucks his body in and tries to land quietly as the spirit drops him. He sneaks over to the backdoor leading into the crazy doctor's office. Hopefully Ayo would hurry and the rest of the team would do their part. A one-man assault was suicide by rental cop at this point.