They'd done their homework.

For two days, they'd tailed her.  They watched where she went (not many places, but it was a great primer on how to get around the vast city), who she met with (just a couple of people, but nobody familiar - not that anybody really was at this point), and what she did (mainly talk).  There was a pattern and it was Ghost who finally worked it out. 

Mandy was looking for someone, someone specific.  Who it was and how it tied into their situation wasn't readily discernable, but the fear was always there; the fear that it was the people hunting them.  They didn't really know her, so who was to say she was trustworthy?  They'd trusted her with their location because she'd fairly sussed it out herself, almost.  But the rest, well, it was a risk.

And so they'd followed her and tracked her movements and tried to work out what she was about.  Ultimately, as Mandy made her way back to the Marriott on almost forty-eight hours of no sleep, the decision was made to hear her out and see what she had to say.  After ensuring that she hadn't been followed and that nobody, as best as they could tell, was massing or staging for an assault on their penthouse, they informed the front desk to let her up in the private elevator.

"Identification," Mandy explained, once they were all gathered once more in the spacious living area of the suite, "is the key to a lot of things.  The most basic form of security is the picture ID, and the most common of these is the driver's license.  Almost everybody has one, so not having one will make you stand out, which is exactly what we need to avoid."

Beta listened attentively as Mandy spoke, almost captivated by her voice and what she was saying.  She looked curiously at her handbag and wondered if she'd brought them any gifts.

She paused to pick up and open a small white and red bag of something called Corn Nuts, which turned out to be a kind of snack food.  There was a pile of assorted such bags on the table, along with a case of some nutritional supplement called Slim-Fast.  Mandy had explained that it makes for a good poor-man's portable meal.  Doctor Nine checked the ingredients and agreed.

"I've set up a meeting with a guy who can set everyone up with a driver's license, plus a credit card and a Social Security card, without having to go through official channels.  That will give you the ability to move around and conduct yourselves normally without drawing undue attention."

"Plastic money."  Beta said as she nodded her head.  She'd come a long way in the past weeks and continued to surprise them with the occasional gem of knowledge that she'd learned from her incessant television watching.

"Yes, and it's highly illegal," Mandy added, "So my contact wants to avoid attention as much as we do.  That's good for us, hopefully."

Mandy stretched and let out a long, jaw-popping yawn.  "Man... I really need some sleep."

"When will we be meeting this contact?" Tom asked as he considered the tired young woman carefully. "And where?" 

"Tonight," Mandy replied.  "He's got a place in the meat-packing district.  We're going there."

Tom turned to Ghost and the 'Princess'. "I'd like for you two to check this place out today - get the lay of the land for us. Nine," he said to the ape, "Can you secure our communications from outside interference?" 

Nine grunted something unintelligible. He was perched atop the writing desk he'd appropriated as his work station. He seemed to be rewiring some electronic component with his hands, using his incredibly dexterous lips as a third grasping appendage. His equally dexterous feet were wielding a soldering iron to great effect on a circuit board.

With great care he placed the iron on a stand, before lowering the other component. "I can easily provide encryption to prevent interception of the signal. The main issue I can see is preventing the signal from being blocked. Unfortunately with the materials I have at hand, I can do nothing to prevent a broad spectrum jamming of the signal."

"Until they know of the signal it is unlikely to be blocked," Ghost supplied. "Correct?" He inclined his head, indicating he'd reached the end of his opinions on the subject.

Nine shrugged. "Not necessarily. It depends on the level of paranoia present. Blocking any radio communications could easily be considered a precautionary step to avoid detection or entrapment. In fact, perhaps I ought to consider constructing such a device myself." 

"Wouldn't they need to know where we were to do that? It seems like radio communications are used quite a bit here do you really think they would disrupt the whole city just for us?" Princess asked in a bored tone.

Nine gaped a moment at Betty, unsure if she was being serious or sarcastic. After a moment he decided that she truly had no idea what he was talking about. He searched among the components around him and gathered a few items then jumped down off the desk and moved to a table near the princess. "Interrupting our communications would actually be quite easy." he began, his tone carefully modulated to one of patience. He placed one of the components at one end of the table, a small round diode. "Imagine this is the communications device that Ghost uses when he goes exploring. It's basically a miniature radio transmitter and receiver." He placed another similar diode at the opposite end of the table. "This would be the station I use here in the hotel suite."

He placed a couple of other items at regular intervals between the two diodes. "These are towers, signal boosters and transceivers in their own right. Basically, one device transmits a signal which is picked up by the nearest tower. It transmits the signal among the towers," Nine traced a route on the table from one of the diodes, to one of the other objects, then between the objects, "once the signal reaches a tower closest to the destination device, the tower transmits the signal to the device." He drew a path to the opposite diode. "Its not necessary to know where the signal is headed to interrupt it. All you simply have to do is block the signal at its source." He placed four short lengths of solder around the diode boxing it in. "A strong enough signal generator would interrupt the device from transmitting any signals out of the area, or receiving any signal from outside the field."

Nine looked at the princess to see if she understood his explanation. it was simplistic at best, but it should suffice to illustrate his point. Tom cleared his throat and plucked up one of the diodes, enclosing it in a fist. "They have, if we are to believe what we've seen, chased us across time and space and worlds." His eyes bore into the Princesses own. "To answer your question the simplest way I know how: yes." 

The stare he received in turn was full of challenge as the Princess said, "I was only pointing out, if they blocked our communications it would already be too late. They would already know enough to track us by our signal like that woman did."

Nine wondered where he'd gone wrong in his explanation. It was obvious that the princess and Tom were talking about the BlacKnight people, while he was simply making an observation about the person they were to meet. He pursed his malleable lips, clucking his tongue. 

"No," Nine started, his lisp growing thicker as his level of frustration grew. "I was thaying that our friend's contact would likely take thuch measures, due to the illithit nature of his enterprise. I will theretainly work with Mith Thnow to protect againtht anyone using thimiliar methods for tracking purpothes. If the thituation were reverthed. I would thertainly take precautions to block any outgoing communications in order to protect mythelf." 

?

Ghost stretched. It had indeed been a long couple of days. He could use some sleep, but so far he'd heard nothing that he would be getting any sleep any time soon. "Shall we go now?" he asked Tom.

Tom nodded, putting the diode back on the table. "Please." 

Ghost nodded to the twin. "Beta. We're going to look at a new place." His tone was, for a change, less challenging, almost conversational. "We do not need to hide but keep careful watch. Okay? Are you ready?"

Beta's entire features lit up when Ghost addressed her, and she nodded enthusiastically as she hopped up.

"Do you really think it's a good idea she come too?" The Princess asked. "I mean the two of us should be able to handle anything that comes up. She might draw too much attention."

As quickly as the twin had lit up, she deflated.  Her hazel eyes looking expectantly at Ghost for clarification.

Nine interrupted. "Actually, your highness, the Beta Unit's mimicry should actually make her as reliable as our Ghost. She takes her cues from him, and can adapt her skill set easily. Her social skills have been growing at a steady rate, and as long as the task is simple observation and stealth she should be be able to remain as inconspicuous as necessary."

"Perhaps." Princess looked to Ghost. "Your call but don't say I didn't warn you."

?

He nodded again, satisfied. "Then let's go." With that he turned and opened the door, holding it for Beta, before giving Tom, Nine and the others one last short nod.

"Wait," Mandy cautioned quickly, halting Ghost and the twins on their way out the door. Beta stopped immediately, blocking the way for the others, as Mandy continued. 

She turned to Tom and said, "I've checked the place out already, and if my contact notices someone or ones he doesn't know staking out his place the day before he's supposed to meet with me then he'll get spooked and ditch.  I... I need you to trust me on this one."

Al rubbed his temples, easing the pressure he'd began to experience, trying to fathom the complexities of becoming real from a possible comic character. It was like something he'd glimpsed when Beta was skipping through the channels.

It just can't be, he thought to himself.  There's no way you can make a living being out of a comic.  Besides there's more pressing things to be concerned with, Survival and Safety topping the list.

"What we need besides multiple bases of operations is personal protection. Like chameleon body armour... Could you rig up something like that Monsieur Nine?"

"Most certainly with the correct material, tools, and time. However, those are all things we currently lack. " Nine responded. "I have certain plans already, but until we get identification and a means of sufficient income, I can only work with the materials at hand."

?

Tom sighed and rubbed his chin, considering. "Allright," he said. "Shadow her," he told Ghost, pointing at Mandy. "I'm sure you understand," he told the young woman seriously, "that we can't just take your word on anything. Not yet. We need to be sure."  He sighed again. "We'll trust you on this one, as you say. Provided you allow us to tag along and verify you are who and what you say you are."

"Oh, by all means," Mandy replied with something of a sly smile.  "In fact, I'll make it easy for you."

She placed her bag down on the nearby table and stretched as she made her way to one of the bedrooms.  "I'll be taking a nap."

"Sleep!"  Beta said excitedly as she turned around in the door and came back in.  "Me too."  She said with less excitement as she hurried to follow with an invitation.  "This is my room."

Ghost cocked his head. "Shadow her?" he asked. "I thought we were to scout and assess the meeting place."

"Yes, shadow her," Tom replied. "Go with her to the meeting place, keep tabs on her and whoever shows up, that sort of thing." Tom watched as the young woman vanished behind a bedroom door. "I don't like this. She shows up just in the nick of time. It smacks of providence, of which we've had very little so far."

After all, I'm supposed to be dead, he thought grimly, but said nothing.

Ghost turned to watch Mandy enter the bedroom, then turned back to Tom and shrugged. He walked around and chose a chair. He hooked it slightly with his foot and moved it a bit so that it afforded him a view of both the front door and the bedroom door, then dropped into the chair with a sigh. He smiled and let his eyes close.

Tom watched the little pantomime with a pained expression. "Yes. Very droll. Keep your eye on her once we leave the meeting and in general," he said, shaking his head.

"Why don't you let me talk to her when she wakes up." Princess said. "I'm sure I can find out exactly who she is and why she's here."

"Because there's something cruel about your little talent, my dear," Tom replied, pulling a bottle of water out of the refridgeration unit. "I'd rather we deploy that on other targets." 

Princess shrugged, "It would be more expedient than trying to follow her around. But we'll do it your way." Tom could almost hear the for now the Princess left unsaid.

Al turned towards Tom "Do you really think the use her power it's being cruel. How do you arrive at that conclusion, especially if you haven't experienced it yourself. Our observation of limited instances of its use doesn't qualify anyone to make declarations like that about Princess's ability, or in fact any of our abilities. We all have abilities that help balance the group, are we all cruel if we use them. Or are you limiting your conclusion to abilities that directly affect others, like any decision you make which we are required to undertake." he pauses to judge the mans reaction.

Nine watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. Actually, he'd gone back to working on the computer once it was clear there was no immediate action being taken. To all appearances he was working intently on the unfathomable machine. He suspected Tom's reactions were based on a personal code of some sort, and he was interested in how this by-play would work out. All information was important, even the seemingly trivial.

Tom studied the large man coolly, sipping from the bottle of water and then setting it carefully on the counter. "Her talent is just a tool, and possesses no inherent goodness or evil. It's the glee in which she has chosen to use it so far that troubles me," Tom said calmly. "Feel free however to have her subject you to its use so that you can form your own conclusions, of course."

Princess' eyes lit in anticipation and she almost stalked over to Al. Running her hand over his well muscled arm, she looked up trying to catch his eye. "I'm all for that little experiment."

Over on the chair one eye opened as the Asian made note of the scene. His mouth twitched in distaste as the eye closed again.

Al raised one eyebrow Interesting he thought "Are you enjoying yourself Princess" he paused not looking into her eyes rather fixing his gaze on her lips and listening to her response.

"I could be." She purred in response.

"If this fellow who's out to get us has previously defeated us It would be fair to assume he'd some way to neutralise all of our abilities considering what we observed it may be something similar to and more powerful than the Princess has. Do you feel threatened by her Tom or do you have some other agenda, considering your thoughts on the Princess delight in its use you're now willing for me to be subject myself to it" he added by way of ascertaining the reason for Tom's change of attitude.

"Sounded to me like you needed some empirical evidence," Tom replied casually. "As for our adversary, the only thing that we could safely assume is that he failed the first time." He didn't remark on the comment about princess; he had no idea what had gotten into Al, but the big man was being even stranger than usual.

Al grinned at the Princess's comment, listening for any change in physiological activity to help him to determine her actual meaning. Both her heartrate and breathing remained unchanged. As if her actions were the most normal thing in the world for her.

"Nope, merely postulating variables" and attempting to determine morays. "considering the available skills and abilities that have been demonstrated... Irrespective of his failure he'll obviously be much better prepared considering the time and resources he has obtained. All attempts to evade him will ultimately fail, at best we could do would be to delay any final resolution. We should consider appropriate courses of action to deal with this person." Like dropping a bomb in his lap...

"Obviously," Tom replied. "That's what we're trying to do here, with this woman."

"Really" Al replied unperturbed by Tom's attempt at facetiousness "Then why be so inconsistent..." he grinned.

Princess looked at Al puzzled, "I haven't noticed where he's being inconsistent. He's been saying the same thing all along."

"I'd have thought his comment about using your powers as you do being cruel then suggesting I allow you to practice on... has the attributes of inconsistency. But then again it may be just he's a little stress out... So anyone want some room service I'm feeling a bit peckish..." crossing to the telephone he picked up the Hotel menu and scanned its contents "This chicken veronique with potato julienne sounds interesting any takers"

The princess laughed, a melodic sound full of true humor. "You ask him why he thinks the use of my powers is cruel and he tells you but also tells you to form your own conclusions by testing it yourself if you want and he's inconsistent? I think whatever happened to us scrambled your brains a bit more than the rest of us."

"By my reckoning, voicing an objection to cruelty one moment then indicating a degree of cruelty smacks of inconsistency."  He grinned again before he picked up the telephone receiver and ordered three meals.

Tom merely shook his head. "You've found meanings that were never intended. So long as you work with the rest of us in discovering how to deal with this threat, then we don't need to talk about this any further." 

Shrugging her shoulders behind Bulwark's back, the princess rolled her eyes. It didn't quite sit right with her letting Tom give the orders but for the moment she didn't have any better ideas and Bulwark's odd behavior wasn't important enough to get in an argument over.

"Bulwark." From the chair in the main sitting area Ghost opened his eyes and turned his head, focusing on the large man. "Arguing for it's own sake is pointless. Either agree to disagree or allow the princess to make you into a puppet. Either way, please stop talking." He sighed and closed his eyes again. "I'm trying to shadow." Was there the hint of a smile?

So much for trying to help others.  Considering the outcome, next time something like this happens I'll think thrice about standing up for any of them, he concluded before he took a seat to await his order. 

(GM: End here.  I'll have the new page up soon.)