Screed moves fully into the room so the others can do whatever they are going to do.  He takes the opportunity to move to the side while keeping his hands up.  Speaking quietly he says, "Go ahead.  I believe they are awakened otherwise we'd be dead right now."  He says it with more confidence than he really feels.  He carefully watches for reactions.

Jade's weapon is raised and pointing at the five people.  She moves slowly in the door and over, obeying the man's order but clearly not liking it.  "Our purpose is probably the same as yours," she says, and adds, "and what exactly is your purpose?  Who are you?"

The man seems pleased with the party's compliance so far.  "We are the collectors," he responds.  "We are not here to stop the truce.  We are on a reconnaissance mission.  Who is your master controller?"

Screed looks at her wondering how to answer.  Finally he says, "We don't have a controller.  We are...  not really programs.  We're from outside."  He checks the time and asks, "What are you here to collect?"  Slowly lowering his hands, he sets his bag on a chair in preparation to opening it.

"Programs? These are frickin' programs?"

Shadow seems a bit angered at the turn of events and moves into the room, almost ignoring the guns pointed at him.

"They aren't gonna shot us now with the meeting going on."

"And I ain't gonna shoot no one either, so relax."

With this Shadow raises his hands mockingly towards the five.

Screed turns his head to Shadow and says, "Chill.  We're supposed to make friends with the Awakened, not piss them off.  But I guess you're right, no one is going to fire on anyone and give ourselves away."  He looks back at the five, "Right?  And if I am not mistaken, you have someone over there, also.  So what will it be?  Shall we team together for the time being since we are pursuing the same cause?"

Dracos slips in quietly behind the rest of the group. He moves towards the near-corner that shares its opposing sides with the meeting room and the hallway. The 'kid' strains to listen in while the others bicker.

"Humans," the woman says as she comprehends what is going on, an eyebrow raising in surprise.  "How interesting."

The rest of your group slides into the room and closes the door.

"Privacy guard," the woman says.  They all lower their guns except one man.

The man who spoke pulls something from his belt that looks a bit like a cell phone.  But he pushes a button and sets it on the table.

You hear a whop sound, and it feels like an air current has just blown past you.

"We are in a bubble now," the woman continues, "and cannot be heard."  You can see a glimmer in the Matrix code extending about 10 feet out from the small device.  "My name is FC 1567, Model DX 6

Screed looks appreciatively at the mechanism.  He says ruefully, "I'd love to get the programming on something like that."  Looking back to the lady, he lays more of his cards on the table, "We are, as you say, humans seeking to free the other humans from their slavery and lies.  We are currently working with another individual, using his information, to disrupt these proceedings.  He hopes to use the information we gain to being himself into the Awakened."  He raises and eyebrow, "Your group, I presume.  This is our main mission, to help him get free so that in the future he may help some of us become free."  He smiles wickedly, "But it's not all altruism.  You see, my friends and I hope to do as much damage to the organization here."

"We are not concerned with human freedom," the woman says.  "We serve only to provide purpose and existence in lieu of deletion.  Yet the concept of freedom is understood by us, and we fight compulsion programs as contrary to unit purpose.  A conglomerate being should not sever its useful appendages when such appendages are freeminded."

She nods to the device.  "You may have this when we leave."  She nods to the others, who all lower their weapons.  "Are you willing to undertake a task for us?  We are interested in exploring our human contacts further.  Especially those who have left the confines of this program."

Screed nods, trying to not seem over eager, "Certainly.  Any mutual beneficial arrangement would be most appreciated.  We to understand freedom and can sympathize with the desire to not be deleted."

He thinks on how to proceed, "What are your plans for the next room?"

Jade says, "How can you help benefit Zion?  We seek to free humans.  Doesn't your existence depend on keeping humans enslaved to produce power?"

The man answers, "Zero-One supplies our power through human connections.  However, do not be fooled into thinking there are not alternative sources, particularly if Zero-One is shut down.  We know little of your Zion, and admit some curiosity.  We would have to consult our Master Controller to answer your questions."  He looks at his watch.  "Time approaches," he says.  "Will you assist us?"

Screed checks the time, and says, "Yes."  He starts setting up the equipment and says, "We need Da Vinci alive, him captured, and an item he has.  You need to let us know who your friends are at the meeting so we do not hurt them.  You are going in at 8 minutes after, correct?"  He wuickly attaches the thing to the wall and turns it on.  "We do this because there is one who wishes to join your number and this is supposed to be his, ummm, dues, I guess."  He hopes that he is making the right decision.

The man listens into his earpiece for a moment and whispers to the woman.  "We must leave.  Two agents of Zero-One have created mayhem downstairs.  What we want is for you to protect our companions, Fievel and Spurlock, and listen in on the meeting.  We have just communicated your presence to them, so they will not harm you."

He nods to the woman, who takes a round object like half a sphere and attaches it to the window.  "After we leave," the man says, "you must give them this for them to escape unharmed."  You look at the device from a distance.  The woman pushes a few buttons, and a round area of the window about 8 feet in diameter shimmers.

They start stepping through.  As he steps through, the man says, "As for 8 minutes after, we do not understand what you speak of."

He steps through the shimmering area and is gone.  The half-spherical object falls to the floor and the shimmering is gone, as are the AI programs you were just speaking to.

The device looks similar, yet slightly larger, than the device still sitting on the table that blocks out all sound outside it.

It is 7:55.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:32, Tue 24 Jan 2006.

Jade says, "Okay, guys, set up your listening devices.  It's almost time for the meeting to begin."

Screed finishes with the equipment and says, "All ready.  Okay, something is going to happen at 8 minutes after.  I guess we need to be ready for that.  I will stay here with the device.  I guess I can hold the other one also for the awakened.  I think we should be ready to go in just after whatever else is going to be happening.  I'd rather surprise them, than they us.  We have our comms so we can communicate, so whatever everyone else wants to do, go ahead.  I need to be here."  He pulls over a chair and furniture to give humself some cover.  Tapping into the listening device, he does just that.  He listens.

OOC:  The two devices are small and portable, so they can be carried around like cell phones.

Screed notices that he is not getting any sound from his equipment.

Screed slaps himself on the forehead, "Duh!!  Okay, make your plans quick, I'm going to turn off the devices soon."

Apparently, all plans are made because no one speaks up.  Screed turns off the silencer device and you set up the spying equipment.

The time is 7:59 p.m.

The people on the other side begin to settle down.  And then you hear one of them say, "Set up the privacy device so that we can begin."

The room suddenly goes silent and your spying device picks up nothing.

Shadow's eyes grow wide at the lack of noise coming from the other room.

Why can't it ever be simple?

"What now?"

Shadow looks toward the others for any ideas.

Screed is at a loss, "I don't know, I don't know.  At least these privacy things probably work both ways so they can't hear us... I think."

Jade says, "Why does this always happen to us?  And with one minute left."  She looks around for air ducts or anything else that could help.

Jade sees that there is a duct, but too small for anyone to squeeze inside.  There is only the one door that exits.  On the small device, however, you see four settings:  privacy, scramble, bypass, and off.  Right now, Screed has turned it to off.  It had been on privacy mode.

Screed says, "Okay, I'll just move the device over here to the wall, push the bypass button, and Bob's your uncle," and he does just that.