As Screed pushes the button, you hear the meeting already in progress...

It is 8:01 p.m.
"...and I am concerned that we take care of this before we get started," a man's voice is saying.  "Someone here is not here in good faith.  The traitor must be revealed if the Shadow Regime is to gain favor with the Merotechs."

Another man. "We will do what we can, Da Vinci.  Do you know who among us is the traitor?"

A pause of silence.

"Him."  You hear the sounds of a scuffle, then silence.  "We will take care of him later.  He has led agents of Zero-One to this place along with several other intruders that still walk these halls."

"What about our truce?  What about our exchange?"

"You want our technology to make the Shadow Regime stronger, yet the Shadow Regime still bows before Zero-One like a slave before his master."

"What can we do to prove our loyalty?  We will rise up against this master when we have the strength...the strength you will help us obtain."

"We want the Awakened eliminated.  Erased from the master program permanently.  We agree to release information you want for each Awakened you destroy."

"That will be a drain on our resources, Da Vinci."

"Yes, Armand, but we are only AI, and the Awakened can detect us and prevent our attempts far easier than yours."

"What technology will you share with us if we comply?"

"We can alter your genetic programming so that your projected self is stronger and...different.  My lycanthrope programs and vampire programs shall be made available to your people first.  You can self inject or make servants like these."

"You shall have our aid then, but we will need to know where to begin."

"Begin with him," Da Vinci says.  "And then kill the intruders listening to us beyond that wall."  There is a silence as you can feel all the gazes turning toward the wall where you listen in from.  "My infrared vision sensors pick up eavesdroppers."

You hear a sudden sound and then a familiar woman's voice.  "Let him go or know the wrath of the Awakened."  It is the woman you just spoke with a few minutes back.

Da Vinci seems nonplussed.  "Kill them all," he says.

Screed yelps.  He grabs the equipment and quickly stuffs it in his bag as he flees to the other side of the room.  He hopes he has enouh time to get his guns out.

Jade watches Screed and says, "We need to capture him.  Let's help our new friends fight."  She heads toward the door.  "And don't forget the devices our friends gave us."

He pulls out his weapons from the bag and curses under his breath. Things never... ever... went to plan. The dangers of being a freed mind... The man heads towards the door, looking to the rest.

"I think either the fastest or the best fighter should go in and grab Da Vinci. The rest of us help our new allies, and then go find the monsters."

Screed looks at the others, "Guys, I think they're probably coming through the wall."  He emphasizes his belief by dropping behind a some furniture.

"I don't care which way they come, I'm still gonna kick their asses."

Shadow pulls his pistol free of it's holster and looks back and forth from the door to the wall.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Sun 12 Feb 2006.