"I can teach you some basics to get you started....though with what I've seen from you, we may want to teach you some swordplay as well," Lucas told him.

He then gestured over to a training dummy that was present in the HQ, which looked like a multi-sticked training dummy used in Wing Chun Kung Fu.

"Martial arts is not simply a system of fighting...it's a system of thought," he told him as he executed several basic strikes and combinations on the training dummy. "Control your thoughts, and in turn, you will be able to control the tide of battle."

He gives a slow nod.

"I'll be right back.  I should probably get some clothes on.  And there's Meg."

This was all just so much to take in.  Shaking his head he absorbs into the power grid, appearing in the room where he had stashed a few changes of clothes.  Pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, grabbing a jacket, he's off.

>>Kattakara Estate>>

Suddenly there was a beeping from the communication and monitoring equipment as an urgent alert came up.

Knight Errant had started on the training dummy without his armor when the beeping came from the console. He stopped looking over. "That sounds like trouble, Need a hand?"

Lucas went to the monitoring equipment and checked to see what the alert was all about.

"I'm not about to turn down a hand. Let's see what we're dealing with.."

It appeared that the NPA had sent in a list of demands for the safe return of the Chinese trade ambassador.

"Looks like a hostage situation. The NPA has a list of demands that they want fulfilled in exchange for the return of the Chinese trade ambassador."

He then looked over the alert, seeing what specific demands were being initiated, as well as if there were any police activity on this latest event.

  The police didn't have the authority to destroy the registration records, which was one of the demands which had been made.

"Hmmmm....they want to have the registration records destroyed....the police don't have the authority to do that, don't they realize that?"

He sighed for a moment.

"We'll need to attempt a rescue, though it's going to be tricky. First thing we need to do is find out where he's being held.."

The man nodded as his hand went to the amulet around his neck his armor appearing around him. "How we gonna do that? We can't just fly around hoping to bump into them."

"No we can't...which is why I'm going to phone a friend.." Lucas said, picking up the special phone in the HQ. It went to Captain Jordan's desk phone.

>>>>> Kattakara Estate

Appearing back in the lab he stretches just a little, his face dropping, slumping his shoulders just a little bit more.  Pressing it all aside he gives a breath and starts compiling information for the theory to share with Iris.  Giving a nod over towards Machinesmith.

"Any word from Iris?"

Back in his comfort zone and the joy of his mentor being alive passing slightly, he was shifting back to an attitude that was a little off for him.

--------->> From Kattakara estate II

 Candy appeared in the hallway with Jared.

==> From Meg's Estate

Jared blinked, and said, "That's a handy talent, Candy.  Thank you."

Then, "Zeke has the mind slug?  Where can i find him?"

  Candy pointed through the hallway and to a door as she said "Even handier, I can do that to anywhere I've ever seen.  Instantly."

Jared chuckled.  "Thanks again.  I don't know how long this takes, but if it is a short procedure, I'd appreciate a ride back?"

Jared stepped through the door, looking for Zeke.  "Zeke?  Megaira sent me to get one of those mind slugs?"

The door to the lab opening was a bit of a surprise.  Even more of a surprise was who was walking through it.  He takes a breath as he nods, looking to the screen at his side.  There was a list of blueprints and formulas flashing across the screen but come to a halt as his hand leaves the keyboard.  Motioning for Jared to follow him, heading over for a few aquariums.  Picking up a few charts.

"You know, there are more ways to serve than joining a group that teaches you to just follow orders without question.  And yeah, I do have a problem with any government that cries about spending problems and then drops several million dollars into Armadillo research."

His eyes slipping over the charts then settling on one of the tanks.  Each of the four aquariums are filled with several wafer sized flesh toned things swimming and floating in the water.

"Grab one from this tank and just set it under one of your nostrils.  The mindworm will do the rest."

"Well...looks like we've got our work cut out for us," Lucas told Knight Errant. "I'm not sure but I have to ask....do you have any way to track individuals? If not, I think I know of someone who can."

Jared shrugged, and he reached into the tank, deftly grabbed one of the swimming things, and set it under his right nostril, as directed; he tensed a little, finding the entire process way too "Star Trek: Wrath of Khan" for his taste.

He said, "Opinions vary.  While the military is by all means not perfect, it is an honorable career, and is a force for good in the world."

Then a shadow passed across his face, unbidden, and then vanished before he said, "Mostly.  And, armadillos notwithstanding."

He does relent a little at that.

"There are good people in the military.  And to an extent there are some people in the military that I can deal with.  It's more the politics that go into it, and get good men killed because a politician is worried about blowback on their career."

He gives a little smirk to the look on his face as the mindworm does its thing.

"We all respond about like that.  Don't worry, you get used to it.  The worm works with you to filter thoughts and what is transmitted to who.  You can put an all call out to anyone or you can select a few to get it.  You can also send and receive images as well.  They are very realistic."

Jared shuddered and twitched a little as the thing wound its way into his brain, and after the moment or two it took to find its new home, he said, "Christ on a crutch, if I EVER speak about that with any degree of aplomb, you have my permission to strike my head off and toss my body in a ditch... with my thanks."

Then he shook his head again, like a swimmer clearing water from his ear, and he said, "That's it?  We're done?  Then, thank you, I guess... Candy is waiting to take me back, so, I'll see you around."

He paused for the perfunctory return greeting, and then left the lab, walked back to Candy, and said, "All set."

He returns with a nod as he heads back towards the computer he was working at originally, giving a little chuckle.

"No problem, and yeah, that's it."  There was a soft hmm that is given but he files away whatever he was thinking for another time.  Shaking it off.  "Take care man."

  Candy was, indeed, waiting for him, and she focused on him for a moment, and sent {{Are we reading loud and clear?}}  Making sure he was now 'in the loop' for anything that came up.

Jared blinked, and he answered, {{um, yes, i can hear you.  not sure i care for this at all.  no i do not.}}

  Candy chuckled, and said "Well, now you know what it sounds like.  I'll teleport us back, and you're free to find the room you want in the house.  Ready?"  She held her hand out to him, and when he took it, she'd teleport them back to Megaira's.