Cyber Wars Chapter 4- Shell Games

[Wolf99x]

OOC: Here's the new chapter. Sorry I couldn't think of a clever title, but I tihink this fits...oddly enough. (runs to avoid objects being thrown at self from the audience)

BIC: As Jade stormed off, the newcomer in tow, Wolf was starting to think that the tranq pistol was going to end up being used on multiple people before the day was out. I'm the only person who so far has not lost it...weird... he thought. He radioed for a clean up team, and then activated the intercom.

"Attention all members of both Real World and Cyber World forces, there is a meeting being held IMMEDIATELY in the conference room. The meeting is mandatory and of vital importance, so please make best speed to the conference room."

And Andy, if you make one off-color statement about the cyber force, I'll put enough tranquilizers in you to take down Robert Downey Jr. Wolf thought as he discommed.

Wolf arrived first in the conference room, so he sat down at the head chair and waited for the others to arrive. Whiel he was waiting, his PDAP beeped again. It was Beowulf

"Find anything yet?" Wolf asked

"Nothing, not even a small mention. Coyote is keeping quiet" the AI responded.

"Hmm...that's not good...well, keep an eye out."

"Ok, sir."

The AI vanished again.

[Demon with a Glass Hand]

Whatever he had been doing up until Wolf addressed the teams, was quickly forgotten.

Gabriel made his way to the conference room, the dull ache in the back of his head throbbing in beat with his footsteps.

Entering the conference room a newcomer, he promised the next time he entered he would be accepted as integral part of the team. He had a good feeling about what the future held ...

Throbbing migrane, notwithstanding.

[MC43]

Monk wiped the sweat off his forehead with a towel he had been given, as he got the e-mail from Wolf on his cell. "A meeting?" The intercom came in and alerted him again of the situation. He took a deep breath, and exhaled a sigh. "Another mission. This time, into my head, to find out my past." He started to walk to the conference room, making sure to take his time. If he was lucky, he would miss the meeting all together, and she would have no choice but to throw him out. That's all I can hope for right now. Maybe I can upset her so much...

But he rethought, Is that what I want? I'm so close to finding out what has escaped me for so long. I'm both excited and frightened. He stopped in the middle of the hall. What do I want to do? What should I do? I should go.

And risk my friends?

But this is your only chance to find out!

At what cost!? Do my friends have to die because of me?

What other choice do I have?

I'm scared...

I'm excited...

He sat against the wall and hid his head in his hands. You know... I don't know what I am...

[Zephie]

Wraith entered her office and stood in front of the door, putting his hands in his pockets slowly and calmly. He felt he was going to get it bad, so he might as well prepare himself.

[Forever Zero]

Glam had been making good progress in finding the loadout room, when suddenly a voice informed them to head back to the conference room. <Son of a... Didn't I just come from there? Well, got to retrace my steps now...> Glam thought, then began to backtrack his steps to find the conference room.

[Andy]

(sorry about the absence, yo. a little venture to a demo.)

Andy strode through to the conference room, flanked by his special op team. He ran a hand through his short dark hair, and turned around. "Well. Here we go. This time we've got some new lads to test out."

Andy and his team stood around the middle desk, waiting for something to happen.

(ooc: sorry there MC, had to forget the whole showing you round thing. call it a plothole.)

[Wolf99x]

Wolf decided to let everyone take their time in arriving, since so far only Gabe, Andy, and his team had shown up. Wolf ws particulary concerned that Monk would not show up anyway, since he was still disoriented.

Well, if he doesn't show up, I can just brief him later Wolf thought. He decide to wait one more minute, since Glam and Daren were still absent. The recruits have a right to know the shit they're getting into.. He also noted that Rogers hadn't shown up yet either.

"As soon as everyone else shows up, we can begin." he said to nobody in particular.

: Well, seeing as how it has been 2 days since I posted this, and nothing happened, I guess it is up to me to move the plot along

***

1 minute later, Wolf got tired of waiting

Every second I waste is a second we lose in stopping a catastrophe...might as well begin the meeting.

"Okay, anyone who misses this meeting will have to be filled in later. As you already know, the Coyote virus is holding Cyberspace hostage with a bomb. He threatens to detonate it in less than 70 hours if we do not hand over his son, which is a clone of himself that we 'captured' after he went rampant. Currently, we are trying to learn the location of Coyote's mansion, but things have been slow going. Also, two matters have arisen which complicate the situation."

Wolf hit a button, which showed an image of Agent Smith that he managed to capture on his PDAP before log-out.

"This is one of two sentient AI programs I have encountered calling themselves 'Agents'. This one goes by the name Agent Smith. The other called himself Agent Thompson. These AIs were created by Mastermind with the intent to recover Monk by all means necessary. Of course, we cannot allow this, because of issue #3, which I will get to later. As for these Agents. From what I can figure, they are powerful, and fast. They can dodge bullets, and break apart tables as if they were cardboard. And defeating them takes either great skill, a lot of luck, or both. I don't know if they have RW forms, so you can relax for now, Andy."

Wolf let the verbal jab set in, then continued
"Finally, Issue #3. Jade has located a building in the Cyber World. This building is a data repository for many of Mastermind's archived information, including the mental data of many of his slaves. Jade has learned that this repository contains Monk's memories. These memories could hold the key to finding a flaw in Mastermind, one that we can exploit. Our plan is to go in, secure the data, give Monk his mind back, and then get around to hitting Coyote's Mansion. Any questions?"

[Batman]

A penny rolled slowly down the hallway, stopping only after hitting Monks boot. 'Penny for your thoughts?' said Roy, one hand in his pocket as he approached his sulky teammate.

[Squishy Cheeks]

ooc: Can I play with the agents for a while?

[Wolf99x]

OOC: Well, i had wanted Smith to be berated by his bretheren for failing to capture or kill Wolf, but that would only work as a single post, not a multitude. So I've decided that anyone who wants to mess around with the agents just pm me, and i'll pm them back with what i want the agents to be doing. I'll let you know by pm what I want you to do, JADGuy

[MC43]

Monk followed the penny as it spun to a rest at his foot.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Penny? For my thoughts? Heh..." He chuckled at the thought. With what everyone is saying, apparently my info is uch more than just a penny... He looked up to the slick businessman. "What would you like to know? Why I'm sitting here instead of the meeting being held. You know, the one where we get to go into my head and find out everyting, even I don't know. You want to know why I'm not there? Well..." He let his voice cool down as he went to finish. "I... have no idea why. I'm just nervous, that's all. There's just so many questions I have, and I don't know who will have the answers."

He hid his face deeper in his knees, "I'm just... scared. Of what I might be... what I might find. Afraid of hurting... someone..."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Aww did monkey turn wussy." Coyote said as he popped an a nearby monitor. "I'm getting tired of waiting for you people while you whine about who you are. When will you fleshbags learn 'You are who you are.' and deal with it. I know i've wrestled with my self over who I am." All of a sudden another Coyote appeared. "I am Coyote McCloud of the Clan McCloud, there can be only one. I challenge you for alpha male status." "See what I mean. I'll be back later to taunt you some more."

[Wolf99x]

Beowulf popped up on Wolf's PDAP "Sir, the virus has hacked us...again, and is currently taunting Monk."

"Track his transmission, try to find the origin. Be careful" Wolf said.

"Affirmative."

The AI vanished, tracing the transmission as best he could. Unfortuantely, the Coyote virus had managed to set up an impressive array of transmission points and bounce-off points. Beowulf was only able to trace the transmission as far as to an obscure chat room. He's good, it will be a shame if he must be terminated the AI thought.

[Batman]

"Well, you never know, do you?" Tilting his head from side to side, he cracked his neck with a small popping noise on each side. "We need to find out who you are, it could mean life or death to a lot of people...I know that's a lot of wait on your shoulders, but that's how it happens sometimes." With a soft sigh he adjusted his tie, glancing over his shoulder at a leggy blonde secretary that was walking down the hallway. "You can do this. Its better to find out who you are then spending your life wondering who you are."

[MC43]

He shook as the computer next to him was talking. "You're lucky! You don't have felings, or emotions..." He jumped up to his feet, "So shut you're god-damn trap!!" He shoved his fist right into the screen. He paused for a second, his fist still in the computer. He slowly pulled it and saw that he had cut his hand in several places, looked like some shards of glass were still in his hands. "Yeah... stuff happens like this to me... I don't want it to happen to anyone else. I better go to the meeting now. Thanks..." He looked at the businessman, "Who ever you are." He put his arms on his sides and bowed towards at him, then stood up right again. Turning around he walked into the conference room. He looked around, "What did I miss?"

[Wolf99x]

"Well, you didn't miss too much. Mostly you knew what was going on, Except for the latest on Coyote and my speech about the agents."

Wolf gave Monk a quick rebrief on the Coyote situation and the Agents, but he wasn't sure if he wanted Monk to know who the Agents were after.

Well, I already told everybody else... Wolf thought.

"Monk...the Agents are after you. I'm not sure why, but I bet we'll find out once we get your memory back." Wolf finally said. "So you'll have to be extra careful once we enter the building."

Wolf then noticed Monk's hand was cut and had glass shards stuck in it. "Coyote pushed you too far?" Wolf asked.
"Well, anyway, save it for when we go to the mansion...if we can find the thing."

[Batman]

Roy entered the conference room a few moments behind Monk, folding up a slip of paper with the secretaries phone number on it.

He gave a curious look at the back of Monks' head, wondering why the agents were after him.


OOC: if there isn't already an idea for the mansion I was thinking it could be designed after Roys' family home, just highly distorted.

[Squishy Cheeks]

ooc: I was thinking like if an Escher painting and the merovingian's mansion had a baby it would be case de coyote.

[Wolf99x]

OOC: So, then we'd be walking, running, and maybe fighting, on the ceiling...and the walls...sweet. I can't wait.

[Squishy Cheeks]

ooc: And enter a doorway to come out on the ceiling in the same room.

[Forever Zero]

Glam came in to hear Wolf sum up the meeting. Glam said, "Well, at least my destination hasn't changed yet, so I can find my way back."

[batgirl]

OOC: ARG! I had a nice long post all ready and...my house blows a fuse!! Curses!

BIC: The aspirin was taking effect as Jade watched the newcomer stand there with his hands in his pockets waiting for her to talk. She got up and paced around the room. "We're in a very tense situation right now as you can see. Any and all distractions and disasters are highetened because frankly, I'm on my last nerve. Just be more careful from now on ok? But next time I won't be so nice." She went right up to his face. "Listen to me, you are not in my good graces right now, so behave yourself or I won't be responsible for my actions. You are dismissed soldier!" As he walked out, Jade slumped in her chair and rubbed her temples. <Better get the show on the road> Opening the intercom she commanded. "Attention all personnel. Both teams will report to their designated locations for suit up. The missions will begin in 20 minutes." As she was getting up she called up J2. "I want you to monitor Wolf's AI. If he moves so much as a pixel I want to know about it. Also, I need you to run this program once my team jacks in." "Yes ma'am." Jadfe strode out of the room and made her way to the control center to meet her team.

OOC: I wanted to get the actual mission going so we could all get some action in.

[Wolf99x]

OOC: I found the true name of those bullets I talked about earlier. They're called MagSafes. All other info pretaining to these bullets is true...so I won't repeat it.

BIC: Wolf heard Jade's announcement.

"Meeting adjourned. I have a mission to prep for." Wolf said as he suddenly ran out the door, and headed ot his quarters. He called up his Cyber World weapons loadout. He picked two Colt .45s and an IMI Uzi, both loaded with MagSafe slugs. He also picked the M9 tranquilizer pistol, and his katana. He saved the changes. Then he opened up his personal weapons locker and gave himself the exact same RW ensemble Just in case... he thought. Then he headed fo the control room.

En route, he called up Beowulf on his PDAP "Want to come along? We could probably use some tactical analysis."

"If I get to kill stuff...sure"

"Deal, but remember, keep property damage to a minimum." Wolf said just before the AI blinked out.

Wolf reached the contorl room, and saw that he had made it there before anyone else had, except for Jade.

"All right, I'm here. Let's get this show on the road as soon as possible." Wolf said to her

***

Agent Smith found himself in the same nondescript building he had left from, except this time, the computer screen's alphanumeric characters glowed an angry red, and his fellow agents had pissed off looks on their faces.

"What do you mean he got away?" Thompson shouted

"It seems I once again underestimated Jason MacKenzie" Smith responded

"I thought we were indestructible!" Johnson yelled at the screen

"I said you were powerful, not indestructible. Smith, I am displeased. You know the price of failure is very high."

"Wait, I did find some information that may help us." Smith said. "While I was hacked into the base's systems, I discovered two interesting things. One, the Coyote Virus has a doomsday bomb, and he threatens to destroy cyberspace with it in 70 hours if the Cyber Force does not meet his demands and give him something. Two the Cyber Force has located one of the data repositories. This one holds Monk's memory. They plan to get his memory back, in an effort to destroy you, Mastermind."

The screen's color changed back to a neutral green. "That is very distressing news. If the anomaly gets his mind back, I am indeed in great danger. But if Coyote uses his doomsday device, I am just as screwed. Thompson, Johnson, go to Coyote's Mansion and try to negotiate with him. Smith, Jackson, head to the data repository, stop the Cyber Force, and bring back Monk."

"Affirmative" said Thompson
"Yes, sir." said Johnson
"As you command" said Jackson
"I will not fail this time! Mr. MacKenzie is dead!" Smith said

"I hope so, Smith, for your sake."
The screen went blank, and the agents disappeared.

OOC: JADGuy is now going to play the roles of Agents Thompson and Johnson for the time being. I will hold on to playing the roles of Smith and Jackson, unless I need to delagate the role to someone for a few posts. I think this new Agent use format is going to work out better than the one before (which I couldn't figure out how to make efficient)

[Squishy Cheeks]

"We have the location of the Coyote mansion." asked Thompson
"Yes, he has hid himself quite well but not well enough for our information." said Johnson

The two agents appearedout front of a large Iron wrought gate a speaker appeared.

"So my brother virus has sent two lackeys to talk to me. He should have known better than to ignore me for so long." Coyote said through a speaker. The gates opened. "I trust you'll behave yourselves while your in my house."

"This does not bode well for our mission."
"It doesn't matter we have the upper hand."

Coyote watched the two stick in the mud AIs enter. "That's what they think."

[Andy]

Andy looked shocked. No mission parameters had been set for RW forces. 'Ah fuckles. Suit up.' The team shuffled out behind Andy. The attractive blonde secretary, actually donning a Major's garb, handed Andy a stack of folders, saluted, then walked to a desk.

Andy examined these papers. Nothing of interest. These were tasks for a General.

Andy briskly, but with purpose, walked to the equipment room. On the way he picked up a carton of cigarettes, and stuffed them into his locker. Outside it was an hour past midday, roughly, and the young soldier didnt quite know what conditions he was facing. He chose his trusty Steyr, and his 2 SOCOM pistols, various other gear, and a wicked looking bayonet. Once his squad was filled out and armed, they traversed to the vehicles room. Crates of parts and fuels were being carted by anti-grav tech crates. VTOL carriers were being repared. Embers flared from someone on an angle grinder.

The team of 12 men, including Gabe, sat huffily in the centre of the hangar, awaiting something to do.

A voice was spoken through the comms. "Yo Jade. RW team armed and fixed. Just give us a location. Andy out."

[Zephie]

Wraith enters his team's assembly area and stands near the back, keeping a low profile. He looks cool on the outside, but on the inside he's boiling over. It's not like he gets on his bosses' nerves very often...at least, not at first. His mind isn't even on his mission, and how and why he got there's all just a muddle in his head. When most people would be getting their equipment and objectives ready and cleared, he just stands and waits, because all he needs -- and all he uses, really -- is a small sidearm or two and a knife.

So, he just stands there...and waits...quietly...

[MC43]

Monk forced his body to comply with Jade's orders. He walked to the ready room to "suit up" for the mission He looked over Wolf's shoulder at the pistols he ws using, and shuddered at the sight of them. I will be strong. I will not lose another fight with my inner self. He walked into the next room where the chairs were waiting.

I will not lose another battle...

[Forever Zero]

Glam was able to follow the others this time and quickly get to the Ready Room. He scratched at his cyber hook-up, hoping it wouldn't annoy him after he jacked in. <Well, time to prove myself to the others.> Glam thought.

[Wolf99x]

OOC: I think we all know by now that Batgirl has to move the story along by posting...so we just have to be patient. In the meantime...

BIC: Agent Smith and Agent Jackson stood inside the data building where Jade's team was to attack.

Where the hell are they? Smith asked, annoyed that the enemy had failed to show up so far.

Patience...they will show up eventually. And then we will crush them.

[batgirl]

OOC: My apologies for the lack of posting, vacation and a dial up modem has kept me away from my pc, but I'm back now so let's get the show on the road.

BIC: Jade strode into the control center and turned on her comm bade. "Andy, I need you to begin hunting for Coyote's mantion. I've sent you the first set of coordinates, but you need to work from there. Good luck. Jade out." She looked at her team who were suited up and ready to go. "Ok listen up, once we jack in we'll take defensive positions outside the perimeter of the building and scout it out. Then we'll move in. I want you all to know that I am not leaving anyone behind, this is a promise. If I have to go back myself and drag your half dead body back to base I will. We've all sacrificed too much to get here. Just watch each other's backs and be aware of what's going on, that's all I can say. Let's move out." Jade went up to one of the ports and plugged herself in. The room spun for a minute and Jade felt a moment of nausea before the building came into site. Quickly, she ran behind a bunker set up by the prep crew and waited for the others.

[Zephie]

Wraith takes up another position some distance away, idly twirling a carbon black (that is, carbon steel or just painted dark black so it doesn't shine) throwing knife over his fingers in his right hand. His eyes are set forward like a hawk's, scanning over the perimeter and noting the guards' movements and timing.

[MC43]

OOC: I hope you all don't mind, but I want to take cotrol of this. I have so many ideas for this, so I hope you all will lt me taking this part over. I'm very excited about this part.

Monk sat himself in front of his terminal and plugged himself in. Is is finally time. Time to find out what I has been lost for all these years. He closed his eyes as the spinning ame to him, When he could feel ground uner his feet again, he oened his eyes, slowly. He stood in front of a arge building, it looked like a bussiness office on the outside, spanning for many floors towards the skies. He looked around and saw the bunkers that were set up for the team, but he couldn't see why. There was no one around spare the two or three gaurds at the door. The gaurds looked around quickly, then soon ran off in dfferent directions. Odd...



Inside the two agents stood, wondering where their targets were. "I'm right here..." A voice called behind them. They too ran off towards the voice, but only into more darkness of the building.



Monk took a step foward towards the building, but stopped. He knew that he wouldhave to wait for he team, so he nodded and walked to a buker that was away from the rest of he group and sat, lookingdirectly at Jade, waiting for her command to move.

"I'm right here..." The voice called out again. Monk looked around to try and pinpoint its location, but to no avail. He looked towards the others, but saw they had notheard the voice. "C'mon Monk... what are you waiting for? I have it clear for you...just walk in."

Amost mesmorized, he stood up and started to walk towards the building. You are there... and I will fnd you...

[batgirl]

<Oh you've got to be kidding me...> Jade saw Monk walking in a transe towards the building. <I have no idea what's in there and he's walking right into it like he wants to get killed.> She opened up her comm link. "Dammit Wolf, where are you? Monk is getting all wierd again and is walking towards the building! Either you stop him or I will, but my way won't be pretty." Jade was on her last nerve. This mission was hard enough as it was, but when her team did not cooperate, it was that much harder. The was no way that she was going solo on this one, she needed them to help her.

[Wolf99x]

"...you stop him or I will, but my way won't be pretty."

Wolf and Beowulf materialized just as Jade's message finished. Wolf knew exactly who Jade was talking about. Damn...Monk definetly needs a self-help book on fighitng temptation. he thought.

"Beowulf, restrain Monk, but do not harm him. If anything goes wrong. Use this." Wolf handed his AI compatriot the M9 tranq pistol. "I'll follow at a distance."

"Keep your tranq gun, I brought my own. Use it if he gets away." Beowulf said. "I have his location, 30 feet away, northwest. Building entrance."

"Let's go." Wolf said. he keyed his comm to Jade's frequency. "Jade, Beowulf and I are attempting to stop Monk with nonlethal force. Tranq guns if necessary. We have his location."

The two ran towards Monk's signal. Wolf noticed his friend walking slowly, almost like a zombie, towards the building.

"Monk, Stop!" Wolf yelled, but Monk didn't hear or react. He just kept walking towards the building.

"Beowulf...take him down." Wolf said.

"Affirmative." the lupine AI launched himself in a flying tackle at Monk, using his enhanced strength to pin Monk to the ground. Wolf walked up to them.

"Damnit Monk, snap out of it!" Wolf shouted at his friend. "Whatever is trying to draw you in there, you have to resist it!"

OOC: yes, a military AI would have enhanced strength.

[Batman]

Roy entered hastily into the virtual realm, seeing the ruckus on his Sidekick (yes they are sweet). Pulling a sleek black pistol from his sport coat. "What's going on here?" He ran and kneeled next to Monk."You ok,buddy?"

[MC43]

Monk shook his head and wa soon out of the trnce that had enveloped him. "Wha... where am I?" He looked around and saw the building where he was standingin front of the first time. "He called to me... then I had no control. It was as if he... took over." He struggled to get up, but Wolf's new friend was keeping him down. After a minute of struggle, he closed his eyesand took a deep breath. I knew I should't have come. This was a bad idea from the start... He opened his eyes and looked towards Wolf. "Thanks... I needed that. Yes, I am alright." He nodded at the question. I don't know if I can go on, you know, without hurting either of you two. I know it is against your wishes, but it might be best if I do this solo." He took another breath, "I know what you're gonna say... and I will fight it. I wasn't prepared the first time, but I know he will try again, and I I'll fight him off."

"Please... I don't want to hurt anyone else."

[batgirl]

OOC: Batman, you're with Andy's team not mine.

BIC: "Roy get out of here and help Andy!" <God this can't get any worse> Just then Jade heard Wolf's conversation with Monk. "Wolf, don't let him out of your site. And Monk, no solo shit, that's an order!" She then turned to the rest of the team. "There are lots of guards in the building, so tread carefully. Make your way inside the building as a unit, I'll catch up in a few minutes. Go!" As the others left, she opened her pda. "J2! I told you to watch that AI, get him out of here right now and do what I told you." "Right away." Jade sighed as she unsheathed her rifle and headed into the building.

Elsewhere a portal opened up behind Beowolf and two arms dragged him insde from behind.

OOC: Heh, the plot thickens says that GM!1

[Batman]

"But why would I want to be on his team? You're no fun." Roy grinned,putting his pistol back into his coat. "Fine,but don't make me come back in here to bail you out." With a click of his heels he had disappeared back into the real world.

"Damn them,I'd be of better use in the cyber world." Pounding a fist into a random piece of equipment,he got up from his chair and made his way to his team.

[Zephie]

Wraith follows the team in, then doubles back and leans against a wall, still twirling his knife. When she gets close enough to him he asks with a half-cocky smile, "May I suggest that I go in ahead and take out the security monitoring systems? I can pass through walls, after all."

He almost chuckles to himself, a little surprised that he's actually pushing her buttons...pushing them so early, that is.

[batgirl]

The little vein in Jade's neck throbbed and her eye twitched. She knew he was just messing with her, but she was under enough stress as it was. Grabbing him by the collar, she pulled him within inches of her face. "Are you questioning my orders soldier? I thought not. However your logic is not flawed, go and take out their security. Maybe someone will shoot you, and you'll blow up the equipment with yourself and spare me the trouble of ending you myself."

[Zephie]

"I'd be happy to oblige you...but I don't think tonight's my night to die." Wraith grins wryly at her, then hops into the air, changing into his ghost form mid-jump and flowing through the ceiling.

[MC43]

OOC: Ok... I'll let you take command...

Monk watched as his captor vanished into thin air. "Odd..." He said getting up and brushing the dirt off his legs.

"Wolf, don't let him out of your site. And Monk, no solo shit, that's an order!"

Monk sighed, Where have I heard that before... Oh yeah... Andy... the shmuck. He nodded towards her. All right... I will obey with you orders, I just thought..." but he bit his tounge, not wanting to get himself into trouble. "Nothing... It is nothing." He turned and entered the building, knowing that Wolf was right on his heels. It both comforted him, but also made him feel insecure. Even his own teammates didn't trust him. I guess they have every right to... I have betrayed them before. He took a deep breath as he approached the doors.

This was a bad idea from the start...

[Andy]

Geared up and suited, Andy's team jumped aboard the pelican(think halo. i know. bite me.)

"Right, we're looking for the point of origin of that coyote's calls. Techies put the location somewhere underground back home, in Oz. Well, we're in china, so it should take us, what, 20 minutes?"

"Affirmative, sir. 20-25 minutes."

"Thankyou leutenant."

"Anyway," Andy called above the now roaring engines, "It's most likely a small box of some kind, a hardware mainframe. There is also likely to be guards of some kind. Exact details are, as it is, quite unknown, but this guy looks shifty as. Be ready for hostiles." Various clicks are heard from the team clicking and loading their rifles.

The jet took off, a sudden jolt rocking the structure. Outside scenery is flying by, passing and disappearing in the space of a nanosecond.

The very classic 'metal' song Bodies, by Drowning Pool is heard through the comlinks. Andy's team look at him smiling. The new ones look at him questioningly. Warren, one of Andy's elites, shrugs, "Kind of a ritual, mate. I dunno, hes always like this before a Mission. He really loves this old stuff." Warren shrugged, and started nodding his head in time with the fast paced guitars and drumbeats.

Andy smiled.

[Squishy Cheeks]

The router terminal was placed along a main powerline it was a simple Transformer relay for the electrical system, the whole place was automated. A single computer terminal for maintenance diagnostics hummed away quietly. It was unaware that a virus had hacked it days ago for the purposes of a global scavenger hunt. He left a simple enough clue on the desktop. A simple game called Super Coyote Brothers.

[Wolf99x]

Wolf looked behind him as his AI was yanked out of cyberspace. What the...shit. Man down already.

Wolf activated his comm. "I copy Jade. Monk will not leave my sight. Also, it seems Beowulf has been forcefully removed from cyberspace. What gives?"

While he waited for a response. Wolf drew his .45s, and followed Monk towards the building.

He caught up with Monk at the doors.

"Okay, let's get in there. Don't stray too far from me. I'll cover you if things get too hot. Whatever happens next, don't...freak...out. Understand?"

***

Beowulf materialized in a white room. He looked around, and saw who had dragged him out of the area. It was J2.

"What the hell was that for, ya boggart?" Beowulf said

"Sorry, but Jade decided that I should bring some backup for a mission of vital importance. You are the only other AI on the team, so you got conscripted."

"About this mission, will stuff blow up?"

"Almost certainly"

"Good. I'm listening. Tell me the plan." Beowulf sat down on the ground.

OOC: Batgirl came up with the idea of the AIs going on a mission of their own. I leave it to her to continue it.

[batgirl]

"Well Jade gave me this," J2 held up a large box. "It's a crash program, a very advanced one cooked up by Jade. When it goes off, all of Mastermind's forces will shut down and crash. It'll take them awhile to get booted up again. We're going to go plant it in the heart of Mastermind territory. She figured that normal humans won't be to do it, I mean we've got all these upgrades and stuff so we can pull it off. It'll be hard, but it'll severly cripple their forces. So you up for it?"

[Wolf99x]

Beowulf called in an M16. He caught it, checked the ammo magazine, and pulled back the slide.

"Let's give Mastermind a kick in the ass he won't forget."

Then Beowulf called in a table of other weapons. He switched out his M9 and uzi for two Desert Eagles with cookie cutter rounds, and he also pocketed three fragmentation grenades.

"Okay. I'm ready."

[Zephie]

All security cameras and systems in the corridor directly ahead of our human heroes suddenly go blank, and this's soon followed by Wraith coming in over Jade's comm line. "Wraith to Jade: first floor systems neutralized. Heading for the main control room now."

***

Wraith closes his line and looks behind him and over his left shoulder at the two dead operators on the floor. He twirls his knife once more, then pockets it and switches to ghost form, flowing through the floor to the underground fortress called an operations room. It'll be heavily guarded, but he loves a good challenge.

[Wolf99x]

Just as Wolf was about to open the front doors, they swung open automatically. Wraith did his job. The rookie's earning his keep. He thought.

Wolf dove through the doors, catching the two security officers off-guard. One MagSafe from each .45 was enough to put them both down for good.

"Wolf here, Monk and I are through the front door." Wolf reported into his comm as Monk walked through the doors. He quickly swept the area, and found no further hostiles "Lobby secure, awaiting further orders."

[batgirl]

"Continue down the corridor until you see some stairs and take those down to the basement, that's where the brainwaves are. Once you get there, secure the area and contact me. I'll be right there." Jade was cautiously making her way down a long hallway at the other end of the building looking for another set of stairs. Just then, two guards dropped from the cieling barring her way. "Hello boys, I'd love to chat but I'm on a tight schedule." She fired two shots; one hit the first guard dead on in the head and the other whizzed by the second. The second guard rushed her, and Jade, being a good deal smaller than the burly man, was able to nimbly dodge his blows and deliver a swift kick to the face, knowcking him out. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she ran to the stairs as fast as she could.

[Zephie]

The security team in the basement watches their monitors intently, some walking around the room and barking orders while receiving some of their own. Monitors flicker everywhere and readouts show all kinds of information on the building's power and security systems. While all this goes on, Wraith materializes in a dark corner of the room, using the dim light to cover his movements.

He floats around to one side and takes solid form, then starts to carefully and quietly sabotage the power grid. He's in a shallow pit at the rear of the room doing this, and a guard decides just then to check something over there. Wraith doesn't hear his silent footsteps as he walks down the ramp to his right, nor does the guard see him since his eyes are fixed on his clipboard.

Wraith pulls another chip and crosses another wire, then prepares to connect the final two wires when the guard looks up and stops dead. Wraith taps the wires and suddenly sparks fly from the wall, followed by an explosion. Wraith assumes his ghost form immediately and floats backwards, watching the guard begin to sound the alarm as the explosion engulfs him.

He turns around to see a room full of guards and officers turn to face him, while a handful duck under their desks for cover. Silence, and then...

"Get him!"

He resumes his solid form and pulls two knives from his coat, tossing them quickly at the two senior officers before resuming his ghost form just when a hail of bullets strikes him. Both guards grip their necks, trying to pull out the knives while blood spurts from their wounds, and Wraith just looks down at himself as bullets hit him and pass straight through, causing small, funny-feeling ripples in his ethereal body. He looks up and smiles at them, then sinks into the floor, disappearing.

The guards all cease fire and look around them, trying to catch the first glimpse of him coming back. One man in particular steps backwards, looking at the ceiling nervously, then back down at the floor. At his feet, Wraith starts coming up through the floor, and the man takes one more step before Wraith comes fully out and resumes solid form, then takes his knife and quickly slits his throat. At the same time he pulls the man's sidearm from his hand and then tosses his knife at a fourth guard before firing the submachine gun at the three men in the aisles and using the gagging man as a human shield. Bullets spray in both directions, most missing, but first one guard goes down, then another. The third continues firing his machine gun, but all of the bullets whiz by Wraith's head and strike the wall behind him and the computer in front of him...or hit the poor sap he's holding up. (Just like in da movies :D)

Then a storm of bullets strikes the last guard and he falls backwards, still firing his gun and hitting the ceiling. Just then Wraith's gun runs out of ammo and he stares for a moment, then drops it and the dead guy. He walks through the rubble, following a faint whimpering sound, and finally comes upon a man crying under his desk: one of the operators. He leans over to look at him and says, "Boo."

Then he kicks him in the head with his toe, knocking him out. "Wraith to team: it's all down, but their backups should be kicking in soon."

[MC43]

Monk winced a little as the battle was insuing downstairs with all the operaters and

"Wraith to team: it's all down, but their backups should be kicking in soon."

Monk shook his head which was still in his hands. Why am I feeling this pain? This is cyberspace, not my head! The pain soon faded and he looked at Wolf. He wasn't able to say anything before he burst in, "Wolf... thanks. I couldn't live without a friend like you." After the two thuds on the ground, he walked a little further and scanned the room. Seeing a few steps leading down, his finger was pointed towards them "Those must be the stairs Jade was talking about." He took a step, but stopped and tunred his head Where is she? I thought she was following. Without knowing it, he had a look of concern on his face. Shaking his head, he resumed down the stairs and looked down the blacked hallway. He turned to his friend, and maybe killer, "It looks clean... where is my room?"

"You should know that..." The voice called out again.

He looked around, "Who are you!? Where the heck are you hiding!? Come out and fight me!"

"Heh... you would not stand a chance against me... but I will be waiting."

Monk clenched his fist. I don't know who you are... but I will stop you... He turned his head to Wolf, 'Won't we...? Wolf? Why are you giving me those funny looks?"

"They can't hear me... I am really in your head, and in this building..."

What are you talkng about? How can you be in two places at once?

"It is possible... I have the dogs off you for a bit, so come on... find me..."

Monk started to stare off into space and turn slowly before he caught himself and put his hands around his head. "Stay focused... I..." but it only lasted a moment before he regained control. "We're close... VERY close..."

[Batman]

He was almost late for departure. The sharply dressed detective was the last aboard the transport,slipping some fancy daggers into his sleeve. Many of the soldiers scoffed at Roy and the way he dressed, others nodded in respect, knowing this mans family contributed to their pay checks.

"Think we are going to need all this fire power?" Rogers spoke across to Andy.

[Andy]

"I call the shots, i make the plays. Youre an amateur to fieldwork. Just keep quiet and your head down."

The trasport settled over a landing pad in Sydney. The soldeirs said in unison, "Ahh, Home."

Andy jumped out, shouldered his Steyr. "Smells good, ey? lovely to be back." Another soldier escorted them through the building, through rooms and hallways similar to those in China. Andy gripped his com. "Oi Jade, do you have a RealWorld location on that mainframe? We're working blind here. Im gonna need a little help."

[batgirl]

Jade was sprinting down the stairs as Andy's voice came over the comm. She stopped for a second and uploaded the coordinates. "There you go, hope it helps. Good luck." Jade then entered the room where Monk and Wolf were. "Ok let's find those brainwaves. Monk, come with me, you'll be the only one who can recognize them. Wolf, cover us."

[MC43]

OOC: Z, if you decide to come, you can just say you got in before the door closed.

Monk watched as Jade approached them. "Oh... there you are."

But she didn't hear him, "Ok let's find those brainwaves. Monk, come with me, you'll be the only one who can recognize them. Wolf, cover us."

Monk couldn't help but smile Still barking out orders, how I never get old to that. "Yes ma'm!" He said, walking down the hallway. The group walked for a little while, as Monk's head was increasingingly getting harder. He winced as they moved more and more. Soon, the pain was unbearable where he was forced down to his knees, grabbing his head. "Oh god... it hurts!!" What he noticed in a minute, what that he wasw kneeling right in front of a door. As sson as he opened his eyes, the pain seem to shatter in his head. "We're here..." He stood upright and approached the door and looked around it, for any confirmation. He noticed that each of the other doors had some kind of tag next to them, but this one was non-existant. There was a plate for his name, but it was scratched out.

His hand was shaking as Monk reached for the knob. Everything he had ben waiting for was behind this door. All he had to do, was open it, and with that internal command, he flew the door open... into darkness, except for a small hint of light in the corner.

Monk could feel himself losing control again, but he focused on the light, until control became his again. He took a few steps in, and found that he was now walking on hardwood floors, instead of cement. As he took a few more steps into the place, he remembered his dream. Wait... A single light, an unlocked room? He walked up to the candle and inspected it. Down to its last legs. It's been buning for ages. It looks like it won't last too much longer. He looked at the two through the darkness. "Tread carefully... I don't know what's here..."

As his words finished leaving his mouth, the lights suddenly came on and they found themselves in his monestary. "What tricks are this?"

The voice came back, but this time, it was heard from everyone, "Tricks? No... I promise you, there will be no tricks. Only truth. Will you all stay and enjoy the show?" But before they could answer, the door had slammed shut, and locked itself behind the group. "I guess it is a yes..."

[Wolf99x]

Wolf heard the door slam shut. Well...shit. he thought. But he decided to look on the bright side of things. They had found what was causing Monk to act irrationally. At least...I think that's what it is. I'm pretty sure that it isn't an agent. Thompson and Smith didn't sound like this guy does.

Wolf drew his Uzi. "Who the hell are you!? Show yourself!"

[Zephie]

Wraith had just gotten in before the door slammed, having followed them from below. He shakes himself off and adjusts his coat for a sec, then seeing Wolf pull his Uzi he decides to back him up and pulls his own gun -- a simple pistol -- from an inside pocket. He looks around, spinning in a circle once, pointing his gun out at...well, nothing. He then asks sideways at Jade without facing her, "Isn't it supposed to be part of the team leader's job to make sure we don't get in this position?"

[batgirl]

Must...not....kill "When I want a stupid remark I'll ask you Wraith," she snapped coldly. This is not good "Monk, none of us can touch the brainwaves, so you download them." She turned to the door and pulled out her rifle.

[MC43]

"Download them? Hah! You think I would go through all this trouble, just so you all can complete your mission? I think not."

Monk focused in on the voice. It sounded familiar, too familiar. In fact, it was his own voice, just deeper, raspy. "M... Myth?"

In the distance, a clap could be heard. Then another, then one more. It was the slow mocking kind of clap that juat made you want to slap the person, but still it continued. "Good... I'm glad one of you has figured it out."

"Where are you!?" Monk looked around, until he focused in on the candle that was still lit, s a figure stood behind it. Behind him, was a hallway that Monk had never seen before in his monestary. It was metallic, with three doors spanning on either side. One to the left, the right, and down further off. On closer inspection on Myth, he saw that he was looking into a mirror. Only his hair was longer, and messy, the dark grey bandana covering the top of his eyes. Instead of purple, he was in black, with grey sashes like that of his bandana.

"Welcome one and all to Monk's life. I shall be your host for the evening. I see you brought along another friend. I'm surprised that you would want anyone to see the real you..."

"The... real me?"

"Yes... watch, over there..."


He pointed to one of the sides as images of children appeared. They were in training, in the front, the master was watching as they were. Monk walked over next to the teacher and watched as the kids practiced their moves. Looking in the front row, right in the middle, he saw himself, with the same red bandana, but wearing a white uniform.

After practice was over the Master looked over all the kids. "Good! You have all done well. Tommorow is the day that you all get the chance to become Monks. I wish you all the best of luck! Dismissed!" The kids shouted something, bowed, and dispersed, disapearing.


"Yes? How is this supposed to make me feel embarassed? In fact, this was one of the proudest moments of my life." Monk almost mocked him.

"Was it, really?" Myth smiled. "You don't remember that day, do you?"

"Do I? Like it was yesterday! I was the one who completed the trials the fastest, and broke almost every record there."

"Ah... but that is not true. This is the bank of your memories, is it not? Let's see... the real outcome." He waved his hand back over to the side.


This time, Monk was in front of his Master. "Right here. I see this all the time!" The two bowed in respect, and the match started...


The Master made the first moe pushing his leg up towards Monk's head. I was a simple enough attack a simple dodge to the right, and a swing to the leg to trip the opponant. Not that hard, right? Worng. In fact Monk didn't even move, he frooze in his spot took the hit, and landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"I knew you wouldn't make it... Next!"

Monk looked up at his Master, "Please Sensai! I was just nervous. Give me another chance!"

"I did give you another chance remember!? You blew it! Now get out of my sight!" The master pointed away.

Monk trembled in his spot for a moment, fought back tears, but soon the lost the battle as he ran away, the image fading away.


"No... impossible! I succeded in becomeing a Monk, you have shown me lies here!!"

"I wish that were true..." Myth shook his head, " wish it were true, but it just wasn't. You don't remember how you got here, do you?"" e sid, poining towars the door behind them. They all turned around and heard a knocking. Monk walked to it with caution and grabbed the doorknob. Opening it slowly, he saw a flash of lightning, followed by the sound of thunder outside. He looked down towards the doorstep and found a basket with a note on the top. He picked up the note and opened it.

"Please take care of this child. It is not mine, and I do not want it"

That's when the child in the basket started to cry, then disappear. just like the rest of the images before. Monk crushed the paper in his hand, that soon evaporated into the air, and it was obvious that he was fighting back tears. "Take it back! It was lies! Everything you have said! Not true!!" He sniffed.

Not true...

[Wolf99x]

Wolf was shocked. He could not believe that Monk, someone with the most advanced skills in martial arts...was living a fake life and using skills that he had not really acquired...if he was reading this right.

Wait...bullshit. Wolf thought This is not real. This is not true. The Monk I know is not a liar...and as for his skills, well...he's one of the few who has ever kicked my ass.

Wolf pointed his Uzi in the direction of the entity Monk had called 'Myth'.

"Enough of this fake reminiscing bullshit." Wolf said. "What the hell are you and what the hell is it you want?"

And why the hell am I the one asking this question? Furthermore...does Monk actually know this creep?

***

OOC: And now we go join Beowulf and J2 in their quest to nuke Mastermind's control systems. (thought I'd forgotten about them, eh?)

Beowulf and J2 approached a border checkpoint at the edge of Mastermind's cyber-territory. Beowulf walked throught the metal detector...which went off.

A guard approached him.

"Please remove any metallic objects you may have on you..."

Beowulf pulled out his .45s and aimed them at the guard's head.

"Shit..." was the last word the guard said before his brains were blown out.

Beowulf then drew his M16 and killed 3 more guards. The 4th guard tried to radio for backup, but J2 shot him through the head with a pistol.

"Send a burst email to Jade...tell her we've breached the perimeter." Beowulf said to J2.

[batgirl]

"You've got it," J2 said as she shot another guard at point blank range.

Jade's PDA beeped, but she was too busy staring open mouthed to bother opening it. This...can't be happening. Is this really Monk's mind?

[Wolf99x]

And why, Wolf thought as he was still waiting for a response from Myth, Does the Bohemian Rhapsody seem to fit Monk's situation so well?

[MC43]

"Down... Wolf was it? Ah... such a gullible fellow, one to believe in all of Monk's lies. I know... how coud he? He's such a good friend to you, isn't he? Or maybe... you're too good of a friend to him?"

Monk turned around and shouted through his tears, "You leave my friends out of this! Tey have nothing to do with..."

"This? Oh... they have everything to do with this, but not now. No... I'll save them for the end. Right now, I have to show you... yo're real happiest moment." And with a wave of his arms, images started to appar again.

Monk stood alone, fighting back tears, and practicing by himself. After several kicks and jabs to the air, he stopped and dropped to his knees covering his face with his hands. "He did give me a second chance... I can't believe it! This was the secon time I tried out... and the second time I froze! Why am I such a coward!?"

"I can change that..." a vdeep voice came from no where. Monk looked everywhere for the voice, but could not find an owner to it. "Come with me... and all your fears will simply, disappear."

"Dis...disappear? You mean...?"

"Yes, I can help you...What is your name?"

Monk looked at the ground. "I have no idea. They never reavealed it to me. I guess you could say that I have no name."

"Then I... as your new found father.. shall give you one. From now on, you re known as... Myth. A great story that has it's roots, but cannot be proven true. That is the same as you... is it not?"

"Yes..." He stood up, "What my I call you...?"

"For now... you may call me father... but everyone knows me... as Mastermind."


Mastermind!? My father!? No!! Monk thought in his head.

"But it is true. Where these Monks left you, Mastermind came and took you, protected you uner his wing." Myth fiishde his thought for him.

"Impossible!!"


But as the words were finished, there was Monk, now with a backpack on , heading out the door, all the kids pointin and laughing at him as he went out. He turned to them, shouting, "You'll see. You will all see! I will be the greatest Monk ever! I will help millions of people, and be known throughout the world!"

"Yeah... for being the biggest clutz."

"You couldn't help yourself, much less someone else."

"Yeah, get out of here before you hurt something!"

As the laughter continued, Monk choked back a tear and went along his way. Off to his future, of to be... Myth.


Monk shook his head. "These lies will not work!"

"LIES!? I have shown you the truth to your life, and this is how you thank me!? By saying that everything s a lie!?" After takng a breath, he grinned and settled down. "I guess I ave no truth, but to show you how your life went... after that..."

I don't want to know... make it stop! Please!! Monk dropped to his knees and grabbed his head. "Lies... Make it stop! Not true!"

This is all a lie... I... I'm a lie...

[Wolf99x]

Wolf now considered what he knew.

1. Monk had no real name. Sucks to be him...real bad...I don't think I could manage living without a real name.
2. Monk had flunked out of whatever school he had been learning martial arts from. Again...bad...
3. Mastermind had done what he had done with all other disenfranchised people...seduced them into dreams of grandeur...made good on the promises to achieve their dreams...and then brainwashed them into killing machines. Absolutely wrong...and in this case...Monk's worst nightmare

But Wolf knew one other thing. Monk had broken Mastermind's chains on his freedom. Monk had escaped. Now this 'Myth', Monk's evil half, was trying to bring him back in...by calling him a lie, and a fake. No fake could escape Mastermind's clutches... Wolf realized.

"Bullshit." Wolf said. Myth looked at him, so did Monk

"Myth, Monk is not the fake. You are. You are the product of Mastermind's evil intentions to use Monk to do his killing. You are the product of a system of lies and fakery devised by Mastermind in order to make Monk a great fighter...and then a killer in Mastermind's employ. Unfortunately, this proved to be an error, because Monk fought the system and won. I know this...I helped him escape it. The Monk that Jade and I know right now, who is kneeling there, is real. He is the product of an amalgamation of three people, the expelled student, the killing machine, and the freed man who now fights to destroy the one that stole his life. You however, are not part of him any longer, and now you're trying to take back what you think is yours. Well, it isn't happening. Monk has rejected your existence, and now you try to shatter his spirt, try to do what you did to him before? Hell no!"

Wolf, now leveling his Uzi at Myth's head, walked in front of Monk. "I will not allow you to mess with him again. Nobody deserves to be a mindless drone to Mastermind, and nobody certainly deserves it twice. So get the fuck out of Monk's head...and don't...fucking...come...back."

Wolf bent his head towards Monk, but kept his eyes on Myth. "Monk...listen to me." he whispered to his friend "You and I both know only you can defeat him. He is the fake...hell, his name practically means fake. Unless you want to go back to being a slave to Mastermind, you have to realize that you have a valid existence...and he does not. Besides which, if you don't kick his ass...he'll probably kill me, seeing as how he doesn't look too happy because of my little editorial."

I hope I know what I'm doing. And I hope Monk realizes the truth in what I said...since only he can eliminate something in his mind. Wolf thought as he kept the gun level. If he cannot stop Myth now, then I fear we are all in danger.

[Zephie]

A click echoes in the room, and is followed by footsteps as Wraith stands beside Wolf and also aims his pistol at Myth's head. "I don't know much about what's going on here, or about you and Monk or anything else I'm hearing...but I think you'd better do what the man says."

[batgirl]

OOC: Corny mode set to on.

BIC: A third click was heard. Jade had leveled her rifle at Myth's head. "I second that. No one is taking Monk away from us without a fight, and you'll find that we're harder to take down than you think. I suggest that you leave right now or you'll find yourself in a load of shit." Come on Monk, snap out of it.

[MC43]

OOC: Hope you guys don't mind readin' long posts.. I have a feelin' a bunch more are comin' up for me.

Myth looked down the barrels of the three guns leveled at him. "Are you kidding me!? I have shown Monk what he wants t know! He wanted to know his past, and I have done just that! No!! I have given him more!! And now you all treat me like this!? Mastermind... made... Monk!! He made us!! He gave us this power! Do you know that!? And now... this!? You level your guns at me... threatening to kill me!?" He was breathing heavy as h continued, "Do you want the truth!? Do you Monk!?" He was now shouting between the line in front of him, "This... is the real you!!" He pointed to the side once more.


Monk appeared again, but this time, he was in some strange suit, the one that Myth was in right now. In front of him was a machine, one that looked human, but obviously wasn't. Mon got into a fighting stance in front of it and went in for the kill, but the machine was too fast, and beat Monk to within an inch of life.

"Stop the program!" A voice called out.

Monk looked towards the wall, "I'm sorry! Please..."

"Again!!"

"Sir... I have done this several times, but I have never succeeded..."

"AGAIN!!" and the robot made it's move, and begun to beat Monk again. Monk cried out in pain and started to cry as the bot continued to hit him. "Stop it... It's pointless..." The bot backed up and stood away from Monk, now bleeding from many places. "Get up! Go to your room and rest for tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow? What's tomorrow...?"

"The same exercise! Until you can finally defeat it."

"I can't... It's too hard!"

"Then you will fail... and will be booted again, then where will you go!?"

Monk staggered up, "Yes sir..." And the image faded away.

This scene was repeated several times, and it looked like Monk was never getting any better. Time after time, he would be beaten and embarrassed in front of the trio. It was after several visions that he finally succeeded in his task.

Monk jumped in the air and kicked the head of the bot clear off. "Stop program!" The voice called out. "Good... I am very impressed."

Monk bowed before a window that had just appeared in front of him. "I thank you for giving me the chance."

"No... you are not yet done."

"Excuse me? I have completed my training. What else is there to do?"

"Guns... you must learn how to yield a weapon."

Monk had a look of surprise on his face. "What!? I didn't not sign up for that!"

"Neither did we... but trust me... You'll like it..." The bot somehow stood up again and stuck out its index finger, a needle shooting out of it. It rose up its arm and jabbed it right into Monk's head. He grabbed the bot and tossed it, but not before the bot had succeeded in its mission. He had got the bug in, just in time. Monk paused for a second, then looked up at the window. "When do I start?"

There was a momentary pause, until a pistol was dropped from the ceiling, and landed right in front of Monk's feet. "Right now..."

And several shots could be heard, before another scream from Monk, and then blackness once more.


"Do you see now!? We gave him those fighting abilities!! Those Monks back at the monastery are weak and feeble compared to him!! If he took that test today, then the 'Master,'" He even made the air quotes with his hands, "...would be lying on the ground, dead! And it wouldn't be because of them, it was because of Mastermind!! I have shown you the truth... as Monk has asked many times!! And how do you repay me!? By threatening my life!?" He grinned as he relaxed back into position, "Or... did you just risk your own, just for this... fake..." He looked to the air for more words, "This... lie..."

This... lie...? No. I am not a lie. Wolf is right, I am better than this, but I did not attain it this way! Oh God... What am I!?

Myth reached to his sides and pulled out his two pistols and leveled them at Jade and Wolf's heads. "I know you can hear me. They make one move... and they shall be killed. You wouldn't want that... would you?" He asked, like he was talking to a child.

Monk was silent for a moment, but he eventually stood up. "You leave me friends out of this... This is between you... and me." He pushed through the line and in front of Myth.

"Heh... I knew you wouldn't let your friends down. Good... then we shall resolve this..." He put his guns away and turned around, pointing towards the hallway. "You see the three doors, don't you? The one to the right is his memory. You may find what you need in there, and if you so dare, you get to watch me and Monk. The one to the right is Monk's inner deep and dark secrets. The funny thing is, it's locked, and he is the only one allowed to open the door, not even I can open it. The center door..." He paused just to add to the suspense, "Is my room..."

He turned to the group again, "And I have to thank you. My, have you furnished it for me. It is more commonly known as his room of fears, and since I am his number one fear, I have lived there all this time. It was lonely before, but after he all met you, you have given me glorious things. That is where Monk and I shall be. That is... if he can fight his own fear. Who knows what's behind there..." He grinned. "I shall be waiting, oh... and if you want, the door is now open, you may leave if you wish." A click was sounded, as Myth started towards the hallway. "You coming?"

Monk took a deep breath and took a few steps towards the door...

[Zephie]

Wraith lowers his gun very slowly from the point after where Myth threatened Wolf and Jade on, and finally has it down at his side. He glances between first Jade, then Wolf, wondering what they'll choose to do.

(( So lemme see if I got this right...Myth just offered for us to check out Monk's memories, and he and Monk are gonna go into his room of fears, but we could also leave if we like? Not that we would, anyway... ))

[Squishy Cheeks]

Coyote was looking at his watchless arm like he had a watch. "They are late, and you gentlemen are on time. I always liked punctuality."

"What is it, exactly, you want Mr. Coyote?"

"Harsher punishments for parole violators, and world peace. What do you want?"

"We are not here to play games, virus."

"Oh but you are. And how well you play will result in whether or not you walk out of here with your bits intact. You came into the Coyote's den, AI. Here I rule, here I am God.

"What is it you want Mr. Coyote?"

Coyote smiled.

[Andy]

"Alright, 2 5, outstanding." Andy deactivated his com.

"Excellent. Gear up. Apparently the signal is coming from somewhere just east of us. Let's Blaze."

The team of soldiers and one stuck-up businessman made their way to the position on the map, to a suburb called Chiswick. This suburb, once thriving, had seen better days. The buildings were shoddy and run-down, various mills and plants lay abandoned. No houselights shone. The team followed the signal to a big, old fashioned mill. After waiting to see if anything happened, which it didnt, one of Andy's guys took point and the rest scattered to make a methodical search of the building.

"Ey Jade, Im in the warehouse. Exactly what do we do to this control box if we find it?"

The team slowly crept along, guns aimed in all directions.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Jade is a bit tied up at the moment." A voice said over the loud speakers. It was the Coyote. "Sorry Mario, but your princess is in another castle."

[Wolf99x]

OOC: Long posts are fun.

Wolf hesitated, then holstered the Uzi. He then discreetly tapped a few commands on his PDAP, and a combat knife filled his empty ankle holster

If I need it...

"As far as I'm concerned, I already know what makes Myth tick. I don't feel like delving into the brain of a madman." Wolf whispered to Jade. "I say we check out the memory door, and let Monk fight his own madness personally."

Jade was about to debate it, but Wolf held up his hand. "No, he must do this alone. If Myth really is a manifestation of the evil that Mastermind inserted into Monk...then only Monk can defeat him. Besides, from the memory room, we can observe how the fight is going...and we may find Mastermind's fatal weakness."

Wolf began to walk towards the memory door...unsure if anyone would follow him. He turned to Monk "Good luck. Kick his ass."

***

Beowulf drove a combat knife into a guard's neck, silently bringing hm down.

"Data relay 223 secure. Moving to..." Beowulf paused in his report to J2. His search program had just caught something interesting coming through Mastermind's high security channels. The search engine had 2 hits.

One of the results was a location on Coyote's first clue. A computer terminal in a nondescript building that contained a solitary game...Super Coyote Bros.

Hmm...that was rather easy to find...wonder what the second hit is

Beowulf activated the second hit. It was a deployment order for the AIs Wolf had called "Agents". Apparently, the agents Thompson and Johnson had been sent...

To negotiate with Coyote? Damn it! Beowulf tried to access the coordinate data, but the encryption was too heavy.
The second deployement order was for the Agents called Smith and Jackson. They had been ordered to find Jason MacKenzie and Monk and bring them both in...

Oh no...Dead or Alive...but preferably dead... Beowulf knew the mission to the data building was compromised big time.

"Beowulf, come in!" J2 shouted into the AI's radio
Beowulf snapped out of his thought process. "J2, we've got problems. The team in the data building is in jeopardy. I want you to take this data, send it to all available team members in that building. Also, get to work on decrypting the coordinate data and IP adress for Thompson and Johnson's deployment to Coyote's mansion. Mastermind is trying to seize the Doomsday device for himself!"

Beowulf sent the data to J2. I hope we're not too late "As soon as you finish that, we need to double time it to the objective. Hopefully the bomb will crash the Agent programs as well."

[batgirl]

OOC: Oh someone thinks he can order the GM around, oh you naughty boy you.

BIC: Why is everyone trying to do my job around here? But Jade knew that she needed to go behind the memory door to decode the security measures and hack into the memories. She follows Wolf in, but stops him right in front of the door. "Watch," she downloads a can with a spray top and srays the content over the floor. Red laser lights appear in a tangled web all down the corridor. "Motion sensors, any slight movement or touch will set them off. You drop a hair on these babies and the whole world will know. Just a second." She hooked up her PDA to a terminal in the wall. Quickly going over the code, she deleted a few lines here and there and hacked through the security. The lasers dissappearred. "There we, what would you do without me?" She smiled as she walked past Wolf and down the corridor.

***
J2 had been sent the data and was looking it over in one eye while beating on a guard. "Shit, shit and...oh shit! This is not good." She called Beowolf. "The code is not a problem, I'll get that done, but something is blocking my transmission to the others. It seems like we've been cut off. They can take care of themselves though, we have to focus on this mission."

[MC43]

OOC: No... you shmuck... bad virus!

Monk nodded at the Wolf's command. "Yes sir... Not to worry. I'll do my best." Monk walked over to the door that Myth was now standing in front of.

"It looks like you're friends have decided to watch... isn't that nice of them?" He asked mockingly.

"Let's just get this over with..." Monk opened the door leading into his fears. After him walking in, Myth followed, then closed the door behind him. After the door was closed Monk looked around his surroundings. The room was not as furnished as Myth had said, in fact, quite the opposite. There was nothing in the room except bright white. White walls, floor, celing... even the door was hidden within the walls. Monk turned to his foe and glared at him. "All right you... I vote we finish this..."

"Finish this? Ha! This battle is only the start, but before that... why not have some... pre-game entertainment, hm?"

"Pre-game? What, are you afraid to take me on?"

"You!? HA! I have told you before, you are nothing, if not me, and I mean what I said, but first... let's see what you are really afraid of..."

Monk looked at myth with question, "What I am truely afraid of?"

"Yes... you didn't expect to be a killer, without killing anyone, were you?" A few people started to appear around Monk, forming a small semi-circle around him. "Ah... but you didn't stop there... no... women... children... the old... the young... anyone who stood in your way..." As he described the people, more and more masses of people surrounded him. He began to shake as the people seemed to multiply at an extreme rate. Hundreds, no, thousands of people could now be seen, but the mass continued to grow.

"Who are these people!? Why are they in my head?" He looked directly into Myth's eyes.

"These... people? You mean fodder, don't you? That's what you used to call them."

"Fodder!? A life is never something to go to waste!"

"You're right, but it was their choice to make their lives a waste, wasn't it?"

"I didn't say that!!"

"You have..."

"Never! Never once did I say that!" Monk pointed his finger over towards Myth.

"Never...? All the time it was said, after every life to stole, you would make sure you would say that... 'A life is never something to go to waste, but a life could be a waste, and that was why I was born.' You said that..."

Monk began to shake in his place as his balled his hands into fists, "You shut up! Now I know you are lying! I value all souls!"

"A good soul is a dead one..."

"All have good souls!"

"You didn't... did you? Look around you! Look at the masses of people you have taken! All have good souls!? Where is yours!?"

"Mine is here... this was your handywork!"

Myth couldn't help but smile, "Ah... my poor misguided fool. I had no part in it. I'm not allowed to do anything, it was all your choice."

"No! If I had my choice, you would be gone!"

"I am keeping your sanity intact! If it weren't for me... this mind would have colapsed in on itself years ago! Already the stairs are twisted towards your memories, as your friends have probably already seen. If they aren't careful... they will be lost in your mind... forever..."

Monk took a moment to ponder what Myth had just said to him, all the while, more and more people had been filling the room. My friends? They will get lost... He closed his eyes and concentrated, making sure the path to his memory was clear. He didn't know how long he could hold it, but he tried none the less.



Back in the hallway, the labyrinth that was Monk's mind began to form a straight line to a door on the opposite end.



That was when a small tug came from his shirt. He looked down to see a small girl looking up at him. "Sir... when is daddy getting home?"

Monk tried his best to ignore her. These are images... these are not real! he is trying to warp my mind... I cannot let this happen!

Her voice came through it all, even through closed ears, "When is daddy getting home? When is he... I miss him very much..." Her voice felt like it was piercing his very soul. Her voice, all the voices, strange enough, were echoing through the hallway that the team was in, trying to get to the data they needed. "Where is daddy?"

A woman came from the masses and took the girl's hand, tears in her eyes, "Honey... Daddy isn't coming back."

The girl looked at her mother, then back at Monk, "How could you?"

"I didn't..." Monk fought back tears.

"You did..." Myth came in.

"Why?" The girl asked.

"How could you?" A young boy asked.

"Please... no!" A man's voice sounded.

"I have a family..." Another man cried out.

"No! Please! Don't hurt me... I beg you!" A woman called out.

"I didn't do it..." Monk yelled out.

The girl came back one more time, "Why?"

Monk couldn't take it anymore, and screamed, grabbing his head and dropping to his knees and let the tears roll down his face. The pain was becoming too much. The entire building began to shake, the hallway deforming again. The hallway, began to twist and turn every which way until more hallways shot out from the original.

I... can't hold it... anymore... I hope they get there... in time...

[Squishy Cheeks]

ooc: Clowns?... no Spiders, yeah spiders?.... no wait, the number 13?... um hieghts? Carnie folk that smell like cabage?

[Wolf99x]

OOC: It was not my intent ot order the GM around...sorry if it seemed like that. I know not to mess with GMs.

BIC: Wolf shrugged as Jade walked passed him and through the door.

All right, admittedly I didn't have any clue about the lasers...I guess i still need to sharpen my infiltration skills. Wolf thought as he followed Jade into Monk's memories.

The place was dark, and also jumbled, like some kind of complex hedge maze.
I guess the repressed memories are really wreaking havoc on his mind. Wolf thought.

"All right, Jade, what are we looking for exactly?" Wolf asked.

[Zephie]

Wraith looks down one hallway, then another, wandering off a bit but never leaving their sight. "Was it this way?"

He points. "Or was it that way?"

He points again to another hall. "Or was the door over here?"

With his arms crossed in front of him, pointing in two opposite directions, he asks, "...Buh?"

[batgirl]

"Stupid Monk, if he was here, he could lead us to them. I'd rather not split up so Wraith, run through the walls and find us a way out of here, preferrably to the brainwaves."

OOC: Heh, I can just imagine Zephie turning ghost and running into a wall without being able to pass through.

[Zephie]

OOC: x)

***

Wraith dips his torso low and starts jogging forward, turning ghost mid-run and smacking right into the wall. He steps back and returns to normal form, shaking his head. "Guess not..."

(( 'Course, if you actually wanted that to work, I can edit later. ))

[batgirl]

OOC: Oh man Zeph, you made my day.

BIC: Jade smiled absently and surpressed a laugh. "Guess that's not gonna work. Ok, let's try this."She uploaded a map generator on her pda. "Were just gonna have to pick a direction and go. I'll draw out the map while we walk so that if we get to a dead ens, we can retrace our steps without getting lost."

[Wolf99x]

Wolf cringed slightly as Wraith crashed into the wall.

I wonder why that failed? Maybe he's not thinking it through enough...
Wolf decided to call on a Zen belief that he had picked up from Monk months ago

"Do not try to run through the wall...that's impossible" Wolf said to Wraith. "Instead, try to realize the truth. There is no wall."

Any response Wraith would've made was rendered redundant by Jade announcing her plan. Wolf though the map would help, but only if Monk could hold on for a little longer.

"All right, sounds like a good plan." Wolf said "I suggest uploading the map to my PDAP. This way, we can split up, and still know where we all are. I think if one of us reaches the brainwaves, then Monk will be able to let us out on his own. With us all taking separate routes, then we increase the chances of getting out of this Pac-Man maze from hell."

[batgirl]

"Ok sounds good," Jade uploaded the maps to Wraith and Wolf. "Alright, I'm going left, contact me if you find the exit. Our locations are the litle flashing dots on the screen. And be careful, who knows what that psycho Myth has in store for us."

[MC43]

OOC: Uh... guys? You do know that I am trying to get things straight for you...? Yes it's collapsing, but the door is there. Read my previous post...

IF YOU DARE! [/dundundun]

[Wolf99x]

OOC: You don't have to say "[/dundundun]", it's implied.

BIC: Wolf checked the map. "I'll go straight, that leaves you to take the right branch, Wraith. If you see the anything that may be the brainwaves, call it into Jade, she'll know. And remember," Wofl said as he drew his uzi and cocked it "Stay alert. Jade is absolutely right that Myth could throw anything our way, but hopefully Monk may be able to straighten this out."

Or else we're pretty much screwed Wolf thought as he took off down the center path, PDAP in one hand, uzi in the other. carefult to look for false walls, and any other signs that the maze might suddenly change shape.

[Zephie]

Wraith does the same, walking briskly through his hallway and constantly updating his map. A few minutes in he gets tired of updating manually and attaches a small, simple sensor to an input jack, then writes a quick program to scan the walls and automatically map them on his padd. He holds it out ahead of him thus, padd in one hand and pistol in the other.

[MC43]

"Psst... Wraith, was it?" A voice whispered from behind a wall. The voice sounded very familiar. "I'll show you the way... follow me." A hand came from behind the wall and motioned him him towards the wall. "This way! Hurry! We don't have much time."


"Jade..." She looked around, and noticed that the voice came from the left path. "It's this way... follow my voice. I'll show you the way..." It too sounded familiar.


"What are you doin' Wolf?" He tried to identify the position of the voice, but to no avail. "C'mon... I'll show you the way to go... you're very close." A body appeared in front of him, wearing purple. It was Monk! "C'mon! Dear friend..." He turned around and ran away from Wolf.



Monk tried to keep his sanity. Keeping his knees on the floor, but tilting his head up to loot at Myth, just standing there... laughing. Monk grabbed his head again, "Shut up!"

"Why?" He said through the laughs, "I find this so amusing! In a matter of minutes, this entire place will come down."

"No... this is just a storage facility..."

"You are right." Myth became serious again, putting his hands behind his back and pacing around him. "This is just for storage, but there had to be some sort of... defense..."

"Defense? I don't get it..." Monk did not make eye contact.

"Ah... you wouldn't... fists for brains." He chuckled a little at his joke. He looked back down at Monk and saw he was still keeping his eyes towards the ground. "You didn't find that funny?"

"No..." Monk shook in his place. He wanted to get up, desperately wanted to get up and fight this... thing, but something in him wouldn't let him.

Myth sighed, "You have no sense of humor... do you?" He looked away from him, and continued his circle, "Yes, Mastermind needed to make sure that this place couldn't be broken into, or if it was, something to defend against it."

"Is that where you come in?"

"Ah... very good my dear Monk! You catch on quick don't you?" Monk didn't respond. "Yes, well... remember that needle in the head?" He paused, but still got no answer. He knelt right down in front of Monk, and tilted his head up whispering, "That was me..." He smiled, then started to laugh. "That was the connection to the outside world! HA! As long as I am still in your head, there is no escape from me, and if you die... this place goes too. You go insane? Well... let's just hope... that doesn't happen. It would be unfortunate for your friends to stay lost in your mind. FOREVER!" He made sure to emphasize the last word.

It was an awful cliche, but it was fact. If something happened to Monk's mind, this place would be destoryed. Myth was in fact, hoping for that. While playing with Monk's mind, he was hopping to get him to finally snap, and therefore destroy the place himself. "No... I will not let that... happen." He brought his legs underneath him and crossed them, sitting on top of the new fashoned seat. He focused all his energy to his mind, hoping to clear up the walls and barriers that were stopping his friends from reaching their goals. However, the voices started to talk again and Monk was losing concentration.

"When is Daddy getting home?"

"Please! No!"

"Get away from me you monster!"

"How could you?"

"I didn't..." Monk shook his head.

"Why?"

"I have a family! I have a wife! Please! Spare me!"


The voices echoed in the labyrinth that the trio was in. Monk looked towards Wolf, "Please... I don't know how much longer I can hold this shape. Hell, I don't know how long I can keep my brain intact! Hurry!" He turned, and continued on his way.

The other two got the same message.

[Wolf99x]

Wolf ran after Monk, following his friend to what he hoped would be their ticket out of here. Wolf could see his friend's mind was losing the battle against Myth. A hole opened up in the floor, and Wolf barely managed to leap over it.

We have to find those brainwaves...or we get trapped forever. Hang in there Monk...you have to beat this.

Wolf saw Monk was leading him towards a white door, but the passageway was starting to collapse. Wolf also noticed Jade and Wraith running for the door as well. Wolf ran faster, rolling to one side as a wall came crashing down. He reached the door, pulled it open...

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Any idea how long till our late party geusts arive?" Coyote asked a nerdy looking copy.

"No clue, Where are mastermind's guests."

"Oh I led them into the labyrinth, You wanna bet that they'll be lost permanetly?"

"Nah, They are AIs they'll figure out the room's moves eventually."

"True but they are mastermind's AIs."

"Good point."

[Zephie]

"Psst...Wraith, was it?" A voice whispers from behind a wall. The voice sounds very familiar. "I'll show you the way...follow me."

A hand comes from behind the wall and motiones him towards the wall. "This way! Hurry! We don't have much time."

Wraith watches Monk emerge and stand before him, then stares back at him and raises his commlink slowly to his mouth. "Jade...Wolf...are you seeing Monk in front of you right now?"

He looks over him again and adds, "'Cause he's standing in front of me, telling me to follow him.

...Guys? Guys?"

Suddenly voices echo through the hallways and Monk looks towards him. "Please...I don't know how much longer I can hold this shape. Hell, I don't know how long I can keep my brain intact! Hurry!"

He turns and continues on his way, leaving Wraith standing with his commlink raised still. "Guys? Guys?"

Then he pockets his transmitter and rushes after Monk. "Aw, hell!"

[batgirl]

"Shit..." Jade cursed as she barely managed to dodge a falling slab of wall. The labrynth was slowly crumbling before her, adn the only thing she had going for her was a hologram of Monk leading her to who knows where. A piece of wall hit her in the shoulder, but she continued on, knowing that if she stopped, it would be the end of her and the mission.

[Zephie]

(( *takes a risk, for $200* (sorry, got a Jeopardy-thingy in my head from FF Omake thread...) ))

Wraith leaps over a small opening in the floor and takes three more steps, then watches as a whole section of wall and ceiling caves in, dropping lots of stone directly into his path.

'Aw, snap,' He thinks to himself, deciding simultaneously to risk his ghost form. He takes a flying leap and transforms in mid-air, and miraculously passes through all the debris and lands softly on the other side, still running full speed ahead. He nears Jade on her right and sees Wolf reach the door ahead of them, but the floor suddenly gives way under Jade and she starts to fall through the fissure...but Wraith snatches her under her arms and leaps, carrying her across the gap to the other side. He sets her down on her feet and lets go while still trying to regain his own balance to run again.

[Wolf99x]

Wolf took one look into the room, then looked back. He saw Wraith helping Jade over the gap, and now they were both running for the door as well.

He turned towards the holographic form of Monk, which was starting to fade out. "Listen, you have to hold on for a few more seconds! I have no clue what the brainwaves look like. Jade has to make it through, and I'd hate to lose the rookie."

Wolf held the door open, urging his comrades onward.

[batgirl]

Wraith had saved Jade, but thank you's were not needed then. She continued to run until she met up with Wolf. Out of breath she said, "did you find them? We have to do this quick, Monk's mental capacities are being stretched to their limits. If this keeps up, he'll be a vegetable." She spotted the hologram of Monk on the floor and she went up to it. "You have to hang on. Remember I said I'm not leaving anyone behind? This includes you. I won't leave you here to cave in under your own memories. So help us find the brainwaves so we can all go home ok?"

[MC43]

Monk looked up, with obvious pain on his face, the hair coming over his eyes, the bandana slipping down. "I'm... trying... it... hurts! Oh God... does it hurt!" He slowly got to his feet and continued running, "We're... almost there..."



Myth knelt down in front of Monk again, "You're losing it... I can tell from the look on your face. Soon, it will all fall apart, and everything will be lost."

"I will keep it... intact..." Monk shook violently.

"You can't! You can't do anything! You are a failure! You started out as one, and you will continue to be one for the rest of your life. All several minutes of it. You are a failure... and a liar! A fake!"

"I will keep it... intact..."

"You say that now, but all you want to do is break down and cry... I know you. Failure!"

"Fake!"

"Liar!"

The people around him were now taunting him. "I will... keep it... intact..." It was getting harder to say it.

"Fine. Keep it that way. I mean... it's not like they will get there anyway, no one is there guiding them, is there?"


"You have to hang on. Remember I said I'm not leaving anyone behind? This includes you. I won't leave you here to cave in under your own memories. So help us find the brainwaves so we can all go home ok?" Jade echoed in his mind.


Jade... I'm trying... it's so... hard! Wait... why can I... hear you?

"No... we have nothing to worry about. I mean, it's not like you have made a hologram of yourself to guide you friends to the room." Myth shrugged.

Monk looked up slowly, "What? What are you talking about?"

"Exactly. You were wondering how you just heard Jade, weren't you?" Monk gasped at the words, "Yes... well, you are there, in spirit anyway. If that's what you want to call it!" Myth started to laugh maniacally. "Spirit! Another fake belief that you worship so much. You are such a fake and a liar..."

"I will... keep it... intact..."



The hologram stood next to the door that Wolf was holding open. "Yes... this is the one you want. Hurry, if you don't act soon, I'll... ah!!" As he fell to his knees and the place shook again. The floor was giving way, so the team was forced into the room. After the team stumbled in, they found themselves in a hallway, a long hallway, that seemed to go on into the distence forever, with doors all along the hallway. They could hear screams coming from the inside of all the rooms. Monk managed to sneak up behind the group. "Careful, if I can recall correctly, this is the training ground where I stu..." He paused then hung his head, "I meant had the information forced upon me. Who knows what's up ahead, c'mon!" He charged through the group heading for the end.

It wasn't a second after that the door behind them closed, locked and soldiers all came out of the doors, guns blazing in hand. "Intruders! Get them!" a loud speaker boomed in the hallway. "Don't let them escape!"

[Wolf99x]

"SHIT!!! Scatter and take 'em out!" Wolf shouted as he brought his uzi up, mowwing down soldiers. He dove behind A supply cabinet, bullets splintering wood and ricocheting off metal.

Ed pulled out his PDAP and activated the radio. "Jade, find the brainwaves and get to them...I'll cover for you."

Then he called Wraith. "Wraith, we need to cover Jade while she finds the brainwaves, do your ghost thing and confuse the hell out of them."

Wolf drew his 45s and started firing from behind cover. Some of his magsafe bullets weren't getting throught the enemy armor, so he slowed down and started aiming for headshots. Guards starting to fall one by one, but they just kept coming.

Who the hell sent these guys? And is this even really possible, or just another repressed memory? Wolf thought as he dropped back behind the cabinet to reload. He looked for Monk, but his friend was nowhere to be seen.
And maybe the strain has become too much for him...

[batgirl]

OOC: I thought hallways don't have tables and file drawers, but I'll go with it.

BIC: Jade dove behind a table and upturned it so she could get some cover. Wolf had laid down cover fire so she wouldn't be turned into a smoldering pile of ash, so she ran out and while firing her rifle, made her way down the hallway. Taking cover behind another desk, she opened her comm. "I have no idea what door to go into! I'm guessing it's the last one, but we only have one chance at this before the whole place comes down..." Jade thought to herself Well you wanted to be leader, so make a decision dammit "I'm going for the last door. Everyone hold your fire and cover your ears." Jade tapped a few keys, and a sonic grenade appeared in her hand. Pulling the pin, she launched it over towards the guards and covered her ears as the sonic boom rang out and incapacitated the guards. Jade took a look around the desk and ran out towards the door. "Let's go!"

----------

Meanwhile J2 (OOC: forgot about them) and Beowolf had managed to create a small mountain of guard carcasses, but were getting nowhere fast. "Beowolf, we can't keep fighting forever, we have a mission to complete. If you have any aces up your sleeve in the form of heavy artillary, now would be a really good time."

[Zephie]

"Gotcha," Comes his reply to Wolf. Wraith steps out from behind cover and stares down their assaulters, a hail of bullets coming down on him. He goes into ghost form and stands still as bullets poof through him harmlessy, confusing most of the soldiers.

Then he walks forward, increasing his speed as he gets closer to one man in particular. He fires relentlessly, getting increasingly frightened as the bullets only go through him. Suddenly his magazine runs out and he looks down long enough for Wraith to take cover in front of him and jam a knife into his throat. He then takes his gun and uses his body as a human shield while moving closer to a cabinet further ahead, firing full away with his reloaded submachine gun.

Then Jade orders them to cover their ears. He drops the man as he gets behind the cabinet and covers his ears as told, then jumps when the boom sounds, hearing it through his hands. After it's over he leans out from behind cover and looks at all the silenced men, and when Jade moves out, he flanks her.

[Wolf99x]

Wolf paused to reload his guns, and then headed in through the door one he was positive all the enemies were out of action.



***

Beowulf executed another guard, then looked up. "Very well, let's see what I've got."

The lupine AI reached his hands up, and produced a Chaingun (like the one Neo uses in the Matrix) seemingly out of thin air. "Lead the way, and I'll clear it."

To prove his point, he unleashed a barrage of bullets at an oncoming enemy platoon. Their corpses flew through the air.