((open to resistance members, anyone from "Damage Control" and Dem))

Polly, Nails and Fix-you were huddled outside the entrance to Garn's Textiles, a run-down old tailor shop on the outskirts of Crosstown Court. They were smoking cigars and drinking from empty flasks, tucking them into their jackets and hiding their faces. To the outside world, they looked like three down-on-their-luck bums.

"Wonder when Nannis is gettin' here," said Fix-you, distractedly.

Nails kicked him with a steel-toed boot, not in an unfriendly way. "We're waiting on Casey anyway. And Lucky. And that new fellow."

"Clove," remembered Polly blithely. "What a cute name. I wonder if he tastes awful as well."

"Maybe we'd better double-check our scars," said Fix-you, a cryptic phrase that everyone understood. Hands reached into coats and extracted materials - oil, matches, rope, twine, lockpicks. No one person carried two things that would work together. It was their safeguard against capture; who would suspect someone carrying matches and twine would be up to something?

The night was chillier than usual; they bundled together again, hoping that their compatriots would not be too long in coming to their aid.

Nora shuffled like an old maid. Ash was rubbed into her hair and clothes, which, to begin with, were a dark grey. She carried a small sack of soft-wax candles, and wore a coil of magnesium ribbon on a string around her neck- to the casual observer, it was a poor-woman's pendant. But together, they made an excellent timer and fuse. She had worked it out over the past several nights so that she would have to use as little voo as necessary. The galdor in her didn't want to mess with her relationship with the mona. She hobbled up to the group, "Get off the streets, you bums. You're lucky the brigk haven't caught you."

She said her code name with a slight emphasis she knew they would catch. Then she could have kicked herself for using tek on the street. She cast a nervous glance around, hoping no one heard.

"You look tense, Lucky," said Polly, in a disapproving sort of voice; the corners of her mouth twitched into a smile nonetheless. The boys clapped Nora on the back, genuinely pleased to see her, and with subtle, natural-looking movements they shifted around her, blocking her from view.

"We've got it timed perfectly," said Fix-you, sounding slightly insulted. "Won't be another pat for fifteen. An' we're still waitin' on Nannis an' this Clove person."

Nannis didn't so much approach the group as appear beside them. She stood beside Nails wearing a dark pair of pants and a dark loose shirt. A thick dark scarf was wrapped around her neck, hiding her mouth and chin, and over the top of it all she wore a black hooded clock, her eyes shadowed by the pulled up hood.

"Nice night for a drink." She said quietly, nodding to the group. Turning her head to Lucky, she made a bob of acknowledgment.

Demkaih had received the summons just days ago, it was tied neatly under the ducks wing. Not entirely sure of what his role was in this night, he dressed in jodhpurs and a loose black shirt. His black sheathed daggers were tied neatly against his legs so they were less conspicuous and his blue eyes searched as he walked to the designated meeting area. Spotting a group of people huddled together with shifty eyes, he approached cautiously.

"Good evening. I wonder if you know where the cloves are?" He said cryptically, following what had been written on the note. It seemed like such a stupid thing to say, and if they weren't who he thought they were, it would just be nonsense.

"Right here, boyo," said Nails gruffly. He looked Demkaih over while saluting Nannis with his right hand. "You're not from 'round here, then."

"Duhhhhh," said Polly sarcastically. She saluted Demkaih as well. "Pleased to meetcha. Polly, Nails, Fix-you, Nannis. An' oy, evenin', Nanny. How's the back feeling?"

Without leaving time for Nannis to answer, Fix-you cut in. "Enough of the chit-chat," he said quietly. "Here's the plan for those newly involved individuals. Nannis, you an' Nails-" He paused to glare at Nails. "-you lot take the uncles for a night on the town. Me, Lucky 'n' Clove here head for the place. Polly's got the watch."

Nannis listened carefully, looking at Fix-you closely. He was in a foul sort tonight it seemed.

"Sounds like a plan. Ready." She said simply. Reaching out, she touched Nail's arm lightly.

"Ready?"

"Ready when Casey gets here," he responded, sparing her a brief smile.

Demkaih inclined his head as a greeting to the group, moving closer to the man as he spoke. This seemed like it was important. He was thankful the resistance felt he could be useful enough for these sorts of things.

Nora nodded, trying to relax. She realized she was still biting her lip, and made herself stop. She glanced between Fix-you and Clove. She had passing experience with Fix-You, but this Clove was new to her. She gave him a once-over and turned away with a slight blush she hoped was hidden behind the dirt and darkness. There was something about men in tight pants and loose shirts...

When her face had cooled, she looked at him again. He had a trusting and trustworthy appearance. She figured he'd be steady and reliable in this line of work. She'd need steady and reliable to get this done. She was getting worked up over the whole fire issue. She was biting her lip again.

Demkaih noticed the woman looking at him, she seemed to be worried. He knew how that could feel. Stepping closer to her, he inclined his head.

"The little bird steps inside the drakes mouth without fear or concern. I see this does not hold true for yourself. I am Clove." He rested a hand on her shoulder, blue eyes serious.

"Do not have fear, little bird. I will not let the drake catch you." Patting one of the daggers for emphasis, he lowered voice and spoke close to her ear so he didn't seem a fool.

"I sense this is a dangerous night. Do you know what we are here to do exactly? I have not been privileged with this information."

Nora liked his voice- it was deep and warm- and it was relaxing. Even if she didn't know what he was talking about. "Ehrm, Lucky," she responded awkwardly.



She smiled crookedly. She knew he was there as a protector, and seeing that he was serious about it helped ease her anxiety greatly.



"There's this guy," she started, "Birch, is his name. He's been workin'-" she dropped her voice and glanced around to be sure no one was around except their group,"workin' on this spell. Writin' one. Called Particle. Nasty bugger of a spell-- makes your insides outsides, as far as I know. We're going to, uh, impede his progress. Get rid of his records, tools, and whatnot, so he can't keep workin' on it without startin' over. They're gettin' him distracted in a bar while we head out an' visit his place. We're waitin' on that other guy to know when he's out o' the picture."

"Aye," said Polly. "We're just waiting on..."

Right on cue, Mad Casey came jogging up, his straw hair frizzy with anxiety and his coat flapping open. He was out of breath, and looked worried.

"Just saw two aunties up by Lock an' Stock," he gasped, wide-eyed. "They're comin' this way. We got to split. Pronto."

The other cadets looked at each other grimly.

"Right," said Polly. "Casey, you're with the fire team. You know what to do after. Other folks, get going, now. Act quickly and quietly. Wait for Nannis' cue once she's bagged the aunts."

"Right," Nora said with a sharp nod. The team seemed to be reorganizing, so she shuffled over to Casey.

"So," she asked, loud enough for Clove to hear, "what do we 'do after'?"

((Lame short post is lame and short.))

Nannis raised her hand in a quick salute at the others with two fingers. She melted up against the shadows of the buildings and dissapeared up the same direction Casey had come from. It didn't take long to find the two aunties. Light as a feather, the assassin leaped up and climbed one of the shop fronts, creeping along the roof like a cat. When she had come into range of her prey, she slipped down behind them and approached on light, cloth wrapped feet. Quick as a flash she snatched one from behind around the mouth and in the same smooth movement pulled her into the dark and neatly rapped her in the base of her neck with the hilt of her dagger. The woman was out cold in the space of a breath, and moving with the motion of her fall, dropped her into the alley between two houses. The second woman hadn't even noticed, and in the next two heart beats she had joined her partner. They would be out for the rest of the night, but to be sure they wouldn't prattle, Nannis took out a length of rope and hog tied them.

Making her way back to the group, she let out a soft bird whistle and waited for Nails to join her.

Nails was ready with the bottle of whiskey.

"This is the best part," he whispered to her as he doused the two Seventen officers with the liquor. Digging through their pockets, he found the two guard's purses and emptied them. "It'd be more convincing if they weren't women," he said gruffly, "but I suppose the fairer sex ent immune to night-time vices neither. They've got an unpleasant mornin' comin' to 'em."

Night on the town was the oldest trick in the book. Nails admired Nannis' quick hands and strong knots, but discrediting an officer was so much more effective than simply knocking them out without an explanation. He dropped the liquor bottle next to the passed-out Seventen, chuckling. "That was easier than I expected."

Meanwhile, the fire team had begun walking nonchalantly across the square, one at a time. They were experts in making it seem like they were merely late to dinner, drunk and wandering, or taking a brisk nighttime stroll; soon, they had regrouped near the gate where the guards had been. The darkness was almost complete.

Like true professionals, Nannis and Nails were already out of sight.

Fix-you spat on his hands and rubbed them together, then began greasing up the lock on the wrought-iron fence with an oily cloth from his breast pocket.

"Pick? Who had the pick?" he whispered.

((does somebody have the pick? )

Nora looked around. No one seemed to be volunteering the pick. "Um, someone brought it, right?"

Chroven crap, was I supposed to bring it? I don't even have one... maybe they lost it? Oh, stop it, now! Think! How do we get in? She didn't have to think long on her inventory.

Digging under her old-lady getup, she reached her pouch and pulled out a lead-lined and stoppered bottle. It was clearly labeled "Sulfuric Acid." It was used with ilmenite to produce titanium dioxide, which she used for her larger, outdoor glass pieces. It created a self-cleaning effect on the glass. It kept her pieces shiny.

"Here, let me," she said. Leaning in and biting her lip, she carefully unstoppered the bottle and tilted it slowly, so that the liquid ran down the metal and into the lock. It seemed to be holding the liquid well enough. "Get to the side. Scoot over," she waved a hand. "Sulfuric acid reacts really strongly with water, so if I just-" leaning in sideways, and avoiding putting her face in front of the keyhole, she spat at the lock. Moments later there was a flash as the acid ignited. Looking around anxiously for onlookers, she moved in and took a kick at the gate, hoping it had been enough to bust the lock.

As the lock fell useless to the ground, the gate swang open, pushed by the breeze. Fix-you gaped at Nora.

"Lucky," he breathed. "Lucky you had that on you, in any case."

Casey began chuckling; Fix-you shushed him. "C'mon. Quiet now. Stay in the shadows."

The group pushed past the front gate. Luckily, it was a dark, overcast evening; barely a star was visible in the night sky, and Nails had already seen to the two nearest streetlamps. Like oil on black velvet, the dark-clad team slipped past the front walk and made their way around to the side of the small office building.

"Looks like wood an' plaster, not brick," whispered Fix-you. He busied himself pouring oil onto a stack of barrels; though it was dark, the group could hear the telltale glug-glug of liquid spilling out of a flask. "This'll go easier with you, Lucky. Clove, here, take this flask an' pour it out even over the rest. I'm going to go back out front an' make sure no one else is inside. Lucky, no voo until I get back. If I'm not back in five, though, light away."

His voice sounded cheery, but Casey knew him well enough by now to know when he was being serious. This was a small job, but Fix-you seemed to have some sort of personal stake in it.

"I decided a few extras weren't unwarranted," Nora blushed slightly at the comment. She carried a few other handy-dandy items on her as well.



Nora just nodded. It was coming down to the wire. She shook her hands and bounced a little on her toes, as if getting loose for a race. She was fretting over the mona again, and wondered if she should propose a candle-and-magnesium timer, but shook her head a bit, Wind might knock it out. Timing might be off. Don't worry about it. It'll be fine... I hope.

Demkaih raised an eyebrow as Lucky busted the lock. He'd not seen that technique before and it was handy.



It was hard to hide the scowl on his face. This was not honorable, burning down buildings in the darkness. But he couldn't back out. Taking the flask from the man, he tipped it out as instructed, if somewhat brashly.

Fix-you crept around to the front of the building, having discarded his coat, his black-clad form almost invisible in the darkness. His keen eyes peered out across the front lawn of the office building. Seeing no one, he let his gaze drift up over the front of the building, noting a candle left burning in the far right window.

Cursing to himself, he sneaked past the doorway and flattened himself up against the wall. The light plaster was not the best cover, but it would do. Lifing his head ever so slowly, he peered into the window.

What he saw nearly made his head turn.

The corpse of a girl - at least he assumed that was what it was - was splattered in an armchair. And on the wall. And across the carpet. Fix-you's eyes widened as they took in the scene of utter carnage, and a bubbling feeling in his gut caused him to lean over and retch into the bushes. What kind of horrible spell could do something like that? Was the scientist a murderer?

Willing to believe just that, Fix-you hurried back, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and clutching his stomach.

"Wait," he whispered urgently to Nora. "There's a...a body in there. We need to get it out. It's evidence for them to find."

Fix-you returned faster than she had anticipated. "Are we ready?" Nora asked, steeling herself a little bit.



"A... body?" She asked. Had the man killed someone? "O-okay. Sure. Um- I'll just follow you then. Do we need the others?"

"Can you Push?" he asked, feeling sick again but holding it in for the sake of the mission. "I mean, you know. I'd rather not touch it. Come see."

He led Nora around to the front of the building, careful not to get caught in the streaming lamplight from the window, and pointed in at the spattered body.

"Chest cavity's completely empty," he murmured. "Prob'ly a victim of that new spell. Sickening, innit? Cor, we've gotta get that poor chip out of there before we torch it. Let the uncles sort it out. It'd be cherries if the Prof got himself arrested on the same night his work goes up in flames. Serve that bastard right."

He turned to her, face anxious.

"Got anymore o' that magic juice with you? Only the door's probably locked too."

Demkaih looked at Fix-you with a frown. A body, already? He quietly followed the two as they went to look.



The mugrobi man shook his head slowly, disgusted by what he saw. How did this city let this happen? Leaning between Fix-you and Lucky, he spoke quietly.

"If you can get the door open, I shall retrieve the body." His voice was flat and his face emotionless