Direct and to the point!

Later....

Chiana

"You sure this is the way we want to do this?" I ask, glancing at the spot where we are going to go next.

"These are people who wouldn't understand anything less, Chiana." Inquirer sighs, shaking her head at what next will happen. "I'll bet you've met this type before in your adventures through the Uncharted even before meeting Crichton."

....

Yeah, actually I had at that!

Hm, guess that some thing (besides men) are the same all over....

Then again....Sigin is quiet different from your average male. Like that a lot and....!

...

Sigh, cannot believe how sometimes I get when I think about him.... It's not the way I....

Then again, if I had to do it over again I'd do it the very same way... Still, it still takes getting used to, you know.

....

Well, I guess I know what's going to happen next, anyway. Don't have more questions.

But apparently it looks like both Betty and Ragan do. It's a Companion thing. Go figure. Not like I'd been without questions before now with this plan!

The Doctor

"Doctor, I'm not sure about...." Betty begins, looking nervous.

"I understand, dear," I say softly, patting her hand. "Really, but let's think this through, okay?"

It was a miracle indeed that in that last encounter we had come through without injury of ANY type (except for Inquirer . . . and while hideous looking enough they're actually cosmetic and will heal hear real soon), much less WON that unexpected encounter with the Low Men!

While we were more than a bit careful with our blows, the same could not be said for those monsters! I would be rather hard pressed to describe, at the end, what they looked like (their true form) right before they'd burst into flame. Hideous would be the best word to start with, I am sure.

....

If their own human disguise had been better, perhaps I would have hesitated before striking out! However, it was not so I didn't hesitate. Honestly, in retrospect I'm sure that while in passing (and ONLY in passing) these Low Men appear normal to others of this planet , I believe that the rather shoddy disguise was on purpose. That is, it is "creepy", all the better to intimidate and frighten their quarry when they meet.

As it is, it boomeranged on them, as it were. Instead of freezing us in horror, it rather galvanized us into action! Shan't lose sleep over it, let me tell you. Not even Betty and Ragan (who are adverse to violence, somewhat) show remorse at the using phasors set on "kill" (a setting that had to be used when all else didn't seem to phase our opponents).

Not like now, I see in her and Ragan's eyes.

"We're not going to kill or maim anyone," I say softly. "A little bit of . . . pressure, that's all. That part of the warning will be a falsehood. Rathe doubt they'd believe 'Hand over the gray girl or we'll sleep spell you!' my dear! If they call our bluff, delivered by Chiana, over violence etaliation they do understand, then we will resort to retaliation. Just . . . non-violent retaliation. One sleep spell, useful magick that, and then we leave the Four Fathers and drive down to Central Park by the panel truck we . . . . borrowed."

We'll leave a little gold in the glove compartment for the owner's inconvenience.

See, we were short on options, so we had to "borrow", not like taxis were picking up, in that neighborhood. With all the police about, it had been needful to be away just in case some witness saw something we'd not like (like the new magical disguises we'd put on ) and felt like being a good citizen. Not likely, being that they'd run the risk of getting thrown into an insane asylum (I mean . . . . magic? Would not have believed such "drivel" until I learned of the truth about magic being real). Still, we needed to be away. Besides, heavens knows how long we had before something else went wrong. The longer Aeryn-Pip stayed in the custody of the owner of the Four Fathers restaurant, the more likely something unwanted happening. Like perhaps other Low Men tracking down the prey that had alluded them and taking her from these mobsters.

Mind you, I am not adverse to violence. Yes,I am generally very reluctant to kill or seriously injure anyone, but still.... I am not hungry for it, but have thrown more than a fair share of baddies by Venusuain Akido! I find, however, that I do not . . . wince at a thought or two of "roughing up" the mobsters. They'd made things very hard for Eddie Dean and....

Nevermind.

As for the question of why Chiana? Well, by some miracle we'd managed to catch glimpse of Aeryn-Pip throw a window without being seen (that is Chiana managed it . . . then again she's good at that sort of thing). She reported that she'd felt the positive doppleganger reaction. (Heaven help us if she'd instantly hated Aeryn-Pip!) That reaction, above all else, will make it easier for US later when we get Chiana's analog out of the Four Fathers! Will establish some kind of rampart with our elusive girl in gray... Of all of us, Chiana's chances of THAT are the best.

.....

Beats chasing her down and wrestling her to the ground!!

So, we are ready. The elves and Inquirer (who's still rather alarming looking, given the damage that had ripped off the skin on half her face, laying bare the chrome skull beneath) will sneak in ahead and neutralize on certain key floors. Sigin will do the same on others. Betty and Ragan, disguised as potential diners on the town, will sleep spell those within the dining area. That way, any potential "gentlemen" (read muscle) will fail to respond to cries for aid AND any potential witnesses will fail to ask questions. Fail to witness anything, really, beyond whatever dreams may come until they awaken later, tomorrow.

Later, inside in the back....

Chiana

Heh.

Oh frell. I've gone and forgotten what exactly I was gonna say when I got in here.

Not fear, no!

Anger!

They have no bloody RIGHT doing that to my sister!!

1. Stripped and helpless, in chains....

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