The Three Demons

[Dome]

"Well if we are going to tell them, and they are going to know anyway, I say its time to go jewelery shopping," he says with an arm around her. "So lets get a cab and find us a jewelery store."

[albatross]

The teenager bristles as Tiger and Kris' reasonable assertions and stalkes out of the hotel room in a huff. He disappears into darkness as he leaves. Tiger shrugs, "Just because the kid is smart doesn't mean he has any sense." She rolls her eyes, "Probably would not have gotten along with a brat like that anyway. Looks like we are going to Montana, unless Dante and Strongbow have picked up any leads."

[dakota]

Khris followed Shade's departure with his powers. " I dunno, probably what I was like after I was on my own. And look how I turned out." He grinned widely.

[albatross]

"Hopefully nobody gave you three million dollars." Tiger says wryly. "Our budget is ten million for this mission. Three pilots at a million each is three million, but with the bonus for passing the trials they can get another million. Thats six million dollars spent on kids who have no idea what to do with a hundred grand. It also leaves four million in our operating budget. I bet SCRET has at least a billion dollar operating budget. They probably will waste most of it, but even they aren't breaking the bank for these kids. They just have a different perspective on how high is too high."

[Dome]

After a few seconds of silence Dante says, "have you thought about what kind of ring you want Bel?"

[albatross]

Bel looks embarrassed, "I haven't really thought about it. A nice one? Nothing big or gaudy, something more simple and elegant." She blushes.

[dakota]

"No, afraid I had to earn my millions." Khris grinned with a wink. " One bullet at a time, but I was a year or two older. Let SCRET flash around their cash, we offer them a little more. you know as well as I do none of the other groups will put half as much effort into preparing them for this as we will." He wasn't clear whether he meant Omega or their team.

[Dome]

"Of course a nice one, you know even if I could afford the biggest prettiest diamond in the world, it would still pale in comparison to your beauty."

He smiles, "we'll have to just settle for something that will bring out the beautiful spark I see when I look at you." Leaning over and kissing her he says, "your pretty when you blush."

[albatross]

Tiger nods, "I'm not including their bonus as an after thought. We will need that money, because I expect them to win."

Once they arrive back at the plane, and Dante and bell arrive, Tiger does not seem particularly surprised that they didn't find any hard info on Shards, though she would undoubtedly be surprised to learn why they didn't find anything.

Peacemaker and Dancer share with Dante their thoughts on mediation while using the tester and they also ask him what Jeckle's winged unicorn is - both of them seem rather awed by the beast.

The nighttime flight to Montana is uneventful. Soon the plane lands at another airfield, and another van is waiting to drive them to their destination. This time Tiger brings the tester with her, telling Jeckle to do what she can without the sample, and she brings Peacemaker, Dancer and everyone else besides Jeckle along this time too. They are headed to a remote country farmhouse.

In the foothills of a mountain range they find themselves on a dirt road. The road leads to a farm. Getting out of the van, they see a large mowed area, with an oval track running at least eight hundred meters around. Inside the oval track are all sorts of curious junk - the front end of a steamroller, a home made climbing wall set at a 45 degree angle so that climbing it chiefly involves hanging upside down. Boulders, wrecked cars....

As they approach the farmhouse a screen door slams and a short, wide shouldered kid runs out to meet them. Kris can sense the kid is mega powerful, much like peacemaker.

"Wahoo! I knew you would come. Are you with the Air Force? NASA? The CIA was already here.... I've been training every day. You're here for division one right?"

"Nope," says Tiger calmly. "Division two. Fourteen year olds aren't allowed in division one."

The kids wrinkles his forehead. "Right. What is division two?"

Tiger stares at the kid. "What are your grades like?"

"All A's" he says with pride.

"Uh-hm," Tiger says. "How many people at your school?"

"I don't.... its a combined school. Ah, about three hundred."

"How many made the honor roll?" Tiger asks.

"It was in the paper... uh... I don't know how many... a lot I think."

"How many friends you got?" Tiger asks.

"Lots! I'm on the football team, hockey, wrestling..."

"Did your friends make the honor roll too?"

"Yeah, why?" the kid asks, bewildered.

"You didn't earn any "As" kid, your teachers are just stupid. How do you know about division two?"

"From those guys who were here earlier - and my parents are deployed right now, they mentioned something about it too."

Tiger holds out a hand and says, "Gimme five." The kid tries and she moves her hand. "Too slow. Try again." This time the kid moves. He like Tiger, like Akane, with an adept quickness that is difficult for most people to understand.

Tiger almost smiles. "Sorry kid. We need smart and quick, not dumb and quick. Lets go."

Peacemaker steps forward. "There are no other candidates on your list." Tiger shrugs. "Time is short," Peacemaker continues insistently. "Let him try the tester. He is quick and strong."

Tiger unslings a big bag holding the tester without a word. She sets it up carefully and allows Rock to try it. It glows. Almost better than the others even. Tiger looks at it suspiciously. She looks around at everyone and then leans in towards Peacemaker. "He is your problem, you got that? The trials are going to test his brains and he doesn't any." She points it Peacemaker. "You tutor him and help him get ready and you and Dancer will have to cover for him in the trials - got it." Peacemaker nods.

"And you," Tiger whirls on Rock. "Obviously you have some talent, but you are about half of what we need. I'll use you because I think you can get these two through the trials but that is it. Long term, I'm going to replace you with someone smarter."

"Here is your contract. Mail it to your parents and lets go."

"Sure," Rock says, "I'll pack..."

"Forget packing," Tiger says. "Mail it and get in the van or we'll leave without you."

When he leaves Tiger winks at Kris. "Reverse psychology. Unfortunately, I think I'm half serious. He really isn't the brightest bulb."

[dakota]

"Neither am I," Khris replied, kissing Tiger's forehead," and look how that turned out. Wait a minute..., he raised a brow suspiciously, then lowered his voice so only Tiger could hear," Peacemaker is my responsibility, so if this Rock kid is hers..., how am I getting stuck with two? One is bad enough, you know how I feel about newbies."

[shiivster]

Once Jeckle is alone again, she calls up Kirin, gives him a hug and with him observing and helping her .. gets to start working on the first Reactor.

'you know kid . . . for all the brains you had growing up and surviving .. they sure aint adding up to any help here. wonder if they'ld notice me hanging? .. maybe i should just pack up and walk now . . no .. i'll do the easy stuff .. leave the hard stuff for them to do. box needs to be assembled about the unit .. so i'll just work on the actuator .. and leave them the reactos and the box'

*she switches the papers out for the actuator and begins work on that instead.

'get Dante to help .. yeah right .. tried that. 'oh i don't know anything about construction' Then he ofers to 'help'. too late then, he made his point of view known before. whatever .. time to build then . . '

[best 2 out of three on Electrical Engineer 71-50% / best two out of 3 on Mechanical Engineer 66-50%]
Rolling "1d100" 3 times - Electrical Engineer [21+5% goal]
1: 93 - nope
2: 18 - pass
3: 13 - pass
Rolling "1d100" 3 times - Mechanical Engineer [16+5% goal]
1: 11 - pass
2: 72 - nope
3: 8 - pass

[albatross]

"Peacemaker is your responsibility." Tiger whispers. "Dancer is Akane's. Rock doesn't get a body guard. He is quick like me and my intel on him includes a picture of him laying down on cement and bench pressing that streamroller end over there. Don't worry - I'll assign someone to curb his stupidity, but I won't waste time protecting him. Besides..." she lowers her voice even further, "He has been recruited a couple of times and they passed. I think I can work with him because he will be a good fit with Peacemaker and Dancer, but I doubt other teams will want him. Just focus on protecting Peacemaker for now."

[dakota]

Khris nodded, " You already know I have more priorities than that, but the girl will be safe in my hands." He smirked," Psychic's are supposed to be smart, right? Maybe Dante should tutor Rock. Hey, wait a minute, let's take the kid back to Europe. He might accept that contract and we end up with a fourth recruit." He started to chuckle at the thought

[albatross]

Tiger laughs, "Maybe we'll send them a postcard to make them feel jealous!"

[albatross]

Soon everyone is back at the plane and flying to the Omega Shield base in Nevada. Tiger gives Dante the same meditation instructions for Rock and says to Jeckle, "Now the real work begins. Hope you are ready to build, research and test."

When the plane lands they are greeted by a very strange woman, who is clearly a mutant animal. She and Tiger bow to each other, and Tiger gives her a hug. No words are spoken.

"This is Roan," Tiger says by way of introduction. "She will be helping us to instruct our candidates. She is a natural telepath, and you aren't ever going to hear her speak out loud - so get used to it." The woman is tall, thin, doe-eyed, with a face very similar to a deer or antelope. She appears to have normal human hands and feet. Her ears are distinctly animal-like as well.

Tiger shows the three candidates to their rooms and lets everyone grab a shower before everyone meets back at the base bar. Tiger serves up drinks, even serving the three candidates.

Then she stops. She is staring at Bel. She raises an eyebrow, clearly having noticed something. "What is that?" Tiger asks.

Bel raises on hand revealing an elegant ring with a one carat diamond. She looks at Dante and beams, "We're engaged!"

Tiger's mouth drops open and she stands there speechless for a moment before she recovers and gives Bel a warm hug. She turns to Dante and says, "Congratulations." Her eyes are shining a little and its clear she is overcome with joy for him and Bel. "You are one lucky man."



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