Dad sighs.  Heavily.

"Well.  She could be.  But I'm afraid all MCD agents act like that.  So if she is a plant, she's done her homework.

"I can call some people and verify her ID.  But I gotta do that in real time.  And it will take time.  Specially since most of 'em will be at home or out with their family.

"Though I am wondering what MCD is doing here.  And why.  If they knew there were bombs..."

He shrugs.

"Then again.  MCD does dumb stuff sometimes."

I then proceed over to Pibbnoculars. At the kendo tournament, there was a guy like this, spying from a car. I open his car door and tap him on the shoulder.

"My name is Seraphina Martel. There is an active bomb threat and you are spying on the proceedings, which is very suspicious. Can you explain yourself?"

Pibbnocular.  I may have to steal that one from you.

He is raising the last bite of his chili dog to his mouth as you tap him.  He blinks, listens tow what you say with a calm face, and pops the last of the chili dog into his mouth.

Holding up a finger as if to ask you to give him a moment, he washes it down with the last of his Mr. Pibb.

He then turns to you, and screams.

It's like being next to a jet engine.  There's an actual physical force to it.  You are pushed back against the door of the car.  But only for a moment.  It buckles and shoots outwards, sending you flying out of the car.

You being you, you land on your feet.  Your ears are ringing.  And you feel a little wobbly.  Your eardrums must have gotten blitzed.  But otherwise, you are upright and ready for whatever action you wish to take.

He's jumping out of the driver's side door of the car.

I'm glad you like it. =D

I skid to a stop by digging my fingers into the pavement, making gouges in the concrete. I've been waiting for the chance to kick some ass. I knew someone who voluntarily drank Mr. Pibb had to be up to no good.

I crouch and sweep out my leg, catching a planter box and kicking it so hard it comes free of the ground and flies at the car, putting a solid object between myself and Pibbnoculars for a moment. Even without cheating by pausing time, I'm significantly faster than reaction speed robots. Fast enough, in fact, that I'm not thinking about what I do. It is all training, instinct, and intuition.

Since this guy can project force with his voice, I want to stay on the ground. If I jump up, I won't have leverage to stand still in the blast. I dash forward, with the planter box sailing in front of me, aiming a low tackle right at his midsection. If it connects, it'll drive the wind right out of him.

Hey now!  I drink Mr. Pibb!  And Fresca!

A sound strategy.  Only one issue.  He fires again.

The planter explodes in a spray of cheaply made ceramics and poorly maintained shrubbery.

The guy is running around the back of the car, seeming to try to get it out of the way from his line of fire at you.

And you're up to no good! =p

I passed my second IRS enrolled agent exam Wednesday. Just one more...

I get tired of exams. I've taken so many. So far none of them have make a career or even a decent-paying job.

"Hey Dad! Help me throw stuff at him!"

I enthusiastically start chucking heavy, dense things in screamy boy's direction, advancing under cover of the barrage. He'll run out of stamina soon enough; I've yet to meet someone who can outlast me. Then again, that might be because I beat them down before they get a chance to. If adding Dad's output to the mix doesn't help, then I'll need a new strategy.

Screamy sure does have some stamina.  ALso some moves.  He manages to twist aside from anything he doesn't scream out of mid air.

Dad watches a bit, then jumps, landing beside Screamy and swats off his head.

Just swings a fist and the guy's head goes flying across the parking lot.

You can see it bounce about forty feet away.

I stand up and dust myself off, patting my skirt.

"Nice shot!"

Dad killing a guy isn't entirely new to me. I've never seen him do it in person, but he's a law enforcement officer, and I know he's done it before. Mom too. And I'm pretty sure I'll kill people, too. I'm trying not to think about it and failing.

"And no calling me Little Anvil."

I go to stand over the body and evaluate the carnage.

"Now that I know that this place is sort of a transitional state for the dead, let's see if a ghost comes out or something."

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 52):

Dad cocks an eyebrow.  "Uhmm...princess..."

He hoists the torso up by it's collar and tips it, giving you a view down the neck hole.

No guts.  You recall now that there wasn't any blood.

Inside are wires, diodes, all the things that mark Screamy as ultratech.

Dad shrugs.  "I've seen enough androids to know what to look for.  But this is just a stand in."

"A stand in for a particular person, like a simulacrum? Do you think someone was 'piloting' it?"

I don't know much about ultratech. They couldn't fit in advanced technical education with everything else.

"Why did it want to finish its hot dog and drink? That seems strange for an android."

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 54):

Dad shrugs.  "I don't know much more about the high tech stuff than you do.  As far as the food...could be part of it's disguise.  It'd look more...uh..."natural" I guess...if someone saw it eating and drinking."

"It could be how it powers itself."  Mom waltzes into Limbo, glancing at the headless automaton, joining the conversation as if she had been there all along.  "There are a few builders out there who mimic organic systems.  Hot dog powered androids have less fuel issues than ones powered by some kind of battery set up.

"I got tired of waiting.  Yeah, yeah.  I know it hasn't even been a second out there.  But I just felt like I was missing something fun.

"What did you find?"

"A spy android, a guy dressed as a security guard staking the place out who gave a list of names and numbers, and someone claiming to be a federal law enforcement agent who just demanded that we had out everything. Can you verify that lady is legit?"

I lead Mom over to where the woman is frozen in time again.

"Well it's not like there's an ap for identifying federal agents you know Seraphina."

"We could probably call Doleman."  Dad turns his head at your inquisitive stare.  "Doleman is a field agent with the FeeBees.  We've done some work for him before so he owes us a favor or so."

"Well yes.  We can.  But it's what time of night in DC?  I doubt we'll get him until the morning.

"As for the android...well.  That seems to have been taken care of, hasn't it?  This security guard...were any of those names interesting?"

Dad gives her a look that seems to have some kind of meaning, but then shrugs.  "No name on it stood out to me at least."

"Hmmm," Mother hmms, "You know who you should ask Seraphina?  Someone with the Dragons.  I beat they can find out for you rather quickly."

"There isn't? That's ridiculous."

Of course, the government is massively corrupt and incompetent, so I should have expected that.

"Why are you exchanging that look?"

It's another fucking test, I bet. I'm really sick of this. I need to make myself empress of everything so that people stop passive-aggressively testing me all the time. Ugh.

Resisting the impulse to roll my eyes, I continue, "That's a good idea. I'll go ask."

And so I do, to find Paula. I have as much time as I need, and my parents will disappear back into real time if they get bored waiting - or they might even help, what a shock - so I'll take however long it takes. I've spent whole weeks in here before. It's substantially creepier now, and I resent losing my private space, but it is what it is.

I'm pretty sure her name was Paula. The president of the Dragons.

Dad flinches a bit at your question about the look.  He shake his head.  "It's something 'tween me and your Mom.  Don't worry about it."

He seems a bit moody of a sudden.

It takes a while (subjective time) to track down Paula.  She's frozen in the midst of a laugh.  Whatever's making her laugh must have been really funny, as her head is cocked back and her mouth is open wide, showing all her teeth.  Oddly, it is not a good look for her.

The people around her seem surprised.

I go back to Mom and Dad, inform them that Paula is in a strange situation, and that I'm going to go back into regular time for a few seconds to see what's going on, before I bring her Sideways.

I really don't want to call it Limbo.

Then I return to where Paula is, so I can pop back into normal time - the living world I guess - for a few seconds, as noted, and see what she's guffawing about and everyone is surprised about.

You hear her stammer through her laughter, "It's so...ha!..cute that...ha ha ha!..They think that..."

She catches you out of the side of her eye, and waves you over.  "Oh my!  Sorry Seraphina.  Do you know everyone here?  Sorry.  Please forgive me.  Just heard something funny. Gimme one sec..."

One of the young ladies standing there glances at you nervously and gives you a small nod of the head.  She introduces herself and starts naming everyone present.

Some seem to recognize you.  Others either don't or don't care.  Paula finally settles down.

"Oh.  Again.  Sorry about that.  You caught me being un-ladylike.  Anyway.  Are your parents here?  I thought I saw them, but just haven't had a chance to introduce myself.  Are they enjoying the event?  Did someone take care of this whole bomb fiasco?"

She mutters that last question, glancing around.

Everyone seems oddly unconcerned about the bomb thing.

I do my best to be bright, cheerful, and charming. I'm pretty good at it, mostly from practice, even though my natural state is a very cold fish. "I forgive you. As far as I know, I've already taken care of the bombs. I'm looking into who planted them. I need to borrow you for a second."

I tap Paula unless she dodges, to bring her into Limbo. Assuming the transfer is successful, I hold out my notepad with the list of names, places, IDs, and so forth collected from Officer Sussy Baka.

"These are the names and stuff I've got. My parents suggested I check in with the Dragons to see if they recognized any, and you're the president. Any of these ring a bell?"

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 62):

"Agent Swalworth, huh?" Paula seems to recognize that name right off the bat.

"Her I can at least vouch for.  As much as any one of the Feds can be vouched for...

"Let's see..."

She shakes her head after looking over the list.  "No one here stands out.  But.  The Sleepy Inn.  I hate to admit I know that place.  But."

Paula hands you back your intel.  "The Sleepy Inn is owned by one of our alum.  Ex-alum I should say.  She was drummed out of the Dragons for going above and beyond.  Inisha Sengupta.  But you may know her by her handle.  Rakshasa."

You know of Rakshasa, yes.  She's a sort of a stage magician with delusions of grandeur. Think of Mysterio from Spider Man comics

You think Mother and Dad have tangled with her before in an official capacity.

"Okay. Thank you." I give Paula a smile.

"Do you want to come with me to finish this up?" I ask, instead of just brigading her like I would most people.

If she does, I take her back to my parents, and if she doesn't, I take back the info. Either way, I'm going to tell my parents what Paula told me, that Inisha Sengupta, Rakshasa, owns the hotel that the goons were going to meet up at after the fireworks.

Paula shrugs.  "Sure.  I can.  No problem."

Mother and Dad both sigh when you give them the news.

"Well there goes my buzz."  Mother frowns as she says that.

Dad rubs the bridge of his nose.  He does that when he's highly annoyed.

"I thought she was still in prison."

"Oh come on.  How often do they just stay in prison?"

"It would be nice is someone had told us..."

"You don't think she's really here for some kind of revenge, do you?"

Dad glances your way. "Well.  I can't imagine she would try something like this just cos."

"I'm supposed to be on vacation."

"Well.  I guess it's over.  Princess...you go back to your room.  Raksasha is probably out of your league."

"Two weeks ago, I would have argued, but not today."

I hand over my notes to Dad.

"Are you two going to take care of her?"

Mom can always step Sideways and come get me if she needs help. I doubt she will.

Mother laughs.  "We'll be fine."

Dad glances at her then back at you, giving you a grin.  "Don't worry about it.  But.  I want you to go on back to your room.  Wait there.  Alright?"

"All right."

I sigh.

"Thanks, Paula. Do you want to go back to where you were?"

"Please.  Nice to meet the two of you," Paula says to Mother and Dad before you whisk her off.

Mother and Dad are gone by the time you get back.  Mother must have moved them.

They must have stopped by and told the cops about the bombs, because it seems the SWAT teams are standing down.  And the bomb squad is looking a little disappointed.

That Federal Agent lady is in the crowd of cops, waiving her ID and demanding to speak to whoever is in chare.

You head back to your room....

stopping by any particular place first?  What do you do if you do go back please.  I need some idea of what her regular pre-bed routine is

Thanks