"one or more of your bosses has caught 'sick' Which is not as sick as the rest of the world will be if they continue to bully my children." Coyote handed Jason two hand made paper envelopes. both with calographic writing on it. One said "classified" the other was marked "grey death"

Jason took both envelopes.

"I'm guessing whatever this Grey Death is," he said. "Your children may be apt to use it a bit more than they should if any threats to Cyber Eden occur?"

he opened the envelope marked Grey Death and found merely an electron microscope photo of a simple looking nanite. "What's this?" he said.

"A virus in the most basic sense. It makes no distinction between good and evil, living and not, person or object. All it does is turn any available matter into replications of it's design. for safety it is stored dormant in a magnetic canister suspended in a vacuum. However this canister can be launched by the rail guns Eden has recently built into orbit and from there the canister will reenter at the designated point where rentry will activate them and spread them significantly. initial symptoms will be growing sores with a metalic tint, that will not respond to conventional treatment. Eventualy the veins will turn grey and the virus will spread to the rest of the body, time from initial infection to death is anywhere from 4 - 8 hours. If exposed to higher concentrations death can come as quickly as 5 seconds. The nanites are programed to self terminate after 48 hours. which is enough to time to level a metropolitan area down to a desert of grey sand." He took his tea, chamomille, and sipped it and bit into a currant scone. "I designed it as my ultimate weapon, but I never dreamed anyone would build it. My son is worried, and I can't say in the same situation I wouldn't do the same."

He's worried? Jason thought fuck, I was already worried, now i'm doubly worried because he's worried.

"Well, that certainly is chilling news indeed. There's just one problem. Despite the fact that I've taken one corrupt general down, if there's a massive anti-Cyber Eden movement within the administration, or, god fobid, the UN, there is no way i'm in any position to take it down. And if i open this second envelope, even if i know who is behind all this i still won't be able to stop him necessarily at this time." he put the second envelope in his jacket pocket "However, I will pledge to not only disobey any orders to spy on, attack, or take any other kind of hostile action against Cyber Eden, but I will also pledge to defend Cyber Eden from any attacks if it becomes necessary. I'm not going to have the world made a barren desert because of political machinations."

he knew at some point, someone was going to protest what he just said, but as of right now, he knew where his allegiance had to lie.

My allegiance is to all of humankind, all of AI-kind, and to the Earth he thought.

"And this is why I always liked you."

(( *cue Chrono Trigger theme music* ))

(( DRAMATIC POSE... GO! ))

(OOC: ...work sucks. That is all.)

Thomas waved away the tea. He wasn't much for that kind of drink. A nice black coffee was all it took to make him happy. Well...that, and remembering the nice present he had left the assassins back at the temple.

-Some time before-

The four assassins wandered about the temple, searching for the agents that seemed to disappear into the air. They were spread out, not leaving a single thing unturned. And then, one of them came across a small rod poking up from the ground. It was one of several that circled the area. A few lights flashed on them, giving a silent beeping of light. The killer reached down to touch it...and a different light turned red. All the poles activated, spreading an EMP field throughout the area, knocking out any augmentations the assassins had.

They didn't have time to wonder why that had happened when they noticed they were unable to move their feet. As each looked down, thick vines were rapidly growing around their legs, moving up their lower bodies. If they had their augmentations, they might have escaped. But sadly, that was not the case.

The thick plants grew larger, wrapping themselves around the limbs of the assassins. Soon they were each wrapped in a giant coccoon of plants, which crushed them.

Of course, Thomas was all about the beauty in everything. Even death. Which was why the rose buds that began to dot the coccoons would come as no surprise.

This all happened in less than five minutes, leaving nothing but four beautiful rose sculptures.

-Present Time-

Thomas was no diplomat or negotiator. Hell, he couldn't care less about this Eden place. He just wanted his money.

Jason took another sip of his tea. "So," he said to Coyote, "Do you have any idea where you can hide? I doubt whoever sent the first order on you is going to let up even after you've given me what you know."

"Zounds, Holmes, what a brilliant deduction." Coyote became an overweight man in period garb. He held an ivory pipe in his hand and had a walrus like mustache. "How should we proceed, Proffessor Moriarty is sure to be on our trail, and the Hound of the Baskerville shall soon be on our heels."

(( Jason: "You tell me, this's your show now."

;) ))

~Cyber Force Ops Room~

"You still can't get a fix on 'em?" Wraith asked Tia.

Shaking her head, she answered, "No... it's like they're there, but they're not... I'll keep trying, but they don't look like they're in any danger, really..."

"I hope not..." Wraith muttered to himself. Then, without warning, he rose to his feet and stretched. "Well, since there's nothing here for me to do, I'll... uh..."

Tia turned around and glanced at him, then wordlessly nodded while blinking. The silent moment of understanding passed quickly between them, as Wraith left the room after a short nod and headed for the emergency ward.

~Private Quarters~

Devin just got out of the shower, to find Shahdee knelt over the bed in prayer. He watched her silently for a moment, and then when she seemed to be done, he went over to her. "I didn't know you prayed..."

She looked up at him, slightly startled, then smiled. "I don't..."

"I guess in this case you can make an exception, huh?" he asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

She got up on the bed too, and nudged close to him. With a nod, she told him, "I hope she'll make it..."

"She will," Devin answered with hesitation. "She's been through worse. I mean, this's fucking Scrya we're talking about."

Shahdee gave a little giggle to that. "Yeah..."

Devin smiled as she did, and took her chin gently in his hand. "That's my 'Dee."

He gave her a little kiss then and released, although she let herself fall into his arms. He held her for a little while, giving her a reassuring hug, but silence didn't suit him at the moment. "...So... you ready for bed?"

"Mmm..." she hummed indecisively. "Maybe... I am getting tired..."

"Then let's go to bed," he mused, kissing her hair.

She smiled again, and let him lay her down.