VIRGINIA- THE METAHUMAN ASSEMBLY
Part I: Finn & Walt, Finn & Kim

[GM]

Lisa and Harvey leave to begin testing. Walt stays with Finn, though
maintaining a careful distance.

Finn's senses return, seemingly back to normal (what a relative term!)
within another five minutes. Gemann's suspicion and mistrust, now 
clearly
perceptible, seem almost welcome. Walt is concerned and upset, but
obediently stays out of arm's length of his ex-SO. Slopes is as 
unreadable
as always.

Finn's first cautious examinations reveal nothing unusual about Walt or
Agent Mahon. Mahon, she sees, is perhaps a bit more "humane" than 
Gemann;
he doesn't completely trust metahumans either, but he sees them as a
possible force for good as well as evil, whereas Gemann sees them as 
merely
a force for chaos. Mahon is also overworked and on the edge of losing 
his
temper, having taken a great deal of abuse over the last few days, some 
of
it justified and some of it not. Finn sees arguments he's had with other
agents (like Gemann and Mapes), Chicago police officers, and with a 
blonde
schoolteacher from Illinois. Mahon regards that entire episode with
particular bitterness. The plight of the poor alleged alien (Finn sees her
image in Mahon's mind, and she IS *extremely* beautiful) affected 
Mahon. He
wants to recover her because it's part of his job, true, and because if
she's really an alien, she may have invaluable information, also 
true...but
he saw what she looked like after her first escape from the Puppet 
Master.
He really is angry, on a very human level, at the idea that she's suffering
again, and he can't do anything about it. Mahon has a definite streak of
decency in him, whereas Gemann is merely a "good soldier", honest and 
loyal
to the system to which he's pledged his alliegance.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

Her powers slowly returned, and slowly she began to test their limits. 
She
was pleased to be able to scan Walt's mind when she wasn't touching 
him,
but didn't try to probe any further.

But her first priority is the one unknown in the room ... Mahon.

A smile slowly curled on her face, genuinely pleased.

"I think I could like you, Mahon," she smiled up at him, and then nodded.
"Well," she turned to Gemann, "I can't say for certain it's not him, but I
really don't think it is.  So now it's onto the others.  Unless you've got
some nearby, I want to try something first...?"

If there are any other people from the plane close by, Finn will check 
them
first, but if not, then she relaxed in the chair.

"Okay, now I'm going to do something that I did yesterday in the airport. I
don't know that this will be better or easier to spot the thread or not,
but since I was kinda like it in the dream, I figure it's worth a shot.
Lisa called it 'going astral', so that's the term I've adopted as well.
I'll be fine, even though it will look like I'm asleep."

She took a deep breath, and then ... 'went astral'.

Finn looked at everyone in the room, spying for long slender black 
threads,
just to make sure.  And then, assuming that wasn't the case, she sped 
up,
and out.  Through the building, or through the window, to the outside of
the facility ... and scanned the entire area, looking for the image she had
seen in her dream.

She wasn't sure what her range was, but she tried not to stray too far, 
and
to make sure that she knew the way back.  Straight up was the most 
logical
way to do it, but if she saw something, some flicker of string, she headed
there but remembered where she had left her body.

Finn only hoped that Walt didn't touch her when she was like this.  She
didn't want to think about what might happen.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Uh, well, I'm glad to hear that," Agent Mahon answers uncertainly. He 
may
be a little more open-minded than Gemann, but he's no more 
comfortable at
the prospect of having his mind read.

Astrally, he appears little different. You see no "threads" hanging on to
him, or Gemann, or Walt. You're able to drift outside the facility, though
it's disorienting, trying to relate all the astral impressions with their
physical analogies, but you can't see anything as immediately obvious 
as a
dark string stretching from outside to within. You're not even sure you
*could* spot such a thing, or if what you saw in your dream would take 
an
entirely different shape when viewed astrally.

There's undoubtedly a lot of information available to you...you just don't
yet know how to process it.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

Finn was disappointed.  She hadn't really expected this to work, but she 
had
been so hoping ...

Now she was going to have to do it ... the "hard" way.

She returned to her body, disappointment showing in her eyes as she 
opened
them, and addressed the agents and Walt.

"Well, that didn't work, but at least it told me that it didn't.  I had
thought the way I was ... 'astral' in my dream was the same, but it wasn't.
There was a definite difference.  I suppose we're just going to have to try
it with me seeing each person."

Finn paused and looked pensive, her eyes unfocusing as she debated
something.  Suddenly her eyes refocused, the light of an idea coming 
into
her eyes.

"Actually, they don't even have to know that I'm there, now that I think
about it." She looked up at the agents. "You have those one-way mirrors
here, right?  It may not afford me a *lot* of protection, but it's something
at least.  Could you arrange for me to be on the other side, and you 
bring
the people through the room, or have them sit in it?

"They might know about the room, of course, but it would still keep them
from seeing me.  What do you think?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Agent Gemann says "We can do that, although like I said, some of the 
people
who were on the plane have already left, it will take a while to bring them
back."

Agent Mahon looks at his watch. "It's about 7 a.m. in California now, so I
suspect our teenage teleporter will be up and getting ready for school. 
Why
don't we get that out of the way? I owe her a phone call anyways; she 
says
that EuroNinja left her a message and threatened her."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"As long as you get them back ... it's the only way to be sure.  Can you
make it look like it's a normal thing, to call them back?  I wouldn't want
them getting too suspicious," Finn replied to Gemann, keeping her mind
well-guarded from the agent's thoughts.

Mahon's reply brought about a nod from Finn, and she stood up.

"EuroNinja called her and threatened her on her answering machine?  
Not a
good idea ... or did he leave a message in some other manner?"

Finn sounded intrigued by this, wondering if it was something mental,
something EuroNinja had "left behind" after all was done.

"So, is she still going to be 'the teenager', or does she have a name that 
I'm allowed to know yet?" Finn's eyes went blank for a moment, and then 
she
blinked rapidly.  "She can *teleport* too?  Lisa's going to be jealous, I
think..." She trailed off with a grin.

"Ready anytime you are, MIBs."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"What the heck is a 'mib' anyways?" Agent Mahon asks.

Gemann says "We'll let you know her name if she's willing to talk to 
you."

Mahon goes to make the phone call.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

[Does Mahon actually leave the room?]

"It's an abbreviation," she smiled at Mahon, a bit pleased with herself.
"You know, Men In Black?  MIB."

Finn shrugged when they still put off telling her the teen's name.  They
probably hadn't realized she could pick it out of their minds, should she
choose.  Actually, Gemann knew it, he'd probably forgotten in all the
excitement.

She turned to Walt.

"So, care to tell me how you ended up here, anyway?  Sounds like it 
might
make for another song."

Finn took a seat, tiredness once more setting into her bones, but she 
made
certain to keep from touching Walt, or from Walt touching her.  For now, 
at
least, she want...*needed* her ... powers.  But when it was time to sleep
once more...

She let that thought trail off, and concentrated on Walt's reply.

<><><><><>

[GM]

[Yes, Mahon left the room.]

<><><><><>

Walt:

Walt sits down near (but not *too* near) Finn.

"Here?  Well, it all started in Texas.  I was hauling Tomatoes from
California to Dallas, and there was a bonus if I could get the goods there
within 48 hours of pickup.  So there I was, cruising down the interstate,
only a few hours out of Dallas, when this fella sort of blows on by me,
musta been doing at least 90 MPH!  Well, I didn't think much of it til a
half hour later when I see that same little red sportscar on the side of the
road, blowing smoke like it was a barbecue grill!  And theres this fella,
looking at the engine, and he's got an expression on his face like he's 
spit
in the almighty's eye right about then.

Well, it was a hot day on a lonely road, and much as I mighta liked to do
it, I couldn't just leave him there to contemplate the ways of the universe.
So I pull it over, and get out to see if I can't amybe get his little red
toy runnin for him again.  Now, I tell ya, Finn; I don't think this fella
had put a drop of oil in that poor car for a couple thousand miles.  He 
had
seized up the whole damn thing, and there wasn't much that I could do 
short
of shoot the poor thing to put it out of it's misery.  I offer him a ride,
and even though he looked like he'd almost rather eat a bug, he says 
OK.

He wasn't the best passenger, I can tell you.  When he wasn't on one o'
those fancy 'cellular' phones yelling at this person or that, he was 
buggin'
me to go faster.  Now, I was going a good 70 MPH already, Finn; faster 
than
I like as it is, but it seemed that his little girl was sick.  More than
sick, it sounded like she had some kinda bug that nobody'd ever heard 
of.
The government wanted to take her to one of their facilities to try and
'treat' her, and her daddy was trying to stop them with his lawyers and 
his
injunctions and the like.  Let me say now that this is what I *thought* was
going on at the time.

Well I get him there, and within 30 seconds he's out to get his teeth 
busted
by two governent security types.  I go over to try and keep him from 
gettin
beat up, when suddenly everything blows up in a big ol' storm of plate 
glass
shards.  The 2 agents get shredded real bad, and the little girls daddy 
gets
bloodied some also.  Me, I don't even get a scratch or even dusty!

Well, I follow 'daddy' into the hospital, thinkin that maybe I can keep him
from ending up dead cause he couldn't keep his temper.  What we end 
up
finding is daddy's little girl floating in the hallway, hair all out like
the rays of the sun and eyes glowing like hell itself!  We'd run into a
couple of agents along the way, and though I tried to talk to them, they 
was
looking to bust me one in the mouth too.  Funny thing was, they seemed 
like
real tough guys, well trained, but against me they just kinda fell all over
each other like Larry and Curly, or the Stooge of your choice.

Anyway, turns out this little girl was part o' a nasty, evil conglomeration
of meta's in one body.  Called itself Legion, and from what I can see, 
most
of its parts ain't really pleased at the arrangement.  Well, it was using
the little girl with the BIG telekenesis powers to try and add *me* to it's
metahuman menu of the day.  Luck for me, soon as she TK'd me to 
within about
3 feet, I just sorta shorted _it_ out, the whole legion thing!  It got away
later when we were out with the paramedics, but at least it didn't get me.

I met one of these here agents when I was there, and they asked me to 
think
about going to VA to let them try and figure out my 'powers'.  I figured
that if I can 'shut off' powers, then I might be the only one who can help
control some of these nasty types, and believe me there are some *evil*
metas already!  So, for the moment at least, here I am.  While I don't
always see eye to eye w/ the fellas here, so far we been gettin along 
pretty
well, I guess."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

Finn listened to Walt's story, eyes widening as he got further along, then
shaking her head as he finished, and smiled at him.

"Christ, who would have thought the two of us would end up like this?  
I'd
been having some strange dreams lately, and you were in them, 
something
about an airport?  Does this have something to do with what I saw on TV 
the
other day?"

She shivered slightly, though not from cold.

"Then I had *that* dream, and that's where it all started.  I suppose it
really wasn't a dream then, I was sort of tapping into his subconscious,
sort of like I *was* him, sitting there in that plane seat, thinking about
how I was going to crash the plane.  All to get revenge.  All those people
would have died, just because of what one man did."

Hazel eyes had grown unfocused, shifting on something that wasn't 
there,
then they suddenly returned to the room, a bit shakily, but there once 
more.

"I suppose I don't need to check on Lawrence anymore, since they put 
him
downstairs."

Finn suddenly looked over at Walt, a furrow in her brow that spoke of a
question soon to be voiced.

"Walt, did you get to meet this alien they were talking about?"

<><><><><>

Walt:

"Shoot, Finn; I ain't seen anything that looked like any kinda alien to me.
I know they been talking about one, but from what I know she looks just 
like
you or me; you know, people!  And to be honest, I don't understand 
about
half of what goes on around here, and the other half I sometimes wish I
didn't understand either!"

"It sounds like you've had it pretty rough to, FS; sounds a lot tougher 
than
a touring schedule.  Maybe it's good that you came here; it *might* give 
you
a chance to catch your breath."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

A slightly disappointed look crossed Finn's face at Walt's response 
about
the alien, but the rest of his words caused a more disturbed look.

"I wish I didn't understand ... or rather, I wish I didn't *see*, didn't
*hear* people's thoughts.  Whether I want to or not."

[AnB ... did Gemann stay in the room, or are Walt and Finn alone?]

She shook her head.

"No, I'd rather NOT be here, Walt.  I can't catch my breath ... there's no
time, and no chance to relax.  Do you know how many psychos they 
have down
in the 'basement'?  Well, neither do I, but that's because I didn't take the
time to sort out their thoughts that I couldn't help but hear.  I fled back
upstairs, or else I would have gone crazy too."

She managed a weak smile.

"I was hoping that the alien might have some answers.  Maybe the 
teenager
will.  Or at least be able to help me."

Finn's smile grew a bit stronger. "I can't rely on you to turn off the
voices all the time."

<><><><><>

WALT:

"Well now, I reckon that it might be 'to much of a good thing', being able
to know what it is people are thinkin.  Mama always did say that the only
reason didn't end up killin each other was that God gave some people 
the
sense to not say certain things, and most of the rest of us the common 
sense
to keep our mouths shut!  Still, though, what is there that we can do 
about
it?  I mean, compared to most I got it good; my 'powers' seem to do a 
durn
good job of keepin' my keester out of the fire, and I can even get things 
to
turn out the way I want them to.....once in a while, anyway.  Ain't no
'voices' or strange physical changes in my deal, least not so's I'd 
noticed.
I can't really ever understand what you're talking about, but I'll try, and
I do wish there was something I could do to help you all."

[regarding the psychos in the 'basement']

"Well now, them psychos are just that.....people what don't know how to 
work
and play well with others.  These agents are just doing what they can,
trying to figure things out as they go.  If they make you have more 
trouble
than most, then you gotta do what you gotta do.  Stay away from them, 
or get
out of here if they are still too close and you can't kinda 'tune them out'.
And no, you can't count on being there *all* the time...but don't think that
means you can't count on me at *all*.  I ain't ever let a friend from the
old home town down, and I don't reckon that I'm gonna start now!  You 
need
something from ol' Walt, you darn well better let me know, see?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

[Gemann is still in the room.]

<><><><><>

% Finn %

Waving off Walt's help and half-apology, Finn smiled weakly.

"Don't worry about it, Walt...be thankful you can't hear anything outside
your own thoughts."

When he offered his help with the psychos in the basement, she 
nodded.

"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind."

She yawned widely, then looked up at Walt with a wheedling glance.

"I don't suppose I could impose on that help for you to fetch me another 
tea
from the cafeteria?"

She thought about that for a moment ... sending him out would leave her
alone with Gemann.  Fun.  But she sighed and looked hopefully at Walt.  
She
didn't want to have to walk all the way there, with her ... powers returned
or returning, and have to hear the thoughts of those she passed, and 
touch
things and know their histories.

While waiting, she decided to spend a little time spying on Lisa, 
checking
in to see what they had her doing now.

<><><><><>

[GM]

You see Lisa- in her dragon form, which she seems to enjoy a great 
deal,
being probed by those scientists, while Harvey stands by, looking 
bemused
and disbelieving.

<><><><><>

Walt:

"Tea? Sure, I can get you all some more tea.  What kind do you want?  
Earl
Grey, hot?  Herbal?  Ask, and ye shall receive, oh Finn."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"Regular.  Salada if they have it, but I'll take anything that's not herbal.
I need the caffeine."

Finn let her mind wander slightly after checking in on Lisa, scanning
briefly the minds of the scientists that were testing her, wondering if they
all had the same reaction to the Oriental woman as they did the previous
day.  Then she looked over at Gemann.

"Whatever you do, don't let Walt touch me when he gets back, okay?"

Finn then sat down in a comfortable chair, and "went astral."  She 
examined
the aura of Gemann, then decided to see just what she could do in this 
form,
and began to wander the complex, putting the layout into her mind.  She 
had
considered telling Gemann what she was doing, but she figured he 
would have
tried to stop her, wanting her to be kept out of "top secret" places and so
on.  Hell, he might have even had Walt touch her when he came back, 
just to
stop her.  And she was not anxious to try to find out what would happen 
to
her if her powers stopped while she was having an "out of body" 
experience.
Maybe she'd be snapped back into place, but then again, maybe not.

She did try to keep track of the time, though, and went as quickly as she
could, trying to arrange to return in about ten or fifteen minutes of her
body's time.

<><><><><>

[GM]

There isn't much to see astrally around the facility...offices, technical
storage areas, laboratories...the only revealing area might be *below*, 
and
you don't want to go there.

The scientists are regarding Lisa more as a subject of scientific study 
than
anything else. All sorts of new theories are whirling through their heads,
and they clearly wish that she wasn't slated to be recruited for field work;
they'd prefer to keep her in their labs full-time.

After cruising around for about 15 minutes, you return to your body when
someone begins calling you....

* * * * *

Finn is still in a trance when Walt returns. "Don't touch her," Agent 
Gemann
says. "She's doing some astral thing, I think."

After what seems like a long time, Agent Mahon returns as well, and 
looks at
Finn curiously. When she begins to stir, he says "Ms. Colvin? Are you all
right?"

He waits for her eyelids to flutter open. "Umm...that teenager I
mentioned...I have her on the phone now. She's agreed to speak to 
you."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"I'm fine, just trying to experiment with that ... 'astral' stuff." She
smiled and looked around, then down at the now lukewarm tea that was 
no
doubt in front of her.

"I don't suppose you could create a fire or something to warm this up, 
Walt,
hmm?  Nevermind," she chuckled, taking the mug and standing up, 
stretching
and yawning, "take me to the teenager."

A woman's voice spoke through the phone across the country to the 
teenager
on the other end.  It sounded like an older woman, older than Kim at 
least.
[I'll just use her name rather than calling her "the teenager" from here 
on.
<g>] There was just a hint of tiredness and stress, along with a slight 
New
England accent.

"Hello, teenager," she began amusedly, "I'm Finn Colvin."

And then, with a feather-light mind touch, Finn reached out for the mind 
on
the other end of the phone, as she did with the agent in DC when she 
called
to report the plane.  She wasn't sure of her range, but with the 
telephone,
it might be possible.

**>> Hi ... it's Finn ... ummm...how are you? <<**

<><><><><>

Kim:

"Hi, Finn. I'm Kim, Kim Brenner."

Kim's voice has an equally slight Californian accent.

[OOC: ...and, assuming Finn's mind touch reaches her...]

*I'm alright, though things are hectic at the moment. There've been
developments this end, though I won't detail them over the phone - even
telepathically!*

Finn can sense that Kim is impressed at her telepathy working across 
such a
distance; also strong undercurrents of anxiety, which don't seem to be
associated with the phone call.

*How powerful are you?*

[OOC: If Finn's telepathy doesn't get through, much the same 
conversation
will still occur, only spoken!]

<><><><><>

[GM]

Finn fails to reach Kim with her telepathy; it feels somewhat like
stretching for a glass that's just out of reach.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"Damn," Finn whispered as she felt her mind not reach that far, and 
relayed
the information to the newly-named Kim.

"Kim, I just tried to reach you, but it's like you're too far.  Maybe in
time...but not now, it seems.  Christ!"

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded truly disappointed.

"Developments?" she queried, but then sighed as Kim was reluctant to 
share
them.  There was a pause, and then she answered the teen's question 
about
her power.

"Umm...I don't know, precisely.  I seem to have reached one of my limits, 
in
trying to talk to you.  I've not let them test me yet."

** damnit, this would be so much better telepathically! **

Her thoughts ended up only circling around her head, now that it proved 
that
Kim was out of reach.

"Ummm...I can read minds, whether I want to or not.  And, well, I can 
sense
some things by touching objects, get a sense of their history and what's
going on with them.  Like I know my car needs a new fan belt," she 
chuckled
a bit nervously. "And I'm sure they've told you about the dreams."

Even without telepathy, Kim could sense that Finn was scared, it was 
that
obvious in her voice.  And there was a hint of despair about her tone as
well.

"I was hoping we would be able to share thoughts about this Euroninja 
that I
Saw last night, it would be much easier than speaking over the phone." 
She
saw the word "Saw" as if it was capitalized, something more than just 
spotting someone with her eyes. "But since that's out, if you're willing,
I'd like to know everything you know about him.  And the alien they keep
talking about.  God, I was hoping that you'd be able to help me, if she
taught you anything that might help me keep the voices out, but it seems
that I'm s*** out of luck."

By the way she swore, it would be easy to tell that Finn didn't do it often.
Taking a couple of deep breaths, she tried to calm herself.  This was no
time to get hysterical, it was time to face facts.  She was on her own, and
the sooner she dealt with it, the better.

"So, can you help me?  He doesn't know I'm here yet, though his 
futureself
does...oh, nevermind.  I'm probably the only chance at this point we 
have of
stopping him, or at least slowing him down.  Kim ... let me tell you
honestly, if what I think is true, I don't stand much of a chance.  But I'm
willing to try."

<><><><><>

Kim:

Much of what Finn says goes completely over Kim's head.

"Futureself? What's that? And where did you see Euroninja?"

She sighs.

"I think that defeating this b****** will be extremely difficult, but we have 
to try."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"I didn't actually *see* him," Finn tried to explain, knowing it was really 
futile. "I had...umm...kind of a prophetic dream.  It was sort of a future 
that might happen, or a dream of a future dream ... Christ, I don't know 
how to explain it!  Not in words..."

She took a deep breath and let it out, then started from the top.

"I thought they would have told you, but I guess that's up to me.  Last 
night, I had this sort of dream that was more than just that.  But it wasn't 
like just a glimpse of the future ... I was almost astrally projecting and 
dreaming at the same time.  Anyway, it was like I was floating over the 
earth," she closed her eyes, conjuring up the images in the dream as 
they had come to her, "and I saw this satellite-like thing, floating, 
watching. It was like an eye, keeping a watch on everything that went on 
down on Earth.  Then all of a sudden there was this woman's voice, 
telling someone not to touch it, the eye, that they weren't ready for it.  
Then she was there, a beautiful, dark-skinned Asian woman.  She 
started to go away, out of my view, but I saw her being tortured before 
she was gone."

A pause.

"I was later told this was the 'alien'," she spoke the word as if she 
wanted confirmation from Kim of that fact, "Ashiya, the one that 
Euroninja still has.

"Then I saw this hand, this dark hand, try to grab the eye, but it couldn't.  
Whatever was controlling the hand, or whoever's hand it was, they 
weren't pleased.

"Okay, now this is when it started to get weird." Finn chuckled, her mood 
seemed temporarily improved, either that or she was great at being self-
mocking. "Okay, I know, but it got *more* weird, okay?

"A guy showed up, and he started talking to me like he could see me.  
He was tall and pale, both in his features and his hair, which went down 
to his ankles.  He seemed pleased to see me, calling me 'one of us' and 
he called Ashiya a child, a Shabaali child, I think, something like that.  
He tried to explain things to me, but it was evident to him that I hadn't 
gotten far enough to be able to understand everything, so he then left 
me more confused with a bunch of mumblings about the Wineye'i and 
that I was having a vision or a dream or a foreshadowing or something."

Stopping again, it took Finn a bit longer to start up speaking again, 
though she made several abortive attempts.

"Then...then I s...saw the hand again.  The dark hand that was reaching 
for the eye.  It had strings on its fingers, and was pulling them, and 
where it pulled, people suffered.  The explosion in Germany?  That was 
his doing, I saw a string pull from here, over North America, stretching 
all the way there.

"He saw me then, or something like that.  He insulted me, seeming to 
think I wasn't important because I was an _American_, and a *woman* 
no less, that I wasn't _worthy_ enough to be his next opponent.  He 
knew it was a vision, but it was a future version of him, because I'm 
pretty sure he doesn't know about me now.  He said that if he did know 
about me when I first heard of him, he would have ... killed me for my ... 
delusions of significance."

She paused, and looked up at the no-doubt nearby agents.

"And then my dream ended, as I zoomed in on a plane that was carrying 
a friend of mine.  You met him, I think, Walt Shindell?  Umm...the one 
that can turn off people's ... powers by touching them?  There was 
someone on the plane he was on, only at the time I didn't know that Walt 
had these ... powers, or that he was on his way to Virginia.  All I knew 
was there was someone on the plane with him ... someone who was at 
the end of one of those dark strings that came from Euroninja's hand.

"They're gathering up all the people here, so that I can try and take a 
look at them, to see which one it might be.  Which was one of the 
reasons I was so desperate to speak to you ... anything you know, 
*anything* at all, would be helpful to me before I do anything to these 
people.  I'm the only
.. telepath I know, and I know I'm no match for Euroninja.  If he finds out 
about me now, I may just as well be dead."

Finn paused, taking another deep breath.

"Kim ... can you help me?"

<><><><><>

Kim:

Kim tries hard to follow Finn's explanation - it isn't really much stranger 
than either telepathy or teleportation. She shudders at the news of 
Ashiya, and morosely listens to the rest of Finn's story. But when she 
mentions the Wineye'i, she starts.

"The Wineye'i... Ashiya told me about them. They're a race that can 
travel astrally - mystics who claim secret knowledge. Ashiya had never 
met one, though."

"Strings on his fingers? Looks like he's been controlling many more 
people than I thought. A regular puppeteer." [OOC: <g>]

"`Delusions of significance' - that sounds like his way of speaking. He 
enjoys using his power over others. I bet my breaking his elbow hurt his 
pride a lot more than his arm."

Kim becomes momentarily more optimistic when Finn mention's Walt. 
But only momentarily.

"Walt can turn off powers? That might be useful if we can somehow trap 
him... but that's circular. We can't trap him until we find some way of 
turning off his powers, and we can't turn off his powers until we find 
some way of trapping him."

She sighs.

"I don't think I can help you. It might even be dangerous for us to meet. I 
think Euroninja's got one of his strings knotted round me."

She takes a deep breath, then continues.

"At the hotel in Chicago, where he ambushed us. There was a fight, and 
I managed to mess up his arm. Then he knocked out Ashiya, and was 
able to use his powers to knock me out. He took Ashiya... but didn't take 
me or kill me. I think he tampered with my mind, so that he can take 
control of me whenever he wants. Then he phoned me up, and told me 
not to help the authorities... in such a way, that he could be sure I'd do 
the exact opposite. He knows my mind inside and out."

Kim winds down. Tormented by thoughts of what Ashiya is going 
through. Anguished at the idea that she cannot help the hunt for Ashiya 
or her captor. And angry that she has been turned into someone else's 
unwilling tool.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"You've *heard* of the Wineye'i?" Finn started as Kim explained.  The 
"alien" again ... more aliens.  She wanted to believe, it might actually 
make some sense.  But it was too much ... she couldn't believe, not just 
yet.

"I thought of him as a Puppet Master, but I think he would like that too 
much.  Euroninja is a nice, degrading enough term ... one I feel he 
wouldn't enjoy being called.  And yes .. it sounds like he's got quite a few 
under his control."

Finn was startled when Kim mentioned hurting him. "You've actually hurt 
him?  Even his pride is something, but physically injured him?  How well 
did you fare, if you don't mind my asking?"

Finn spoke her agreement (it wouldn't do any good to nod, would it?) as 
Kim explained the circular problems with Walt's powers versus 
Euroninja.

Finn started shaking slightly as Kim related her experiences with 
Euroninja, especially as she thought that Euroninja had a string around 
her.

"I understand ... but I think I might be able to help with that, Kim.  I don't 
know for sure, but later today I'm going to be checking out everyone that 
was on the plane with Walt.  One of those strings went to his plane, 
which means someone on there was under his control.  If I can figure out 
who it was, then I can tell you if you are, if we could meet.  And...umm...I 
don't know, but I might be able to fix whatever he might have done to 
you."

She paused, her shaking stopped, and looked up at the agents with her.

"When I've seen other people's minds, I've felt like I could change them, 
alter them.  I haven't done it, or rather I tried with Lawrence, but he was 
very strong, and resisted.  But I know I could alter someone's personality 
if I was given enough time, and some practice.  I know I'd never do it to 
harm anyone, but I don't know if you'd believe me.  But if I really can do 
it, then I might be able to reverse whatever he did to you."

She let that sink in before putting down her final statement.

"Kim...if he knows your mind inside and out, he could learn of me then. 
This may all be for naught.  Can I call you later, or you call me here at 
the facility?  Once I find out if I actually *can* see these strings, or sense 
Euroninja's influence, I'd like to tell you.  I'd be willing to come out to 
California to see you, if that would be okay with you." A pause. "And 
your parents, of course."

Finn wondered what the agents would have to say about possibly losing 
their only telepath ... but she _wasn't_ *their* telepath.  She'd not 
committed to a single bloody thing, and was very willing to remind them 
of it, should they try to keep her here.

<><><><><>

Kim:

"How well did I fare? I broke my hand, but it got better."

>I can tell you if you are, if we could meet.  And...umm...I don't know,
>but I might be able to fix whatever he might have done to you.

Now it's Kim's turn to start. She hadn't expected anyone but Ashiya to be 
able to do that.

"That would be wonderful! Even knowing for certain if he's tampered with 
me would be a start."

>"Kim...if he knows your mind inside and out, he could learn of me then.

"I don't think so, unless his powers have incredibly long range. What I 
meant was, when he had me prisoner he searched my entire mind. 
Everything. Telepathic rape. So he knows everything about me up to 
that point - where I live, how I think, everything.

"If you came to California, it would stop me learning any more details of 
Mahon's operation that I could later betray. If you don't tell me any more 
about yourself, Euroninja couldn't track you down."

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"I will have to get back to you about that," Finn sounded relieved, "after 
I've figured out who here is the one with the 'string.'  But as long as 
you're willing, and your parents think it's okay, then plan on me coming 
out next weekend.  Can you give me your phone number, or is that 
asking too much?"

Finn sounded determined now, and much stronger than she had been 
during the whole conversation, especially after she couldn't reach Kim 
telepathically.

[I don't know what day of the week it is, but Finn will plan on taking a 
flight on the "next weekend" .. if this is one, then it will be the next 
weekend, if it's Thursday or Friday, then she'll go not this one but the 
next, or if it's Monday-Wednesday, she'll be out *this* weekend, come 
what may. <g>]

"Take care Kim ... and call me in Virginia if anything happens, okay?  Or 
if you remember anything more that might help.  I've got to go now, 
they're bringing in another group of people, and they want me there to 
'greet' them."

She didn't sound very enthused about the idea, but didn't comment 
further. She tried once more to reach out mentally to Kim, pulling forth all 
her mental abilities and straining her hardest to reach the mind on the 
other end of the phone, thinking the same thing as she spoke it into the 
receiver.

"Good bye, Kim." **>> Good bye ... <<**

Hoping against hope that she might reach her this time.

<><><><><>

Kim:

[OOC: It's early Friday morning, Kim's time - so Finn's coming out a 
week tomorrow? I suspect Mahon is going to want to test Kim at some 
point too]

"Yes, it's 555-1234" replies Kim, "But you'd better ring before coming 
out. All this has been quite a shock to them."

>"Good bye, Kim." **>> Good bye ... <<**

"`Bye Finn. See you in a week."

[OOC: If Kim does pick up the telepathy, she'll try sending *Goodbye* in 
return]

<><><><><>

[GM]

Finn projects her thoughts as hard as she can, until she actually begins 
to feel a slight headache... and Kim "hears" her!

Finn is also able to pick up Kim's mental reply. As she hangs up the 
phone, the older telepath feels slightly drained, as if pushing her mental 
powers was actually a physical effort.

<><><><><>

Kim:

Kim is impressed - she rather doubts that her own powers could work at 
that range!

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"Ow, that hurt..." Finn hung up the phone and rubbed her temples, 
feeling the physical effects of the "push" she had just given.  But now at 
least she had a small portion of what Kim's mind was like, and thought 
she might be able to pinpoint her out again, provided the distance wasn't 
as great.

And she had responded.  Which was good.

A moment later, she looked up at the agents, one brow quirked as well 
as the side of her mouth.

"Well, that's something, at least.  She's got something else she didn't 
really want to share, some 'new development.' I presume your agents in 
California might question her about that."

She closed her eyes and rubbed once more at her temples and 
forehead, trying to relieve the pain.

<><><><><>

[GM]

After you hang up, Gemann approaches and clears his throat. "There's 
another
pair of metahumans arriving, from the west coast," he says. "A volunteer 
for
us, and another psycho prisoner. The others are going to be waiting for 
them
on the landing strip." He looks at you expectantly, obviously not 
intending
to ask you to be there since he knows you can read the intention in his
mind.

<><><><><>

% Finn %

"Oh great," Finn muttered as Gemann *looked* at her.  She didn't need 
to
read his mind, his expression was plain enough. "Oh, Christ, fine!  
Okay?
I'll go and meet them, will that make you happy?"

Her irritation was back, once more directed at the easiest targets ... the
agents.

She was NOT looking forward to hearing the mind of the latest addition 
to
the "psycho zoo" as she was beginning to think of it.  But if worse came 
to
worse, she'd just touch Walt briefly, and then she wouldn't have to worry
about it anymore.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Finn continued irritably, and gestured for
the agents to proceed her toward the door, and to the airstrip.