Sunday Afternoon, PRIMUS base, the Presidio, San Francisco

The PRIMUS base is located in such a way that it has sweeping views of both the Golden Gate bridge, which stretches across the mouth of the Bay to Marin County on the other side. It's a beautiful afternoon, and the bridge glows in the sun. The Presidio itself is covered by high, shady trees, and is lush and green. The Army base has since closed down, though PRIMUS occupies four buildings here. The main building, where they've been directed to meet Silver Avenger Chow at, is three stories tall, and is a postmodern steel and redwood building which fits in well with the local environment. Because the nature of the Presidio is open -- even when the Army base was here, all areas of it were freely accessible to the public -- the PRIMUS buildings are surrounded even now by Japanese and American tourists, taking pictures of the Iron Guardsmen guarding the building.

Inside the main building, there is a fountain, as well as a large plaque which commemorates the building's dedication in 1984, with a large picture of then Silver Avenger DJ Johnson (now the Golden Avenger.) Despite the easy appearance of the base, however, security is very tight. Cameras cover every angle of their approach, and there are four assault agents stationed inside the base's entrance carrying nasty looking weapons (not those in publicity photos either), as well as the two Iron Guardsmen standing outside the main entry.

They're met immediately by an attractive woman wearing a business suit, who escorts you through a labyrinth of corridors to Silver Avenger Chow's briefing area. Most of the facility is located underground.

The briefing room is large, and there is a long mahogany table which stretches its length. Already seated at the table is Protector, and speaking with him is Silver Avenger Chow. "Yes, that's correct," she's telling him as Odyssey and Knightblade arrive. "Five singers all told, and all five apparently nabbed using some sort of magical teleportation, though two distinct types."

She smiles at both new entries, and gestures for all of them to sit.

"Thank you all for coming," she says with a friendly smile. Silver Avenger Chow's demeanor is friendly but firm -- it's easy to tell who's in charge here. "As you may or may not have heard, five singers have been kidnapped from three venues in San Francisco in the past 24 hours. All five were sopranos of exceptional talent and had ranges of four octaves. All five were kidnapped using some sort of," she pauses for a moment, then shrugs, "Magical means. Our scientists have not been able to determine the precise mechanism which the perps used to teleport away, though in three of the cases, witnesses have stated that the assailants and their victims vanished into thin air, and in two other cases, there were no witnesses, only pentagrams which remained etched into the floor."

Turning, she shrugs out of her leather bomber jacket, and flips off the lights. She shows a series of slides which illustrate the various crime scenes. Only two are of particular interest -- those two which illustrate singer's tiny dressing rooms, spattered with blood and with the silvery lines of a pentagram carved into the floor. Bits of gray animal fur are also found at these sites. The other three scenes are of the backstage of the Opera house and a cabaret. "In these cases, the victims were nabbed by a masked figure who then took the victims to the lowest point inside the building, then vanished.

"As you know, it normally is not PRIMUS policy to ask for civilian help in this type of case. However, our resources are currently stretched to the maximum everywhere, not just in the City. There have been 567 reported cases involving 'magical' attacks and DEMON related crimes in the past three weeks alone, across the country. We've been working with the FBI for the last week on a DEMON stake out, which is why we don't have the ability to devote more time to the case. SFPD is up to their ears, and since the three of you have had involvement with the case, I thought you might be able to help." She takes a breath, then gives that same winning smile. It seems as though she doesn't like to ask for help, but that she's trying her best with a bad situation. Her eyes are bloodshot and she looks exhausted.

"So," she concludes. "Any ideas?"

"Well, yes, I have a few ideas," Odyssey says, standing up and approaching the projection screen. She looks a little nervous. Apparently, she's not used to talking to a group of superheroes.

"DEMON's choice of victims, five sopranos each with a range of four octaves, suggests that they need these people for their vocal abilities, probably in some spell. I would suggest putting a watch on any other high-profile singers with the same abilities. DEMON may come back for more singers."

Odyssey seems more comfortable now that she is talking and continues on with her suggestions.

"Given how stretched every ones resources are, perhaps we can help PRIMUS and police with that work. Also the increase in DEMON attacks - you said 567 in three weeks across the country - suggests that they are working up to something big. Are there any clues as to what they are working toward? Have there been similar attacks on singers in other cities?"

The Silver Avenger runs a tanned hand through her hair. "No, that's what's particularly strange. It's like there are themes at work. Here in San Francisco, singers have been especially targeted. But I just got off the phone with Alex Richardson, the Silver Avenger in St. Louis, who told me that five expressionist painters were kidnapped from a gallery opening there last week. It wasn't thought at the time to be a paranormal crime, so the FBI handled it. I'm still waiting on the report for it, though." She pauses, and sips a Diet Coke. "I haven't been able to talk to anyone else who's had trouble, but Ernie Freeman's aide told me they'd had a rash of thefts from Chicago museums involving mystical artifacts, mostly from Egypt."

"I was also wondering if I could get a copy of the pictures of the two rooms where the pentagram was scratched," Odyssey says, gesturing toward the screen. "I have a friend who might be able to shed some light on what spell was used, if he could see the picture."

"No problem," Maria Chow says. "Just make sure you tell Agent Kestler before you leave."

"Odyssey, I agree that PRIMUS should check into other singers, but I believe that DEMON has all the vocalists it needs," Knightblade says as he points to the screen, "The pentagram. Five points. Five singers. I think these guys are getting ready to summon something really nasty, probably right in the middle of downtown."

"That's a good point," the Silver Avenger says. "I had been thinking along the same lines that Odyssey had, but that's interesting."

Knightblade turns and looks at the Silver Avenger, "I'm interested in the fur and blood found at two of the scenes. Have you had it analyzed? If they've got some kind of demonic beast..." He stops and glances around, "This may be a bit unsettling, but perhaps they have to keep it fed. Have the police had an odd number of reports from any section of the city of missing homeless persons." His voice betrays his own disgust at the idea.

"Oh, great, you're saying we may have hell's lap dog cruising our city!" Odyssey says.

"Um," the Silver Avenger interjects. "We have been seeing a lot of missing persons claims -- SFPD has had to pull people from homicide to work missing persons, if you can believe that -- but it's been steadily rising for about a month. It isn't unusual to see this type of increase at the beginning of summer, though -- kids with nothing to do lead to more crime. What this translates into is: the police department doesn't think it merits PRIMUS involvement -- yet."

Odyssey listens, then continues in a calmer voice, "Perhaps the fur and blood were from a sacrifice necessary to activate those two pentagrams since it was only present at the attacks that needed a portal. In the other three cases, we had some 'entity' snatching singers and then phasing through walls. No pentagram or spell needed."

"But I agree with you in all other respects. Everything points to some Super Satanic Spell in the works."

"Oddly enough, I hope you're right, Odyssey; however, there were also signs of a struggle at those two attacks," Knightblade states as he stands and begins to pace the floor. "And unless they're both invulnerable, there is always something left behind from both the attacker and the victim. Thus the fur and the blood."

He stops pacing beside the Silver Avenger, "Something you just said struck me; missing persons have been on the rise for about a month, and before you stated 567 cases in the past three weeks. That's too coincidental for my tastes."

"Another direction we might want to look at is appropriate places for DEMON to set up shop. From what I understand, magic has a lot to do with emotional energy. What if we check records for real estate sales in the past month that might deal with places rumored to be haunted or cursed. I think I read somewhere that Charles Manson owned a house on Haight. I'd definitely check that out. I'm just kind of brainstorming here. Anyone else have any ideas?" Knightblade pauses and looks around the room.

Protector has been listening intently to the conversation, trying to get a handle on each person's approach and capabilities. Perhaps I was a bit harsh in my initial judgment yesterday, he thinks.

Finally he speaks up; his voice clear and official. "I have a few things to contribute. There was approximately a liter of blood lost by whoever did the bleeding in the dressing room. The spraying pattern indicated that the source of the blood was flailing around pretty good at the time. There was a very high white cell count in the sample, which is unusual, but not sufficient to positively identify the blood as belonging to the victim or her attacker; although," he said to Chow, "if a record of her blood type could be found, that would help."

He pressed on steadily, listing the facts calmly and logically. "The fur and other tissues found were similar to those you might get from a large dog or wolf, but the size of the claw I found would indicate a *very* large animal. Impossibly large." He waited a moment for that to sink in, then went on. "The 'skin' sample turned out not to be skin at all, but I'm not sure exactly what it is yet. I have some more work to do on that."

"As for the DEMON angle, I've tussled with these guys before... a while ago. They're as sick a bunch as you ever want to go up against. I can suggest some places that they used to call their stomping grounds. The information might be too old to be useful, but then again, DEMON is a group that might come back to a familiar hiding place." As he finished, he looked a Chow in conclusion, as if to say 'That's what I have. What do you have?'

Protector projects an air of confidence and credibility. He seems very comfortable in both his role as a superhero and in this situation (an 'official' investigation).

"A liter of blood, spilt at the scene," Odyssey says with a questioning tone in her voice. "Does anyone else think this is a bit much?"

Silver Avenger Chow perks up at that. "I've seen people lose more than that and live," she says. "They didn't feel too good, but it doesn't necessarily mean that's it for them. And if the artery is what was hit, it wouldn't take very long at all to lose that much."

"If DEMON's demon injured a singer enough to drop that much blood at the scene, they may be coming back for another vocalist. I doubt very much that their spell will work if one of the key components - those five sopranos- is badly injured."

"It also sounds like they're interested in magical items - no surprise. But the expressionist painters - well I have no idea what they would do with them, unless DEMON is turning into an art critic."

Odyssey stops suddenly and looks at the rest of the group, "Unless, it's the art itself. The creative energy. It wouldn't matter if it was singers, painters, sculptors or Shakespearean actors. All that would matter is that these people tap into that mystical talent that allows them to create. Perhaps DEMON needs that talent for some spell."

Oh boy, that really sounded lame. I'm sure they'll invite be back after that, Odyssey thinks to herself. They probably think I'm into New Age mysticism and listen to John Tesh cds - the horror. Better minimize the damage, "Well, look, I know that sounds a little batty, but I don't have a lot to go on here. I'm trying to look at this from every angle."

"Don't second guess yourself, Odyssey," Knightblade says as he walks around the table again. "We're dealing with people who are willing to sell their souls to the darkest, most foul entities in existence. I think we can assume that 'a little batty' isn't out of character for them."

He turns towards Protector, "You said the white blood cell count was high. If that is the singer's blood, she may have a prior illness that will make her useless to them. They may have to get another singer. If it comes from... Demonwolf, it might be sick. Maybe they have to get medication for it."

Knightblade pauses to think for a second before continuing, "Also, if the skin samples you're referring to are from our phantom, that may substantiate something I noticed. All of his body heat was localized in his lower torso. Maybe he has some kind of magical prosthetic limbs."

"That or he is a snake," Odyssey adds. "Snakes don't have have upper bodies in the sense that we think of them and they shed. Perhaps that 'skin' left at the scene is left over from the Phantom molting?"

"Regardless of what we're dealing with here, what are we going to do about it? Right now most of my ideas, unfortunately won't get any immediate response," Odyssey says with a sigh of disappointment. "We could concentrate our efforts on patrolling those areas where the most people have gone missing and we could put a watch up on singers. Checking out possible DEMON hideouts is also another possibility. Unfortunately, all of these actions require that DEMON make another move, something I think we all want to avoid. Anybody have a different idea?"

Knightblade stops his pacing one again, slams his right fist into his left hand, and says, "You're right! We've got to stop being reactive and start being proactive." He moves to Protector, "You say you know some of their old hideouts? If it's been awhile," say fifty years like I'm starting to believe, Knightblade thinks to himself, "they may think it's safe to use those places again. We should go check them out."

"Granted," say Protector. "We've speculated enough about the origin of the criminal. I have a few leads on possible sites for DEMON to hold up. I'll check those out. Odyssey, why don't you see if you can dig up any information on what DEMON might use a bunch of singers and artists for. Maybe you could get some more details on the other thefts and try to fit more of a pattern to it."

"Knightblade, why don't you come with me, in case there's trouble. We won't be able to do much poking around until it gets darker, Odyssey, so why don't we plan to meet you somewhere at 11 pm tonight. Will that be enough time for you to gather information?"

"Probably, but where do you want to meet?" Odyssey asks. "Oh, and I have to go to work Monday morning. Think we could finish our meeting by 1 a.m.?"

"And if that doesn't work," Knightblade adds, "We should try to sucker them out with a pawn...um, I mean bait a trap for them. DEMON's obsessed with magic items. We get a museum to say they've acquired something that they couldn't pass up: Excalibur; Thor's hammer, what's it name, Muledeer;" Knightblade turns to look at Odyssey, "the Ark of the Covenant? Well, what do you think?" As he finishes, he looks to everyone in the room.

"I think we might be more successful if we try to lure DEMON out," Odyssey says, nodding in agreement with Knightblade's suggestion. "It's time we made them act according to our rules. If I may make a suggestion - my powers are magical based. Perhaps if I were to use them in a rather public fashion it might attract DEMON's notice."

"Also, they may have an injured singer on their hands. I have the um - ability - to heal people. Something they might need right now, if all that blood did come from that singer. If my presence could lure them out into a more open attack, we could then deal with them and perhaps get a better handle on where they are operating from."

"Hmmm, that's not a bad idea," Knightblade says turning to the Silver Avenger, "Do you think PRIMUS could set up some kind of public scenario while Protector and I check out the old hideouts? If you need to, you can contact us via radio. I have one installed in my helmet."

"I think your ideas about the case are on track," the Silver Avenger says, "But there are two problems. First of all, if PRIMUS had any extra resources available right now, we'd be using them. Secondly, while DEMON is the most logical group to assume is involved here, there isn't a shred of proof which links them to these particular crimes. There are other villains and groups who steal 'mystical' artifacts. Just because there's an increase in DEMON activity doesn't necessarily mean this is DEMON. It's likely, but not necessarily true. I think your plan to check out old lairs is a good one, though please be advised that should you discover them, you should notify us and not attempt to raid the location yourselves. Your attack on them would be just as illegal as any attack they made on you." She pauses, and looks at the ceiling. "Of course, if you're attacked first..." She lets her voice trail off suggestively.

"DEMON or not. I thinks Odyssey's plan still has merit, but it still is dependent on whether on of the singers is ill. We should probably consider it as a back-up if we don't find anything at their old lairs" Knightblade says as he begins to pace the room again. "Protector, we should probably take Odyssey with us to investigate. She can teleport, and if we do find the missing singers, she may be able to teleport them out without any kind of altercation."

"Ms. Chow's right you know," Odyssey says. "By the way do you prefer Silver Avenger Chow, Ms. Chow, the Silver Avenger, Maria - Mistress of Power - Does anyone else remember She-Ra and He-Man? - .."

"Well, it was Maria, mistress of power, to my last boyfriend, but best to not get into that," she laughs. "Maria is fine, Avenger is what I usually get called by here and by the press."

Right on cue, Agent Kestler comes in and says, "Avenger, there's been a call about the episode last night."

"Right," she says, "Tell them I'll be there in just a minute." Agent Kestler shakes her head. "No, she wants to talk to you in person," she tells her. "She's going to be here in twenty minutes."

The Silver Avenger smiles at all of you after her aide leaves. "That's great luck. At some artsy party last night, one of the guests collapsed and started telling stories of how the dark was rising, and that sort of thing. Told of how the dead were rising to take the place of the living, even. Completely freaked the rest of the guests out, and from what I understand, the woman who'd fallen into the trance and started telling this stuff was unconscious for twelve hours or so before she woke up and called us. Anyway, as you heard, she's going to be here in a while -- do you guys want to stick around for that?"

"I can stay for a few minutes," Odyssey says. "You know this could be a bunch of paranormal lunatics who hate expressionist art - not that I blame them. Gads expressionism, the only thing worse is impressionism or neo-modernists."

"Hey," the Silver Avenger says, nodding towards the Monet print on the wall. "I like impressionism."

"Or maybe they want to start a band with kick-ass background singers," Odyssey adds. "It's difficult to unravel the demented thoughts of evil, but until we have some more leads, well, we've got to start somewhere," she says with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I can't join you and Knightblade until later this evening. First, I need to check a few things involving those pentagrams and spells. Then I've got to feed the dog, she gets a little crazy when she hasn't eaten in eight hours."

"Why don't I meet you and Knightblade at the Palace of Fine Arts at 9 p.m.?"

"Let me give you guys a PRIMUS radio," the Silver Avenger adds. "It's got a really good scrambler on it, and we'll be able to monitor your progress." She leaves the room momentarily through a door behind the table (opposite of where you all came in) and returns in a few minutes with a slender radio, linked to a headset. "Here we go. Who wants it?"


Knightblade seems to be fidgeting quite a bit when he says, "Look, I know this never happens in comic books, but I have to go to the bathroom." He looks down at the armored suit he's wearing, "This may take a little while." As he walks out of the room, Knightblade thinks, "Note to myself: No more Chinese food while wearing armor."

'Hmm,' thinks Protector. 'I guess I always assumed that those types would have a catheter or something. Oh well.' Turning to Odyssey, Protector says, "Alright, nine o'clock it is. See you there." He turns to Chow, "I'll keep you updated on our progress; and don't worry about the legal end too much. I know where the dotted lines are. It'll be clean."

At some point after the two of them [Protector and Knightblade] leave the PRIMUS facility, Protector stops and places a call from a pay phone.

"Carol," he says quietly to the voice mail recorder, "something's come up and I can't make dinner tonight. I'm really sorry. I'll call you tomorrow morning, OK? Take care. Bye." He knew that she would be paged by her voice mail box, so she'd definitely get the message, but he really regretted not being able to have dinner with her. 'Should have thought of this yesterday,' he thought as he replaced the receiver on its hook and mounted his Harley to go rendezvous with Knightblade again.

"OK, now that the guys are gone, I've been dying to ask you something," Odyssey says, giving Maria a kind of fellow conspirator glance as she scoots her chair closer. "Is the Golden Avenger's butt really as cute as it is in the pictures or do they airbrush that in?"

Maria throws her head back and laughs. "No, it really is that cute. And he's nice, too. Are you single?" She eyes Odyssey speculatively.

"No, no, recently married," the superheroine responds. Stuffing a piece of pita bread with a concoction made up of bits from each of the take-out containers, Odyssey looks a bit preoccupied when the Silver Avenger asks for her opinion.

Just as she bites into the makeshift sandwich, Maria Chow asks, "So do you have any suggestions? I know that you're new at this sort of thing, but we've gone round and round on it and haven't come up with anything viable. I haven't slept in --" she looks at her watch -- "39 hours now. New ideas would be a good thing."

"Hmm, aff ew msecmons," Odyssey says, as she rapidly chews her food and then washes it all down with a gulp of milk. Cassie thinks, 'Uncle Alex is always looking after my health - osteoporosis you know. You can never have too much milk.'

"Well, notice that there seems to be two types of incidents," she says as she pushes her plate over and pulls out two alternate reports from the stack. "We've got the bloody attack and then the quiet ones. I'd says we have two groups working here. The styles are so different. If you could grab someone and phase through a wall, why bother with the pentagram and using a beast that might injure your quarry? The more and more I think about all of this, the more I'm convinced that at least two if not more groups are involved. And while DEMON may be somewhat involved - there's no way they could account for all of this."

"Maybe they're competing groups," Maria muses, staring over her plate. "Competing for resources for spells...." Her voice trails off, and Odyssey picks up again.

"Plus, -- oh, pardon me for going on like this, but I think getting some food really re-energized me," Odyssey adds, flashing a quick smile. "Plus, all the abductions appear to be of people who are the top in their field. It almost has a weird, second-coming twist. Instead of the faithful being gathered to Christ's bosom in the last days before the end of the world, the top singers, doctors, artists are being picked."

"If it weren't for the strange number -- five -- I'd almost believe someone was pulling a Noah's Ark and choosing the best of society to continue on after the rest of the world was destroyed. It's also a bit reminiscent of the Rapture where those chosen few in God's eye's will be called together in the last days and then there would be this mass ascension of sorts into heaven."

"Actually, it's a lot like the rapture. By its very definition rapture can mean the transferring of a person from one place to another. Though usually it is meant in a spiritual sense. Maybe we're dealing with a physical rapture?"

Maria Chow bops herself on the head with her hand, a gesture that Odyssey realizes would probably take her head off if she weren't prepared for it. Maybe the reason so few of these guys are married is because sex with them would kill ordinary mortals, Odyssey muses, before mentally slapping herself for the thought. I knew I shouldn't have asked about the Golden Avenger's tush.

"Arg," Silver Avenger Chow says. "I went to Catholic school all the way through college, and you'd think I remembered more of this stuff. Hold on," she says. "I think the Bible is on-line," and goes to turn on the computer. "I think," she calls from the office, "That you may have a point with that." She comes back out. "What exactly are we looking for with this? I wonder if I should call a priest or something."

"I don't know if a priest could help right now," Cassie says, wincing about a remembrance at the last time she and Tony were involved with a priest and all the trouble it caused. Well, at least neither of them were excommunicated, just kicked out of the family.

"The problem with the Book of Revelations is that it has been so widely interpreted it could mean almost anything. At various times computers, AIDS, the famine in Ethiopia have all been seen as one of the Seven Signs of the coming of end. Even Revelations is not clear about the signs. While it's definitely seven, the list gets repeated and changed slightly."

"Here. Type Revelations, Chapter 7," she says leaning slightly over Maria Chow's shoulder. After a few seconds the machine connects and words start scrolling down the screen.

"See, this is what I was thinking of, here, " Cassie says, her finger stabbing the screen and leaving a print on it. The passage she points to says:

"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying , Hurt not the earth , neither the sea , nor the trees , till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. "

"Now I know there's been a lot of debate about the number of those chosen by God and a lot of debate over the statement the Tribes of Israel. The book goes on to say that God's chosen will be swept up to heaven," Cassie says. You know all those bible study classes are coming in handy, she thinks. I guess I shouldn't have complained as much when I was a kid.

"Checkout Revelations chapter nine," Cassie adds. "This talks about how those without the sign of God - essential those who haven't been gathered up will be persecuted."

With a computer enhanced "ting" - the passage pops up. This server even allows them to hear the passage being read by Charleston Heston.

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth : and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads."

"What's interesting about this is that these locusts don't really look like locusts. They are described as beasts. It could almost fit that the some of those singers perhaps were being dragged off for persecution by the forces of hell. That phantom that was in the scene at the Curran, perhaps he was the messenger gathering up souls or the faithful."

Cassie pauses, thinking, you know I'm starting to sound like a religious nut. "This is just one interpretation. I'm mean the Bible is one class of religions view on the end of the world. It rewards the faithful, but we have no guarantee that whomever this phantom is he's gathering up people for a good reason. I'd really like to hear from that woman. Maybe she can offer more insight. Plus a friend of the family wants me, Knightblade and Protector to stop by tomorrow night. He has some information for us."


(Meanwhile, in Union Square, Lainie waits for Agent Kestler)


I'm sitting on a bench in front of the Marriott Hotel just off of Union Square, where the woman on the phone told me to meet her. She sounded important; I doubt that she'll show up herself. I'm just starting to wonder how I'm going to give this as yet unknown person my information--I mean, Union Square isn't exactly what I would call a quiet place--when a van pulls up and a blonde woman sticks her head out. She looks at me and says, "So, you've got information for us, do you? Get in." I pause for the briefest of moments--for some reason, I hadn't really expected this--and then I get in beside her. I promised them information, and I am not one to go back on my word.

She starts apologizing about the use of the van, which, she explains, is used for catering, and then she begins talking about some robot supervillian and some scandal that Lainie never heard of. I nod, as if I have some sort of clue what she's talking about, and I wonder where I've been while all this has been happening. I'm just starting to realize that I don't have a clue what happens in the world around me; I wonder just how many people do.

Agent Kestler looks over at me, and I feel like a freak in this costume that I have managed to put together. Looking at my outfit, she asks me, "So, what am I to call you?"

I haven't thought about a name for myself. For a moment, I blanche, searching my brain for a suitable name for the person that I now am. Ah, the joys of living a double life. "Um... Psynergie," I answer, but even to me, my answer sounds more like a question. It's what the media has dubbed me, anyway.

Agent Kestler shakes her head and smiles. "Hey, whatever you say... Psynergie." She looks like she's about to burst out laughing, and I feel like a twat, but it was the only name that I could come up with on such short notice, and I sure as hell don't want to give them my real one. I know that PRIMUS is a world of pseudonyms, but the whole cloak and dagger thing suddenly strikes me as silly. I am struck with the sudden fear that I will not remember my chosen name when I meet Silver Avenger Chow, but I guess that I will deal with that when I have to, and not worry about it until then.

Actually, after the event at the bank with the VIPER agents, the media dubbed the "mysterious heroine" Psynergie. Thea prompted me to just go with it, since that way you'd be able to present something of a "history" to PRIMUS.

Soon we arrive at the Presidio. I knew that PRIMUS headquarters are at the Presidio, and I thought that maybe we were headed here when I got into the van. The ride over was really a silent affair: after feeling stupid just about introducing myself, I didn't want to say anything more to make myself look any more stupid than I already feel. I'm pretty nervous about meeting Silver Avenger Chow, I'm worried about what she's going to say about my information, such as it is, I'm REALLY worried that she will not see my "information" as such, and will simply dismiss me as a crank. I sort of wish I were.

For a while, I'm admiring the view. I love the Presidio: I think it's one of the most beautiful spots in San Francisco. Looking out the window, I say softly, "I've always loved the Presidio."

"So you're a local?"

"I just moved here, but my uncle--" I cut myself off, realizing that I am in the process of telling her my life story. I wish I could focus, but my mind is feeling foggy at the moment.

We stop, and an Iron Guardsman scrutinizes Agent Kestler's credentials. "Your uncle?" she prompts.

I look back out the window, "It's not really important. My uncle just used to show me pictures of San Francisco, and there were always pictures of the Presidio. I used to tell him that I would eventually visit the Presidio," I lie. I've been here more times than I can count, with and without my uncle. God, my head hurts. Focus, Lainie, focus!

Agent Kestler leads me through a maze of hallways, and I realize that I am being led underground. Soon I am in Silver Avenger Chow's office. She looks just like all the picture I've seen of her, so she doesn't surprise me. Next to her is a very tall, very Greek woman, who looks as though she could be Pallas Athena, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she announces that she is the Greek goddess herself: good Lord, that woman has presence! She introduces herself as Odyssey.

"I'm Psynergie," I say softly. Maria Chow is looking at me inquisitively, and while I am contemplating Odyssey, I think that she's inviting me to have some of the food. I finally notice the delivery boxes, and see that the food is from a Greek Restaurant called Bacchus Revels, which I've always wanted to try, but is out of my price range at the moment. Hell, McDonald's is more than I can afford at the moment.


Silver Avenger Chow managed to wrestle a newer translation of the Bible out of one of the Iron Guardsmen ("Agent Thompson is a Bible freak," she whispered to Odyssey) to help get a new perspective on the situation (the King James version can get really esoteric), and that as well as news printouts are strewn across the table with the cartons of food. Odyssey just finished explaining the whole idea of the seven seals to the Silver Avenger -- who really has forgotten everything from Catholic school -- when Agent Kestler enters with another, black clad woman.

The woman with assault agent is tall and thin, and looks Native American. She is attractive, though apparently discomfited by the surroundings.

Agent Kestler moves towards the food. "Ohh, Bacchus Revels," she says and smiles. "Yum."

"Help yourself," Odyssey says. "I'm Odyssey." She extends her hand towards the Native American woman -- could this be the person the media has dubbed Psynergie?

Silver Avenger Chow finishes chewing. "Sorry," she says apologetically, standing to shake her hand as well. "This is really good. Here, please. I'd hate for you to come all this way to help us out without giving you something in return."

She seats herself, and gestures for the other woman to follow. "Now, this is our situat--" The phone rings in her office, which is located directly behind the briefing area. Agent Kestler answers, then enters the room again.

"It's the Golden Avenger," she says.

Maria Chow rolls her eyes, and wipes her mouth with a napkin. "Right. Odyssey, would you mind bringing our new guest up to speed on the situation?"


Lainie:

The phone rings in the other room, and soon Chow goes to answer it: Agent Kestler says that it is the Golden Avenger. I guess that it shouldn't surprise me that the Golden Avenger would be calling, but it does. I'm trying really hard to focus on the task at hand, but I can't. My head hurts, and while the pain isn't blinding that it was the other day, I recognize it as the "pre-vision" pain, the oh-so-special pain that I get when I am suppressing a vision, either unconsciously or consciously. I don't want to fight it, but I don't want to have one in the middle of PRIMUS headquarters. "I...I--I--I...I have to go," I stutter. I can feel Odyssey's eyes on me, but I don't really see them.

The Singers.... I think that Odyssey has prompted me, but I can't hear her voice; instead, I hear the words "the singers" repeated over and over in my head until I finally see them. Words spill from my lips before I can even stop them, and I tell Odyssey all that I see before I even know that I have said anything.

"The Singers are in a warehouse. It's dark, and they are all within five or ten feet of one another, but they aren't tied up or anything. There are some empty plates on the floor, one has a chicken bone on it. There aren't any guards that I can see. One of the singers is lying on her back, staring at the ceiling and absently chanting something, and drumming rhythmically upon the floor, like she's mimicking sounds from outside. What's she saying? No more nuke testing! Bang bang bang-bang-bang! No more nuke testing!" I can't hear any of the sounds, but I can see what the woman is saying. The vision fades,and for a moment, I sit there in silence. Odyssey is studying me.


My headache is gone, and suddenly, everything is perfectly clear to me; the hazy feeling that I had earlier is gone. "And that's not the only thing," I tell her. "I believe that I am being stalked by a paranormal."

"Well, you really know how to make an introduction," Odyssey says, looking at Psynergie. God, please don't let her zone out on me and start mumbling more weird things - the Silver Avenger's going to think I gave her food poisoning.

"Here, I think you'd better have something to eat, you look a little green. The food is really good."

Once Odyssey gets Psynergie set up with some spinach salad and a soda, she pulls up a chair, sits down and pull out one of those nice yellow legal pads scattered around the desk. Nothing like using government supplies that tax dollars paid for.

"Now, ve are going to discuss your dreams," she jokes, doing her best impersonation of a German psychologist. "Because as ve know dreams are ze key to understand ze human psyche."

"OK, I'm not Jerry Seinfeld. That would take a major operation and involve switching religion. But, it wasn't that bad was it? Maybe I shouldn't ask that question."

Odyssey projects a very warm and personable nature.

"Are you sure you're feeling OK?" she say putting a hand on Psynergie's forehead. "You look a little peaked." Odyssey extends her hand, and a warm glow encases both of them.

"OK, let's start at the beginning," Odyssey says. "Let me give you an update of everything that has happened so far."

She pauses, and then tries her best Inigo Montoya impression from Princess Bride. "No, that would take to long. I will summarize." End the Inigo Montoya accent.

"We've got five singers missing, but it appears that they may have been kidnapped by different people and/ or groups. The circumstances surrounding two of the kidnappings involved pentagrams, and there was blood and fur left at the scene. In the other three kidnappings, the singers were grabbed by some figure, taken to the lowest room in the building and pulled through the wall. We think whatever took them has some sort of paranormal ability to phase through solid objects."

Odyssey pauses and look intently at Psynergie. For a superheroine she looks pretty down-to-Earth. "Following me so far?"

"Now, these attacks are not confined to San Francisco. Five Expressionist artists were kidnapped in Texas. There have been a total of 567 unusual magic-related incidents in the United States in the past month alone."

"At first we - Protector, Knightblade and myself - proposed a theory that it was DEMON up to their usual no-good antics. But the Silver Avenger pointed out that there was no concrete evidence linking DEMON to these events."

"Since the guys left, she and I have been talking and were working on a new theory. Perhaps the abductions have a biblical tie in. It almost sounds like the Rapture as it's explained in Revelations. Perhaps this being is gathering up the chosen ones while some other creature is attacking the non-chosen."

"Well, I realize this all sounds like an episode of "Johnny Quest." But any information you can give would be helpful. The Silver Avenger said you had a vision, something about the 'Dark is Rising.' Just now you mentioned seeing the singers. I think that information may help us find them. You said a warehouse and chanting of 'No nukes.' I wonder if there are any demonstrations going on right now? I'd better ask Maria when she comes back in. What can you remember from the earlier vision? Also, what makes you think someone is stalking you? Perhaps you might be safer if you stayed at my house for a couple of evenings to throw this person off track."

"No, no. I don't think so," Psynergie says, and backs up. "I've said all that I have to say -- thank you very much for the food." Practically running, she leaves the room and exits the PRIMUS building.



Well, that meeting with Psynergie could have gone a little better, Odyssey thinks, materializing in her living room. Not a particularly social woman, and she seemed really ill-at-ease in the PRIMUS building in particular.

Tony tried to wait up, and is lying on the living room couch with a bowl of half-eaten Italian ice cream on his stomach. The golf clubs are lying in the entryway, and though the television is on, he's out cold, the ice cream bowl rising and falling with his breathing.

She kisses him, to wake him up, and he grins at her costume. "Calvin Klein couldn't have thought of anything skimpier, even for an underwear ad," he says proudly . Cassie just bops him on the head.

"Well, if this superheroing stuff doesn't work out at least I can keep the costume," she says, kissing the spot she just bopped. "It seems to inspire you."


"Ralph got all weird on me," he tells her, much later. "I couldn't tell you this before, since I was still at the restaurant, but the first words out of his mouth when he say me were, 'Your wife is needed for something very important. The Singers will chant their way home' or something like that. That's when he told me that he wanted you and the others to meet him tomorrow."

PBEM turns