<> <> <> <> * Rochelle looks around, yes. She also rubs at the back of her head. * Edward is clearly awed by the maze. So, um. You wanna go in or somethin'? * Threnody is looking at his cel phone as he walks along, then tilts his head to the side. "Curious." * Edward nods. "Yes." * Edward proves himself right by going into the maze. * Threnody glances at Edward, then at Rochelle as he puts away his phone, and seems about to say something before his eyes go wide. "Edward... stop a minute." * Edward stops like a good Edward unit. "Why?" * Rochelle looks at Thren, then to Edward. * Threnody glances around furtively, then shakes his head and walks over. "Let's stay close together, okay?" He smiles disarmingly. "We don't want to get split up in a maze, after all." * Rochelle shrugs. "Sure." * Edward resumes entering the maze! Whee, maze! * Rochelle wanders after him, nonplussed as always. * Threnody glances behind him, then at Rochelle, then forward, keeping a careful look of amused interest. %% There's someone here... from Dunno, and who developed a sudden interest in Edward. %% %% That so? Huh. %% <> * Edward seems to be enjoying himself. Spooky hedge-maze! * Rochelle looks around. "Cool." * Threnody puts a hand to his side, conveniently close to the bokken he's taken to carrying around for the past day or so. %% I wish there were somewhere else to go, but he'd have a hard time getting the drop on us in this maze. %% "I always thought of hedge mazes as a French phenomenon. Still, it is interesting." %% Can ya tell how close someone is? %% It's neat. I kinda like it. (An excellent question!) I've never really been any good at mazes. I'm counting on the both of you. %% Not really. It's hard... I do know he's following us, though. %% %% Go figure. %% * Rochelle looks at Thren. "Woulda thought you're good at it." * Edward goes through the maze! Go, Edward! <> * Threnody ehes and rubs the back of his neck. "Not without cheating, and where's the fun in that?" * Edward looks both ways, then goes right! * Threnody follows like a good Threnody unit! (I had to get that in.) (*snickers*) * Rochelle shrugs and follows along. Edward... have you been to this maze before? * Threnody then suddenly stops short. %% ...this really is not our day. %% Nope. It's new? * Rochelle blinks. %% What? %% * Threnody whispers, as best he can, "Edward... stop a moment." %% Someone after Edward behind, someone after me ahead. Rock, hard place. %% * Edward stops, looking confused. * Rochelle glances back, then forth. %% Okay. %% * Threnody glances around. "Let's... just keep going." %% I'll handle whoever's looking for me. No matter what, keep taking Edward through the maze. I'll be able to find you. %% %% Screw that. %% * Threnody blinks and looks at Roch. %% If you have a better plan, I'm proverbially all ears. %% * Rochelle walks along, a little faster this time. The next branch she comes to, she takes a left without hesitation. %% Just follow me. %% * Edward follows like a good Edward unit, although it's less fun with someone else leading. ;_; * Threnody smiles at Edward. "Maybe she's just getting into it. Ladies first, after all." I guess. * Threnody walks along next to Edward, but sadly cannot keep himself from uttering, a few moments into it: "What the heck?" * Rochelle walks along, a little more slowly. She glances down the path to the left, and keeps going straight. Next chance she gets, she takes a right. What? * Threnody gives up on the telepathy. He *looks* a little headachey. "More company. I'm starting to regret going into this place." Oh. I'm sorry. * Threnody shakes his head, and jogs ahead of Rochelle. "It's not your fault." <> * Threnody decides not to wait and leaps at him. "I'm sorry about this, but we don't have time to deal with your friends!" * Rochelle stops and waits. <> Grr. * Edward blinks. "Rochelle, why is Threnody attacking that man?" Because he's a jerk. (I am not. ;_;) (I rolled init, Cham, dunno if you saw.) <> Oh. * Threnody swings his leg around, aiming a kick at the back of the guy's head! (Called shot, whee) (Yep. ^_^) * Rochelle looks at Edward. "And I kinda think he wants to hurt you, or take you in, or something. Which isn't good for you, so." Oh. Then why'd you say he's a jerk? <> * Threnody digs into his pocket and throws his cel phone at Rochelle lightly. "Call Katherine, please, and let's get moving." That was neat! (*snicker* I like Edward-01. Can we keep him?) * Rochelle catches it and looks at the phone, then dials before putting it to her ear. What'm I s'posed to tell her? That we're in a hedge and some guy's looking for Edward? * Threnody looks back as he walks. "Well, that's the *truth*, isn't it?" Yup. * Rochelle removes the phone and looks at it. "Uh. It might be broken." Tell her not to tell Deme. She'll be upset. Doesn't really matter, I guess. * Threnody blinks, then looks back at Rochelle. "...it worked fine outsi... jamming. They're blocking the signal somehow." * Rochelle nods. * Rochelle hands the phone back and keeps walking. That's bad. * Edward continues to follow. (Quick, Thren! Find a power pellet! You got Inky, now Blinky's on your tail!) * Threnody nods, walking as close to abreast with the others as space allows. "They're pretty serious about this, and they'll be waiting at the exit. They're sort of..." He pauses. "Four, and if I didn't know better I'd say they're *lost*." (Wakawakawakawakawakawakawakawaka...) (*cracks up*) (Man, Ed, if you have an ECCM suite, deploy, baby! Deploy!) <> ( Edward has no such capability. ECCM was to be incoporated in Edward 3.11. ) * Edward is keeping up! (Man, you better do SOMETHING before your warranty gets voided in a very personal fashion.) * Threnody is too! %% I think I get it. You 'know' which paths are right, don't you? %% * Rochelle doesn't say much, not hesitating in the least before taking a turn or going straight. She doesn't even seem to be considering paths other than the one she's taking. %% Kinda, yeah. Exit's coming up soon. %% * Threnody nods. %% Good enough for me. %% * Threnody walks a little faster. "I have this feeling we need to pick up the pace," he says grimly. "Call it a hunch." <> I think I just remembered something. * Rochelle glances at Thren, shrugs, and keeps going. "What?" * Threnody glances at Edward curiously, but Roch covered the 'what?' angle. <> * Edward runs! "Escaping from something else." <> * Rochelle runs. Oh, yes she does. * Threnody draws his bokken and goes for the smacky-smacky on the run. "Really sorry about this, no time for tasers!" (Ah, thank you for having a weapon drawn, sir! It means Bushido allows me to use one against you!) (Straight roll, +2 for speed issues.) (Success! Thank god. @_@) <> <> We can't just keep running aimlessly. We have to GO somewhere. <> (Man, where are Buddy and Brother with the Celsius? Or a save point? >_<) * Rochelle glances, then runs for the curtain. No, seriously. * Threnody looks at Rochelle. "...well, you got us out of the maze. Come on, Edward, let's go." * Edward follows! "Why are we running for the Ion Curtain, Rochelle?" I admit to wondering the same question. 'Cause. <> * Rochelle goes straight for the shed, zipping into it through the open door once she's close enough. * Edward follows like a swift-moving Edward unit! * Threnody gets his shed on! <> <> * Rochelle does that, yup. * Threnody breathes out, pausing a moment. "This has been a most distressing day." How long do we wait here? * Threnody looks outside, or where outside would be if there were windows. "I doubt this will fool anyone for long." <> * Threnody looks around. "Why this shed, Rochelle?" * Rochelle takes a few breaths and leans against a bench. "'Cause there's cover." * Threnody looks around at the contents of the shed. "For monitoring the ion curtain, I suppose..." Yup. * Rochelle has a seat. * Threnody mmms, looking around and poking what little sense he can just outside the shed. "Edward... what did you remember, in the maze?" Escaping from... uhm, somewhere. I dunno. And this place reminds me of something, too. Didja hide here? * Edward shakes his head. "No. It's like something else?" (Be right back.) * Rochelle blinks. "Like what?" I was held in a place like this. Only it was a lab? * Threnody tilts his head. "And you escaped the lab?" Uhm.... yes. I think? * Threnody suddenly blinks. "I wonder if we're out of the range of their jamming yet..." * Rochelle shrugs. "Could try." * Threnody valiantly attempts to find his phone and dial a number! (give me a second) (Is that our cue?) (Yes) * Threnody breathes out. "Hello." * Threnody finds a bench and sits down. He's talking a little quietly but not so much that the others can't hear him. "Yes. There's not really much time for small talk. Where are you?" (So we know we're on the NE side of the park?) (Yes) * Threnody pauses a moment, then says perhaps too innocently, "Because Rochelle, Edward, and I are running from DunnoCorp ops and are holed up in a shed near the ion curtain on the northeast side of the park." * Threnody sighs. "If I had told you, everyone would still be in Red New York right now arguing over something incredibly stupid. We'll be waiting." * Rochelle folds her hands behind her head. * Threnody hangs up the phone, then puts it back in his pocket and runs his hands through his hair. "She sounded predictably upset, so you might want to prepare yourselves. Maybe we should take our chances with the Dunno types." * Edward frowns. "Deme's gonna be mad, isn't she?" Probably, yeah. * Threnody sighs. "It's really not your fault she's angry, Edward." You sure? * Threnody nods, brow creasing a little. "As sure as I can be regarding someone like her." He pauses. "I think they're giving up." On what? Oh. Still, better safe than sorry. <> * Rochelle looks at the machinery. * Threnody breathes out and leans back against the shed wall. "I wish it hadn't come to violence." It's okay. They were mad men anyway. * Edward nods sagely. * Threnody closes his eyes. "Maybe so, but..." But what? They were gonna get violent if we didn't. * Threnody opens his eyes and glances at Rochelle evenly. "Self-defense is one thing. Taking the initiative is another." Uhm... they had weapons and were trying to point them at us. Is that good enough? * Threnody smiles wearily. "I know it must sound strange. I'm sorry. But... I have my reasons for not wanting to go on the offensive." Okay. * Threnody looks up. "They're here." * Rochelle lets out a sigh. * Threnody winces. "And they've been found." Guess we just have ta go with it. * Rochelle gets to her feet and unbolts the door, then opens it. * Threnody nods slowly, getting up. "Just stay behind us, Edward... we'll protect you." O... okay.