"Hot damm looks like a trip to Egypt is going to be in the works" Jay says.

"So Juno you up for a little trip?"

Juno opened her mouth to suggest they didn't have to go to Egypt to look Egypt up...then realized, hey...free trip. Good excuse to go somewhere she'd probably never get a chance to see.

Well, she could afford a ticket now...but...still.

"Sure," she replies with a slowly spreading smile. "We should definitely get our info firsthand, right?"

"Juno makes another good point. There's nothing wrong with doing a little field research. I don't have any problems going out into the desert."


"I could see us all going there, but I suppose that Fang need's a bit more time, so what maybe in a day or two we could set out?"

Fang hid a grimace of pure frustration at her teammates. They wanted to waste time flying to Egypt when they could research here, get the information they needed and then go to Egypt. It's not like they weren't getting there eventually, right?

Wasps. Fang's mental bitching is derailed by a sudden memory. Pulling out her phone, she placed a call to Peter Bell, hoping he was up and around.

"I dont think flying to Egypt is the best course of action. We dont know the extent of Ra's power, or even if he is in Egypt. Egypt was once a huge empire, he could be in India or Africa for all we know. The more we learn, the better our position will be."

Meanwhile, Fang made it through to Peter.

[PeterBell] Hello? <shower in the background>
[Fang] Peter, it is Fang.
[PeterBell] Hey! Good to hear from you again. Is everything okay on your end?
[Fang] 7:27 pm: Well, not really. I'm calling about your picture, the one you told me about.
[PeterBell] Yes... yes, the Puppeteer. Anything come in useful? Its still a total mystery to me.
[Fang] Maybe. We're dealing with a New Person who can control and transform other new people. One of his current victims is a man who can call swarms of wasps.
[PeterBell] Yes, I've seen that. The wasps seem to be attacking everybody. Then there is the being of light above and the war below. Do you think the Wasp Man is a threat?
[Fang] I think that the being of light that it in the painting is the threat. He calls himself Ra, and the name is not a code name or nickname. Peter, he took Caryn, and he almost had me, too.
[PeterBell] OH crap. Do you want me to do a painting of Caryn? It might help and I have her sketch close by. Damn, it would help if you could actually see what I'm doing.
[Fang] That's what I was going to ask you. If we could arrange a fast transport, could you bring us your art? All of it? Or we could come to you, if necessary.
[PeterBell] I've got another problem - on with Titan Omega. Could you send somebody to me to gather up the paintings and take them to you to examine? Also, do you want me to try and find something out about Caryn?
[Fang] We can do that, I'm sure, and anything you can discern about Caryn would be helpful. What is going on with Titan Omega? I was hoping to have his help against Ra.
[PeterBell] I think someone is going to attack a young girl close to him. Maybe a daughter or niece. It’s a robot. I'm sure he can help against Ra too.
[Fang] If you find him, you can certainly tell him that we'll help him with his issue.
[PeterBell] Speaking of which, is Margaret Mercer okay? I had a strange abbreviated phone call with her last night.
[Fang] Oh, she's fine. May I ask if the call had bearing on this case?
[PeterBell] No. She's been leaving me alone. It had to do with locating Titan Omega.
[Fang] Well, then. I'll see about getting someone to pick up your work or come to take pictures so we can examine them. And Peter? Be careful. Ra is very dangerous. If he comes for you, run. Don't try to fight him. Just flee.
[PeterBell] Why don't I try and see what I can gain from a portrait? I feel kind of bad living safetly here while you guys are risking your lives. Besides, I'm no faster than Caryn on my best day. Cheer up. I’m the stealth nova. I'm living below the radar.
[Fang] Just watch yourself. Someone will be in touch with you soon.
[PeterBell] Peters, I imagine. I’ll have everything packed up asap.
[Fang] Good. Thank you, Peter.
[PeterBell] Let me know what else I can do for you. I start a major project/job in 3 days, but I see what you are doing as coming first.
[Fang] Sure will. Good-bye, and thanks again.
[PeterBell] Good Hunting.
[Fang] Thanks <disconnects>

As she hung up, Fang turned to the others. "If some of you want to do something more physical, you can arrange to pick up Peter's paints from him in New York," she said, nodding to Jay and Juno. She could tell how much they wanted to get away from here.

Juno shrugs and sticks her hands in her pockets.

"Nah, that's okay. I'll go find some books about gods."

She glances at Jay.

"You coming with?"

Jay shakes his head no. "I was going to ask you if you want to come with me to New York. Might do you some good to get away from here for a bit."

As Fang mentions Peter's name a sudden thought comes to him. "Oh shit, I think I might know who could be a target for Ra." He looks around at the others, "Remember Sascha? The firestarter, she was having some mental problems I think, but she could easily be brought under Ra's influence."

The door opens, and Pax enters, a short black man and a redheaded white man flanking him. You have met the redhead, his name is Ray McClendon. Telekinetic powers and a control of ambient light are his forte. (OOC: Nathan, the black man was the teleporter who 'assisted' in Pax's public eruption)

"What's up people? Margaret said we have a problem? Someone fill me in, and let's get some food up here, I just got back from Israel, and I haven't eaten all morning." Pax continues to take charge of any meeting he attends.

Juno hesitates, trapped between her desire not to do what Fang asked, and the thought that spending the day with Jay in New York didn't sound bad. Pax comes in, reminding her that she didn't really want to be in the room with him.

"Can you teleport there right now?" she asks Jay, "Or do we have to get a plane ticket and all that?"

Jay smiles as he speaks. "I wish my powers included teleportation, or flight like Michael, but unfortunately it didn't turn out that way." He glances at Pax entry into the room. He sure has change from a few weeks ago.

He shrugs his shoulders "I guess we have to take a plane, hopefully we can get something for later."

"Ugh," Juno complains, putting a hand to her head. "Okay, I'm confused. Are we looking for Sascha or going to Egypt or what? What's the plan -right now-? Lets get this together before Big Tall And Glowing decides to strike again."

"I don't need a plane." Nathan nods at the black man who enters. "I can go visit Peter Bell in New York. Getting his paintings back might be tricky, however. I think I can take this suit with me but I don't know about anything else."

"Just a moment, Juno - let me bring Pax and his team up to speed," Fang said, nodding to the girl. She saw that she was getting frustrated, so she stepped closer to the young woman and murmured, "The men are likely to run off and do something stupid. Will you help me keep them from doing so?" And she nudged a bit of quantum at the girl, just as she'd been able to do before*. She added just as softly, "I can't do it alone."

Giving her time to think and hoping that Juno would help her, Fang turned to Pax, bowed and said, "I am Wei Fang. I know of you, Mr. Pax, but I am unfamiliar with your friends. May I know your names?"

And that was when the kid in robes entered the room. To the room in general he said, "Sorry to barge in." Turning to face the big bald man, "I thought there must be some kind of emergency the way you fellows rushed off like that."

Seeing their looks at his jedi robes and lightsabers, he smiled. "You can call me Jedi."

Another distraction, more chaos in the potato salad of order. Still, she focused and sent out a pulse of power. There was an answer and the tension eased. Fang rubbed her temple before she bowed and said, "You are in time for the introductions and the debriefing. Everyone, please, have a seat. We have much to do, and little time to do it."

*[OOC: Subtly using Mega-Manip enhancement: Persuader to convince Juno to remain calm and help]

Jedi looked curious, but moved to a chair and sat as if he were meant to be there. Let the bald man chew on that. He hoped he took the chair that the big man wanted. He had quickly assessed the seats available with long experience in the corporate negotiations his father had made him sit in on and chosen the most powerful seat remaining empty. The asian woman had the commanding seat.

He was again thankful for the smart thinking of the catches that held his lightsabers tight to his thighs, and kept them from swinging loosely. The last week he'd accidentally sat on one and it hadn't been comfortable, good thing they couldn't turn on unless he actually held them in his hands, that was for sure.

Looking about, "Could I get your names as well?"

Fang had just had a certain thing going for that enabled her to just ease the slowly building tension that was building. Jay was glad that she suggested that everyone sit down, before it really got out hand.

The Jedi dude that followed Pax just cracked Jay up. "Jedi, man you've got to be kidding me. Now I've heard everything."

"Nathan if you wan to go there fine by me. Just let me know what I can do to help."


To Juno he says "I don't think were going after Sachsa just yet, Fang wanted ideas and that's the only other person I could thin of that Ra might be after. She did burn you after all."

Juno's taken aback when Fang comes up to her, but she can't deny that the Chinese woman has a point. And she seems so quiet and demure and...fragile...it's funny, but she feels her irritation draining away. Staying mad when Fang was near would be like kicking a puppy. You just...couldn't do it.

"Yeah," she says with a wry smile, "sure."

Then the...Jedi walks in, and suddenly Juno isn't thinking about Fang or Egypt or Ra.

"Oh my god," she blurts, and covers her mouth to try, unsuccessfully, to stop the derisive laughter that's bubbling up inside her. "Did you just say your name is Jedi?"

Jedi's grin is amused. "I didn't say it was Jedi, I said you can call me Jedi." Seeing that he was going to keep getting these reactions until he made a demonstration of why he was called Jedi, he pulled on of the lightsabers off his belt and hit the power button creating a beautiful green blade of glowing plasma or energy, the doctors hadn't decided yet what it was. Without making any quick or threatening gestures he reached out from his sitting position toward the closest wall and touched the tip of the blade to the wood paneling. When he pulled the blade away there was a hole and the smell of burned wood wafted about the room. Bringing the blade up into a salute before him he turned the blade off and calmly reattached it to his belt and thigh.

"That's why I'm called Jedi."

Jay laugh turns silent as he watches Jedi's lightsaber's cut a hole in the chair. Wow, didn't see that coming. Got to stop underestimating things around here.

"Hey sorry the name thing, I'm a fan of the movies, but I never expected to see someone not a convention wearing robes. Name's King by the way."

Juno's eyes widen...but not for the reason the calm Jedi might be thinking.

A moment later she can't contain the laughter anymore, and no longer tries. After a few seconds she manages to get it under control and wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Dude...wait a second...-that's- your super power? You turned into some lame guy from a movie? That SUCKS! And I thought I had it bad!"

Jedi smiled and offered his hand to King, "Real name's Colin, nice to meet you." He chuckles and adds, "Yeah, I figure I'm going to be pegged with the name because of my powers, so I might as well wear the robes and capitalize on it. Maybe I'll get a part in the next Star Wars movie or something. You know when I first erupted, I actually thought I was a Jedi at first, until I saw the news."

Looking at Juno his brows crease in confusion and curiosity. "Super strength, super reflexes, and lightsabers and you think that sucks? Wow, what powers did you get?"

"Nice to meet you Colin. Well if you got Jedi powers, then you might be able to help us out with a problem were having right know. "

He says in a loud voice over Juno's linger laughter "Fang over there was just about to brief us, isn't that right!"

"Juno, please, this isn't helping," Fang said firmly. And, oddly for the small woman, at room volume instead of her normal softer pitch. She glanced at the paper next to the board, where Caryn's name was. Time to remind everyone what was important.

"Everyone will have their turn to introduce ourselves, but personal speculations on each other's powers needs to wait," she added. "I am Wei Fang and it is good to meet you."

"Ahh," Juno exhales, fanning her mouth a bit. "All right, all right...whatever. Welcome aboard Mr. Jedi."

She takes a seat and shuts up, though she still sometimes casts amused glances at Jedi across the room.

Pax stood, arms crossed, and watched the room degenerate into chaos. He consoled himself that his time was coming, his team would be hand picked and when he led, there would be no doubt who was in charge. To be fair, this group was just slapped together by a Doctor, for christ's sake. He waited for the right moment, and said,

"Pax. This is Ray, and the quiet guy is Mbuto. If I may, what is the emergency. There IS an emergency, right?"

The door burst open at that, and Margaret Mercer rushed in. She crossed the room without speaking and turned on the TV. CNN. Live coverage of the Assassination of Hosni Mubarak. Amunet was making her speech. They saw her kill Mubarak. Then, as they watched, a horde of cats attacked the crowd in the park. As the cameraman stumbled and fell, the camera was blasted with sand, and turned off. The commentators were speechless.

Pax turned to Mbuto.

"Me and Ray. Now."

The silent black man looked at Pax. Then Pax and Ray were gone.

"That, ladies and gentlemen," Fang said softly, "is what we're fighting. I assume we're ready to get serious now?"

Without waiting for an answer, she begins to explain to them the events of the last several hours.

On seeing the news report, Juno's mirth fades in a heartbeat. She watches the sequences in muted horror, and when Fang speaks, she pays better attention than she ever did in school.

Jedi found himself unconsciously reaching for his lightsaber as he watched the footage, but had to force himself to move his hand away. There was no one to fight here. He took several deep breaths and reminded himself that anger and vengance were not the Jedi way. I must be calm, it must be about justice, not about anger. That's how... He clamped down on that thought and tried to focus on the situation at hand.

"How old is that footage? How fast can we get there?"

"Jay, arrange transport to Egypt, as soon as possible. I believe that Ra has made his start on his kingdom, and we need to find his tomb. Juno, would you be able to call New People and advise them to be wary of Ra, starting with Sascha? Peter is already warned. I didn't see Ra at Cairo; he might be grabbing someone else. Mr. Jones, can you pinpoint the location of his tomb from the scroll?"

Turning, she looked at Jedi. "If you want to join Pax and Ray, then Mbuto can get you there. But they are already there and we have a greater task; stopping Ra himself. Everyone here needs to choose which fight they want to be in. And Ra is very powerful. Michael, I ask that you remain with the group attacking Ra; I think that we need to rush him and fight him while he's trying to subdue one of us. But you'd know better than I what to do."

I couldn't have done that any better myself"Sure thing Fang, but wouldn't it be easier if you got us there? I mean you can teleport, can you take someone with you when you use that power?"

Fang frowned. "Jay, I just did this for the first time tonight, and I'm not sure of my control yet. I also don't know if I could carry someone. And it could take several trips. We need a warper or a fast plane."

"You know who else wasn't in the video?" Juno muses. "Wasp man. There were cats and sandstorms and ghosts, but no wasps."

She shrugs.

"Telemarketing. Got it. Anyone got a phone list?"

Jedi nods to Fang. "I will go with King and face Ra. He can fill me in on the way."

"Mr Jones do you have the location where the tomb is? Me and Jedi are already going Michael you want in on this? We need to get there fast. Ra may be alone and now would be a perfect time to strike!"

Max looks at Mbuto. The quiet black man nods. Max turns to the group.

"I know where the tomb is. What's more, Mbuto has been there, so can teleport you there instantly. Are you sure that you want to do this. Zetanhkaton is very dangerous, you could all end up dead or worse. Please, shouldn't you wait for more Novus to help you?"

Jedi looked with a little concern between Max and King. "What are we talking about here? What kind of powers does this Ra have that it might take more than three or four of us to take him down? If he is the source of the threat I'm all for going after him, but I'd appreciate some more information so I don't walk into this blind."

"Jedi, I don't know how many it will take to defeat him," Fang said honestly. "He is insubstantial and able to overtake the minds of others, as well as transmute their bodies somehow. He can also disrupt others' abilities, much as I can. And fly. What else he can do... I do not know.

"Because I know so little, I'd rather use an overwhelming force to stop him," Fang admitted, looking tired. She was becoming more and more aware that she was hours from bed and that while everyone else was looking good, she was starting to feel the stress. "And speaking of, I'd like to try something."

Fang turned and looked at an exterior wall. She looked uncomfortable and cleared her throat softly, then said in a loud, firm voice, "Titan Omega! This is Wei Fang. We are currently gathered at the Æon Society, and we need your help."

She felt so ridicilous, but her research indicated that was the best way to reach the large nova. So she stood straight and tall and tried to ignore any titters that might be floating in the air from behind her.

Jay looked at Fang after she calls Titan Omega. "What the heck was that all about Fang? Are you hoping that he'll just what pop out of nowhere, ah who am I kidding that's excatly what's going to happen!" he say sarcasticly.

"Jedi, with the group we got here, I'd say we got a good chance of stopping this guy. The guy Fang is refering to is a pretty impressive Novus who could really tip the balance in our favor. He's on the par of that Pax guy I'd say, but I don't know if he'd make a good team player."

Michael nods, and stands. He had been silent during the excited exchange, which was unusual for him, but it seemed he had come to a decision.

"I can fly two people. I'm much stronger than I look. Just say the word, and we'll depart."