Lindon:
[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"We should look in a vault, or in Viper's private office." spoke Lindon. "Thefts do not have any official records, so I would rule out the library. The vault may hold the tear, the offices may hold Viper's agenda for it. We should split up and sneak through. Two men are easily spotted where one goes in unnoticed."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Steena was beginning to get nervous as the time passed and she neither saw General Viper, nor Lindon and Doc there to rescue her. The manor had been eerily silent, a fact that was making her skin crawl.

Finally, after nearly an hour of waiting, she stood and smoothed out her clothing before tilting her head this way and that, trying to get her bearings. There's no way I'm going to sit here any longer, she thought, Especially not if they could be hurt.

Steena opened the door and glanced both ways - seeing no one she stepped out and began along the hall, and then down the stairs. Truthfully she had no idea where anyone could be, but if anyone saw her wandering around she'd just say that she'd needed the bathrooms and no one had been there to ask.

She began to hum softly under her breath as she moved. Where, oh where could her escourts have gone? Oh where, oh where could they be?

[Termina, Alternate World]

Luccia walked through Termina, wide eyes looking even larger because of her glasses. She could feel the weight of the Dragon's Tear in her pocket, and it was beginning to make her nervous. Sure, she'd made a very good replica, but it could only be so long before someone figured out their little ploy.

"Vhere is everyone?" she muttered under her breath - Norris and Leena should have met her already. She found a seat where she could watch the people pass and hoped for dear life this wouldn't take forever.

[Opassa Beach, Alternate World]

Flea stared out across the ocean water, squinting. One hip was cocked to the side so that he could rest a hand on it, and his other hand lifted to shield his eyes. The surf was low, but the water still made it's continual incline / decline along the beach, lapping at the sand only to slide right back out again.

"Hmmph," Flea muttered, gazing around. He could feel a strange magical pull here at Opassa beach, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Rediculous, just a bunch of sand. Augh, and it's getting into my shoes!" He stomped a foot angrily and twirled in place so he could begin tromping up and down along the shore - not daring to get his precious tootsies wet.

"There *has* to be something here," he groaned, "I just don't know what it is. If Ozzie and Slash would stop playing *games* maybe we could actually do *something*."

Finally he plopped down onto the sand - ever wary of how it would affect his clothing. He bent his knees up, propped his elebows on the twin humps, then rested his chin in the cup of his hand. "I miss the *old* days," he whimpered. "Why can't things just go back to the way they were?"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Kid sat sprawlingly on General Viper's desk in the middle of the small office drumming her fingers against the sides of her cheecks in an annoyed fashion. A seemingly anxious Serge was standing nearby, along with everyone else they had recently encountered in the upper halls of the manor, causing the small room was become humid to say the least.

Kid was growing more impatient than usual. She was tired of waiting for either Viper or the furry cat bastard show up and it was becoming painfully obvious that her objective was no longer within the walls of the manor. With a yawn and a quick stretch she lept from the desk and grabbed Serge by the arm as she headed for the doorway. "I ain't waitin' around no bloody longer, dammit." she growled, more than annoyed that the cat man had failed to make an appearance as she had expected him to after having made it this far for the confrontation.

"He obviously ain't gonna show this time or he woulda done somethin' already. He's probably not even in this damn place anymore!" she fumed. "Grah!! I'll track him to the ends of the Earth if I havta!" Her ranting is stopped by the sound of her own stomach growling for all to hear. "Might as well start trackin' him again from Termina. The food er--- the INFORMANTS are usually pretty good there....yeah."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

This was boring, this Lynx fellow was not going to show up. Leena removed her helmet and replaced her hairband. She was wondering where Luccia went with the Dragon Tear. She sat down in a seat. "Norris, what would you suggest. Should we accompany her?"

Azala:
[Guldove, Alternate World]

======Flashback======
"Azala! Come!"
The words echoed in her thoughts as she glanced up, the reptilian birds had long since taken flight and were disappearing into the distance, their riders not even looking back.

"Yes... as I said... to the bitter end..." she muttered as she struggled to her feet, clasping a clawed hand to her side. Wounded and beaten, she looked up at the red star. It was growing visibly in size, now.
======End Flashback======

"Miss. Are ya ready ta pay or not?" the sales clerk asked. The customer snapped out of her trance-like state. "It's done, ya only need ta pay." she reminded.

The cloaked figure exhaled slowly, the time was now. With stoic eyes she extended her clawed hand to the table and dropped a small pouch which fell on it's side, spilling a few of it's contents.

"Oh my. You're payin' with rubies? Look at the size of 'em! I can't take all of this..."

The cloaked figure raised her eyes to look at the clerk, "I have plenty. This is your payment, I'll take my weapon, now..."

"Wow... thanks..."

The figure took her weapon and turned on her heel, "What is this place? Guldove? I think I will stay for a while."

With that, she walked off, muttering to herself, "What world is this? Humans live with non-humans, yet... no reptites... I need to find out what exactly my mission is..."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris looked to the nubile blonde he had come to discover is the infamous "Kid" the reports would be misleading to many, had it not been for her garb, accent and demeanor he wouldn't believe that this young girl was the thorn in the traitorous Lynx's side. "I suppose we could...our, erm...objectives seem to be one in the same. Besides, I should be able to give you some formal training with that gun, maybe even get one built for you in Termina." He began to take step after them, pausing for a moment as his gaze returned to the bookshelf. "?"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Doc walked around the foyuer in a muddled anger, "Great, a dead end...y'know, the kid coulda mentioned how to get up there." Kick- skuffing the sheen polished marble floor in frustration as he paced between the tall pilars, occaisionally glancing up to the elivated platform, which, judging from the rivetted tracks beneath it, was an elevator of some kind.

Lindon:
[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Lindon was having much better luck than Doc. Knowing how to access Viper Manor gave him the ease of entry and exit. He was already on the second floor, and his investigation was fruitless so far. "Hmm...looks like I'll need to talk to General Viper about this." Lindon headed up further to the office of General Viper.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Steena almost screamed when she rounded a corner and came face to face with Lindon. As it was, she *did* fling her arms up in front of her face as though she'd either: a. hide from him or b. ward of some sort of blow.

When she realized how rediculous she must have looked her arms began to lower slowly and she peered at him with a bit of an embarassed grin. "Oh, Lindon! You scared me half to death! Do you know there is just about *nobody* here!" She placed a hand to her forehead briefly, "I've been waiting forever - I could't sit there any longer."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Hearing a strange squeak and other commotion coming from the hallway just outside of the door to Viper's office, Kid hurls it open and immediately darts out. A smirk is immediately swept from her face as she notes that neither the cat man nor the General are standing in front of her, rather two completely NEW faces. She sunk to the ground disappointedly, her legs crossed while mumbling several swears under her breath and giving the carpet a swift kick.

Lindon:
[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Lindon managed a calm stance, "Well, it's only me..." he began, but he heard someone open the door to General Viper's office, and it was a girl, about 5 or 6 years younger than himself. "Hey...who're you?" Lindon held his staff ready.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Still sitting and scowling angrily down at the floor, "An 'acquaintance' of Lynx, ya could say. And you two?" she replies, now focusing more on puncturing a hole in the floor itself with her dagger than hearing their response. "Don't s'pose either of YOU know where to find the bloody bastard? We've been sittin' here waitin' on him to show fer a good while now." she continues, casually brushing tiny pieces of loosened floor materials to one side as they begin to appear.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"Alee-oop..." Doc muttered to himself as the firm cording caught the pedistal. "Knew this would come in handy...never thought I'd have'ta use it like THIS, though..." gaining a tight hold on the thin cord as he began to swing/scale the wall to the visible entry above.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris rested his hand on his gun, still firm in his holster. Watching the new pair quietly, the attractive young woman was obviously of some branch of preistly training...judging from the lightness of her fabric and its color, as well as its slightly reveiling qualities, she must be from Guldove or Marbule...so far he could see no tail or other animalistic characteristic, so that removed Marbule...though he thought it wise not to assume too much, a tail could still be hidden. He glanced away, not wanting others to think that it was a stare he'd begun at the young woman.

Lindon:
[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"No, I don't know where I could find a 'Lynx.' My business here is to retrieve something...Something of great value...Have you seen a crystal that kind of looks like a stylized tear-drop and a fire?"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"You mean the Dragon Tear of Guldove?" Leena said, maaking it sound like a question. Of course she knew where the tear was, Luccia had it. The fake one was lying on the desk. It wouldn't do any harm to show it to the man. "Is this it?"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Steena's eyes widened at the sight of the (fake) Dragon Tear and she took a step forward towards the girl. "Give that to me," she said urgently, though not unkindly. Her slender arms extended and she fairly snatched it from the girl. "Oh thank the heavens," she purred, "It's not hurt. Now we can take it back to Guldove!" She looked at the other group, lips forming a frown. Oops, had she said to much?

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Doc hoisted himself over the ledge as he stood on his hands and knees panting, clenching the softer red carpeting. "*huff* *huff* Man...that's a much larger drop than I thought." Slowly regaining his composure he made began to sneak slowly towards the collection of voices at the end of the hall that now lay before him.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris stood near his new charge, his ears perking lightly as he heard a light morotized hum. Whispering gently into her ear, "We may soon have company, please, no matter what happens follow my lead...I promise everything will be alright." He watched the others seemingly interested in only their own endeavors.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Kid was about to comment to Leena on allowing the newcomer to so easily snatch the object away from her but she quickly became much more fixated on the NEWEST arrivals to the hallway. Her eyes appeared full of anger yet a smirk could be seen covering half of her face. "He's finally here."

Lindon:
[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"Steena, we got what we came for." Lindon heard the sounds of combat up ahead. "It looks like it's gotten a little violent. No sense in us wasting our good fortune. Come on, we should head down." Lindon was lucky that it wasn't Viper or any of the other dragoons who came out of the office. It he was recognized, his cover would've been blown.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Steena nodded, half-distracted by the noises of gunfire. "Yes, we should go. . . But first we have to find Doc. We can't just leave him here." She was stern on that point, turning to look at Lindon with lips drawn into a thin line. "Where do you think we can find him?" Her fingers carassed the re-jained Dragon Tear. . . but something felt wrong about it. Ah well, she'd have more time to figure *that* out later.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Doc walked along the red carpet still panting, "Hope...*huff* Lindon's having a better time of getting into that safe..." trotting off towards the sound of voices and gunfire up ahead, his jaw dropping at what he found, "H-how'd you two get up here so fast!?" he exclaimed as he approached them, looking to Lindon, "Any luck with the safe?"