Musings

Cadmus wanted to pursue, but he knew if a fight broke out he'd be outclass. Besides the..creature, whatever the heck they were seemed to at least be a temporary ally and wanted answers. Maybe they would get the answers but fighting them for the Zoanthrope would be a bad idea for him.

Reluctantly he left going back to where the team was and tapped the com. "Our target has managed to get away this time. We're going have to call it in."

The rest of Alpha Team check in. They found A5, unconscious, but in need of medical attention. Unlike A2, who was groggy, but awake.

Alpha Six comes walking over to the others "Sir, what just happened?" he asks.

"I thought for sure we had that assassin." Alpha One says, checking A6's camera to try and find out what happened.

"Med teams are in bound. ETA, less then five minuets." says A3 as he checks on A5.

A6 grunts "Well, in any event, mission accomplished. We secured the safety of Naomi Sylibus. But it was far from perfect." he grumbles.

Cadmus sighed. "I was close to capturing the bastard when I had a 'guest' swoop and take them before I could take them myself. Problem is, the 'guest' is something I meant. I don't know what they are, it basically like a knight in some organic-like armor sort of with glowing green eyes. No idea what race they are, just know I'd probably lose in a straight up fight so I had to bail after seeing what they can do. And since you guys weren't equipped with anything but stun, it would have been uneeded risk."

"Thing is, I also don't know this creature's angle motives and the like. They're the one that told me that ninja I encountered was working for the Lin Kuei. Any of you guys know anything about it?" They had to have traveled a lot given their occupation so they Might and it didn't hurt to ask.

Alpha Team look to each other "Sir, beggin you pardon, but we Have live rounds. We were just told not to use them unless absolutely necessary." says A6.

"Fives would probably know about those Lin Kuei. He's into that conspiracy crap." says A1.

The medics finally arrive and take Fives away. The rest of Alpha Team pile into the van to return to home base.

Cadmus follows suit, thinking about the encounter and the various players involved. So far he still knew next to nothing then when he first started. Maybe in time they would get some kind of lucky break.

The rest of the day was a quiet one. Naomi was back at her office safe and sound, Johns was going over ways for her to get done what she was trying to do, without putting herself in danger. When Cadmus got back, the lady at the front desk jumps up "Oh! Mister Cadmus! You have a package waiting." she says as she holds up a manila envelope, with Cadmus's name on it.

Cadmus was confused, who the heck would be sending him something? It wasn't like he had too many friends that would be but he mentally shrugged.

Thanking the young woman, he headed further in as he began opening it so he could read its contents.

There was one of those expensive Ultra-Tech data pads inside the envelope. The screen blinks on and the words "FOR CADMUS'S EYES ONLY!!" flash on it. Then the camera scans Cadmus "SUBJECT: CONFIRMED!!" it reads.

"From The Knight!

As you have guessed, I had captured the Zoanthrope that you and your team had engaged. I did this for two reasons. One: To stop him from biting on the cyanide pill that he and his associates have implanted in their teeth to avoid capture.

And Two: I needed information about him and who he works for and your moral ethics wouldn't let you use the techniques I employ to get information from these people.

The information I had gathered is disturbing, but not unexpected. These assassins are, as you may have suspected, being sent of the Tylon Corporation.

In addition, Tylon have been experimenting on Zoanthropes again. Trying, according to my source, to make an Ultimate Zoanthrope again and when finished, they intend to test it on Naomi Sylibus.

I don't have to tell you that must Not happen. Naomi Sylibus isn't trying to build a strip mall or an R&D lab. She's trying to build low cost housing and a free medical clinic for those less fortunate and others who don't have either.

This is perceived as a threat to Tylon, as they wanted that land to create a R&D facility, which was a cover for a testing lab that would run experimenting on the homeless. Trying to create man made, cybernetically controlled, Zoanthropes to be used as fodder in the armed forces, under the guise of Elite Troops.

That was all I could get out of that little canary before he stopped singing."

The screen goes blank "MESSAGE TERMINATED!!" the tablet reads.

Cadmus frowned as he put it away, troubled but he was unsure what to do with the information. All right so he knew Tylon was after Naomi and could use that, problem is he had no proof of anything. It was a bit frusterating but it did at least answer some questions.

But what the hell was a ultimate Zoanthrope?

Johns comes walking up "Hey Cadmus!" he calls "I read the reports of your team. So it was a Zoanthrope that attacked?" he asks, then nods "This could work for us. Every Zoanthrope must register their beast forms incase something they need to be indentified for whatever reason. Since you were the closest one, I'll need a full report on everything you can remember about our hitman. We might be able to id him." Johns says.

Cadmus nodded, he knew he needed to share all the information if they were to protect Naomi. "Will do. Also, I got some information from our 'Knight' I mentioned. The information was deleted after, guess it was case senestive but.." He then proceeded to summarize what he was told. "..And that's about it. I have no idea what a Ultimate Zoanthrope is though."

Johns had a dark look on his face. The news that his people were being experimented on again, kinda made him a bit upset "We have to tell Miss Sylibus about this. She would want to know. Especially if Zoanthropes are involved." he says as he heads to the elevator.

It was a quick ride to Naomi's office and there she was, sitting behind her desk looking over a great many things. She looks up and smiles at Johns and Cadmus "Oh, hello fellas." she says "What can I do for you?" she asks.

Cadmus would hate to see Naomi down, but she deserved to know for many reasons. "Sorry to say, I have some bad news.." He then told what he said to Johns earlier.

He did wonder why Tylon wasn't shut down by now, considering Zoanthrope had rights now. But that was another story.

Naomi gets a saddened look on her face as she sits "So...they're still trying to make this insane idea of theirs a reality?" she asks no one in particular "They've tried this at least three times before. The last time, they got it right..." she says, staring at a picture on her desk.

"The final time, they experimented on my little brother, Ross...They were trying to make him stronger...he was so fragile when he was little..." she says softly as her eyes start to get moist "When I found out, I put a stop to them and got hurt in the process. Poor Ross, he took on the burden of helping me get better all on his own..." she explains, still looking at the picture.

She gently picks the frame up, as if it was the most precious thing in the universe to her "I offten wonder how he would have turned out if I had been there to help him..." Naomi's hand starts shaking, badly enough to cause her to drop the picture! She balls up her hand and quickly rights the frame. On it, was a picture of the young man with long black hair that impersonated the Lawyer!

Johns takes his cue and escorts Cadmus out of the office and into the security room "When she gets like that, she usually likes to be left alone...at least until she composes herself. Then she'll take action." he says.

Cadmus wasn't sure what to make of that picture, it could have been the same man but they had different eye color though it could be explained by contacts. He really didn't look at it long, but it gave him something to think about.

"I get it..." Cadmus sighed a bit. "So..I have a question. Since Zoanthropes gained legal rights, why is Tylon even still around after the stuff they've done?"

Johns sighs "They beat every single charge on a technicality, except animal cruelty, which they paid a fine. After that, they've been making Damn sure that they leave zero evidence of their activities.." he explains.

"Legally, they're the perfect company. But those who really know them, know how they are and after we're now legal and protected by the same laws as everyone else, we're still their guinea pigs." he says with a disgusted tone.

"Did you notice how Miss Sylibus's hand started to shake? When she said she got hurt helping her brother, she got seirously hurt and because of it, she now has some kind of nerve damage. It acts up from time to time or when she starts getting emotional." Johns explains "It's usually best to leave the room until she gets it under control. She's kinda sensitive about it." he says.

Cadmus of course didn't like it,but there wasn't much to do about it. "It's always been that way. The law that's suppose to protect good people also protects the bad ones if they know how to use it. Unforunately, unless they scew up it looks like they'll be around for some time."

Johns shakes his head "Na! Tylon isn't perfect. They'll screw up sooner or later and when they do, Miss Sylibus knows one of the best lawyers in the biz to fight for non human rights." he says with a chuckle.

"But for now, she's probably going to take it easy. A little at a time. A little adds up, she always says." Johns says as he checks his watch.

"Okay then! I'm out. It's your turn to take care of her. Watch her closely, Rookie." he chuckles as he smacks Cadmus on the arm, then punches out. [color=tan]"See ya in the morning, man."['/color] he waves as he heads out.

Cadmus said goodbye to his friend and then focused on his job; it might be a pretty slow night or a bit more eventful but he was fine with either. If there was One other thing he was good at, it was being patient and waiting. Besides, in this kind of job, slow was good. It wasn't like spending time with a beautiful woman and being in their company was a bad thing.

There were cameras in Naomi's suite, mainly her living room and kitchen. She didn't seem to mind. She puttered around doing her thing for most of the night. It wasn't until she was making dinner that her hands started shaking again.

This seemed to annoy her more then anything, because at the moment, she was using a knife. She ate a simple dinner. A small salad and some fruit. After dinner, she heads to her small gym and does a light workout and a nice shower, which Cadmus didn't see because of no cameras in the bathroom or bedroom!

She walks out in a night shirt and socks and looks at the camera and waves goodnight, then heads on into her bedroom.

Cadmus waved back for good night, thinking a bit. That woman was definitely going to have her fingers if he wasn't too careful. Of course by then it would be a bit too late. He did wonder if it really be that bad though his friends had wanted him to find someone, someday. Naomi seemed like a really nice woman so..maybe. He thought she was a bit out of his league though.

It was, largely, a quiet night. Naomi was a sound sleeper, it seemed, so she didn't wake up. A red light on the silent alarm screen started to blink. It was just outside of Naomi's room, the one place they didn't have any cameras!

Cadmus frowned at this, he wasn't sure what the hell was going on but he got up from his seat and headed to the outside of Naomi's room. It looked like a intruder or something had somehow gotten in.

Outside the window to Naomi's room, there Was someone there. Or, more like some Thing. It was a Zoanthrope, but this one was a spider! He looks to Cadmus and hisses as he suddenly tears off the door to Naomi's balcony!

Though she's a heavy sleeper, the sound of her balcony door being ripped off woke even her! She sits up with a gasp and looks to see what was going on. She sees the 'Spider-Man' and scrambles to get a tazer gun from her bed stand.

The spider, while male, couldn't use any webs, but it Could spit venom and decided to take Cadmus out before going after Naomi!

Cadmus saw probably the ugliest Zoanthrope he had seen in his entire life. Then again being based around a spider probably wasn't in to win for any beauty pageants.

Reacting quickly and almost on instinc, Cadmus was suddenly behind the spider-Zoanthrope, trying to knock them out from behind by hitting between their neck. It's anatomoy throw him off a bit but it was still humanoid. Still, he would avoid grapping with them, considering all their limbs that could end badly for him. He couldn't use his blast, at least if he did he'd have to be careful since it was inside.