(Auction 2014) Three More Guests: Part One. Phoenix

[Zodiac]

One Nix had said she was finished, the gypsy reached out and cut the deck using only her thumb and forefinger. Gently she reminded her again to stay focused and waited till she had completed the second round of shuffling. Then again, the deck was cut. Once the woman had finished the third round, Zodiac pulled the deck back to her side of the table, using the silk to draw it closer.

"And so we begin," the girl placed a finger on top of the deck. She pulled the first card and looked at it for several moments before laying it to her upper left on the table. "This and the next card normally get buried by the third card, so I prefer to leave them out for easy reference for us both," she explained. "The card that will represent you will be the Queen of Wands. A radiant individual who draws attention to themselves without even trying. The Queen is a force of nature almost, yet not mindless at all. Skillful and successful in the things she attempts. You attract others who put value on your thoughts and judgments, even if what you say is not to their liking. Cocky, yet charismatic in one. When she knows what she wants, she doesn't sit and wonder or whine about it- she goes for it." Zodiac nodded. "No insults implied, but that does sound like you in some ways."

A second card was pulled and laid next to the queen. "The first card in your story. This one tells us what is the atmosphere surrounding your current issue. The Ten of Pentacles. A card of wealth or prosperity." The girl focused on it for a few moments before continuing. "By itself, it can be the 'happy ever after' card. A sign of success. Things go just the way you want them to. But where it has decided to appear suggests this is what you are pondering now, so your questions must be based on will this hold true. I mean, anything you have put yourself to has pretty much worked for you at least financially, but this is not about monetary success I think. You may be working your way through a bad patch in your life now or just starting what you hope is something for the better. Your mindset is basically will this new endeavor work out for you as you hope it will."

Zodiac paused and jotted on her notepad that basically was her words condensed next to the names of the cards she had done so far, then took a third card from the deck and sat it in the center of the table alone. "The problem or the obstacle that stands in your way. When a card falls here despite the fact the card sounds good, it really isn't. And another queen. The Queen of Pentacles. Like the Wand queen, she is a success story as well. She is a generous sort. Helping others, providing shelter for those who she feels needs it. Steadfast, practical. Not afraid of getting your hands dirty if the goal is worth her whiles." Again, the girl focused on the card in silence for a few moments as she took a quick sip from her cup. "This is odd and possibly conflicting, to be honest. You are already some of these things," she reached up and tapped the Wand Queen. "And things do work out," her hand moved to the Ten of Pentacles. "So why would more success be a bad thing? My gut is telling me you are questioning what you have achieved so far. Is this all there is? Is there more out there to be had? Too much of a good thing? What is missing from this picture? In that, the Pentacle Queen makes perfect sense in this spot of the layout."

She looked up at Phoenix as she considered her own words and for a brief moment felt something she normally would never even consider for her guest. She felt sorry for her.

Modding/movement of Nix discussed and agreed upon by both players.

[Phoenix]

Once she'd watched the cut, re-shuffled the deck, and repeated, Nix sat back in her seat. Though she didn't dread what the cards may tell her, she was hesitant to invade Zodiac's space while the woman did her reading. Her eyes followed the woman's hands as she pulled the pack of cards over and flipped the first card.

Phoenix listened to the assessment, eyes losing focus and picking at the nail bed of her thumb. It was a nervous tic she'd acquired over the past year that often left her nails cracked and leaking the black ichor that had the gall to think of itself as her lifeblood. When Zodiac finished her assessment of the Queen of Wands, Nix gave a nod - it did sound just like her, but still she wondered what it was the little woman was writing down.

"That doesn't offend me at all," she said simply, offering a faint smile. She'd learned to accept her less palatable qualities and wasn't about to snap to anger just because they were obvious. "The truth shouldn't offend."

Nix fell silent as Zodiac went for the second card. When it was laid face up on the table, the Ten of Pentacles staring up at the ceiling. Her knowledge of tarot was vague at best, but it seemed a strange card until it was explained to her. This time she chose silence at the gypsy's explanation, opting to save her questions for something that really quite confused her.

The third card's explanation furrowed her brow. Reaching up, Nix adjusted her hair unnecessarily, only to stop and twirl a strand of hair around her finger. Around and around went the finger, like the turning of her mental cogs. The Queen of Pentacles sat on her throne, content, and completely at odds with how she felt. Nix's throne felt thorny and uncomfortable; any false move and she'd slide so far down. Her lower lip caught between her teeth as she listened to Zodiac's explanation before finally nodding. The words resounded true, and it was only polite to confirm the woman's thoughts.

"That's accurate. Things... don't go well for me, not for long. I'm happy... and I want it to last this time..."

[Zodiac]

Happy and want it to last...

How many had sat in a chair opposite her and basically said the same thing? She had never kept count of such things but it would be safe to assume it was all of them. Why should Phoenix be any different? They gypsy quickly dismissed any bad jokes that threatened to drift in her head. Despite the various public and private views others had about her guest, somewhere in Nix's very core she was still a person. In that much, they were very much alike.

"Welcome to the rest of the world," she smiled reassuringly. "Every person you ever admired, despised, or in between wants the exact same thing."

Zodiac had noticed the curious glances as she wrote on the pad, so she turned it so Phoenix could read what was written there so far.

Nix-

1. Sig: Queen of Wands

2. Atmos: 10 Pentacles
success. 'Midas' touch. something missing?

3. Obstacle: Queen of Pentacles
Too successful? Limiting options. Trust issues. again, something missing from the picture. 1-3 link in a row.

"Since I am now in a permanent place, I tend to keep notes on my clients since a high percentage return to me for additional readings. It gives myself and them a reference to work from as far as long term goals. Like 'this was you and now this is you now' type of stuff. Or perhaps later you yourself would want to recall what we had discussed." she gestured to a filing cabinet sitting off to the side that was made to lock. "I file them and lock them away. If you can say for a fact when we are finished you will never return I will hand you the notes and you can do with them what you will." her tone was soft and reassuring as she returned the pad to its place and selected another card. This one was sat above the Pentacle Queen.

"Next-your goals. Or what you hope to achieve without dramatically changing your life around." Zodiac blinked several times. "The King of Pentacles. Lot of pentacles so far and odd to see these two together like this in a spread. What I mean is, a king and a queen of the same suit may appear in a spread, but normally not right together like this. Anyway, The King is also a card of success. Usually suggests someone who...." she considered her answer for a moment. "Someone who is not a child. Experienced. A success in their own right. Knows what it takes to get things done and is not afraid to do them. This is a no brainer when I see what has come before this in this spread. You want someone to share your life with. Not a child or a opportunist but an equal. Someone who knows and had experienced things as you have and will work with you. So, is there anyone out there that is catching your eye or has someone already caught it?" her mental voice shifted into a bad southern accent. "Are you having a gentleman caller, Mz Phoenix?"

Another card was pulled and this one was placed under the Pentacle Queen. "The foundation of the problem, and yet another pentacle. Son of a *****." she turned and jotted on her notepad. "The Five of Pentacles. The card of worry. Hard times. Heart break. What was gold now suddenly dust. In a business sense? No one wants to see this card appear here, but I don't think it is saying Nix will be visited by the tax man and have her assets frozen. You are too well established in such things and if this was going to happen it would already have happened. I feel this card is linked to the King. You want a 'king' in your life, but you are worried if you are going to get burned in the process. Again, I don't see this as your king running away with your bank account. Sometimes people can survive loosing money far easier than having their heart shattered. Is there a guy and is he the right one comes through loud and clear here and that is part of what you want to know about."

Another card was pulled and laid to the left of the Pentacle Queen. "The recent past. Strength. First major card to appear in your spread. Again, to me a no brainer." The gypsy took another sip from her cup. "Talking openly here, how many times have you heard people complaining about you? Nix this, Nix that, Nix always whatever. Is easier to complain rather than accept the truth that perhaps if others applied themselves to task as hard as you did, they would be on the same level of success as you have. Strength is what makes you what you are. Not just physical muscle, but inner resolve. To do what you do and be who you are, you simply have to be one iron plated...person. Now for Strength to be in a passing spot in the layout says to me you are kinda getting tired of being the Iron Maiden." a purple shaded fingernail tapped the Pentacle King gently. "You are to the point you are willing to peel back some of that armor to allow someone in, if they are the right person."

The next card was laid to the right of the Pentacle Queen. "The coming future. The Five of Wands. A card of strife. Don't panic, dear. The five suggests competition that brings out the best in both contestants. A love of competition, as it were." she snapped her fingers as she thought for a bit. "Old movie I saw on TCM one night. 'Annie Get Your Gun'. A song Annie and Frank sang to each other. 'Anything you can do, I can better'. They were in love but neither one wanted to give in so easy. The strife the card is suggesting is your 'king' is not going to walk right into your life but he is going to have to earn it. Being simply girls for a moment, a sonnet on one knee, flowers, is kinda sweet and warms the heart but you and I both know things like that mean jack **** when it comes to who you gonna have standing next to you as an equal partner in life. Or whatever this is we in now. No, your future 'king' is gonna have some proving to do and you are not going to make it easy on him, and rightly so. We both know there are people who will promise the moon, sun and stars and in reality can barely manage to remember to bring you a newspaper home when you ask for it. You want what you want. What you feel you deserve to have, so its going to be a bit of a competition on your part as well as his. Perhaps he feels he needs the same reassurances as you do?"

A few additional notes and the girl stood up and stretched. She picked up her almost empty cup and pointed at Nix's. "Would you care for a warm up? China tea cups look good, but they don't hold the warm in considering what we are sipping on."

[Phoenix]

'Just like everyone else? Yeah... welcome to the rest of the world, Nix.' Her blank mask was slowly starting to fall away as she relaxed in her seat. "The rest of the world kind of sucks," she admitted lightly, scrunching up her nose in false disdain. "This emotion thing is some nasty business..."

She thought she'd been subtle about trying to glimpse the book, but when Zo raised it, the Shadow knew she'd failed. Though the words didn't surprise her - what had she expected to see? Slurs? Hatred? Nah... like Zo had explained, this was a professional setting. Satisfied, her hand fell away from her hair and she listened to the explanation. "I'll let you know before I leave," she assured the woman, though the tone was light and conversational. Relaxation seemed a strange thing to feel here...

When Zodiac continued on and flipped over the King of Pentacles, the smile that warmed her features and her eyes was immediate. She didn't need to be told about the card to know exactly to whom it was referring, but the explanation did help provide context for her broader question. When Zo adopted that horrible southern accent, her smile turned to a grin and she couldn't help but laugh. The sound surprised her, and with good reason. Laughter wasn't something she'd expected to find here in this woman's presence. "Yeah... I've got myself a gentleman - Blake. We've been seeing each other for a few months," she admitted with a sheepish grin that probably said much more than she'd expected to share with the gypsy.

As Zo moved on, Nix turned to her cup of blood and took a sip. The cooling liquid wasn't exactly pleasant, but it would do, and she wasn't about to complain about free blood. With the Five of Pentacles revealed and explained, her nose scrunched up and her brow furrowed, though there wasn't a single surprise in that card. Worry was her constant companion; a captor turned friend in many ways, though she'd never much expected to develop Stockholm syndrome with an emotion. To Zo's description of the card, Phoenix just nodded - there was nothing for her to refute or deny.

"Strength," she repeated dubiously as the major arcana card revealed itself. Strength, not of body, but of mind had permeated her recent past more than she'd ever admit. Admitting and facing her flaws was one of the hardest things she'd ever done, but she'd done it - she'd faced down her demons and she'd won. "One iron-plated *****, you mean," she said, though not unkindly. "Yeah... I'm ready to just be me without having to wear mental and emotional armor all the time to protect myself, and I've been trying to be more of a person and less of a... warrior, I guess. With Tytonidae, as well. It's nice not being on guard all the time, even if it does hurt a bit more when a blow lands home."

As Zodiac moved on, her brow furrowed. Her first thought was something along the lines of 'how can strife be good?', but explained in that context, Zo left her smiling. "That does sound like Blake and I, really. We push each other and make an effort to keep each other on our toes, because we thrive in a semi-competitive environment. We push each other to be our very best, because neither of us are content with average." Thinking back on her 'king' made her smile that awkward little smile that replaced a blush. "We just get each other and compliment each other nicely."

As Zodiac collected her own cup of cooled blood, Nix offered up her own now empty one. "I'd love another, please. Maybe you could invest in some thermoses. They make for stylist decor as well," she teased. "I seem to be very Pentacly, with a dash of Wandy," she observed after inspecting the cards that had been revealed before turning to watch the woman move around. "What does it mean? Does it have any special significance?"

[Zodiac]

"Yes, the world does suck. Big ones too." she agreed. So Nix had an interest in Mr. Blake? She knew too little about both of them to make a spot judgment call on such a pairing. She knew Blake from business matters through his Veil Corporation and spoke to him several times on polite and friendly terms, but beyond that she was truly clueless about the man save for rumors and she never had the time to sort out the bits of truth from such things, especially over someone she barely had an acquaintance with.

"The four suits have their own meanings. Pentacles, as you may have guessed, represents the physical or earth aspect of us all." she began to explain as she rinsed out the cups. "Things like heath, money, luck, hard work and the end results of such things. Wands are fire based. Ambition, career, creative endeavors, religion and/or philosophy. Anything a person might put their energy and soul into. So with the two together showing the base of you and your situation you can see why I come to the conclusions I have so far. Is basically the ground you already have demonstrated is part of you in your actions so far. There is also the Cups for water, which tend to center on emotions, while the Swords, or air, is the mind."

"I will need to consider different cups if I get more vampires as regulars." Zodiac apologized as she sat a fresh cup in front of Phoenix before sitting down with her own. "The tea set is a holdover from my Nana's way of doing cards for others. When you sat at the table with her, you were not her client. You were company. A guest. A friend. Refreshments served in the best she had to work with. Cookies or baked treats as well. Is something that puts my more human clients at ease. She was.... an amazing lady, to say the least. Taught me all she could and I probably know like less than a fourth of the things she did."

The gypsy blinked a bit and looked at her guest. "Sorry. Just kinda wandered off there for a second. Well, back to business here." she smiled as her hand touched the deck again. "What we have done so far is establish your presence in the situation at hand. Your hopes, fears, and idea of the past and near future. The next cards will tell us what things you have at your disposal to work with in trying to reach your goals. We have formed the crossroads of your life currently, now we will build the staff you will lean on in what is to come."

Another card was pulled and sat to the right of the 'cross' the other cards had formed near Zodiac's side of the table. "The first card is basically your role or attitude in the situation. Our second major card. Death. The avatar of pure change. Death is symbolic of the end of a cycle, coming to the point of making a large transition or change in your life rather than true or physical death, but when you think about it-death itself is a change from one form of existence to another. I mean, just look at us for example. Just from the few things you have said, it is apparent you are ready for change in your life, so again this fits. You will discover what needs to be adjusted and do so, but be sure of those choices. Changing just for the sake of change is not always a good idea either. Be open and perceptive and you will discover what is required."

The gypsy pulled another card and then sat it above the Death card. "The general environment and those you be interacting with. The Page of Swords. A fresh perspective. Looking at old things with new eyes now. Situations being met with clear thought and just action and new ideas." she paused to add her thoughts to the list. " This is the time of life where regardless of how old you are, you are reconnecting to the youthful childlike energies that you experienced when you were younger, but now you are able to see it all from an adult viewpoint. New or forgotten energy is being tapped into. I bet part of you feels giddy at times in the face of all of this, but be assured you are not blinded or overwhelmed by it all. Happy? Yes. Blinded to things because of it? Far from it."

A card was flipped and sat above the Sword Page. "Hopes and fears. Or the unexpected come to call. The Nine of Wands. A card of strength." the girl considered for a few moments as she took a sip. "Perhaps you feel you are standing in the eye of a storm or the calm before one. Things are too good to be true, so of course something bad must be coming next and in a sense that is right. It has taken you time to get to this point. A lot of hard work and heartbreak and now you are in a spot where you can breathe and take stock of what you have accomplished and what is yet to be done. The Nine is accurate in its visual as well in this case." Zodiac picked up the card and laid it in front of Nix so she could view it better. "The person in the picture has been through a lot. Kinda beat up, looks tired, yet he is ready to rock and roll if needed. Staff in hand and the others ready to be used behind him say he is more than a one trick fighter. Skills or weapons at his disposal to use. To my eyes, this is you. You know everyone in this town has opinions about everyone else's business and feels they have the right to comment or make demands. Your choices may not be popular with those you consider close so rough times may result from some of it. The 'eye' or calm you are in now is a time to rest up and prepare for what comes next and you may wonder if you are equal to the task. That is all perfectly normal in anything. Just remember, you have more than one option to work with in what is to come as the nine wands show. Smacking someone or something in the head may be fun, but it is not always the best answer to a problem."

Zodiac leaned back in her chair and relaxed, which Ginny took as a sign to jump back onto her lap. So far the feline had not reacted or given her a clue to beware of her guest, which the girl honestly found surprising. In Zodiac's time in Ty, the cat usually avoided Nix for reasons of its own but now she sat calmly in her presence.

Perhaps Phoenix truly was in a time of change. 'Good for you.' she thought to herself.

[Phoenix]

So far, the reading had gone well despite her initial hesitations. As Zo began cleaning the teacups for the refill, Nix felt it was far more polite to let her gaze wander around the room than it was to stare. There certainly was enough to take in, as it were. She listened intently as the gypsy answered her question before giving a slow nod -the information did put things into perspective for her in terms of what had already been explained. Once the newly filled cup was set in front of her Nix picked the delicate piece of china off the table and sipped.

"Thank you - for the explanation and the drink. It does put things into perspective." The smile smile faded at the woman's reminiscence of her Nan - it seemed a strangely personal thing for Zodiac to share with someone like Phoenix, given their past, but the redhead found herself almost grateful for it. There were a hundred pleasantries she could have spoken, but she chose to remain silent. The loss of a cherished mentor, no matter how long ago, didn't warrant cheapening with false sentiment. Instead, she offered a knowing smile to the woman's apology, "No need to apologize."

When Zo returned to the reading, Nix settled back into her seat, letting her honey brown eyes fall shut. Maybe if she didn't watch that card flip over, she wouldn't see how little she truly had to work with. Upon hearing the word 'death' her eyes shot open. Of course she knew the Death card wasn't a menacing card, but still - it seemed strange until it was explained. She gave a slow nod, though whether or not she fully understood wasn't entirely apparent, not even to her.

The second card made more sense to her, and she couldn't keep the smirk off her lips. A few instances from the recent past jumped to mind and she nodded. "Childlike energy is something I've been... pretty good at, lately. Think little kid surprise with a puppy excitement and you'll get it." The card made her think of Blake, and how his arms around her made her want to gush with pure joy. Silly Nix, she chided herself, You two need to stop acting like a couple of horny schoolkids... soon. Not now, but soon.

When Zo mentioned hopes and fears, her stomach roiled; that was a dichotomy she wasn't entirely sure she could envision coming forth in a single card. Least of all in a card of strength. Her head cocked to the side as she leaned in and examined the design, patiently waiting for and then listening to Zo's explanation. "That... makes sense," was all she said, considering how the card echoed some of the things others, namely Vel and Micah, had told her. Again, seemingly in response to her own thoughts, Nix nodded.

Once she was satisfied with her examination, Nix sat back in her seat, mirroring her spiritual guidance councilor. That thought itself had her pause - Zodiac as a guidance councilor made the redhead's lips twitch into an unexpectedly amused smirk. She quickly hid the expression behind her teacup, taking another long sip, "What's the last card?" she asked, glancing to the cat now occupying the woman's lap. She was familiar with the layout of the Celtic cross spread, though she didn't exactly know the meaning of the cards in their placement.

[Zodiac]

"Ah yes, the last card," Zodiac nodded. "This is the one that hangs everyone up the most. I think you understand that the future is basically fluid. Things can change in a heartbeat, so as I tell all-none of this is set in stone. All this has shown us is how your life may proceeds if everything stays as it is at this moment in time, and the last card shows us the end results if none of this other stuff changes. One good left turn by anything in this can effect the entire process, so again do not take this to be a inescapable fate."

"So far in this, we have learned about you, what you have at your disposal to work with, and now we see where all of this will lead." The gypsy inclined her head as her fingers took another card from the deck. She looked at it for a few moments studying it before placing it above the Nine of Wands.

"The outcome of this situation if nothing changes. The Wheel of Fortune. Our third major card, so that suggests a strong reading to me. Nana used to call this the 'what comes around, goes around' card, and in ways she is right. Things rise, then fall, only to rise again. One day a king, the next a beggar. The Wheel tells us nothing is permanent, yet things do come for us all. From what I have gathered from your reading so far, you are in a up cycle at the moment. Things are looking good for you and may possibly just going to keep getting better. Be it the presence of another in your life or a combination of things, it's all looking good right now. However, you have gotten here through effort, determination, and hard work. Remember, it's a wheel. Just because you may be peaking in this does not mean you can relax. Hard work got you here and work will keep you here and in time if things begin to slip downwards again, you will be in a place mentally to cope and deal with the changes and work your way back."

She paused for a long sip while thinking a bit more. "In any relationship or enterprise, there is risks. Is Blake 'The One'? Time will tell. I have no reason to put him down, so do not think I am. I am simply talking straight to you which is something I think you would appreciate." She smiled a bit now. "Someone smarter than me once said that if someone keeps making you feel like you did when you realized you cared for them, then you have a winner. Relationships do grow and change in time, but even then, if they still make you smile and feel oh so special at heart, then it is something that will endure when things go south and be with you when things improve again. As I said, you are looking for something real in your life now. If you have found it or not you will know in time. Just be patient and keep doing what you have been doing. He apparently has earned your trust, just as you have earned his. The question now is, do you both grow comfortable or continue to keep earning that trust. This is what I see here in the cards this night."

The mystic picked up her note pad and began writing some final notes. "I must say, I never expected to see you in here under these conditions, dear, and I had a few reservations on the matter but we have made it through all in the original shape we started in. Not so bad, eh?" She laid down the pad and folded her hands together on the table. "Once again, I thank you for your trust in this. It does mean a lot to me. I hope for you that this all holds true for you." she gestured over the cards upon the table. "Now, shall I start a file and keep this or not?" A finger tapped the page in the notebook she had been writing on all through the session.

[Phoenix]

The future is fluid - that was something she knew; had she been unable to accept that, she'd have never gotten to where she was now. Burned bridges took a while to rebuild, but they could indeed be rebuilt. The flicked of a smile curled her lips as Zodiac revealed the last card. While she listened to the gypsy's words, she studied the card's design. For a long time, she'd thought fate and fortune had been cruel masters of her fate, but she'd come to realize she was wrong. A situation was, after all, what was made of it, and to attribute all too human traits to chance was silly. Fate has about the same capacity for cruelty, kindness or compassion as does a pebble. Like the stone, it simply is without need of a qualifier.

"We can all just hope things never again devolve to the point they did about a year ago..."Her nose scrunched in distaste. Not that she had any intention of letting herself get that far off track again. Ever.

"Hopefully Blake and I can work through whatever issues present themselves, but I'm not overly worried that we won't. And yes, I do appreciate the honesty," she confirmed, honey brown eyes scanning the cards. She decided she was quite satisfied with the reading. Despite her abhorrence for the auction and those running it, she found the experience worth every penny. She paused, tipping her head as she gave one final sweep over the cards as if committing them to memory before taking a final sip from her teacup and then setting it down.

"Considering past... grievances between us, I'd say this went rather well. If you don't mind, I'd ask you to keep the notes and start a file," she offered faint smile as she pushed herself to her feet. "This was nice, Zo. Thank you. Send me the bill for that security system," she added with a sheepish grimace as she turned to make her way out of the shop. It seemed her initial anxiety had been quite misplaced.

[Zodiac]

She wasn't sure exactly what thing from the past the woman was referring to, nor was it her place to ask. Nix seemed to have a healthy view of the possibilities of her new relationship. Zodiac was always cautious when it came to spreads that had romance as the primary focus. Even if every card turned up sunshine and rainbows, all the matters of the heart needed was a slight twitch to send them in a different direction. She had endured follow up visits in the past where a client was screaming at her "You said he/she would be mine forever, so what the hell happened?" And when she tried to explain the cards said the potentials for 'forever' was there if things went along as they had been and that it was not cut into stone, the client usually got louder and usually it suddenly became all Zodiac's fault rather than admitting it might be something they did to screw it all up.

So far, this had all been rather tranquil. She had fully expected the woman to punch her in the nose at some point in all of this. It was bound to happen sooner or later she imagined. It had before when she was alive. South Carolina. When she told the woman that the answers to all her issues might involve her not being such a demanding ***** (not in those terms, of course) the indignant, oversized 'Southern Belle' ***** slapped her right out of her chair.

But lo and behold. Her nose was still in place.

She inclined her head as Phoenix told her to start a file and watched her leave. She flopped back into her throne and considered it all for a few moments.

"I hope you find the answers you need. Blessings to you both," she whispered to the woman's mind as she began to tidy up. A soft knock at the door was followed with Jennifer looking in.

"You all in one piece?" she asked.

"And did you have a doubt?" She struck a pose by the filing cabinet as she pulled out a blank folder and smiled.

"Who me? Never." the red head rolled her eyes. "Can I have Chain take the security down from Armageddon levels now?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Pity, he didn't get to shoot anyone."

"He does get a bit cranky when that happens."

"I know"