Chapter 8: Addictions

[Malak Al-Dabaran]

"Don't worry. Who would I tell?" Malak asks. He closes his eyes and decides that he is going to try to get some sleep while he waits for the priests to return.

"I think I am going to get some rest, okay."

[Tristan Tuzanic]

"Some crazy woman stabbed me in the park today. I don't even know why. I mean my life is bad enough and then some freak has to go and stab me. It's no wonder that I have a drinking problem. It's just all this crazy shit that goes on every single day of my life. God, it's awful." Tristan complains.

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei straightens and watches Sashe, glancing at the others in his groups. He really wishes he could change his shirt right now.

He glances at the rest of the group, unsure if they should wait or get the hell out of here.

[Malak Al-Dabaran]

"Zzzzzzz" Malak pretends to snore so that Tristan will stop talking. It is giving him a headache and the last thing he wants to think about right now is someone else's problems.

"zzzzzzzz"

[Tristan Tuzanic]

Tristan sees that Malak is asleep now. He shuts up and waits by the door, looking through the window and waiting for any sign that Malak might still be awake and able to listen.

When it appears certain that Malak is asleep, Tristan turns around and waits by the door. He crosses his arms and daydreams about different things. He thinks about some of his favorite songs and sings them quietly to himself.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Sasha stands there not sure of what to do himself. On one hand, they are all there and waiting for a tour, on the other, they were just involved with a dangerous situation.

"I still have to meet with Dr. Hoito, but, it might be safer for ...anyone political...to leave." Sasha suggests. Tuesday has already left to make a call.

[gabriel]

Gabriel steps out of the teleportation booth from Helsinki, thankful that trips to places SOTA owned was free for him because he worked for them. He suggested the system himself and used the claim that it would allow workers to travel from different facilities and applie their talents more effectively. He decided to push the matters that happend in Helsinki behind him as he made his way back home, finding a message on his answering machine. "Great, already have to pay Global Bank..." he thought clicking the button on and listend to the message from his boss Keitoleinen about reprogramming some old creditors to work for Crest.

Well, he wasn't going to sleep any time soon: So Gabriel headed back out and returned to work flashing his ID to the guard at the door on his way in. Getting some able body workers to bring out the creditors from storage, he set up his equipment as the last of them were brought in before him. Reprogramming them would be an easy procedure for him, he had assembled the bare workings of a creditor's programming from scratch and could easily dissassemble it if need be. "Have you ever stopped to pause and wonder about the significance of what you're doing?" Voice asked him in a light tone that Gabriel had never heard it use before.

"What significance is that?" Gabriel replied after making sure no one was around to hear him talk to himself. "Like the god of old, who sculpted man from dust and breathed life into him... You are giving these lifeless machines life; a purpose. You yourself are a god in your own right." Voice replied sincerely. Gabriel had never stopped to think about that but in reflection Voice was right. He was giving them a purpose, a personality, a life. "Profound that..." Gabriel remarked returning to his work.

"Gabriel... There is something I'd like to ask of you." Voice asked timidly for the first time in years. "If it involves killing, forget it..." Gabriel replied firmly. "No... Thats not it. There is something precious to me that I need you to get." Voice went on. "Ok. I'm listening." Gabriel replied curious as to what was so important that Voice was acting like this.

"It's a book, nothing more nothing less. The Manalas see it as a heretical tome for it's mention of gods of old and plan to dispose of it. Would you... Get it for me?" Voice asked almost pleadingly. Finishing the sixth Creditor, Gabriel moved on working as he considered the significance of Voice actually asking instead of telling him to get it. "This book sounds more important then you make it sound... What do I get out of the deal?" Gabriel asked suspciously. "Power..." was Voice's only response which made Gabriel pause. Power to do what he wondered quietly.

"Power that even Father Manala should fear... Power that was the envy of other gods for the loyality of it's followers. They plan to burn it soon with their foolish magics." Voice answered his unasked question. "Where is it?" Gabriel asked feeling a burning sensation in his stomache, mistaking it for the aftermath of the beer earlier but in reality it was a sudden zeal he had not felt for years. "A Manala temple currently... Will you do it? This may endanger your life..." Voice replied. "Not like you be concerned about me... I'm going to need help for this. Which means I'll have to find someone to help..." Gabriel said finishing the last creditor.

"Do as you see fit..." Voice whispered softly as Gabriel left the workers to transport the reprogrammed creditors to Crest while he walked the streets.

[Tuesday DeCastro]

Tuesday contacts other members of her party and tells them of what has happened to Malak. People will be assigned to try and find out about his whereabouts, and it is suggested that Tuesday leaves Ireland, or at least Genetech.

She returns to the group just as Sasha suggests anyone political leaves. "Thats probably for the best." She states, agreeing with him. She sighs, and thinks of where she could go, perhaps to Helsinki, hadn't they been given a code...alas, Malak had the teleportation codes to both Helsinki and Cuba.

She looks to Sasha, who said he had to meet with Dr. Hoito. "Didn't you say you're a member of my party? Are you sure its safe for you to stay here?" She asks, a little concerned.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"I think...for now I am safe. I mean, I doubt that the strange man will return. I will leave once my business is done. Anyway, we are with Dr. Lonrott. He can protect us, he is one of the Blessed." Sasha remarks. He isn't worried for himself since he is just an illusion. He isn't sure how safe it is for the others.

[Kizu Sensou & Hex]

Kizu sits QUietly in her office/lab. It is polished and new looking. Very clean and disinfected. She was going to be on display yet again. She was used for the publics eye. She was an attractive woman and Genetec took advatage of it. She had been talking to the countless people who had been coming in for tours all day and had for a short time been given a break when some altercation had happened but all were assured that the situation was coming to a close here very soon.

The tours would resume and she would go on with her tours and question answering while Hex stood behind her, being her silent guardian. Never speaking a word but never letting anyone get close to her. She worked on random research while she waited for her next tour group to arrive.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"Well, if you want you can join the tour. You may find out what happened to your friend. I am sure the staff at Genetech will have something on camera." And waiting not a moment more, Sasha leads the way, not particularly caring if anyone follows him or not. He leads whoever wanted to follow along to the main desk and asks for a tour. He is told to meet a scientist named Kizu Sensou who is in charge of the tours today. He asks for directions to her lab and walks right over.

When he arrives, he sees a woman working and a man standing there quietly. He wonders which is Kizu.

"Hello, we're here for a tour." He says to either the man or woman.

[Kizu Sensou & Hex]

"I'm Kizu. Welcome to our facility."

She walks forward and Hex comes forth standing behing her only a foot behind. Its as if he is her shadow. She smiles and puts out her hand.

"We were having some technical difficulties earlier but I am assured everything has been taken care of. What intrests you about our facility? What exactly brought you here today?"

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"I just came here with a group of friends. My own interest is in Red Leaf and some of your plant related experiments. However, while we were waiting for the tour, one of the members of our group was attacked while he was in the Smeet room. You wouldn't have any video footage or know of anyone here with any information about that, would you?" Sasha asks. He crosses his arms and looks up at the ceiling. "One of the attackers was shot but he escaped through an air duct. I am not sure how good security is here, but, he could still be lurking around." Sasha adds.

"I just worry about everyone's safety here as well as the well being of those in my group...so anything you could tell us or help us with concerning the incident would be very appreciated."

[Kizu Sensou & Hex]

At hearing this Hex pulls Kizu back and look at the ceiling and around. He pulls out a small pad and writes a small note and hands it to her. She reads it and places it in her pocket.

"This is Hex he is my companion. He is also my guardian. He says first of all is your friend alright? And security is top notch. What Hex can not accomplish the other security can do...and we as members also have aces in the hole."

Kizu put a hand on Hex's shoulder to help make him relax. He knew something else she was sure but he would not tell her she was sure.

"If you would like we can visit the any part of this facility you would like. I would like to set your mind at ease. And while we wait you can tell me why your friend would be attacked and then I will tell you what I know. An even trade? Hard to think he would have been an innocent bystander."

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Sasha can't really say why Malak was captured, since that would give away that he was a rebel. "I am not sure the reason for the attack. Maybe a case of mistaken identity." Sasha suggests. He feels a little safer now that they have this Hex around. If there are any members of whatever group attacked them, at least they should now be protected.

"Well, why don't we start off in the smeet room. That is where our companion disappeared and maybe we'll see some clues." Sasha suggests. The Smeet room is where Smeet, the artificial meat that Genetech creates for people to eat is produced. Smeet is a thin sheet of meat made from cultivated tissue cells from certain animals. However, no animals die in the production of smeet.