No Heroes (Part 2) by Null0trooper

Early AM Tuesday morning, January 10, 2017,
Twain Cottage, Whateley Academy.

Devisor coffee, oh, you poor boy. Benjamin, you have had a taste of something only devisors, gadgeteers, and few others enjoy.

Still too freakin' early.

Wake up by Max, oh, the torture.

"Come again? Did you say you wanted to listen to an Elvis marathon tonight, or was it Little Richard?"

"Fugoff. 'mnot tha' tired." Benjamin rolled toward the back of the couch.

Max, you always go with Little Richard if those are the choices. Gah! Not Spanish bagpipes, that is playing dirty, Max. Uh, Benjamin, this is Whateley, I don't think you dreamed that up. Max, all the other things will help, but a theme song is the last thing Benjamin needs right now.

"Since when have you seen a vampire? Max? Is there something or someone I should know about?"

We want answers, Max. What vampire?

Second floor, freshman showers.

Heh, calling Benjamin a pretty because they haven't seen him without his manifested makeup. I keep forgetting Max could have a tribe of D&D orcs see him and make him their leader, even with the hair. And the guy who called Benjamin a pretty sees him without the manifested makeup and asks if they need to call a doctor.

Seesh, it is no wonder he is being called into Doyle for a check-up. With those types of lifetime injuries and cybernetics, I'm surprised they didn't drag him in on day one at the school. Rails and traction strips, shoot, I would take showers more with those available. 2, 3 years of knowing Max and Benjamin is still this sane. The banter between Max and Benjamin, like two old military buddies with almost no filter.

Crystal Hall Cafeteria Ground Floor: Lowlifes, Lowlies, and other Freshmen.

Max, eat your vegetables, it isn't like they can make you turn green. Hehe, Yuki teasing Benjamin when he says he has another inch or two of growth left in him.

"Takenaka? What? No, boys. I'm the Krampus Terminator. That's how I manage to cross international borders without causing an international incident."

In other words, Benjamin and Max need lessons in collateral damage and not drawing attention to themselves.

No, don't bring up that op, Yuki, some students might listen in and take inspiration from it. Ah, the old private spot in the cafeteria. Holographic Elvis jumpsuit, someone please put a monitor on Max to restrain him when he comes up with ideas like this.

"No. This time, I need you to do better than that. That limited duty was supposed to be indefinite, so what changed in mid-December other than your fancy new AI?"

Crud, sending Benjamin on a mission that he doesn't want to talk about, his bosses are monsters.

A shipment got jacked and Benjamin took the lead on delivering a corporate statement. Running guns to Uyghurs, his bosses need a crossbar upside the head. Benjamin thinks they are rejecting him, and starts to leave, but Yuki isn't having that.

The AI rezzed in wearing a freshly laundered and pressed Whateley uniform. She scribbled something on a clipboard.

"I already have a list started," Colombine said. "I'll just add another page."

I like Colombine.

Benjamin, they are your friends, don't shut them out.

"Security's first round of nastygrams last night came from the Phys. Ed. and Social Studies departments. They weren't the last. Benjie, what do you remember of your so-called conversation with Inspector Kwan and Chief Everheart?"

Oh crap, this is worse than I thought, I knew Everheart was involved, but Inspector Kwan was as well.

"... Not a clue. Fuck. Never mind, I know how you get after a bad one. I'm surprised you still have teeth. By the way, Psychic Arts is now Officially Unamused that you've been running around without adult supervision. Their idea of adult supervision, not yours. Do NOT ask your boss or your mother to correct their errors in risk assessment. Actually, no. I'm only saying that on behalf of Security. Speaking for myself, I'd love to see that happen way too much. And, not to be outdone, Mystic Arts wants to introduce you to some groovy places on campus that I wouldn't stake any of my exes to."

What the heck happened with his placement tests!?! *eyes bug out* Rager and he is considered that dangerous, oh boy.

9 AM, Tuesday,
Doyle Medical Center, Whateley Academy.

Patient waiting lounges, I'm with Benjamin on this, it is like they are designed to dull the mind while there. Dr. Tenent has her work cut out for her today with Benjamin. 3 different meds for his seizures, yikes. Great, so he could have had other recent medical episodes and his bosses just thought it wasn't important to tell him about them.

Darn, no samples of his manifested makeup. Crud, Dr. Tenent should have been informed about the nature of the green orb in Benjamin's left eye socket before this appointment. Benjamin, she is just asking questions to understand the nature of the orb, she won't take it out if it isn't safe.

Some pokes, prods, and blood samples later.

Waiting at a doctor's office, almost all of them are bad about it. Dr. Wyatt Cody and Benjamin gets a good read on him, ursine, even without the Kodiak out.

"Getting to the point? Cool. I have a doctorate in Psychology and a medical degree specializing in Psychiatry. Both come from a fully accredited university. Will that be good enough, or do I have to go find the original Crackerjack box?"

Glad to see Wyatt still has that great sense of humor.

Gah! Poor choice of words, Wyatt. I would be wary of something that glows if they asked me to swallow it.

"It's a medical probe spell that will log your health status to a spell designed for analyzing the information. I've beefed up the built-in stabilizing element in case that rock in your head has tricks we don't know about. There's also a mild sedative spell woven in, to keep you calm without worrying about medication interactions. The sooner it goes down the hatch, the sooner we can wrap up."

And this is why Wyatt is a pro, adjust the spell to the patient.

Benjamin, you have never seen a medical spell display before, everything is fine. Oh crap! Memories of a bad incident, of someone named Kees. *eyes bug out* What the hell happened to him and is the orb involved? Because that is all kinds of messed up.

Ouch, Wyatt coming back to consciousness, medical monitors fried, Benjamin on the floor as Wyatt moves him into the recovery position. A flight-or-flight reaction combined with a psi-bomb, who put that in Benjamin because I want to give them a fate worse than death. Terrified of neurologists and hypnotists due to what has been done to him in the past.

Ouch, Dr. Tenent knocked out as well and just became conscious again as Wyatt reached her. The medical probe spell is still their best bet, I hope it gives information that can help improve Benjamin's life and condition. Improved Knock-Out #3, is for Benjamin's own good, I hope he realizes that afterward.

Oh, good, his blood isn't as exotic as Tennyo or Eldritch by far. Yikes, so the black sludge that Benjamin has in place of normal blood oxidizes outside his body. What the heck is that orb doing to Benjamin and his body? No sign of organ damage other than the obvious, for now at least.

Tuesday afternoon,
Benjamin Keeling's room.

No, they make the pillows short because of budget concerns most likely. Kittening, I've never heard it put in those terms before, nice word for it, Max. Benjamin, you are in pain, but you have been in worse, don't give up now. Dang, that drink made by Naomi for Benjamin sounds great for falling asleep.

The doctor asked, "Did anyone ever tell you that most severe stress is the result of overriding the reasonable desire to throttle the ever-living shit out of those who greatly deserve it?"

"Yeah, I get told that a lot. What did I do this time?"

"Not you. You get to live. I'll be back after I wring some necks, write new orders, and place some calls."

Someone is getting chewed out by Dr. Tenent over what is going on with Benjamin and not keeping her fully informed. Good, they deserve it.

Kept in for evaluation and Peter shows up to ask Benjamin what he is really in for. Uh oh, seizure and doesn't remember what happened during it. Peter, don't tease him with that mental image. Colombine along with Max ratted Benjamin out.

"What's in it for me?" asked the hard light avatar. This time, she rezzed in with electric purple hair, a denim jacket, and a black leather skirt that could have ratcheted up a film's MPAA rating all by itself. Peter's dropped jaw confirmed its effectiveness.

Boy, no wonder Benjamin sees her as a person, she has the emotions and an attitude like any regular person, thus she is one.

"Hiding a hardware emulation layer within the existing hardware of a commercial design, leaving the original transponders as fall-backs, all connected via a pseudo-entangled two-way encryption bus, is sneaky to the point of paranoia. However, it works well for routing anything that doesn't need to be carried along my own back-haul bandwidth. What may not impress you, compared to several buyers I could name, is how you've managed to harden the package against certain types of destructive interference."

Dang, Colombine is one of the most impressive digital lifeforms ever.

"Let's just say that the scope of the problem has more than a single dimension. As to the workaround, I cannot reveal my sources," Peter said.

More than a single dimension, please say he isn't talking in actual dimensions like the 3rd and 4th, possibly higher.

How Colombine came to be in Benjamin's...care is something I forget if it was shown. Make attending classes the less painful option, yeah, I can see them doing that to get Benjamin to behave.

"Welcome to Whateley Academy, young padawan. Make sure your insurance and medical contacts list are up-to-date before taking Basic Martial Arts, Powers Lab, and just about any practical course with devisors or mages enrolled. Some of the chem labs are literally in bunkers, the ranges are bunkers, one of which is almost in the next county and is under constant satellite surveillance."

Well, that is more than most students know about the special range.

Peter groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't they keep sedatives somewhere around here?"

"For whom?"

"Everyone!"

"See, Cee? I think you've made a new friend!"

Colombine got on Peter's nerves fast, is that a new record?

Dr. Brechtje Bombay's Office.

Oh boy, so someone around Dr. Tenent pulls something colossally stupid that often, how does she keep her sanity?

"Don't I wish! I just found out that getting here meant that our patient went cold turkey off all the working anticonvulsants he'd been on for the past year or two. After he blacked out, someone made the call to push him some more instead of calling a trusted colleague with backup medications. All that nonsense, just to see if he might go rager before dropping him off on our doorstep. Why consult Medical over little things like PTSD, TBI, and general seizures?"

Okay, I want the names and addresses of the idiots who pulled this stunt with Benjamin.

"The excuse given was that he's been associated with violent criminal activities and could be dangerous."

"In other words, bullshit. He shut down instead of snapping."

Subject the idiots who pulled this to their own worst nightmares for a month!

"My diagnosis is that the original injury avulsed the anterior sinistral quadrant of his skull, including frontal lobe tissue and an eye. The distribution of newer material is consistent with a detonated implant of highly illicit origin. My conjecture is that the object occupying the regenerated socket used to be much smaller. My greatest fear at the moment is that enough of what we've been scanning is manifested material that losing control of it could be catastrophic. His most recent concussion, four months ago, did him no favors. Would you believe that the attending physician attributed the injury to a slip-and-trip accident?"[/qoute] *goes into the cone of silence and starts screaming in frustration at all the idiots involved in messing up Benjamin's life even more* No, no, no, Laura's neural inhibitor used on Benjamin, I don't want to think of what could happen, I want to be able to sleep tonight.

*eyes go cartoonishly big* Good lord, it sounds like the best option is just to leave the eyesocket alone and bring in someone who might be able to figure out what the orb is and can do, like Eldritch. A power suppressor against Benjamin, maybe they need to have a school assembly and warn students who have those powers to never use them on him or face expulsion or worse.

"A little bird told me the Range Four swear jar got a lot richer when your 'cute soldier' found out we'd sent an undermedicated student with both PTSD and a seizure disorder to his Range."

"Hm. Smart guy. Do you know if he's seeing anyone?"

Ooo, do I see a new potential romance in the air?

Wednesday morning, January 11, 2017,
Crystal Hall Cafeteria.

Benjamin, tearing up while longing for home and those you have as a family isn't a sign of weakness. Max shows up with chicken and waffles, to someone who has just been in a hospital which is torture. Marmot or something, oh boy. Tai Chi Chuan practice before breakfast, dang, I wish I could have taken that for phys. ed credit. TA gig for "Theory and Practice of the Escape", I see Imp found out about him.

Max wants to learn Japanese to expand his fan base to Japan, oh boy, I don't think they will be ready for him. The Occupation. *shudders* I know very little of it, other than it was a nightmare. *eyes bug out* Benjamin has spirits visit him and in his sleep make him relive the experience in nightmares, good lord. Benjamin wants to be a good friend but wants an excuse not to go to Japan, very understandable.

1st Period, Freshman English, Kane Hall.

Good, the smells of Kane Hall are not like the schools he doesn't wish to remember. Shows up for class and Donut tries to erase "English for Idiots" off the chalkboard with no success. Manifested iron filings and off it goes, so magic was used, that is a waste of magic for a cruel stunt.

Benjamin shrugged. "Maybe paint a stripper?"

"You keep that on you too? Waitaminnit. What did you really say?"

So glad Donut caught on to what Benjamin really said. Daniel Diggins, been a while since I saw his real name in a story I forgot it. Ah, Benjamin is situating himself for ease of observation of the rest of the classroom and a quick escape if needed. Humorless, oh boy, at least Benjamin knows not to tick him off.

Benjamin shows off that his left eye doesn't work as an eye, and Pete gets called out for picking on a cripple.

Benjamin's smile turned lopsided. "I'm not crippled. I still have a working eye."

At least Peter is good about all this, he has had a rough year, with idiots picking fights and calling him stuff. Mrs. Barnes as the teacher, you best behave.

"Kapalangpur Territory, Kapala Town, Bukit Asing district. The vacation brochures say I live in a volcanic island paradise, somewhere you've never heard of, in the South China Sea."

At least he corrects them without yelling like some would.

"Yesterday, we discussed the use of juxtaposition to develop characterization in relationship to other characters. Also, we talked about motif and theme. Who can name and describe at least one of the themes from the assigned reading?"

I learned all of this in school and I remember none of it, oh boy.

Thulia comes over to give Benjamin the syllabus he almost forgot about. Cee, no teasing Benjamin, and Thulia has a girlfriend already. Good thing he has Colombine to navigate the school, that place can be a maze to newcomers.

Too early lunch,
Crystal Hall Cafeteria.

Dang, I believe his analysis of the burger contents since it is Whateley. The way Max describes the cafeteria tables and groups, it is like any normal school. Choo-Choo-Twains, only Max could get away with calling them that. Benjamin, I've seen contemplation, you were brooding. Max, don't go blurting out everything like that. *facepalms at the next sentence* With a friend like Max, who needs an enemy.

Taka asking that, oh boy, Benjamin just can't catch a break today. Max reacting like this about an ear piercing.

"Awesome! My buddy's finally joining the human race like a normal person!"

From one of the nearby tables, a quieter voice said, "And you people wondered why I had to change roommates so soon?"

Oh boy, one of Max's previous roommates, poor guy subjected to Max so much.

Meanwhile, at another nearby table.

Becky, Cam, Derecha, Trina, and Peter have trouble with their dodgeball team, and the school forgets they aren't supposed to have a training session in the sims on certain days of the month, good grief, Hartford would never drop the ball like this. Dang, stuck at 8 PM for the start of their sims training, that sucks. At least they are planning on how to get sim suits fitted to them, updated power set stats to the sim team, and other ideas of who to ask for help in preparing.

A message from Colombine to Peter, sounds like Benjamin is in for the sims. Peter's class advisor and Colombine has met her, uh oh.

"Paranormal Law? Law enforcement?"

"Rex?" Derecha said, "The big print giveth. But that small print's a real bitch. That's why you're backing up Crash and me on the required reading."

Smart girl, I like her.

Barely Wednesday afternoon,
Theory and Practice of the Escape, The (Official) Imp Lair™ (patent pending).

Even with Colombine I would want plenty of time to navigate the tunnels. Oh boy, Imp trying to get the class ready and left Karma alone in the classroom. Susan Moira Chambers, I prefer Karma, it fits her so well. Okay, being friends with Max has benefits if he knows how to smooth misunderstandings over with Karma quickly.

*winces* Karma, you shouldn't repeat that kind of thing to others.

Benjamin bit his lip. "I, er, I meant for class."

"Sure. Miss Laura turned the same color when I told her the same thing."

Okay, Imp needs to teach Karma about not mentioning that to other people already, especially students. Oh no, you gave Karma an idea, Benjamin. Run!

Morgana coming down for Imp's class, and yes, after the number of times you've been kidnapped and bound, you need this class more than any other student. Morgana, they are all right, relying on your powers too much can get you into trouble, learn skills that can help you even without your powers to back them up. Uh oh, hands-on and PTSD, no wonder Morgana doesn't want to take this class. Laura taking the class, with Karma as one of the kids she babysits it is about survival at this point.

Oh boy, the "overheard misundertanding" bit and this is a good one, I would rush in myself. Morgana scared Karma into dropping her picks, yikes, thinking a perv is taking advantage of young Karma. Handcuffs and out of them fast, Benjamin knows this model of handcuff well. Bwahaha, I can't believe Karma said that about Morgana and Laura. Miss Laura and Miss Morgana, Karma is polite when she likes someone. Imp shows up and her comments to Morgana and Laura, priceless.

"That would be more helpful than tutoring my daughter on today's extra credit assignment. Where did you come across that model anyway?"

"It so happens that Guardian RTC licenses the design."

"That was not an answer to my question. I see a future in politics ahead of you."

"Isn't it a wee bit early for curses?"

Hehe, good to know Benjamin has no mind for going into politics.

Bianca St. Claire, Abigail Van Helsing, and Luna Wright size up Benjamin as a potential threat, Saumer sits in the back intimidated by him.

On the other hand, Hannah Sammish was all but drooling over something going on behind or around Benjamin.

Oh boy, don't tell me she can see the green orb's true nature or is it something else? She can analyze mutant powers, so what is she seeing?

Kent Holloway, oof, poor guy has it bad for Benjamin.

"I haven't gotten my turn at directing traffic yet. That could be fun." Benjamin smiled a loopier smile, saying, "And, I still have a spotless driving record or two."

Imp asked, as if it were news to her, "Benjamin, whose spotless driving record are we talking about, precisely?"

Benjamin dug into a pocket, producing some terribly familiar objects.

"Kent Holloway, Bianca St. Claire, or Ayelen Winona," Benjamin drawled, handing the ID cards over to the teacher. "Maybe Kent. I think I've got the makeup to match his skin tone. Maybe a little more rouge, if anything."

"Any further questions regarding my assistant's qualifications?"

And he did all this without even Imp noticing, or so it seems. Are we sure one of his ancestors isn't Arsène Lupin?

Today was a good one for reminding the girl there would be times she might need to hear what's said but not repeat a word of it. "Cross your heart AND pinky swear." That settled, Imp waved Benjamin over.

Should have given that to her before she traumatized Laura.

She asked, "I was wondering if you've thought about trying out for some of the school's clubs? Some still run through the Winter Term."

"That's what my roommate says, Miss Imp, but I don't think my figure's cut out for Venus, Incorporated."

Okay, now I wonder if he is distantly related to Imp somehow. No, Benjamin, you are too good to get involved in the Secret Squirrels antics.

"Just remember that they're still kids. Can't live with 'em, can't stuff 'em in a barrel until they're eighteen."

"Hey!" piped up one of the many kids they could have been talking about.

Since Imp is the staff advisor for the ICC now she knows how much of a pain they are. Ouch, Benjamin really can't have one day without some pain in it. Imp, if you knew Benjamin's birth parents you would not consider the word monster a bad word for them.

Cutler, his other personality, eep.

"You're known by the company you keep as much as by your work. That's just how the business goes. They've got a fortune-teller: did they know what Guzman was up to? If so, they're complicit. If not, one or more of them are being set up for a perp walk. The mentalist has a good game going. My back would be itching the entire time on the job with her. They have muscle to spare, but that's what contractors are for." Cutler shook his head. "Ever just look at a group picture and say to yourself, E-I-E-I-Don't-Think-So?"

An accurate assessment of the current Masterminds. Can't take on jobs with the Masterminds until he is cleared by medical, good.

The trick with the rope seems useful, but also only to be tried when you know what you are doing.

"Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn! Tell us the lesson what we should learn! But what about that job?"

"The right answer was knowing it couldn't work out. Now, I owe Patience five bucks."

"Why?"

"Well, first of all, he is a boy, which makes him prone to trying dangerous stunts just to prove he can. Second, he's known in the biz as a loose cannon. I figured that he might sign on for the challenge and immediately lock horns with the club's leaders."

Aww, you bet against Benjamin and owe Patience five bucks, at least you bet small. Eep, that that question and Karma's response, it seems Karma is being kept out of misfit with the promise of punishment.

Wednesday evening,
Intro to Psychic Disciplines, Kirby Hall.

Zenith teaches Intro to Psychic Disciplines, yay, another Gen 1 character confirmed as still around.

Perception-altering trick, oh boy, don't tell me she has met Sterling. Anneliese Effingham says Benjamin should at least pretend to drool over Zenith, but he counters with the nightlife from some places he has been. Oof, it seems Chibany told Zoe about Benjamin.

Someone was happy to work with Semi? Her Semi? That hadn't happened in a long time!

This is Benjamin, he is unusual even by Whateley standards, especially personality-wise.

Dang, that is a brutal psychic test, Zoe doesn't go easy on her students. Ah, so she is subbing for Dr. Chase for the class right now. Ow, her explaining the object of the lesson hurt my head.

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.'

Zoe shook her head, remembering someone else with a penchant for quoting Lao Tzu. "Mister Keeling. I'm already tempted to invite an alumna back to speak in excruciating depth on the distinctions between qi and psi. Are you ready to make that a certainty?"

"We shall see, won't we?"

Benjamin, please don't push Zoe on this, you don't want a lecture from Chou on the subject.

"Be careful what you ask for," Zoe said. "Yesterday, we touched on getting to know a thing as if it were an integral part of you. However, how well do you know yourself? When you listen, are the thoughts you hear your thoughts? You're surrounded every day by people. Some of those people are trying to change what you think, believe, and feel — literally. How can a person who may have been affected know for sure?

Ouch, this is true without psychic powers being involved.

"Therefore," Ms. Nesmith said, "What we need is something that can be done as part of a daily routine. In this case, meditation. Mindfulness, movement-based, and progressive relaxation practices are commonly used to examine unconscious thought patterns as well as one's own health. Also, focused meditation and visualization may be used to strengthen one's concentration. There are drawbacks for us with these and other types. Myra, can you suggest one or two of them?"

Okay, the drawbacks they talk about, it sounds like students with those power traits shouldn't watch horror movies until they have a handle on their visualization skills.

Annaliese asked, "What about all that nonsense about rock-and-roll causing teen suicides and video games creating school shooters? Does it matter to mantra meditation if the repetitive sound is something darker than just 'Om'?"

She heard Benjamin mumble, "You never want to find out."

Mary on a cross, she didn't! Nonetheless, her telepathy latched onto the thoughts behind unguarded words.

Oh crap, Annaliesse is going to need counseling after this. Groenwald is a monster. That is a horror show, the student body needs an assembly and warnings on what powers not to use on Benjamin, and no telepath should go into his mind.

Zoe is good, the words in italics are the message she is trying to get through to Benjamin. Snapping Benjamin out of it without further incident, I see why she is a sub for the class. Anneliese is going to need more than talking to someone once about this, she saw the trauma Benjamin went through, brainwashing, that can leave a mark.

Zoe softened her voice. "Welcome to the crash course in why we work so hard at hammering a code of psychic ethics into each student's head, and push every exercise in shielding we can get them to do."

From just outside of easy reach, they heard, "Speaking of exercises, that Jedi voice trick was a bit heavy-handed just now, don't you think?"

Dang, Benjamin got back fast.

"It happens. My fault for forgetting her telepathy is voice-activated. Before the peanut gallery returns, I wanted to mention that there are people on campus who would kill a person, or do their level best to co-opt them, to keep their secrets exactly that."

"Are you saying that she's dealing with one of them?"

"I can't say." At the teachers' questioning looks, he added, "No, really. For some cases, I cannot speak to the subject. I'm supposed to see Dr. Delacroix tomorrow, so I'd recommend Annaliese see her ASAP. I should be going now, shouldn't I?"

Crud, Benjamin's life just seems a greater nightmare the more we learn about what was done to him in the past.

The Tunnels, Whateley Academy

Oh, good, he got Anneliesse in to see Dr. Delacroix without incident and she let Benjamin escort her to Doyle. Information management problem, so is someone actively trying to screw over Benjamin's time at Whateley?

"I don't expect to ever get bored enough to take HIVE or Belvedere on. You'd probably call it 'a learning experience'. So would Belvedere."

Trust me, HIVE would wreck you.

White noise generator app for true privacy, smart move with the students at Whateley.

"All things are knowable in the Tao, right? Looks like I've got some research ahead of me. And lots of work on shielding, if that will work. If I'm an open book to Serenella, who else has free access to the Mattie-toy's negatronic cranial unit?"

Oh boy, he is in a lot more potential danger at Whateley than I previously thought.

"Pretty much. So, I guess we let the past rest and try again tomorrow?"

"Best plan I've heard today."

The Most sensible thing to do, otherwise he'd drive himself paranoid with worry.

Dreamer wrote:

"Since when have you seen a vampire? Max? Is there something or someone I should know about?"

We want answers, Max. What vampire?

The non-sparkley kind, so Max lost interest.

Dreamer wrote:

"I already have a list started," Colombine said. "I'll just add another page."

I like Colombine.

Dreamer wrote:

"Benjie, what do you remember of your so-called conversation with Inspector Kwan and Chief Everheart?"

Oh crap, this is worse than I thought, I knew Everheart was involved, but Inspector Kwan was as well.

Yeah... Just wait.

Benjamin can be dangerous. After all, his strike team went in, took no prisoners, got out, left no one behind. ("Triptych", part 3) So people pushed, just in case.

Dreamer wrote:

Oh crap! Memories of a bad incident, of someone named Kees. *eyes bug out* What the hell happened to him and is the orb involved? Because that is all kinds of messed up.

Well, if you wondered about how Benjamin ended up face down in cemetery mud? This ties in with what Annaliese sees.

Dreamer wrote:

"Let's just say that the scope of the problem has more than a single dimension. As to the workaround, I cannot reveal my sources," Peter said.

More than a single dimension, please say he isn't talking in actual dimensions like the 3rd and 4th, possibly higher.

Peter's smarter than he looks. And, Colombine meets Benjamin, and Cyberkitty in "Triptych".

Dreamer wrote:

Imp asked, as if it were news to her, "Benjamin, whose spotless driving record are we talking about, precisely?"

Benjamin dug into a pocket, producing some terribly familiar objects.

"Kent Holloway, Bianca St. Claire, or Ayelen Winona," Benjamin drawled, handing the ID cards over to the teacher. "Maybe Kent. I think I've got the makeup to match his skin tone. Maybe a little more rouge, if anything."

"Any further questions regarding my assistant's qualifications?"

And he did all this without even Imp noticing, or so it seems. Are we sure one of his ancestors isn't Arsène Lupin?

Even with all his practice, his teacher is still better.

Dreamer wrote:

Mary on a cross, she didn't! Nonetheless, her telepathy latched onto the thoughts behind unguarded words.

Oh crap, Annaliesse is going to need counseling after this. Groenwald is a monster. That is a horror show, the student body needs an assembly and warnings on what powers not to use on Benjamin, and no telepath should go into his mind.

This particular Groenwald, Matthew, now goes by Benjamin Keeling.

I suspect that even the Green Cross would want Benjamin's "birth" parents up against a wall.