07 - Fight Fire With Fire - Revision history

John.Raisor at 05:59, 12 August 2018

2018-08-12T05:59:53Z

Kkay at 02:36, 10 August 2018

2018-08-10T02:36:44Z

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Kkay at 02:15, 10 August 2018

2018-08-10T02:15:46Z

Kkay at 02:08, 10 August 2018

2018-08-10T02:08:11Z

John.Raisor at 04:42, 6 August 2018

2018-08-06T04:42:16Z

Kkay at 04:19, 1 August 2018

2018-08-01T04:19:09Z

Kkay at 02:12, 20 July 2018

2018-07-20T02:12:08Z

Kkay at 01:59, 20 July 2018

2018-07-20T01:59:49Z

Kkay at 01:59, 20 July 2018

2018-07-20T01:59:03Z

Kkay at 01:57, 20 July 2018

2018-07-20T01:57:21Z

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-{{Book|preseq=06|prev=When Angels Cry|nxtseq=|next=|series=The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone|asin=B07F9SNKYL|img=61NjqUhVswL|blurb=
+{{Book|preseq=06|prev=When Angels Cry|nxtseq=08|next=Hail to the King|series=The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone|asin=B07F9SNKYL|img=61NjqUhVswL|blurb=
 The Drow are back. Unfortunately, the Drow are looking to get hold of Alison. An order to locate the princess means they need to find and deal with Brownstone. They will have to go through him first. Brownstone is pulling his company together, working on his relationship, and dealing with bounties.  Additionally, James needs to pay up with the Professor. He owes him a few filthy rhymes. The AET boss has learned a lesson, and asks Brownstone to come in for a talk. Will they fight each other, or will the Drow get a chance to kill them all? Brownstone won't back down. It's time to pay the price for saving a young girl, and James Brownstone never thinks twice. Laugh at just how much Brownstone can infuriate Shay.
 }}

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 Lachlan decides to stay a little longer. “At least I’ll get paid to exercise and learn shit for a while.”
-TUMB 07/8  The entire Chapter involves a live-fire exercise with the Agency group (See Weapons, Weapons Training for a condensation).
+TUMB 07/8  The entire Chapter involves a live-fire exercise with the Agency group (See Weapons, [[Weapons Training]] for a condensation).
 TUMB 07/9     Charlyce suts at her desk, contemplating her status. It’s like a dream, but it’s real. A job, and a clean and sober future. She’d make sure not to squander it. West and Lafayette called from Las Vegas. (West had helped her rescue Dina, in Las Vegas). The department is interested in hiring the Brownstone Agency to provide support on a few cases. We understand that Brownstone himself is a high-level bounty hunter, but this is more about lower-level matters. It was actually your nephew or some of the others I understand will be working for the agency that we were looking to hire.” “You have bounties for Trey and the others in Las Vegas?” “Not necessarily bounties. In some cases, yes, but for others, we want the manpower and reach in addition to the bounty hunting.”  Charlyce called Trey, told him about the opportunity, Trey backed off from any suggestions. He knew nothing about that side of the business. She was the Admin Assistant – she  should have the ideas, Call him back when she had some worked out.  Charlyce did have an idea, and called Pastor smith in Las Vegas, about his Hand Up Program. She now had a program that would be similar.  It’s a swords-to-plowshares-type program for former gang members, and I’d just like a little advice on how to set that up.
-When she had it organized in her mind, returned Trey’s call. The key elements involved requesting flat fees for expected services, along with options for bonuses in addition to bounty values. The agency would guarantee the
+When she had it organized in her mind, returned Trey’s call. The key elements involved requesting flat fees for expected services, along with options for bonuses in addition to bounty values. The agency would guarantee the department a certain number of workers, as long as the police provided them the previously-agreed-upon fees.
 We’ll just need to keep track of the money flow from our accounts and the fees being provided by the Las Vegas Police. I’ve already got several of the forms and contracts printed and filled out for California, Nevada, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Either James or someone with authority will have to sign them, though.” Trey said he could do that. Trey gave her a bonus, from him, for her good work.
@@ Line 118: / Line 118: @@
 James waited. He had two major advantages going into the Drow confrontation. He’d expected a lot more trouble on the job, so he’d brought a standard layout, including his tactical harness, guns, multiple magazines, throwing knives. He had his healing and energy potions in a pouch. As long as he could still move, he could survive. He activated the amulet. It was curious. An unfamiliar location.
-TUMB 07/22   The Fight    TUMB 07/22    Zavan looked around, And mentally complimented humans on their talent for destruction. “The humans have destroyed an entire lake. That would have taken powerful magic to accomplish. Foolish in a way that only an Atlantean or human might do something, but then again the humans remind me of them in so many ways.” Kaella commented, “Now that we’ve stopped moving, the suppression spell won’t help so much. If we’re being watched, they’ll soon find where we are because of the magical compass.” Zavan was asked, Why here? “I suspect he’s selected the battleground on which he wishes to die. “His plans are worthless unless they keep us away from him. We’re close now, so he’s failed, and he will suffer for his failure. ”They donned their three magic cloaks. . “Remember our orders. We need to find the princess. That should be foremost in our minds.” . “Questioning him is unnecessary. We can trace her essence from his corpse. The princess is key to the future of the Drow.” They could trace Brownstone as being close to them, not running. “Bravery,” Zavan suggested. “Respectable, but in this case, ultimately futile.”
+TUMB 07/22   The Fight    Zavan looked around, And mentally complimented humans on their talent for destruction. “The humans have destroyed an entire lake. That would have taken powerful magic to accomplish. Foolish in a way that only an Atlantean or human might do something, but then again the humans remind me of them in so many ways.” Kaella commented, “Now that we’ve stopped moving, the suppression spell won’t help so much. If we’re being watched, they’ll soon find where we are because of the magical compass.” Zavan was asked, Why here? “I suspect he’s selected the battleground on which he wishes to die. “His plans are worthless unless they keep us away from him. We’re close now, so he’s failed, and he will suffer for his failure. ”They donned their three magic cloaks. . “Remember our orders. We need to find the princess. That should be foremost in our minds.” . “Questioning him is unnecessary. We can trace her essence from his corpse. The princess is key to the future of the Drow.” They could trace Brownstone as being close to them, not running. “Bravery,” Zavan suggested. “Respectable, but in this case, ultimately futile.”
 Helicopters, thirty minutes out from the sight. Mack lacked full AET armor, but he did have a bulletproof vest—not that he thought it’d do him much good against magic. He and Hall talk. “Even the Scourge of Harriken is just a man in the end, Mack.” “And those Drow are just fancy elves. Magic may make you powerful, but it doesn’t make you immortal.”
@@ Line 126: / Line 126: @@
 The Drow all whipped their cloaks off and tossed them to the ground, squinting under the sun’s ray. They shimmered for a moment, and the three bland humans in suits vanished, replaced by three dark-skinned, white-haired, red-eyed Drow with long pointed ears. They all wore tight-fitting armor composed of tightly overlapping dark scales with an almost carapace-like appearance. Dark energy fields surrounded all three, and blades of pure shadow extended from their arms.
-TUMB 07/23     23   The battle rages, with Brownstone getting wounded, and the three becoming more tired. Comments and insults were passes at all times.
+TUMB 07/23     The battle rages, with Brownstone getting wounded, and the three becoming more tired. Comments and insults were passes at all times.
 James heard a noise in the distance, but paid no attention to it, instead throwing a grenade at them. They were knocked to the ground, whereupon James grabbed a K-bar and assaulted Zavan, slamming the knife into his chest. Using magic,  shredded James’ chest. The amulet continued to whisper. By now James could discern the happy texture of the mental communication with ease. At least someone was enjoying the fight. But James’ left arm was useless. With the Drow so close, he couldn’t go for his healing potion. He also needed a better strategy.
 Drow all raised a hand behind them and thrust them forward in unison. Three dark bolts shot toward James and slammed into him. He grunted, but unlike the first shadow bolt attack, the energy projectiles didn’t pierce his body. They dissipated like smoke on the wind. Only the jolt of the impact near his original chest wounds produced pain. The three launched another volley. James suddenly realized he had lost his K-Bar.  A moment later, a blast of blue-green energy shot from each of them in a coordinated attack on James’ left leg. Burning agony consumed his leg, and James fell to one knee. Another joint attack blasted into his other leg. The energy burned another hole, but only singed the top of his leg.

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
-TUMB 07/7    Lachlan survives his first training session, with the help and commiseration of Shorty, Max, Kevin and Russell. Lachlan asks why they’re all so interested ibn following Brownstone, and joining the agency. Max asks,” “How many old gangbangers do you know, Lachlan? None. They die young.” “Being a bounty hunter ain’t safe. All sorts of guys are gonna try and kill you.” “Yeah, but the difference is we’ll be the ones planning when to go after a guy. That’s hella different than some drive-by gang shit.” Working for the Brownstone Agency means we get to be badass, but still respectable. You know what I’m saying?” (Get more women).
+TUMB 07/7    Lachlan survives his first training session, with the help and commiseration of Shorty, Max, Kevin and Russell. Lachlan asks why they’re all so interested in following Brownstone, and joining the agency. Max asks,” “How many old gangbangers do you know, Lachlan? None. They die young.” “Being a bounty hunter ain’t safe. All sorts of guys are gonna try and kill you.” “Yeah, but the difference is we’ll be the ones planning when to go after a guy. That’s a hell of a lot different than some drive-by gang shit.” Working for the Brownstone Agency means we get to be badass, but still respectable. You know what I’m saying?” (Get more women).
 Then Lachlan comes up with the idea that Brownstone isn’t human, and who wants to work for an Alien?  “I respect strength,” Shorty declared. “Don’t care what he is, and, well, he ain’t the Devil because he goes to church. Whatever else he is don’t bother me none.”
 Royce came over and congratulated him on his efforts, and that he would begin to learn the discipline. “Discipline always triumphs. In most pre-modern battles, you didn’t even see a lot of casualties until one side broke and ran. That was when they got cut down. They lost discipline.”
-Lachlan decides to sty a l little longer. “At least I’ll get paid to exercise and learn shit for a while.”
+Lachlan decides to stay a little longer. “At least I’ll get paid to exercise and learn shit for a while.”
 TUMB 07/8  The entire Chapter involves a live-fire exercise with the Agency group (See Weapons, Weapons Training for a condensation).
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 TUMB 07/9     Charlyce suts at her desk, contemplating her status. It’s like a dream, but it’s real. A job, and a clean and sober future. She’d make sure not to squander it. West and Lafayette called from Las Vegas. (West had helped her rescue Dina, in Las Vegas). The department is interested in hiring the Brownstone Agency to provide support on a few cases. We understand that Brownstone himself is a high-level bounty hunter, but this is more about lower-level matters. It was actually your nephew or some of the others I understand will be working for the agency that we were looking to hire.” “You have bounties for Trey and the others in Las Vegas?” “Not necessarily bounties. In some cases, yes, but for others, we want the manpower and reach in addition to the bounty hunting.”  Charlyce called Trey, told him about the opportunity, Trey backed off from any suggestions. He knew nothing about that side of the business. She was the Admin Assistant – she  should have the ideas, Call him back when she had some worked out.  Charlyce did have an idea, and called Pastor smith in Las Vegas, about his Hand Up Program. She now had a program that would be similar.  It’s a swords-to-plowshares-type program for former gang members, and I’d just like a little advice on how to set that up.
 When she had it organized in her mind, returned Trey’s call. The key elements involved requesting flat fees for expected services, along with options for bonuses in addition to bounty values. The agency would guarantee the
-We’ll just need to keep track of the money flow from our accounts and the fees being provided by the Las Vegas Police. I’ve already got several of the forms and contracts printed and filled out for California, Nevada, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Either James or someone with authority will have to sign them, though.” Trey said he could do that. Trey gave her a boin, from him, for her ggood work.
+We’ll just need to keep track of the money flow from our accounts and the fees being provided by the Las Vegas Police. I’ve already got several of the forms and contracts printed and filled out for California, Nevada, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Either James or someone with authority will have to sign them, though.” Trey said he could do that. Trey gave her a bonus, from him, for her good work.
-Charlyce visits Dina at the orphanage, (See vehicles, Self-Driving Cars),  bringing lots of gifts purchased with the bonus money Trey had given her. Talks with Father McCartney. “You’re giving these children a place to grow up where they know they’re cared about. That’s all anyone can do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I was loved, and I made my mistakes. I don’t blame no one but me for them.” Volunteers to stay and help cook dinner.
+Charlyce visits Dina at the orphanage, (See Vehicles, [[Self-Driving Cars]]),  bringing lots of gifts purchased with the bonus money Trey had given her. Talks with Father McCartney. “You’re giving these children a place to grow up where they know they’re cared about. That’s all anyone can do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I was loved, and I made my mistakes. I don’t blame no one but me for them.” Volunteers to stay and help cook dinner.
 TUMB 07/10   The Date      Brownstone goes to pick up Shay for the “date”. Today was a relationship maintenance day. The podcast stressed that the occasional surprise was good for a relationship, as was sharing activities. He’d texted Shay to tell her they wouldn’t have time for a date to throw her off. She’d never suspect he was going to ambush her for a special Brownstone Date Experience. Time for the perfect couples’ activity. (He had told her to “pack for trouble”.) “I figured we could do something different,” James rumbled. “This is a surprise date. Just figured the more shit we do together that we’re both into, the more fun we can have. Leland Carmichael,” James announced. “He’s the surprise. We’ll hit Venice Beach later, but the first part is him. He’s a freelance asshole who specializes in arson and car bombs. More than a few witnesses have conveniently died in fires or dropped their charges, including several ex-girlfriends. Leland gets off on smacking them around, you see. But the last one managed to get some hidden video and sent that off to the cops before she went into hiding. It was enough to get the bounty, along with the other evidence the police have on him. I’ve got a line on him. This guy’s known to have a lot of thugs helping him, and it’s good to have another person, especially since I’m not using the amulet, and I thought it’d be fun to do together.”
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 Two reasons.
-The Professor calls. Meet him in two days re a job, and don’t forget that he’s still signed on to participate in the Bard of Filth competition. He needed a ghost writer,  an expert on depravity, but one who could keep their mouth shut and who he didn’t have to deal with on a regular basis.
+The Professor calls. Meet him in two days re a job, and don’t forget that he’s still signed on to participate in the Bard of Filth Competition. He needed a ghost writer,  an expert on depravity, but one who could keep their mouth shut and who he didn’t have to deal with on a regular basis.
 TUMB 07/11     Brownstone calls Tyler, Makes an appointment to see him next morning, 10 AM. At Black Sun, to talk about a ghost writer. Tyler is delighted, as he can set up an event which will embarrass Brownstone, and make him some money. He pulls his Bitch List (list of 40 women who would pay money to see Brownstone). I’m going to text them all with a special Brownstone Date offer. I’m not going to guarantee anything but the fact that Brownstone will be in the bar at a certain time. Fifty dollars will get them the time and two drinks. Several of them will buy food and more drinks, so I’ll make thousands off Brownstone’s ass.” Maria Hall comes to the bar the next morning, before Brownstone gets there, sees the “ladies”, and puts in her bid to see the tape of the event, at no charge to her.
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 He remembers the cameras, and calls Peyton for a hacker who could wipe the net to make them all disappear, before Shay saw them. Peyton asked why he couldn’t do it. “Something I don’t want Shay to know about, and I’m not gonna sit here and pretend what you do for me doesn’t get back to Shay.” He calls several, and continues to Anna Forsythe’s place.
-TUMB 07/13  Brownstone goes to Anna’s place (See Characters, Anna Forsythe)  Anna and Janes discuss exactly what humor is, and why it’s funny, and how it applies specifically to limericks and knock-knock jokes. I’d argue that the fundamental basis underlying humor is a betrayal of expectations. Although someone might anticipate where a good joke is going, the best humor surprises a person. People’s minds crave order, logic, progression. A good joke tricks that by taking advantage of that natural order.  The limerick: The listener is trying to anticipate and autofill the final rhyme, but a good dirty limerick has a strong contrast between a clean beginning and a filthy ending. Maximum contrast. Maximum surprise. A good dirty limerick rides that liminal line between the sacred and the profane. In this society, we think of sex as simultaneously important, even sacred, and also as nothing more than animal-like fucking driven by the basest of instincts. A dirty limerick takes advantage of that tension and ambiguity to pop up with maximum surprise. It violates our societal taboos about what we should and shouldn’t talk about. (See Miscellaneous, Bard of Filth Competition.)
+TUMB 07/13  Brownstone goes to Anna’s place (See Characters, [[Anna Forsythe]])  Anna and Janes discuss exactly what humor is, and why it’s funny, and how it applies specifically to limericks and knock-knock jokes. I’d argue that the fundamental basis underlying humor is a betrayal of expectations. Although someone might anticipate where a good joke is going, the best humor surprises a person. People’s minds crave order, logic, progression. A good joke tricks that by taking advantage of that natural order.  The limerick: The listener is trying to anticipate and autofill the final rhyme, but a good dirty limerick has a strong contrast between a clean beginning and a filthy ending. Maximum contrast. Maximum surprise. A good dirty limerick rides that liminal line between the sacred and the profane. In this society, we think of sex as simultaneously important, even sacred, and also as nothing more than animal-like fucking driven by the basest of instincts. A dirty limerick takes advantage of that tension and ambiguity to pop up with maximum surprise. It violates our societal taboos about what we should and shouldn’t talk about. (See Miscellaneous, Bard of Filth Competition.)
 TUMB 07/14    Brownstone gets a call from one of the hackers, and makes a deal. “There was video of me taken in a bar called the Black Sun in Los Angeles this morning. The place is owned by an asshole named Tyler. I need you to find it and get rid of it. I don’t know where the security feed from the bar goes, and some people might have videos on their phones.” He wants it scrubbed from the Web, and from all extraneous cell phones and cameras. Twenty-five thousand for the job.”Done. Half up front, and half when finished.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Book|preseq=06|prev=When Angels Cry|nxtseq=|next=|series=The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone|asin=B07F9SNKYL|img=61NjqUhVswL|blurb=
-{| style="width: 100%;"
+The Drow are back. Unfortunately, the Drow are looking to get hold of Alison. An order to locate the princess means they need to find and deal with Brownstone. They will have to go through him first. Brownstone is pulling his company together, working on his relationship, and dealing with bounties.  Additionally, James needs to pay up with the Professor. He owes him a few filthy rhymes. The AET boss has learned a lesson, and asks Brownstone to come in for a talk. Will they fight each other, or will the Drow get a chance to kill them all? Brownstone won't back down. It's time to pay the price for saving a young girl, and James Brownstone never thinks twice. Laugh at just how much Brownstone can infuriate Shay.
-| style="text-align: left;" | [[06 - When Angels Cry|<< When Angels Cry]]
+}}
 TUMB 07/1     Brownstone gets a call from Trey, that his grandmother, Nana, needs to talk to him ASAP. If Trey called, it meant he couldn’t handle it, and that James was needed.  He left after he and Shay had showered together.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 | style="text-align: right;" |
 |}
 [[Category:The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone| ]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:12, 20 July 2018
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	At the Brownstone Building. The group will find out who will be the Mud Kings. The group formed into their teams, and determined that the pink bandanas were the Mud Kings. Now they would try to take Brownstone. James won, and retained his title of Mud King.		At the Brownstone Building. The group will find out who will be the Mud Kings. The group formed into their teams, and determined that the pink bandanas were the Mud Kings. Now they would try to take Brownstone. James won, and retained his title of Mud King.
		+
		+	Shay and Brownstone arrived at the Leanan Sídhe. It was the night of the Bard of Filth competition, and James had to check in with the Professor, telling him he had blown up the Clown of Doom, but not on purpose! “And I still haven’t had a chance to thank you for the job. I told you before, James. I wanted it out of circulation, but I didn’t know how to do that without risking people’s lives. If it blew up and helped you take down some right bastards, I don’t see the problem.”
		+
		+	The Competition was about to begin. The Professor started off with “Mr. James Brownstone himself is participating.”
		+	The crowd roared their approval. James shrugged.
		+	“As a condition of his participation, there will be no audio or visual recording. If anyone secretly records this you will be banned from this bar for the rest of your life, but let’s get on with it. We have four participants today, including myself and Mr. Brownstone. May the filthiest bard win!”
		+	went first of all, speaking his limerick. The silence of the tomb gripped the room after completion. The seconds ticked by until the crowd all but screamed in approval and laughter. (For all of these limericks, see Miscellaneous, Bard off Filth Competition). The Professor uttered his rebuttal. After the third round, only James and Smite-Williams remained. The Professor’s fourth and final salvo left James reeling, if only because he hadn’t realized the rhyming potential of Dolores. “Dethrone the champ if you dare, lad.”
		+	James spoke his final rhyme. A waitress went around with the voting box, and the bartender and another waitress counted the votes. “We have a winner,” the bartender announced. “The new Bard of Filth is…”
		+	“Our defending champion, Professor Smite-Williams.
		+	Shay stood and tugged on his hand. “Let’s get out of here. The Professor needs to mix with his adoring crowds, and I want to see if you can put words into action.”
		+	“What are you talking about?”
		+	She grinned. “It’s time for a little slaying.”

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:59, 20 July 2018
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	Zavan arose, and with his last energies wove a spell to send them all to a much darker plave then In between. A loud crack from behind accompanied Zavan’s head exploding like an overly ripe watermelon under a sledgehammer, and his body slumped to the ground. The dimensional hole above him sealed itself in a matter of seconds, and the wall of light faded from existence. Sergeant Mack stood in the distance, a sniper rifle in his hands and an expression of awe on his face. Mack laughed. “The bullet I just used cost more than my entire year’s salary.”		Zavan arose, and with his last energies wove a spell to send them all to a much darker plave then In between. A loud crack from behind accompanied Zavan’s head exploding like an overly ripe watermelon under a sledgehammer, and his body slumped to the ground. The dimensional hole above him sealed itself in a matter of seconds, and the wall of light faded from existence. Sergeant Mack stood in the distance, a sniper rifle in his hands and an expression of awe on his face. Mack laughed. “The bullet I just used cost more than my entire year’s salary.”

−	Chapter 26 The AET people were waiting for ambulances, or chatted. Shay looked around. Even though Peyton had located a wizard who could gate her directly to Californiafor a ridiculous amount of money, she's obviously arrived for the aftermath. She went looking for Brownstone and ran into Maria Hall, who knew who she was. They talk about Shay and Brownstone, her prospects, and . "besides, the woman who looked like you is dead, and and the woman with your DNA is dead. There's no point in digging up the dead. Just don’t do shit in my jurisdiction and we won’t have a problem.” They parted.	+	Chapter 26 The AET people were waiting for ambulances, or chatted. Shay looked around. Even though Peyton had located a wizard who could gate her directly to Californiafor a ridiculous amount of money, she's obviously arrived for the aftermath. She went looking for Brownstone and ran into Maria Hall, who knew who she was. They talk about Shay and Brownstone, her prospects, and . "besides, the woman who looked like you is dead, and and the woman with your DNA is dead. There's no point in digging up the dead. Just don’t do shit in my jurisdiction and we won’t have a problem.” They parted. . Shay walked up to Brownstone. She threw her arms around him and leaned in to whisper into his ear, “Next time, wait for me.” They walked off to his truck, and went back home.
		+
		+	At the Brownstone Building. The group will find out who will be the Mud Kings. The group formed into their teams, and determined that the pink bandanas were the Mud Kings. Now they would try to take Brownstone. James won, and retained his title of Mud King.

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:57, 20 July 2018
Line 145:		Line 145:
	Zavan arose, and with his last energies wove a spell to send them all to a much darker plave then In between. A loud crack from behind accompanied Zavan’s head exploding like an overly ripe watermelon under a sledgehammer, and his body slumped to the ground. The dimensional hole above him sealed itself in a matter of seconds, and the wall of light faded from existence. Sergeant Mack stood in the distance, a sniper rifle in his hands and an expression of awe on his face. Mack laughed. “The bullet I just used cost more than my entire year’s salary.”		Zavan arose, and with his last energies wove a spell to send them all to a much darker plave then In between. A loud crack from behind accompanied Zavan’s head exploding like an overly ripe watermelon under a sledgehammer, and his body slumped to the ground. The dimensional hole above him sealed itself in a matter of seconds, and the wall of light faded from existence. Sergeant Mack stood in the distance, a sniper rifle in his hands and an expression of awe on his face. Mack laughed. “The bullet I just used cost more than my entire year’s salary.”

−	Chapter 26 The AET people were waiting for ambulances, or chatted. Shay looked around. Even though Peyton had located a wizard who could gate her directly to Californiafor a ridiculous amount of money, she's obviously arrived for the aftermath. She went looking for Brownstone and ran into Maria Hall, who knew who she was.	+	Chapter 26 The AET people were waiting for ambulances, or chatted. Shay looked around. Even though Peyton had located a wizard who could gate her directly to Californiafor a ridiculous amount of money, she's obviously arrived for the aftermath. She went looking for Brownstone and ran into Maria Hall, who knew who she was. They talk about Shay and Brownstone, her prospects, and . "besides, the woman who looked like you is dead.