. HALLOWPRETEND OCTOBER 31, 1997 The night was darker than usual. I looked up at the slit of light in the sky called the moon. The stars beckoned The Centre's Stargazer, Markstaff. He just had to SEE and show us all the stars that hung there in the darkness. SHALLSEE: "You know...I have this faint memory of before I was brought to The Centre. I was told the stars were "pin holes into heaven;" I used to stare up at them to catch a glimpse of the SHADOW of an angel pass over them. That's why I'm always watching to SEE the shadows, Markstaff. Have you ever wondered what is behind the light of the stars that we see? MARKSTAFF: Well Shallsee........they are a sight! What a clear night for viewing too! Oh yeah!! SHALLSEE: Yes, clear...but, there is such a chill in the air. Just then...my hair began to be tossed by a gentle breeze. Barely noticeable, but there...giving me shivers. It felt like someone just walked by. *I shuddered and looked at the hairs standing up on my arm* I shrugged it off, reminding myself it was only because it was All Hallow's Eve and I musn't allow my imagination to get carried away"Well Markstaff, turn your telescope to Earth. We need to search for the children tonight. More were taken in last night's computer disaster to Stonyman's Farm. We need to gather search parties" SHALLSEE (Over Com): All Centre Personnel to the conference room on SL-13 in 5 minutes! *walking towards elevator* "Lazybum, get up from your chair and stop flirting with the ladies. That announcement includes you" =) *Alia skipping down opposite hallway and meets me at elevator* ALIA: "Trick or Treat" SHALLSEE: "Trick" ALIA: "Trick? Okay..." I to hear a crackling sound. My nose sniffs the familiar sent of something burning. My eyes turn to see the trash can next to the elevator in flames. SHALLSEE: "I'm joking! I'm joking! Quick run to the stairs and get the fire exstinguisher" *Alia gets the exstinguisher and puts out the flames* I push the button and we enter the elevator to descend down the 13 floors. SHALLSEE: "Do you know what today is?" ALIA: "Sure, it's Halloween" SHALLSEE: "True...but, it's also the 16th birthday of your eye lids" *chuckle* ALIA: "Hey!" *Elevator doors open and we walk down the corridor to conference room 13* MISS PARKER: "Where are my menthols?! Daddy isn't happy with last night's little virus problem at all!" DREAMWIND: "My dear, Miss Parker...doest thou need some nice pills?" MISS PARKER: "Doest thou need a swift kick in the butt?" MISS PARKER: "Imposter! I.M.P.: "Well, I'm just practicing my former SELF. I think we need the practice for tomorrow, don't you?" MISS PARKER: "Silly, Imposter! I don't need any practice being me. I do hope to find out my REAL first name though Hello to you Dreamer...I knew I felt a cool breeze in here" PATIENTS: "Here are your menthols Miss Parker, and your usual martini without the olive" DREAMWIND: "'Twas not I that brought the breeze this eve. Doest thou not believe in ghosts? This be the eve for it" RISK: *eating a sundae* "Here Miss Parker....enjoy some IceCream. I know it always puts me in a better mood. Maybe that's what your 'Daddy' needs HEXABA: "Ghosts? Did you mention ghosts Dreamwind? I don't think I've ever seen a real ghost. How old do you think the ghost would be?" ZARAH: "No wonder the children got away. All this obsession with drinks and IceCream. Meanwhile I've been watching from The Tower, and taking the heat from that Brit broad, Brigitte. Who hired her anyway? I know, I was never asked." MR. PARKER: "Can we get on with the meeting? The office party is cancelled! You are all to find those children!! Especially that little girl, Molly. She is a threat to the public!" OA11: "A threat?" I evaluated her last week. Her birth name is Mary, and her identical twin died at birth. She firmly believes that her parents are dead as well. I wonder who put that thought into her brain?" SYDNEY: "Sometimes things like that are necessary for proper cooperation from the children. We have found they have an easier period of adjustment. In Molly's case, it happens to be the truth. She was too young to remember it. Her family owned a yacht. They were out at sea when a horrible storm crossed their paths. The yacht was thrown against a reef and subsequently sank. She was found in an air pocket some hours after the distress call was made. That's why she is terrified of drowning. To this day, she believes it was a sim." TRNO1: "Yeah right, Sydney...and we are suppose to trust that story? Who can we trust anyway?" SHALLSEE: "We need the head of security to organize the search teams. Where is Loneagent? Has anyone seen Loneagent recently? I mean besides chasing Beri around the couch with that feather." :-) BERI: "Well Shalls...you're the SEEr. Don't you SEE him?" *giggle* CARDINAL: "Beri...Bud-e! Have a rootey with me!" ANDREA: "Hey, you guys had enough rooties during happy hour. We have work to do!" MISS PARKER: "Spoken like a true Parker, daughter! I'm so proud, Daughter Dearest!" TEMPLER: "With Loneagent being absent, I'll head up the teams. Andrea and I have been practicing with various TARGETS down in...ummm.... SL-26 ANDREA: "Yeah, this time we don't aim to miss either" THE CHIEF: "Well, you guys go out and search for the children. My search has always been for Jarod. I've heard there is a HalloPRETEND. Just the sort of thing Jarod would attend. I'm sure....'he' doesn't know it's been cancelled. He just might show up" BROOTS: "Molly has a tracking device in her shoes. Yes, she's that much of a threat ouside the compound...I mean...The Centre. We'll have to use the choppers. Once were in tracking range, we'll be able to locate Stonyman Farm" MISS PARKER: "Good idea, Broots! I don't think that's going to save you from Slaughter Beach after last night, but still good" SHALLSEE: "Everybody in groups of 6 and get to the heli-pad in 10 minutes!" *everybody enters the same elevator and we watch as the numbers light up taking us towards AL-1 - The Centre Lobby* Just then the elevator comes to an abrupt stop. CLARA: "We're between floors 6 and 7! I knew it wasn't a WISE idea for me to come into work today!" RACHEL: "We are all stuck in the Land Down Under! How are we going to get out of here?" MUSH: "Does anybody feel that breeze?" DREAMWIND: "Twas not I." SHALLSEE: "I felt it before *shudder* I hate the thought of ghosts, but this is a creepy Hallow's Eve" *elevator gives a jerk and begins to rise us to the surface* OA11: "Phew...I thought Alia was going to panic and torch something" ALIA: "Hey, the pool therapy must be working!" SHALLSEE: "No wonder the pool has been so warm lately. Maybe we could put you in the vents with Angelo to heat up this place. The heat must still be offline from last night's virus" BROOTS: "The heat is working Shallsee. It is cold in here though" *Everyone boards the hellicopters and are off along the coast* BROOTS: "I'm getting a faint signal. It's not too far. Go to the west" CARDINAL: "Pilot, you've had too many rooties. The west is that way!" PILOT: "The west is this way. I have it on auto pilot. It knows where it's going" ZARAH: "Yes, and who programmed the auto pilot?" SHALLSEE: "Men, they never ask for directions" BROOTS: "Check the compass! It's over here...13 degrees to your left" PATIENTS: "There are just trees below. Beautiful fall colors too!" MARKSTAFF: "Oh yeah!!" CARDINAL: "Perfect for nesting. Don't clip any tree tops when you land this thing. I might have relatives down there" SHALLSEE: "Over there! It's a large clearing of trees. SEE that large circle there? It's perfect to land these things!" to be continued.....eventually :-)