KISS and the Battle of GOOD vs EVIL
Part 36-C


"With Dastardly and Daffodil dead," Buttercup said.  
"I will need two new lieutenants.  Once we have 
Raven safely free of her out-dated G.O.O.D. beliefs 
she can assume one of those positions and you may 
have the other.  I think that is only fair, since 
you were the one who opened those positions."

"I don't like military ranks," Gena said, wrinkling 
her nose.  "Military cramps my style.  Can you give 
me another title?"

"I am sure you do not care for the term 'lackey'," 
he said.

"Let's use business terms," Gena suggested, settling 
on the edge of Buttercup's desk in a seductive pose.  
"You're the CEO.  Time Talker and Herr Dokter 
Herbert H. Herbert are senior vice presidents.  Me 
and Raven can be vice presidents.  Petunia and Lily 
can fetch us coffee.  Who have I missed?"

Buttercup grinned.  "I like business terms.  Bez was 
a contract worker and he's skipped out.  Used an 
escape clause and escaped.  Good riddance.  There 
are a few other high-ranking agents around.  No need 
for you to worry about them though."

"I have to know what resources I can call on," she 
said, batting her eyelashes at him.  "If you operate 
in the dark, you crash into things.  The only crash 
I want to hear is Gene Simmons falling to kiss my 
feet.  And then I can walk all over him."

"I like the way you operate," Buttercup said, 
running his eyes over the expanse of skin bared 
before him.

Gena leaned close.  She ran her finger along 
Buttercup's jaw.  "I could operate a lot better," 
she whispered huskily, "if we didn't have an 
audience."  She glanced towards the two armed guards 
across the room.

Buttercup chuckled.  "But my dear Gardenia, you have 
proven that you are ambitious and capable.  I am not 
quite ready for retirement."  He kissed the tip of 
his finger and applied it to her lips.  "Consider 
them my golden parachute."

Gena pouted prettily.  "You mean there's no way to 
convince you to have a little private fun?"

"I don't have to pay them as much if I let them 
watch," Buttercup told her.  "And they often have 
some very good ideas I had not thought of."  He 
pondered a moment.  "Once we have Raven on our side 
I may sample that dish too.  Maybe we can make it a 
threesome.  What do you think of the name 
Rhododendron for our guest once she joins the 
winning side?"

Gena frowned as she let him pull her into his lap.  
"Too long.  How about Rose if you want to stay with 
an 'R'?"

Buttercup shook his head.  "Rose has been used.  
Raspberry?"

"Perhaps," she said doubtfully, ignoring his roaming 
hands.  "That's what we'll be giving G.O.O.D." 

Buttercup smiled.  "Redbud.  I will make her 
Redbud."

Gena turned a smoldering look on him.  "Enough talk 
about Redbud," she said huskily.  "How about you 
showing me that benefit 'package' you promised?"

*	*	*	*	*

Paul edged over to Eric Carr.  Keeping his voice 
down, he asked, "Can we trust this West and Gordon?"

Carr nodded.  He whispered, "I checked them out when 
I ran the crew through the G.O.O.D. database.  I've 
known they were secret service for some time.  They 
were my ace in the hole in case of trouble.  They 
have a good rep.  A bit independent.  West tends to 
try to solve thing with his fists.  Gordon is an 
inventor of odd gadgets."  He smiled fondly.  "My 
jetpak was designed by him."

"So they're also agents of G.O.O.D.?"

"Not directly," Carr said.  "They're government 
agents.  Government agents aren't ever completely 
G.O.O.D."  The two men edged close to Peter.  Carr 
knelt in front of Peter.  "You're still in touch 
with Raven?"

Peter nodded and sighed.

"What's wrong?"  Paul asked.

"I want my Raven," Peter complained.

Paul glanced to the side and saw Lorie approaching.  
He waited until she stood beside Peter to say, "Tell 
us where Raven is and we'll go get her for you."

Peter smiled.  "She's at the disco."

*	*	*	*	*

Herr Dokter was very pleased to get the last of the 
makeup off.  How did KISS stand that white stuff on 
their faces?  "And now we shall..." he paused.  "How 
did you get off the table?  You were strapped down."

*Show the stupid doctor the pretty mice,* the 
whisper suggested.

Raven pointed to the table where she had been.  
"Mice."

A small silver ball was suspended over the table and 
a dozen mice were dancing while the mainframe played 
"I Was Made For Lovin' You."

"What is it with you and mice?!"  Herr Dokter 
demanded.  He strode forward and grabbed the silver 
globe.  The mice protested loudly and he swept his 
arm across the table, forcing them to leap to 
safety.  They scurried across the floor and stopped 
near the mainframe to turn, stand on their hind 
legs, and shake their little paws at Herr Dokter.

Raven sighed, looking at the small rodents with a 
touch of envy.  "I never have been able to dance.  
No one ever showed me."

Herr Dokter grabbed her arm.  "Back on the table!"

*This has gone on long enough,* the whisper 
announced. *Show the nasty doctor the door.*

Herr Dokter suddenly found himself face first in the 
door.

The door slowly opened.

Something slid him along the door, letting him fall 
onto the floor of the hallway.

The door slammed shut and locked.

*	*	*	*	*

"Ooo," Peter chuckled.  "That left a mark."

Paul sighed.  "We can't get anything like a sensible 
answer out of him.  We'll never find Raven asking 
him questions, not until the drug wears off."

Stephanie frowned slightly.  "We also have to find 
Gena too."

Paul bit his lip.  "Stephanie, honey, we have to 
face it.  Gena's dead.  The link was broken, both 
with Shandi and Gene.  Gene Marked her.  That takes 
a lot to break."

Stephanie gave him an angry look, making several 
people start looking around for moving objects.  
"Gena's a mage, right?"

"Yes," Paul agreed.

"And she was fighting someone," Stephanie pointed 
out.  "If she saw she was going to be defeated and 
captured, what would she do?  She'd break the 
connections between her and Shandi and Gene, 
especially with Gene, so E.V.I.L. could not use her 
against us.  Use you head!  She just got taken down 
too fast for her to yell for help."

Paul looked at Stephanie for several seconds, and 
then ran across the room.  "Gene!  Gena's alive!"

Stephanie looked at Lorie and shook her head.  
"Men."

Peter giggled.

*	*	*	*	*

Gena giggled as she cuddled in Buttercup's lap.  She 
kissed his nose, wiggling in his lap as his hands 
explored her bare upper torso.  The two guards stood 
watching, hands near their weapons, split up so they 
were not too close together.  

Alarms shrilled.

Buttercup jumped to his feet, dumping Gena on the 
floor.  "Escape?!  We only have one prisoner!"  He 
punched a button.  "HERB!  How did you let her 
escape?!"

Gena stood, rubbing her rump.  "Your floor is hard."  
She smiled warmly at Buttercup.  "But not as hard 
as..."

Buttercup waved her to silence.  "How did Raven 
escape?" he demanded again.

"Herr Dokter didn't have her as controlled as he 
thought," the Drow reported over the speaker.  "She 
has not physically escaped.  She was able to throw 
Herr Dokter out of the lab and lock the door.  We're 
attempting to re-enter the lab now.  But we are 
under attack."

"Attack?"  Buttercup demanded.  "By what?"

Pause.  "We're not sure."

*	*	*	*	*

*They will be back in here soon,* the whisper 
warned.  *You must go with the mice.*

Raven looked at the mice rolling their disco ball 
behind the mainframe.  "I won't fit back there."

*Close your eyes,* the whisper told her.  *Wish to 
go with the mice.  They will teach you to dance a 
new dance.*

She smiled and closed her eyes.  "They're cute."  
She felt an odd dizziness.  When she opened her 
eyes, the room was gone.

She stood on a large plain; only it was paved with 
large squares of something hard and smooth.  Huge 
structures rose from various places and cliffs rose 
high into the sky in the distance.

Several mice scampered to her; only these mice 
walked on their hind legs and were the same height 
she was.  They grabbed her arms and urged her to 
join them as they ran towards a canyon entrance 
between cliff and structure.  Their squeaks sounded 
like they were saying, "Hurry.  Hurry."

Raven smiled and let them guide her, feeling a 
little like Alice going down the rabbit hole.

Both hands on the clock aligned, pointing straight 
up.

Midnight.

*Now we play by our rules,* the whisper observed.

*	*	*	*	*

"Gene!"  Paul grabbed the bassist's arm, shaking him 
gently as he said.  "Gena is alive.  Or at least she 
still could be.  She could have broken the links 
herself, to protect you and girltalk."

"Alive?"  Gene rose to his feet.  "Gena's alive?"  
His face went stone cold serious.  "Then E.V.I.L. 
has both her and Raven.  And I talked them into not 
coming to the Meet and Greet.  I let them get 
captured.  I have to get them out of the mess I 
caused."  He turned and looked at Gordon working on 
the computer.  "Where's Ace?"

"In his room on his computer," Paul reported.

"Tiger?"

"Meditating and trying to see if she can find the 
Drow."

Gene shook his head.  "We need her to search for 
Gena too."

//Relaying the order,// Shandi reported.  //Everyone 
is awake and ready to do whatever you need them to 
do.  That's two of ours out there.  Time to bring 
them home.//

Gene nodded.  "And time to teach Buttercup he does 
not mess with KISS."

Paul nodded, a broad smile on his face.  This was 
the Gene he knew, the Gene Simmons who could juggle 
dozens of plans at a time.

SiLK approached, a large nasty looking canine with 
her.  Blue flames licked over the dog's skin.  
"Paul, Gene; there's enough light from the city I 
was able to convince some starlings to do some 
flights and see if they can spot anything unusual 
even though it is night.  And I've got about a dozen 
bats out searching.  I don't want to try to use 
stray cats or dogs until we're pretty sure of an 
area.  I don't know if the birds and bats will be 
much help.  They're probably being held indoors."

"Every little bit helps," Paul assured her.

Bruce walked up.  "I already checked on the scent 
trails.  I think they teleported out of Peter's 
room.  That's the best I can do for us.  I'm an 
Audiodog, whatever that is, not a Hunter."

"And our Hunter is stoned out of his mind," Paul 
said in disgust, turning to look at Peter.

"Could Cyn do something about that?"  SiLK 
suggested.  "She's a healer."

"It's not Peter who needs healing, it's Raven," 
Bruce pointed out.

"But we have a direct connection between Peter and 
Raven," Gene said thoughtfully.  "Can Cyn do her 
thing through the matrix?"

"Do we want to sober Raven?"  Paul worried.  "What 
if they're just waiting for her to sober up to start 
torturing her?"

"We'll ask Peter if it is safe to."  Gene strode 
across the room.  "Peter!  Would it endanger Raven 
to remove the drugs from her system?"

Peter looked up at Gene.  "She's with the mice."

"I'd love to know what it is with mice," Paul 
muttered.

Gene held onto his temper.  He wanted to blast 
something, but he knew Peter was not who he wanted 
to blast.  "But would it cause her any problems if 
she was no longer stoned?  Or will E.V.I.L. start 
doing something to her once she's sober?"

"E.V.I.L. can't reach her," Peter giggled.  "They 
won't fit."  He measured off a distance of about 
three inches between thumb and forefinger.

//Have Cyn come in here,// Paul requested.

//She's finishing healing Andrew,// Shandi reported.

//Have her bring him too.  We need her to heal Raven 
so Peter can help.  And we'll question Andrew to see 
who attacked him.//  Paul looked at the others.  
"Cyn is on her way here.  Hopefully Cyn can reach 
Raven through Peter and remove the drugs.  And maybe 
then Raven can explain where she is.  We'll at least 
not have Peter stoned anymore."

They all looked at the snickering drummer.

"Anything is better than this," Stephanie agreed.  
"I'm afraid he's going to come up with another..."

Paul quickly covered Stephanie's mouth with his 
hand.  //Don't mention song!  It might encourage him 
to come up with another one.//

"There's no point in everyone staying awake," Gene 
said.  "It may be hours before we have something, 
and most people arrived today and are tired.  Even 
if we find an address immediately, it'll take a 
while to plan a rescue.  We need everyone as rested 
as we can."

//No one wants to go to bed,// Shandi reported.  
//That's two of ours out there.//

//Open a link for me to everyone,// Paul requested.  
He waited until he felt the matrix connect.  
//People.  We have a show to do tomorrow.  Some of 
you are performing early at the Expo.  Go to bed.  
We will notify you as soon as we have information.  
But staying awake is just going to wear you out and 
then when we need you, you will not be at your best.  
Please, for Raven and Gena's sake, go to your rooms, 
rest.  We will directly contact those of you we need 
to assist us right now.  The rest of you, go to 
bed!//

Gene grinned.  "I noticed you didn't say go to 
sleep."

Paul shrugged and grinned back.  "They're KISS 
fans."

They were able to clear the room of most everybody.  
Lorie pointed out they would need her to question 
Andrew, and SiLK reminded them she had searchers 
out.  Stephanie gave Paul a look that told him 
exactly what she would do if he tried to send her to 
bed:  It was Raven and Gena who were missing and 
there would not be a hotel left standing if Paul 
gave her any grief.  Eric Carr insisted on remaining 
since Cyn would be involved, Bruce insisted since 
Lorie was still there, and Eric Singer went 
invisible when no one was looking.  

Peter sat humming to himself, a slght smile on his 
face.  To everyone's relief, he did not start 
singing again.

Cyn entered the room alone.  "Andrew was pretty 
shaken," she said.  "He went directly from 
unconscious into a deep sleep.  It wasn't just the 
hurt he took from whoever tried to kill him, but 
there was some kind of organic growth, perhaps a 
cancer, that my healing found and removed.  His body 
has taken as much as it can.  It's best to let him 
rest, at least for an hour.  And perhaps we can 
learn what we need to from Raven once I have healed 
her."

Paul nodded.  "You did the right thing."

Eric Carr gave her an encouraging smile and moved a 
chair over to beside Peter.  She slid in it and took 
Peter's hand in hers.  "Peter, I'm going to try to 
heal Raven.  You have to let me have access to your 
special connection."

Peter frowned.  "It's private."

"I want to help Raven," Cyn said gently.  "Let me 
reach her, please?"

Peter muttered something.

"What?" she asked.

"I don't know how," he admitted.

"Peter's powers aren't mental," Gene said.  "He 
needs someone to make the link."

Cyn looked up.  "Paul?"

Paul sighed and reached with his powers.  He 
carefully sorted through the connections, drifting 
closer to the special link Peter had with Raven.  He 
felt his perceptions warp, change, distort.  He 
quickly withdrew.  "No way.  I try to get close and 
I get drunk."

//I can't get close either,// Shandi reported.

"Can you just throw the healing AT the connection?"  
Gene asked.

"I'd have to do the whole matrix," Cyn said.

Gene shrugged.  "It's healing.  I don't think any of 
us would mind being healed of any sniffles or aches 
we have."

"I don't have that kind of strength," Cyn said.

"I do," Stephanie said.  "And frankly, if I don't 
use my Rage soon I'm going to have to go tear up a 
few city blocks.  I can't take this waiting around.  
Val tapped into my Rage for her spell.  I remember 
how that worked."  She looked at Paul.  "If you'd 
help me hold the connection I can bleed off some of 
this frustrated energy to Cyn and hopefully that'd 
be enough to let her heal Raven."

"Considering your Power, she can heal everyone on 
the matrix of everything and then some," Paul said 
with a gentle pride in Stephanie.  He knew this 
would cost her dearly:  It would not be easy, and it 
would leave her drained.  He gently touched her mind 
over their private link.  //Thank you.//

//It's for Raven,// she answered, her fear and 
unshed tears painfully obvious within her mind.  
//For Raven and Peter.  And Gena and Gene.  We've 
got to bring them home safe.//

Paul kissed Stephanie.

Gene swatted Paul's backside.  "You can do that 
later.  Let's heal Raven and go kick some E.V.I.L. 
ass."

Chairs were grouped together.  Peter, Cyn, 
Stephanie, and Paul were seated in reach of each 
other.  Gene started to move into place behind Peter 
only to bump into someone.  Eric Singer became 
visible.  "You watch Paul."

Gene gave Singer a mock glare.  "How long have you 
been skulking around?"

"Just remember I can, next time you start to make 
some remark about me," Singer warned with a grin.  
"You might get a smack up the back of the head when 
you least expect it."

Eric Carr stepped up behind Cyn's chair while Bruce 
and Lorie watched over Stephanie.  SiLK sat to one 
side, nervously petting the hellhound Sappho.
 
//Everyone is warned that something is coming along 
the matrix,// Shandi informed them.  //I have a 
couple of people mad at me because I broke up 
some... intimate moments.  We're definitely KISS 
fans.  But we're all ready.  Go for it Cyn!//

Cyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  She 
felt Paul place Peter's hand in hers and hold it in 
place.  Stephanie placed her hand in Cyn's other 
hand and Paul clasped his free hand over theirs.  
Joined, Cyn gathered the energies she had just 
realized she was capable of.  She felt Shandi pass 
support and encouragement over the matrix as she 
opened all the connections.  She felt Paul gently 
touch her and a flood of energy flowed into her.  
She gasped, barely able to pass the energy on to her 
power before it burned her up inside.

The matrix flared as energies flowed through it.  
Not as strong as Val Kyrie's spell that had cleansed 
away the Drow's dark magic.  This was a gentle heat, 
a healing touch that reached every member of the 
matrix from anchor to acolyte to Marked to Linked to 
lowliest node.

Colds vanished.  Strained muscles ceased to hurt.  
And then it went further, healing injuries, touching 
Paul's hip, Peter's arms.

And Stephanie kept feeding in her Rage.  Other 
sources were freely given: Tiger's magic, a power 
source as yet unidentified, others identified by the 
touch of those who gave freely to help their 
KISSters and brothers.

Old injuries healed.  Chronic illnesses were forced 
back.  Effects of aging were reversed.  And in some 
individuals, odd organic 'growths' died and their 
components were flushed out of their systems.

The healing energies touched Raven, removing the 
effects of the drugs, freeing her to reach for Peter 
as Peter reached for her and their bodies were 
healed of all ills and injuries, old and new.

Cyn collapsed back in her chair with a soft sigh, 
Eric Carr holding her close.  Carr bent over and 
kissed her, having to cling to the back of the chair 
to prevent his shaking knees from dumping him on the 
floor.  It had been a gentle storm that shook 
everyone to his or her very core.

Paul and Stephanie leaned on each other, eyes 
closed, unaware of the hands holding them upright.

Peter sat crying.  "Raven," he whispered.  "We'll 
find you, Raven.  I'm sorry."

//My fault,// Raven replied.  //We thought we could 
take him.//

Peter concentrated, basking in the feel of her.  
//Who was it?//

//Don't know.  Gena had a vision, E.V.I.L. killing 
you and Gene.  She said we could prevent it by 
capturing a key E.V.I.L. agent.  She knocked me out 
as part of the plan and I woke up in Herr Dokter's 
lab.  Something must have gone wrong.//

//Are you okay?// Peter asked, deeply concerned.  
//Did they hurt you?//

//I'm...//  There was a pause, and then a feeling of 
deep puzzlement.  //I'm sitting with a bunch of mice 
behind what looks like a mainframe computer.  I 
vaguely remember a voice telling me to go with the 
mice.  I'm only three inches tall!  What 
happened?!//

Peter flinched.  //Calmly.  Can you tell us where 
you are?//

//No, I was in your room...//

//OUR room,// he firmly corrected.

//...and then I woke up on the table in the lab.  I 
couldn't think straight.//

//They drugged you.//

//Herr Dokter cut my hair.//

//It'll grow back.//

//The mice kept dancing through.//

Peter paused this time.  //Those images of mice were 
for real?//

//Yes.  They're trying to rig the disco ball right 
now.  There's not a lot of room back here but I 
guess they figure we might as well continue the 
party.  The computer is still playing disco music.//

Peter shuddered.  //Where's Herr Dokter?//

Pause.  //I think the ghosts followed me.  Someone 
was whispering in my ear and whatever they said, my 
power would make happen.//

Peter smiled.  //So you really did smash him into 
the door?//

//Yes.  And there's a lot of yelling and gunfire out 
in the hallway so they're fighting something.//

//What are they fighting?//

//I think the ghosts.//

*	*	*	*	*

"Shoot it!"  281 yelled.

"It's an office chair!"  317 replied, but fired his 
gun anyway.

The office chair flew down the hallway and crashed 
into the pile of furniture the E.V.I.L. agents 
crouched behind.

Buttercup stood around the corner, listening to the 
battle.  "What exactly is going on?"

"Raven," Herr Dokter answered.

The Drow frowned.  "I'm not sure it is her.  My 
spells don't show any..."

Herr Dokter gave him a pained look.  "Oh, don't 
start with that poltergeist nonsense again."

The Drow straightened, anger crackling in his eyes.  
"I think we are seeing the manifestation of spirit 
activity."

"Why do mages always want to give fanciful 
explanations for an obvious scientifically 
measurable force?"  Herr Dokter demanded.  "I don't 
care that your spells can't detect any chaos 
energies in operation.  This is all nothing more 
than Raven using her probability manipulation to 
keep us out of the laboratory.  She will wear 
herself out soon.  She can't concentrate for too 
much longer.  I predict that this whole 
manifestation will disappear in less than five 
minutes.  But nooooo, YOU had to order an attack.  
Probably sparking a probability storm within my lab!  
If there is ANYTHING damaged inside, it is coming 
out of YOUR paycheck!"

"In about five seconds there will be two hearts 
coming out of two chests if you two don't stop 
arguing," Buttercup promised.  "Can Raven escape?"

"No," both Herr Dokter and the Drow answered 
together.  They shot each other dirty looks.

"Herb," Buttercup said with chilling gentleness.  
"Scientific reasons why not?"

"All force fields and teleportation jammers in 
operation," Herr Dokter answered, glaring at the 
Drow.  "All exits are locked and guarded by organic 
and technical guards.  There is no way to leave.  
Sensor scramblers active."

"Petunia?"  Buttercup asked softly.

"Containment spells in place," the Drow answered, 
glaring at Herr Dokter.  "Teleportation blocks in 
place.  Seals on all exits.  Telepathic blocks in 
place."

"But they won't work against the Hunter's special 
link with Raven," Herr Dokter sneered.

"Your machines can't block him either," the Drow 
sneered.

Buttercup grabbed the Drow and Herr Dokter and 
knocked their heads together.  "We have a prisoner 
barricaded in one of our labs and you two are 
arguing over whose methods are better.  I DON'T 
CARE!  Just as long as SOMEONE gets in there."

"I can do it," Gena said.

They looked at her.

Gena smiled.  "I'll run for the door.  Have a couple 
of your men fire shots around me, but they better 
make sure they miss or they're toast!  She'll let me 
in, thinking I've escaped too, and once I'm close 
enough I'll knock her out."

Buttercup nodded.  "Sounds good."

"You're going to trust this bimbo?"  Herr Dokter 
asked, pointing at her.

"You wanting some roasted nuts, Bud?"  Gena asked 
angrily.

"No, Bud isn't here," Buttercup said.  He pointed at 
two gunmen.  "You and you.  Shoot after her but 
don't hit her.  You hit her, she gets to do whatever 
she wants with you."

The two henchmen paled and saluted.

"Ready?"  Gena asked.  "I'll be traveling most of 
the way as a bat.  It should be easy for you to miss 
something THAT small."

Gena turned into a bat and zipped down the hallway.  
She heard gunfire and bullets hit the walls on each 
side of her.  She turned back human outside the lab 
door and grabbed it, feeling for the locking 
mechanism.  She cast a fast cantrip, opening the 
locks as bullets hit the ceiling and wall.  She 
slipped in the room and slammed the door.

"Raven!"  Gena looked around the room.  "Raven?"

A giant ghostly bird suddenly swooped down on her 
and started buffeting her with its wings.  Skeletal 
hands clawed at her legs, pulling her down to the 
floor.  Slimy protoplasm flowed up out of the floor 
and coated her.

Gena screamed and fought the manifestations.  Fire 
went through them harmlessly.  She tried to teleport 
into the hallway and found a block in place, 
multiple blocks, some mechanical and some magical.  
She cursed Herb and Petunia.

The floor exploded upward and hoards of white 
spiders rushed from the hole.

Gena screamed and teleported to the door.  She tried 
to open it and found it again locked.  She cursed as 
she tried to spell it open again.  She glanced 
behind her and saw the bird and spiders and 
protoplasm all drawing together into one mass.  She 
tried fire again and saw it pass harmlessly through 
the mass.  "Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit."

The mass formed a mouth.  Fangs.  It snarled and 
slowly approached her.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit."

Eyes formed, dead white eyes that gazed at her with 
hate and malevolence.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit."

A long tongue curled outward dripping green 
protoplasm that formed amoeboid puddles that crawled 
towards the door.

"OH SHIT!"  Gene screamed as she finally got the 
door unlocked.  She ran down the hallway and dove 
over the pile of furniture as the door slammed shut 
and locked itself.

Buttercup looked down at the quivering woman and 
shook his head.  "I have to do everything myself."  
He grabbed her arm.  "Come on."  He looked at the 
Drow and Herr Dokter.  "You two too."

"But she'll..."  Herr Dokter began.

"The ghosts..." the Drow started.

"Shoot anyone who stays here," Buttercup ordered and 
headed down the hallway.

Everyone followed him.

Buttercup walked to the lab door and opened it.  He 
marched in the room and looked around.  "Okay, where 
is she?"

Gena, the Drow, and Herr Dokter looked around at a 
peaceful laboratory.  There was no sign of 
disturbance.  There was also no sign of Raven.

Buttercup sighed.  "Find her by morning or all three 
of you are dead."  He marched out of the room.