They're coming to take me away, ha-ha...

[Brian]

"We're doin' good, Mister B!" Mikey says happily.  He looks slightly anxious, and asks, "Do you know where miss Megan is?"

[Bjorn]

"No, I don't."  Bjorn frowns.  "I hope she's okay."

I don't suppose you're still linked to her, Lazarus?

[Brian]

"Old man Lazarus says that she'll be okay," Mikey says doubtfully.  He looks less than convinced, which is easy to read on his face.

[Bjorn]

"I'm sure she will be," Bjorn says confidently.  But don't ask me to back that up.

On his mindboard, he writes with grim irony to Lazarus, Bad news.  It turns out I can't crack the Earth in half with naught but a wave of my hand after all.

[Brian]

Lazarus looks vexed, and you get, ...resist ... without ... thinking?

[Bjorn]

Bjorn blinks, and makes a bit more of an effort to lower his mental defenses.  I'm sorry?  What was that?

[Brian]

Your mental defenses are powerful, Lazarus supplies.  Megan let go, because they would have seen me.  They scan people during the p-testing cycle.

He broods for a moment.  What did you discover, if anything?

Mikey fills the silence by saying, "We got a new person in here."

[Bjorn]

Thinking about Ashnod trying to burn me gets a reaction from the bracelet.  Thinking about someone trying to force telepathy on me seems to automatically raise my defenses.  I think what it comes down to is I seem to be resistant to powers being applied to me, but the only other test I can think of is to try and have Mikey use his Tk on me.  I don't think I have any sort of protection against normal attacks, though.

Outside his head, Bjorn turns to Mikey.  "Oh?  Do you know anything about him?"

[Brian]

Mikey shakes his head.  "Jonah fixed his eyes," he supplies.  "But I don't know him.  One of the doc'ers took him away f'r testing."

[Bjorn]

"Huh," Bjorn expounds.  "Do they usually start testing people right away?  It took a little while before they started on me -- and that's not counting however much time I spent unconcious."

[Brian]

That depends, really, Lazarus sends.  They test more heavily on those who they suspect would be more useful.  Sometimes it takes longer to set up specific tests, however.  Perhaps they already knew his abilities before he was captured, and they now simply need to capture him?

He looks thoughtful, while Mikey haltingly retells the story about Jonah and 'The Big Fishie'.

Those who understand their own powers usually have that information read by the other mind-readers.  Perhaps, if you do not know your own powers, they need more time to decide how to test you.

[Bjorn]

Hmmph.  They had a pretty clear idea of what I could do -- at least, the part they cared about -- but it might have taken them time to set it up.  Probably, in fact.  I suppose I'm an inconsiderate bastard for having messed it up for them.

How many telepaths do they have, anyways?

[Brian]

Since Megan no longer works for them, and I never have, two, Lazarus says slowly.  I believe.  He seems largely certain.

Our more pressing question is our plan of action, once we decide to escape.

You notice Bridgett at this point, playing at the edge of the pool, making hollow glass spheres that are floating across the surface of the water.

[Bjorn]

"Good morning, Bridgett.  How're you today?"

Two, Bjorn "writes" thoughtfully.  That's not really very many.  How many metahumans do they have on their side, total, and what sorts?

To plan an escape, we need to know defenses.  Going out the front door is tricky.  Mikey could open the door, I gather, and I think Bridgett could make us fishbowl helmets to provide enough hair to get through the gas, but that still leaves the guards.  Unless you or Megan can use telepathy to stop them, or at least stun them long enough to deal with them physically?

And then we come up against Section 3.  Bjorn conceals a grimace.  There's a good chance I'm safe from them, but the question is, is that enough?

[Brian]

Lazarus looks thoughtful.  You may have more power than you think.  Very well.  You surround yourself with an image of thick slate barriers.  Can you not, perhaps, erect those barriers around another?  I have a connection with you.  Try raising your defenses for a moment and see what happens.