Sugie: …”You’re a good kid, Jase, you really are, but you understand I need to trade you for Jason. Now find that hidden door and open it.” Sugie keeps her hold on Jaselyn, grinning at the effect her magic’d mustard has had on Edward.

“You really should have joined me and Ben,” she says as she shoots his boot with a paintball. Not necessarily, but just staking a little claim on him. Hoping he’ll come to his senses, once he comes to his senses, and still join her. She would forgive all…though would he be trustworthy?

No time to worry about that. She and Jaselyn shuffle to the spot where Angela disappeared with Ben. “Open the door. I know you know how,” she growls into Jaselyn’s ear.

Jaselyn reaches into the seemingly flat brick wall, and opens the door handle that appears there.

The two step in, and both yelp out in shock.

Angela and Ben have taken off their colorful battle gear (though their clothes are still pretty colorful) and are sitting at a bar, having an ale, being served by a bartender that is a BEAR! They are laughing together.

“We’re on hold in here,” Angela explains.

Ben smiles at Sugie. “Knew you’d make it. Now let ‘er go and come have a drink or two with us. We’ll get back to the game later.”

“Plus,” Angela says, “we’re having our gear professionally cleaned and dinner will be coming out pretty soon.”

Sugie smiles, and begins to join her friends. But she is not that cold-hearted.

She asks Jaselyn to hold the door open, and goes back for Edward. He is terrified as she drags him across the pavement, and she lets him be, knowing that will end in moments.

They enter the door, and the spell immediately wears off. Edward stands, gaping at the bear, and then at the fighters. A smile slowly spreads across his face.

Soon, the whole group, washed and finally clean and in clean clothes, is sharing a dinner of a variety of delicious dishes. Who knew bears could cook so well? And the ale is flowing.

I don’t have the heart to say what happens next. I’m going to leave them happily together. Let the next cold-hearted bastard ruin the fun for them…

Angela:  “My ruse worked,” Angela says peering through the blinds of the two-way glass in the office two flights above the bar, the bear, and the meal.

“They don’t suspect that the you and I down there are just holographic images of the real you and I up here.”

Angela cocks her gun and turns to Ben.  “Now… where were we.”

Sugie: [ooh, this can get frustrating when people don’t do what you want them to. Benedict, we need your help! Love the rube goldberg video btw. Don’t you DARE hurt my Ben!!!]

Angela: [Sh!  Stay in character *wink*]

Jaselyn: As Jaselyn sits, sipping her wine and enjoying her meal, she gets the strange vibe that something is off with Angela. But what?

Aha! She’s not speaking with enough exclamation points! Realizing that these must be holographic characters, Jaselyn keeps her new-found knowledge to herself. She’s not sure who conjured up these new holograms: Ben or Angela. As such, she doesn’t know who’s calling the shots anymore.

Looking to Sugie, she can tell that her fellow Minnesotan is equally duped, engaged in a deep conversation with Holo-Angela on the importance of maps to a story. Edward is happily downing a Coca-Cola to finish off the ham sandwiches from earlier.

“I’ve got to run to the restroom,” Jaselyn says to no one in particular, slipping down the hall. She needs time to come up with a plan, so she sneaks her way into a stall in the ladies’ room.

Hopefully nothing surprising will interrupt her furious plotting…

Angela: Unable to focus on the task at hand, Angela pushes the last of the secret buttons in their secret order hidden behind the secret panel.  A great “whoooooo” sound is heard and Ben… is gone.

“Hidden.” Angela releases a quiet maniacal laugh lest her true location be learned.  With a hop, skip, and a jump Angela commands the computer to lure the holographic Angela to the bathroom.

“I need to piss!” says the holographic Angela to Sugie and excuses herself from the table whereupon, holographic Angela finds Jaselyn washing her hands.  But, before Jaselyn can say anything, a voice from within the bathroom stall cuts Jaselyn off.

“Computer end Holographic Angela,” and the Holographic Angela dissolves leaving Jaselyn in the bathroom alone.

“Or is she?” real Angela says from within a stall.  The door swings open and Real Angela emerges in the kick-ass black leather armor, she loves so much.  Suppressing a smirk, Angela lights a cigarette, blows a stream of smoke, and smiles at Jaselyn.