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Abel turned and gave a nod of thanks towards the Father who had translated for him yet again. Miss Shee had permitted Hyo to stay with him. He let out a large sigh of relief. All those images of Hyo being hacked up into limbs and body parts immediately stopped. Since he knew that Hyo would be beside him, he didn't have to worry about her getting hurt or worse, ending up dead.

Abel watched as Miss Shee crouched over the body of the man beside him. The man who had been so animated earlier was gone and instead replaced with one that was utterly exhausted. As he saw the woman take shears and rip his jacket and shirt to shreds he finally saw how bad the damage had been. He had seen something remotely similar to this, though it involved a large hole. You know... getting shot by a canon and ending up eviscerated. He wasn't too repulsed by the wound and that disturbed him somewhat. Had he become this desensitized by the war?

Abel was deep in thought when he felt warm hands on his forehead once more. It was Hyo again. Her and her Engrish. She was saying something, probably a word of reassurance. Yet he only understood the beginning and ending. 'It okay.' and that wasn't even what she had said. Yet the context of the words were the same.

Abel gloated silently when Hyo took his hand with three fingers. It was pushing it but Abel laced his fingers with Hyo's. This way, Hyo would have to cut off her hand from the wrist if she wanted to leave. He wasn't going to let her run off and get hurt. No, that would kill him from the inside out. He would probably end up in a state worse than the Russian.

Scanning for the Russian Abel was a bit surprised when Lai turned out to be in fact standing quite close to him. That look on his face, it was the face of agony. He wasn't sure of what was going on between him and the one bleeding on the floor yet he knew. Knew that it was beyond simple friendship, the way Lai looked at the blonde. That was the gaze of a torn lover. He had seen many of those expressions expressed by Lai on the battlefield.

His gaze on Hyo once more, he mouthed a word at her. 'Sit.' She was no stranger to this, she was aware of the way Abel 'spoke.' Through pictures, whisperings into her ear and simply mouthing words.

Inside his mind, Abel was throwing a mental party at the fact that Hyo had not untwined her fingers from his. That she might have thought him to be... what was the word. Bold? He looked up at her and felt a smile forming on his face when he saw the rose color spreading through her cheeks. How cute. So he hadn't forgotten all that 'training' he had received from his... 'teachers' from the army and back when he was doing that...

Abel followed the distracted gaze of Hyo and saw himself looking at Lai. For some reason he didn't feel jelousy, it was something different. A feeling of wanting to protect her. She seemed... hurt. No. Upset about the Russian's mood. He wanted to brighten her up and yet he knew that for now all attempts would be useless because it wasn't just the two of them here. Almost all of the people in this facility were in this room right now.

He watched silently as she spoke to Lai. She cared for him, but not in the way lovers would. A friend, or maybe the maiden looked up to the Russian. If that was true then he would have to re-evaluate Lai and try to spot out what Hyo liked so much about him. Maybe even try to become more than aquaintences. Leaning closed to Hyo, he whispered softly into her ear. It was almost inaudible, typical Abel to Hyo conversation.

"What injured man is to Lai?"

A sentence with poor grammar but understandable... or so he thought. But then again he was the one speaking and he didn't plan on taking critiqing on his speech until he was ready to speak it to everyone else. If Hyo understood it then it was fine for the time being since she was the only one he was actually speaking too.

Estrelas and Eponine both whirled around as the radio crackled to life.

Estrelas listened to the message without comprehension, while Eponine listened with her mouth open.

"Did he just give us his coordinates?" she exclaimed disbelievingly. She had always thought that villains were supposed to give little strange puzzles that the hero had to solve in the nick of time- but then again, that was rather impractical, wasn't it?

"WE GO GET HIM? WE DO? But where?" Estrelas demanded. "What he say? What number mean?"

"Well... It's a magic address that tells you where he is," Eponine replied quickly. She made a note to explain it to Estrelas some other time.

Estrelas puffed up most alarmingly, returning to her normal self. "SO THIS MAN THINK HE GET US? THIS MAN THINK WE DUMB? WE NOT! AH GO MAKE FOOD! You come on, Epaninny, what you want eat?"

For the first time ever, Eponine took her hat off in public. She scrunched it in her hands and sighed.

"Estrelas, I'd like to volunteer to go after Audun," she said slowly.

Estrelas froze. "Epaninny...?"

Eponine froze. What had she done?

What could happen?

She could get shot and shot and shot. Of course, that wasn't the problem. The problem was if someone saw her get up after taking a lethal blow... Or if somehow the Manager was there... Or if Audun knew how to take care of robots-

And there was the prospect of leaving without Estrelas. Going out without Estrelas. Facing the enemy without Estrelas....

Still, what had Eponine ever do but run away? She swallowed again. Perhaps it was time to stop shrinking back from the calling...

"Epaninny!" Estrelas tripped. "You no do! You no do!" the Portuguese wailed, and grabbed Eponine's arm. "That no place for women- Meez Mokoyis is trained woman, but you and me is just women! We get shot! WE GET SHOT? What Ah do if-"

Eponine hung her head in guilt. "I'm sorry, Estrelas, but I can't just... Here." Eponine stuck out her pinky. "You remember the pinky promise?"

"You no go! Ah no let you!" Estrelas repeated, her voice bordering hysteria.

"Here! Pinky promise! We come back safe! No one breaks the pinky promise!"

Slowly, the Portuguese woman sighed. "Estrelas no be selfish," she muttered to herself, then stuck out her own pinky. "Pinky promise you come back."

"Pinky promise- Oooof!" Eponine suspected that if it wasn't for her robotic shell, she would have suffered injuries worse than Einar, as Estrelas threw her arms around her and hugged her very heartily.

"We go do what we go do! Ah cook! Ah cook for everyone! Ah cook to beat Janus! You go do!"

As soon as Shee was done with her bandaging Lai along with Asmadai lowered the man back flat onto the floor. When the blood came up past his lips and nose the Russian gently brushed it away from there so the other man's airways wouldn't be obstructed. Soon the cuff of his right sleeve was patchy with red. The color didn't work with the tan shirt at all, but Lai wasn't concerned with that.

For the time he was unaware of Hyo or Abel looking at him, but as the young Korean called to him, his head turned. His face, what he hoped was calm, clearly wasn't and he tried his hardest to rid himself of the "frightened lover" look. As Hyo continued talking to him, he knew she was afraid for him and he did his best to smile at her, though the action felt forced to him and unnaturally small. He nodded once to her words and made a reply.

"I will be good Miss Hyo. Please, do not worry for me, Abel seems to need your attentions right now." His chin jutted at the Frenchman who whispered something he couldn't hear to the Korean. Probably trying to get her to look at him, for which right now at least, he was grateful he was trying to do.

Lai was aware of all the talking of the others around him, especially the words of Alberto when he talked about getting resources for the surveillance team and Eponine's vote to go on that very group. He did not know them, or their skills, but another man (or woman) on was one more set of eyes to watch. The Russian man listened, but kept his eyes on Einar's face. As Einar's eyes fluttered, Lai's hands rested on either side of his face, hoping they were warm enough to bring some soothing to him in any way possible.

"Rest, Einar." His voice was a soft murmur under the mash of voices. "But do not leave this world yet...It is not your time and you are too stubborn to let this beat you, I know it." And I have yet to tell you that I--

His thoughts were cut off by the radio's whining and his head snapped up to look at it. Sure as the fires in Hell it was Audun. Lai's form flickered, though if anyone saw he was unsure. The taunting, challenging words stirred the fire that was dying while being tender with Einar, flaring it up. But he made a promise to Miss Mokoyis, do not let his rage get to him. He did not want to put others in jeopardy. A few words of the madman's speech struck him in particular.

'Little match up'? Weapons. Lai had a feeling all of the people on the surveillance team would need some form of weapon and some armor. He had seen a book in the library about futuristic vests that stop bullets...But then again...Who said Audun would aim for the body? And a helmet would restrict vision and probably not protect the eyes or face well enough. As the radio fell silent except for some shuffling noises, Lai continued to stare at it intently, all the while his hands remained on the sides of Einar's ashen face. When the points on the map were spoken his head swiveled (it was a surprised he didn't get a crick in it) to look at Rodney.

"Did you get those numbers comrade?" Please...Let him have gotten those numbers.

Lai looked down at Einar's face as the radio fell silent. Unlike Hyo and Abel he could not take Einar's hand now, but he could... Lai bent at the waist and rested his forehead against Einar's, his eyes shut. It was brief, they had very little time, but during that display of affection the Russian could only manage one soft spoken word.

"Please..."

One word, a word of hope. Hope for the success of the mission out to where those numbers pointed, hope for the researchers to find the antidote before they got to said place, and of course, hope that Einar would see this through and live. With that Lai broke his contact with Einar, stood, and walked to the group that would be leaving quite soon. He breathed, let the emotions sink, and knew the time was nigh.

"Yes...yes, you're right", nodded Johannes as he smiled grimly at Rodney. "Two is most certainly better than one."

Well, that's settled. Johannes crossed his arms and rested his chin on one hand while he looked around. He couldn't help but be worried. Was it going to be fine, enough like this? Was he going to be able to do a good job?

He couldn't help but look at the injured man Einar along with the others who helped. He glanced quickly at Lai, who seemed more worried in more ways than one. He could understand why -- after all, Einar was probably a good friend to Lai. It looked that way, at least. He also looked quickly at Shee and Lokiari as well, who were more than seemingly adept in caring for Einar. They definitely knew their material. He also looked to two people he didn't know (they seemed friendly enough) as well as to Eponine, Estrelas, and the rest who were standing around trying to figure out what to do as well.


Then the radio sounded. Johannes was surprised to hear a man's voice come out of it -- that same voice who had threatened Einar. How dare he?, he thought. How dare he taunt us?

Once Audun had finished talking -- giving some coordinates--, Johannes was amazed. What now? More pandemonium? More outrage?

No. They needed to hurry. Johannes felt it -- something worse could come out of this. That sinking feeling of paranoia that he felt at some point back home...seemed to have emerged again.


"When...when do we start?" "The research?" said Johannes as if the air has suddenly left him.

Eponine and Estrelas both jumped again when Rodney called for a map.

"Eee- oh! A map!" Eponine looked around wildly for one. "Hurry! Before he forget or something! Estrelas!"

Estrelas patted her own pockets wildly. "No! No map!" she exclaimed pitifully. "Oh no- AHHH!" Estrelas was a blur as she raced to the end of the hall. There was a small but audible crack, then the Portuguese woman came running back with- with- with a globe in her hands?

"MAP!" Estrelas shouted happily. "MISTA RAH-DEY! MAP!" She held up the globe in front of Rodney and grinned happily, like a golden retriever.

"Oh... That... Works..." Eponine replied faintly.

Hearing the spit and sputter from the radio frightened Del eternally. This Audun character, the evil bad guy, really held an intimidating aura about him even though it was just his voice that spoke. She cursed to herself under her in Mongolian tongue before turning.

Del drummed her fingers again once more. She was part of the research segment and yet she was unsure of what they had to do. As Del was about to speak up and ask what she had to do, but then the question was already asked. Really now. It seemed as though everyone was taking the words out of her mouth. She would lose her voice if they continued! Nodding her head, Del spoke, "Yes, what research team do?"

It was quite pleasing to the Norwegian woman when she got a reaction from both the Russian and the priestly man for the look she gave them. As soon as her fellow Norwegian was on the floor, she let the boys have a break from her presence and stepped to the side to see what Shee needed help with. The woman seemed to know what she was doing and so Lokiari was perfectly content with sitting in wait for her next orders no matter how much she itched to just start doing what her training had taught her and begin administering to the injured man. Slowly, as she saw that Shee had the wrapping of Einar's injury under control, she gave one last warning look to the two boys before inching towards the medical supplies. The tall blonde was tired of just sitting and waiting and so she finally cracked and started to rifle through the medical supplies until she located some sanitizer which she promptly squirted into her hands and rubbed around quickly and heartily until it dried before grabbing some gloves that looked like they should fit and sliding her newly cleaned hands into them. Even as she finished and glanced back up to see what was going on, she finally received her orders and gave a reassuring nod. Now that was something she could handle!

Quickly, Lokiari picked up the materials for a PICC* line and moved to Einar's side once more, laying out a towel she'd found among the materials and prayed mildly that it was well cleaned and sanitized. Then again, a quick check of the man's slowing blood pressure told her that it probably no longer mattered and she placed each her tools out in the order in which she would need them before tying a tourniquet on Einar's upper left arm and feeling around in the crook of his elbow for the squishy spot that would indicate there was a vein there she could grab. Due to his massive blood loss, she was nervous about sticking his hand and so choose an area where the brain might not yet have managed to start pulling the blood away from and gave a victorious grin when she found a vein that would be just the right size for the line she needed to insert. With speed only a trained professional could handle, she sanitized the area with a small antiseptic pad, opened up the package for the initial needle, relocated the vein and inserted the needle into it. The vein rolled the first time she went for it, and she missed, so she applied pressure to its left to prevent another roll before moving the needle back to the vein. Another victorious grin flashed across her face as the needle slid in perfectly and she immediately set up the PICC line before carefully taping it to his arm in two places, cleaning up around the stick site with another piece of antiseptic wipe and flushing the saline through the line to help prevent coagulation in the line. As soon as she was finished, she gave a nod and glanced back up at Shee, "The line is ready whenever you are, Shee."

With that part of her work done, she removed her gloves and re-sanitized her hands before ambling towards the man with the paper that had made the suggestions and seemed to be in charge of dividing everyone into teams. Truthfully, she hadn't been paying attention to the things going on around her, having been focused entirely on her work and having been mildly concerned about the fact it had been a while since her last combat medic course. Before she was able to make it to that man, though, the radio made some noise and she stopped to listen to it more accurately. Most of what the man named Audun said was ignored, but the coordinates were quickly memorized. They would need a map. And fast. Again, though, before she could say anything to anyone about whether or not there was a map at hand, Eponine offered herself to go on the trip to search for Audun. Clear surprise was written across Lokiari's face and she debated asking where the shy, nervous woman got the courage, but she instead decided to let her have the moment and not say a word. She'd just ask her about it. After this was all over.

A small smile touched Lokiari's face when Mokoyis approached her and gave her the pager, there was a hint of sadness in the woman's heart because she knew her friend would be in danger, but at the same time - she knew it was necessary. With a nod, she accepted the pager, "All right, I'll take it," there was a pause and then a wink, "but if you make me have to use it, I will have to find a troll to deal with you, you know." Without really waiting for a response, she pocketed the pager and gave her friend a quick hug. It was impromptu, and she quickly pulled back, but it was something that she felt she should do, just in case. Just like the soldiers back at her old home had done. Gave something to their brothers and sisters before they went into the area of combat. It was something that was solemn and quick and wasn't really to be mentioned later. Almost nothing done in the heat of combat was, though. Once more the Norwegian glanced around for the man who had taken the place of direction and her eyes quickly found him as Estrelas went running towards him with a globe she'd clearly stolen from somewhere. Unable to help herself, she laughed heartily at the sight. If this were any other time, it would be unbelievably amusing that she was doing that and Lokiari would give her a talking to about how we don't steal globes or how its not polite to break something as that clear crack indicated the woman had done. But it was not the time, so she merely shook her head with amusement and moved back towards the man who now had a globe and approached him as he wrote down the coordinates.

Not really waiting for him to say anything to her, as soon as his pencil quit scratching at the paper and globe, she introduced herself, "The name is Lokiari. I'll be staying with Einar as part of the medical team." There was a small pause, as if she were letting him have time to write that down, before she continued, "If you want Audun alive, what about a tranquilizer dart? We could contact Wraith and see if they have any. It would be a safe way to capture him from a distance - if you have someone on your team who can take a shot like that, that is." In truth, she didn't know if anyone did and she hoped she didn't offend him by saying that, it was just a suggestion and she hoped he took no offense. Again she glanced around the room, looking for something to do. She was in combat medic mode and the time she'd spent in the Marines was screaming at her to do something more than sit and wait. A comrade had been injured and when a fellow fighter is taken down, you act. You don't sit and wait. With a small sigh, she went over the details of everything they'd already done, not completely paying attention to everyone around her, trying to think of what else they would need and remembered that once everyone had left, she wanted to take a blood sample and see if they had anyone who know about pharmaceuticals or creating of antidotes. Among other things, that was.

Almost as if just remembering that she was standing in the midst of many people who were unaccustomed to the sight of an injured person and quick action, she returned her attention to Rodney, "Do you need any assistance with anything right now?" She might as well offer out her help. There wasn't too much she could do until Einar had the transfusion.

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[*A PICC line is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. Its like an IV set up from which you can give medication, a saline drip, draw blood, etc.]