[Plot] Solo Mission

[Diego Zapata]

After finishing his cup o' chili, Diego had an idea. He acquired a brush and a powder of some kind that Tosh said was safe. With those in hand, he went to one of the doors they didn't have a code for. He got the brush good and coated with powder and lightly brushed the keypad, hoping to reveal the keys that have been regularly pressed.

[Ballinger Lippincott]

The depths of the point were eerily quiet as Diego crept down them. Will had said Lippencott's lab, the one he could never get into, was down on the third subfloor, so Diego had to go down pretty far, by himself.


The large steel double-doors were at the end of the hallway, the keypad sitting invitingly on the side. All he had to do was get close enough to...


An alarm started blaring as he crossed the midway point of the corridor, lights flashing red.

"Ah, Mr. Zapata. I'm afraid this area is off-limits, and you do not have authority to come down here," Lippencott's voice came over the intercom. "Naughty boys need to be punished."

[Diego Zapata]

Diego froze in his tracks.

Shiiit. Shoulda brought backup!

"Neither do you. You sacrificed that when you experimented on us Herr Doctor. Now you're just another criminal," he said with false bravado.

[Ballinger Lippincott]

"You have an interesting definition of how authority works, Mr. Zapata. This university is mine, and mine alone.

Panels from the ceiling retreated, revealing two nasty looking laser cannons -- new additions, or something ASHLIE had worked into the system way back when?

"Good-bye, Mr. Zapata."

[Chisaki Watanabe]

The funny thing about cat like reflexes and sixth senses is that they didn't really work well when they were tied into your X-gene.

But Chisaki's came from extensive teenage Danger Room training, not genetics. So when the las-cannons came out, those instincts kicked in immediately to dart out and shove Diego away from whatever the hell it was Lippincott didn't want him to mess with and hopefully out of the line of fire.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego's life had started to flash before his eyes when he was shoved out of the way. Immediately, he scrambled back away from hot laser death with a totally-not-girly scream.

[Narrator]

The laser shot, just missing Diego and Chisaki, and continued tracking them down the hall.

Footsteps also started coming from behind them, as someone was apparently attempting to corral them in!

[Chisaki Watanabe]

Chisaki looked left, right, and then *up* to see if there was anywhere to disappear to.

Like into a ceiling panel.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego scrambled to his feet and took a fighting stance designed to utilize his now nearly useless claws.

"He has murder beams?! Why does he have murder beams?!"

[Narrator]

Chisaki looked left, right, and then *up* to see if there was anywhere to disappear to.

Like into a ceiling panel.

'Up' was their best solution, probably -- the point needed a ton of wiring, and so maybe there'd be enough room to crawl up there. Probably not safe, mind you, but safer than laser beams and/or the hired goon squad coming from behind.

[Chisaki Watanabe]

Chisaki didn't even wait to ask to climb on Diego she just did it, using him like a step ladder to reach the ceiling panel and pop it open.

Shoving the panel open, she anchored her legs and dangled her arms to pull Diego in with her.

[Diego Zapata]

"Hey what are you..." he protested before figuring it out, "Oh! We're hiding!"

He pulled himself the rest of the way up and replaced the ceiling panel.

"Holy shitballs it's dark In here with regular eyes."

[Chisaki Watanabe]

Chisaki's 'naked' face scowled at him.

She was a lot scarier when micro-expressions were readable thanks to no goofy lenses, make up, or pastel wigs.

She reached out and clapped her hand over Diego's mouth to shut him up.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego was usually a pretty brave guy but without his powers to rely on he felt fragile and defenseless. He should have exercised more. But now he probably couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag. Thank God Chisaki showed up when she did.

[Chisaki Watanabe]

Chisaki would wait until she was certain Lippincott's thugs had cleared out before she would lead Diego forward. She only hoped he could keep his mouth shut long enough.

[Diego Zapata]

The mild panic in his eyes calmed and he nodded to show he understood the need to restrain his nervous mouth.

[Narrator]

"They can't have gone far," Quinn's voice drifted from below them. "They're just regular brats now, after all."

A pause.

"Yes, I know we're shorthanded, but...

Yes. Yes, headmaster."


Quinn sighed, and there was the sound of some rustling down below the two.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego felt something crawl on his hand and he tensed, trying really hard to not think about spiders... which only made him think about spiders. A big, bulbous black one with eyes the color of blood.

Shut up brain! Geez!

[Chisaki Watanabe]

Diego had never felt Chisakis eyes more on him than right at this second, boring an angry hole into his very being.

Depending on who you spoke to and their personal phobias, it might have been at least equally as terrifying as a spider.

[Narrator]

After a moment, there was the sound of...a recorder, playing? Quinn had musical talent now? Huh.

Something was also brushing against the panel the two were hiding on top of...

[Chisaki Watanabe]

It took her a moment to realize what Quinn was trying to do: Ferret them out. Of course, moving at this juncture would play into exactly what he wanted.

Chisaki slowly and deliberately slipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket, and pulled out a handful of something. Something light and small and round, which she proceeded to toss into the open space behind Diego as far a she possibly could.

[Narrator]

Chisaki's action served two purposes.

The first is that it shut Quinn's bloody recorder playing off, which was likely a win for humanity in and of itself.


The second was a barrage of laser fire in the direction she had thrown the pebble, which is probably not something they particularly wanted to experience for themselves.


The headmaster really didn't want people entering the lab!

[Diego Zapata]

Diego gave Chisaki a look that said, "What now boss?"

[Chisaki Watanabe]

As soon as she heard the goons go for the bait, she started shuffling Diego forward as quietly but as quickly as possible into an air vent.

She was less subtle about it once they opened fire, the lasers making quite the racket.

[Narrator]

The distraction was just what they two needed! They could hear Quinn radioing back a success as they, as quietly as possible, left the area.