Mao-velous Feats

["Zero" Americanski]

(sorry, got distracted.)

"Who?" I ask. It figures that it's women trouble... Humans are always having problems with the opposite sex. I turn to Zinn. "After what they did I am reluctant to rescue them, but I will do it if it's okay with Valodya." I sit down but don't light up, as I am the only cigarette smoker in the room right now and don't want to choke out the others.

[Danuel Stinin]

How can you expect me to answer that questions when we just met?! Dan says in his head. But his mouth doesn't seem to agree, "Yes..."

[Zinn]

Zinn's seldom used pager beeps. She hasn't used it since four months ago, when she was still selling explosives. She doesn't know whether she still considers it ethical or not. Since the FRA is back, on one hand, it could be going to fight RI, but on the other hand, it could be going to kill fellow anarchists, like Simona.

Zinn takes out her laptop and opens her e-mail.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Zinn reads it.

She writes back.

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Dear Blacksmith,
Hello again. I know I've been out of comission for a while, and I apologize for that. However, now that the FRA is back, there is somewhat of a conflict of interest with my sales. I cannot sell to them. I know they are one of your favoured customers, but I refuse to sell to them for political reasons. I will still make orders for any other group.
Sincerely,
Locke
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[Freak Boy]

"JULIA!! The most vile, evil and sinister woman to walk the face of the earth--with the exception of Lady Violet and Dr. Murdock!! She's the pregnant dog who got me captured by the Ministry of Terror, almost publicly executed, sent to a Goulag in Siberia and ruined my respect for her!!

"She tried to hunt me down, claiming to not be working for Red Infinity with this interest! She came extending the olive branch and worked her way close then STOLE MY f**kING LAPTOP AND JUMPED OUT THE MOTHER f**kING WINDOW!!" he shouts, gesturing to the window as his face becomes red with rage.

[Roxanne]

"I love you Dan promise me you won't leave me when I tell you this. Don't be like everyone else"

[Lena]

Lena smiles and takes the towel before walking into the bathroom. She puts the towel on the sink, and places her hands over the wet spots on her dress. Her hands glow red. *Great! I can control it again.* Her clothes become dry quickly, but, a small fire forms in her hands. She quickly puts her hands away from her dress, not wanting to burn her clothes too.

She turns around and shake her hands, trying to get the flame to dissappear. Instead, it flys onto the shower certain. *Oh no! Um um.. * A loud crash is heard from the bathroom. Lena had been trying to pat the fire out in a frantic state, accidently pulled the shower certain down with her and fell into the shower.

She untangles herself from the certain and leaves it in the shower, unsure how to put it back up. She grubs the towel and rushs to the kitchen. "Um, sorry." She says, handing Peter the towel. SHe hoped he wouldn't ask what the crash sound was.

[Blacksmith]

I scan the email. The turn of phrase certainly matches Locke's style, it is good that he didn't change it.

Dear Locke,

At the moment I am merely interested in buying to replenish my stock. If there are certain groups you would like me to withhold the chemicals from in my trading, I would be more than happy to comply.

[Danuel Stinin]

"I'm not going anywhere. My life's been crazy all week, I don't see how it could get any stranger."

[Valodya Bassarov]

Bassarov drifts back into a sleep.
In his dreams he remembers the past...


Flashback:

Bassarov is in Petrozavodsk, the city where he grew up. The city is smaller, only about 100,000 people. It is on Lake Onega and about 50 km from the Finnish border in the Russian state of Karelia.

He is going on a walk on a trail to contemplate the recent talks of a merger of the ISP and the Fourth International.

[Peter "The Owl"]

Peter takes the towel back and smiles. "You okay Lena? You look flushed..." he sniffs, "And is something burning?"

["Zero" Americanski]

"Oh, well I don't pry into the other rebel's private lives, how was I supposed to know? Anyways I wanted to do another radio broadcast because I need to vent some steam or I'm gonna kill someone." Of course considering my views on life and death that is not a metaphor... I turn to Zinn. "Care to participate?"

[Zinn]

"Relax, I still have all of the files. All they have is your writings, and information that we stole from them. It isn't a big deal. You probably have backups of your writings somewhere, and I have the stolen information. Everything is fine," Zinn says, distracted momentarily. She writes back.

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Dear Blacksmith,
Fine. I would prefer to withhold sales to the FRA and LIF. Otherwise, feel free to sell my products to anyone. What do you need to replenish your stocks?
-Locke
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[Roxanne]

"Dan, I'm a vampire. But, I don't drink human blood. I get it from Giselle she gets it from the blood bank. Don't leave me Dan I love you!!!" Roxanne starts to cry fearful that Dan will leave her just like everybody else.

[Blacksmith]

I pull up another of my files and see that my stocks are nearly depleted. Since I haven't had Locke supplying me more in quite awhile, I am nearly out of just about everything.

Dear Locke,

I believe I could make use of whatever you have to sell. I can withold them from the FRA and the LIF, of course, but I am afraid I won't be able to pay you quite as much as normal in that case. However, you have long been a trustworthy supplier, so I am sure I will be able to offer an attractive price.

[Danuel Stinin]

Dan simply stands there. "So, you don't drink human blood or anything? Well, that's fine then. Any other problems?"