((Collab Post between Letter Bee, Scarifar, CavnderOHeart, and DisturbedBartimaeus))

[QUOTE]Ascot sighed, still naked, and said, "That last part is not important. What is important is that there is a remote possibility that Mephisto, your headmaster, might - might be an enemy of Humanity as a whole, not just a small section of it. Note that this is not a St. Laurel's plan to undermine the competition; Alto's doing something else right now - one of my fellow students just informed me that he's sent several of the school's best and brightest to an old apartment to investigate some missing students. In fact, this is sensitive information on St. Laurel's itself that I offer as proof that I can be trusted: There are missing students, it is likely to prove a blow to the school's reputation if it is ever publicly revealed, and I just revealed major movements of the best fighters there. Use this information as you will; the fact is that the world is larger than the three-way between different factions of superpowered students."[/QUOTE]

"Hmm..." Michael finally flipped all the way to the end of the journal, seeing the name 'Mephisto' on the last page. Michael then took out his phone and turned on the camera feature, taking a shot of that last page. Looking back up at Ascot, he said, "Well, everything you've given me seems to check out so far." Closing the journal and putting it down, Michael continued, "I have no loyalty to Mephisto, or even St. Lucifer's. I suspect you already know this, which is probably at least one reason why you decided to share this info with me."

"I certainly don't like St. Laurel's either, especially with the way they do things regarding information about them. Ugh," Michael said. "Anyway, you've provided me with valuable info, so I suppose I should be grateful. You're not bad for a St. Laurel student, I'll give you that, so I'll help you out however I can." 

"Now about that painting... hmm...." Michael said as he looked towards Vernon, who seems to have already fallen asleep. "Should we wake him?"

Ascot shook his head. "Nah, let him sleep the alcohol off. Besides," he said as he straigthened Vernon's sleeping form. "He looks adorable in this position."

A pause as he pursed his lips and asked, "Michael, I will need two things, then. One is the backstories and powers of the students of note in Mephistos', especially anyone who might - might - be immune to mental and memory alteration effects. Second is your opinion on a plan."

Another pause. "Said plan is to infilitrate the city wall of Rhea, which would allow me to call forth the spirit of the entire city to answer my questions about events that happen within it. This will need both planning and additional personnel from either Mephistos' or the Vigilantes - St. Laurel's cannot know except for my main ally there, who will keep their attention on the apartment building they are supposed to investigate right now. The incentive for Mephistos' people is for information; I am willing to share what I find if it does not lead to the death of anyone - we can afford to lose one tournament. Same for the Vigilantes; I am willing to share other findings. Can you get me said personnel?"

"The info I have on the St. Lucifer students is yours," Michael agreed. "As for your plan, I'm not sure how many people I can convince. I'm not the most social person out there, so my contacts are pretty limited. Still, I imagine some people in both the Vigilantes and St. Lucifer's would be pretty interested in some of that info. I'll ask around. Of course, I'll try to be discreet about it. I figure I should ask though, how many people should you expect to need and what exactly do you plan to use them for?"

Ascot mused, closing his eyes for a second. "I need three besides me, people who can keep themselves quiet and stealthy, but have powers that are distracting but not usually fatal. Basically, my plan is simple: Use one of my powers to get security clearance as far as I am able to, then when someone appears who is immune to my powers, two of the three members of the party would jump him - non-fatally - while the third goes out as a distraction for the guards. We then move on to the top of the city wall."

He then fishes for his phone on the heap of his clothes. Getting it out, he calls Samoth Moskono.

[b]Ascot's Call:[/b] "Operator, this is Eastern Cottage, Over. I would like you to keep your team as far away from Home Base as long as possible. Prolong the investigation as much as possible once targets are rescued and given safety. Hold back the full use of powers and training if needed. Invite people to a post-battle dinner outside Home Base if needed, too; I will pay for half the costs from private savings. Operation: Panopticon is on schedule. Repeat: Operation Panopticon is on schedule. We will have the required data for the next stage soon."

[b]Samoth's Call:[/b] "Roger that. Orders received. I will inform you immediately if things aren't following the plan."

"Right then, seems like business is done," Michael said, packing up the painting equipment he had brought with him. Tucking everything under one arm, Michael added, "I'll notify you when I find people willing to aid you." On that note, he walked out the room and out of the restaurant.

Ascot puts on his lower clothing for modesty's sake, then goes to a chair to wait for news...