[color=gold][center][h1][i][b]Act Two: Redirected[/b][/i][/h1][/center][/color] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Part Three: Bottoms Up[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] [color=lightgreen][center][h3][i][b]Day 2: 05:35:52 Somewhere near Novy Jork Krumov Province, Republic of Polavia [/b][/i][/h3][/center][/color] Rowan had collapsed in the train car after landing safely. She was exhausted and hurt. Retreating into sleep was a great idea. Her mana exhaustion would heal with some rest. The minor healing potion had at least stabilized her injuries. She was hoping that sleep would take care of the monster headache that had been throbbing behind her eyes. Rowan rarely remembered her dreams. She was confused as she seemed to be having a lucid dream as she was aware she was dreaming but why was her dream about being in a firefight with a younger Oksana? Mana exhaustion had never given her weird dreams before. Rowan woke up with a start. The hat landing on her tummy woke her. She stretched but didn’t move to sit up yet. She was taking stock of her body. Her headache had retreated to a dull ache but her body throbbed and ached in places especially along her ribs. She groaned as she sat up and leaned back against the wall of the train car. [color=7ea7d8]Oksana: "Morning. I apologise you saw that. It's this weird memory that seems to have come up a lot the more I come here."[/color] Rowan accepted the canteen that Oksana offered her. Rowan frowned slightly, unsure of what Oksana was talking about. She was not quite fully awake and her brain was not firing on all cylinders yet. [color=7ea7d8]Oksana: “I escaped Polavia when I was younger. Ran across the border. Shit, sorry. You don't want to hear it. You saw it there. Sort of."[/color] Rowan blinked as it finally clicked. She had been pulled into Oksana’s dream somehow. She simply shrugged. It was not her business. She sipped the water and electrolyte solution drinking deeply before handing it back to Oksana. Rowan gave Oksana a simple nod. [color=#39FF14] “Thanks.”[/color] She looked at the rangefinder that Oksana had slipped into her hands. She looked at it and was slightly queasy. [color=7ea7d8]Oksana: "So, they want you dead. Makes two of us. So, if you get into a fight again, this might give you an edge. Should allow you to seer into the future a little. Whatever they want you for sounds serious, if it's chemical weapon related. But we shall work it out. Together."[/color] Rowan handed the rangefinder back to Oksana.[color=#39FF14] “I don’t think I can use this. It makes me queasy to even hold it. It will break the concentration I need to cast. Best you use it.” [/color] [color=7ea7d8]Oksana: "So, did Olygarkov say anything before he died? I don't recognise him. But he looked sleazy before Felix turned him into a pie. So I assume he's one of that fat bastard's cronies." [/color] Before Rowan could gather her thoughts to answer Felix woke up. Rowan smiled at the entertainment Felix provided. He was almost comical in his panic and shifting. [color=fff200]Felix: "Ahhhhh! Fucking cunt!"[/color] Felix finally shifted back to human. [color=fff200]Felix: "Did I do anything stupid last night? Sorry. When I'm hurt, I can't switch as easy. We seem okay though? Plan worked?" [/color] Oksana threw Felix his hat as Felix inquired where they were. Oksana answered Felix’s question. [color=7ea7d8]"Yeah, noted. It fucking worked. Barely." [/color] [color=7ea7d8]Oksana: "What does he owe you? Like, what are we saying, how many dollars for your services is it he's seriously in debt to you for?"[/color] The conversation was moving too fast for Rowan. She was struggling to keep it all straight in her head. She shook her head and decided she would answer the most important questions first. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “Well Olgarakov would be the name of the train that ran me over last night. Okay bear with me. I still have a headache and am not fully functional yet.” [/color] She blinked and pulled her pack around and pulled out her thermos. She smiled as the coffee was still hot enough to taste good as she sipped at it. She could feel the caffeine helping her poor brain kick into gear. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “Let’s start with what we know. No one seemed to know that I was in Polavia, until I helped Felix out at the pub. Then the DSR team reported my presence here when they reported their failure. Somehow the SA intercepted their communications. We learned this from the rant by Yezhov Prigostin. Prigostin ordered Olygarkov to find me. When he asked Prigostin about why they needed me, his response was that if the DSR had sent a team after me, I must know about Manticore.” [/color] Rowan paused and looked thoughtful. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “The DSR is looking for me but they had no idea I was in Polavia. After running into their team, they now know that I am Polavia. I am willing to bet they got new orders to capture me along with Felix.” [/color] Rowan took another drink of coffee as she furrowed her brow trying to put the pieces together. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “I have already told you all that I had been on a mission for Reactor in Kalan. Rumor at the time was the mission was being farmed out to Reactor by the DSR and other governments that wanted plausible deniability. That mission was to take out a chemical weapon that they planned to use to brainwash the dissidents among their population. The gas was supposed to suppress a person’s free will and make them open to being controlled. Basically a mass form of brainwashing. My team was successful in destroying the weapon but we were caught on surveillance cameras on our way out. I am the only member of my team to make it out of Kalan alive. Reactor disavowed my entire team. By the time I made it out of Kalan and back to the DSR, I had a huge bounty on my head. I also heard that the DSR was looking for me. I took what I could and bugged out fast. So I know that the DSR is looking for me but not exactly why. My best guess is that they want what I learned about the weapon or are looking to use me as a scapegoat. If they wanted me for a scapegoat, I don’t think they would need to capture me to do that. So I am not sure what it is everyone seems to think I know. I have no idea what this Manticore is.” [/color] Rowan looked over at Felix with an angry glare. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “I appreciate you coming back to help me Felix. But what the fuck was that glare for? I had already told you what I knew! It is not my fault everyone seems to think I know about something that they want!” [/color]