Adam ported to General Damon's office to see if the identity of the mysterious Caplan boy had been verified. When he arrived, General Damon lay stooped over his desk. Adam propped him up in his chair.

(It doesn't look good,) Adam announced to the others.

The General's eyes were plastered wide open, his look a glazed and vacant stare.

(Is he dead?) Megabyte 'pathed to Adam brightly. For a brief instant, Adam had an unsettling vision of Megabyte sprawled out in ecstasy on his living floor amid a pile of unwashed dishes and unreturned rental videos, picking broken bits of Corn Crinkles out of the carpet and popping them into his mouth like grapes -- only without the maidens to fan and assist him.

(No,) Adam 'pathed, a little crossly. (But he does appear to be in some kind of caffeine-induced stupor. He must've OD'd. It could be dangerous.)

(You mean... a coffee coma?) Kevin jumped into the conversation from wherever he'd been off to all this time. (I've seen them. They're not pretty. What are you, I mean we, going to do now, without 'is help?)

(Well, he'll have to be revived.) Adam was taking the administrative role, as usual. (I'm afraid there's only one way: he'll have to receive an injection directly into the heart. There is a very high risk of death, though. I don't know what we can do. We can't kill anyone, so if we knowingly commit an act that might effectively kill someone, what then? Does anyone know?)

(Maybe we implode!) Megabyte chimed in. (Hey, Jade... you want to test your powers now that you're a TP? You wanna get in on the action, don't you, and be a real international hero?)

(No, don't make me do it. I don't want to risk losing my powers!) Jade whined.

(Shut up, Megabyte.) Adam wasn't about to let Megabyte's lack of tact spoil what might just be the perfect plan. (Jade, you know you're irreplaceable to us, and we would never, ever want anything to happen to you. We all know how brave and worthy you are. In fact, you're just the person for the job. Please?) Silence. (For me?)

(Okay, then!) Jade perked back up instantly. She was in the room with Adam in under a millisecond.

"Jade, you're here. Brilliant!" Adam did indeed look glad to see her, or at least relieved. Jade beamed at his cordial reception. He noticed her gazing dreamily at him and cleared his throat, continuing hastily in a serious tone, "We'll have to gather the necessary equipment, and quickly! Then I'll tell you what you need to do. And, Jade? Don't aardvark this, okay?"

****

"Did you get her?"

"Who?"

"The other one."

"Which one?"

"The *other* one."

"We're not after her. She's not one of them."

"One of Them?"

"One of *them*."

"Are you sure?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Sir."

****
end Part 6b