Game Date: 07.01.2002

Meeting with Moorland

Warders' Team Members: Allyson Michelle (Blue Rose), Chris Hamilton (Brasidas), Eve Smith (Shadow Tiger), Frank Flaherty (Silver Star), Horatio Eon, Marina Forlon (Dawn), Tom Sawyer (Impulse)

Guests: Armstrong Moorland

After several days of ruminating on how Marut had berated the group in the aftermath of Melendez's taking of the Olmetec amulets, Eve has a chat about her feelings with Tom. Tom suggests that if she feels so strongly about it then maybe she should call a group meeting to discuss Marut's behavior.

"Yeah, what he said," a voice calls from the doorway. Eve looks up to see Marina just entering the room.

Eve nods, gets up from her chair and heads for the door. She turns to Tom and asks if was just going to sit there or is he coming along to the meeting. Tom stands and grabs Eve's hand. The trio walks with purpose towards the conference room.

Frank had spent a lot of time reading John Battle's memoirs in the last few days. He was especially interested in how John had dealt with situations like the one with Marut. But knowing John, it did not take a lot of reading to know that he met such matters head on, pretty much like everything he did. Frank needed to discuss the Marut problem with the others. He puts down his book and heads for the conference room.

Chris had been part of a team pretty much his whole life and even though he was new to the Wardens, he knew how teams were supposed to work. Outside advisors were almost always without fail, a stress on a team. Marut was obviously an issue that needed to be talked about so Chris heads for the conference room with plans to call a meeting.

Ally paces back and forth across Horatio's workroom. Every now and then she stops and stares at him working intently on trying to find some way of neutralizing his father's technology. After getting no response from trying to stare a hole in the top of his head, she returns to pacing.

Finally, Horatio looks up and asks, "What is bothering you, my love?"

"Nothing," replies Ally.

"Oh, so that is why you at pacing a rut in the carpet."

"It is Marut and the way he treated us, like we were children. Yeah, I know that some of us are newer at this than he is, but that does not mean he has to treat us like he did."

"Well, if you really feel like what he did was wrong maybe you should talk to the others about it," says Horatio calmly.

"Good idea! Let's go," says Ally as she grabs Horatio by the hand and heads toward the conference room.

Eve, Tom, Marina, Frank, Chris, Ally and Horatio all arrive about the same time at the conference room. Each of them looks around the room at the others. When Frank says Marut. They all nod.

Chris smiles inwardly and thinks we're becoming a team, we're all on the same wavelength.

Everyone voices his or her concerns about the Marut situation. After much discussion a consensus is reached, it is time for a meeting with Moorland. Further discussion determines that instead of just sending a representative to talk with Moorland, the whole group would go to talk with him as a sign of group unity.

Frank calls Armstrong Moorland's personal secretary and schedules an appointment for the team to meet with Moorland.

Moorland's limousine picks up Blue Rose, Brasidas, Dawn, Horatio Eon, Impulse, Shadow Tiger and Silver Star and takes them to the Moorland Estate in Napa Valley.

The butler escorts them to the library and seats them around a large mahogany table. The butler says that Mr. Moorland will be down shortly.

Armstrong Moorland enters the room and seats himself in the large chair at the head of the table. He looks around the table acknowledging each member in turn and then asks Silver Star to start the meeting.

Silver Star explains that the group members are having issues with the way Marut interacts with them. Since Moorland had chosen Marut to act as the Wardens advisor on all things mystical, the group decided to present their grievances directly to Moorland in the hopes of remedying the situation.

Moorland, seeming disinterested as if this meeting is going to be a supreme waste of his time, acknowledges Silver Star's remarks and asks each member of the group to present their grievances. Moorland then listens as each member of the Wardens gives his or her views on their previous interactions with Marut.

Everyone speaks out about the three times that they have had to deal with Marut as an advisor; the incident with Nekros and Shadow Tiger's bonding with Dawn, the incident at North Bay with the possessed Jaguar soldiers and their amulets, and finally the incident with Brimstone and Hellfire at the secret headquarters.

The last incident ignited a fire in Brasidas. "Maybe we didn't do what Marut advised, but he should've done a better job of advising. We didn't see the tirade coming. Okay, we took a terrible risk. It was a dice roll with the lives of every living soul in the Bay Area. But Marut didn't communicate the full danger. His distance hurt him there."

Brasidas' tirade does not seem to get a rise out of Moorland. He listens to everyone but seems distant and unconcerned with the proceedings; almost as if he has already decided the course of action he is going to take regardless of what the group has to say.

Lastly, Silver Star stands and gives a summary of the issues the group has faced in dealing with Marut.

Moorland nods his head in acknowledgement that the presentation of grievances is over and asks for a short break. Before anyone can acknowledge his request, Moorland stands and exits the room.

When Moorland returns he has an air of renewed vigor as if a heavy weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He smiles as he acknowledges each member of the group before once again taking his seat at the head of the table. Once seated, Moorland speaks.

"I would first like to start off by apologizing for Marut. His actions are the result of being put in an untenable situation several years ago. His mentor was taken from him and in the face of many dangers, one of which, the Olmetecs, he had a part in creating; he turned to the only source of support that he could find. This group of individuals, that I once counted myself a part of, has strayed from the original course under which they were founded. They have become arrogant in their power and I am afraid that Marut has adopted this attitude as well. This does not excuse his actions but I hope it explains them. I will not ask you to deal with Marut, again."

"That being said, there is now a request I must make of each of you."

"There is a need for someone to take upon the risk of investigating the Olmetecs. I feel that they are a very real threat and something must be done to find a way to deal with them. My former associates have been less than successful in getting information on the Olmetecs. Now after hearing how they are going about their investigations, I no longer feel that they can find out what needs to found out to neutralize the threat."

"Here is my request, will the seven of you take upon the task of neutralizing the Olmetec threat?"

"Before you answer, I want you to think about what you will be getting into if you choose to investigate the Olmetecs. What Marut told you about those that deal openly with the Olmetecs coming back changed by the experience is true. What he did not tell you is that there are some who have tried to covertly find out about the Olmetecs have not come back at all. This is the risk that you will be facing."

"Take some time and think about what it is, that I am asking of you. If you want, take a few days or maybe even a few weeks before you decide. But whatever you decide, I ask that you do not mention this meeting to Marut or anyone that claims to be an associate of his."

Brasidas speaks up, "Who went down and never came back, and how many did we lose that way?"

"You would not know them," replies Moorland. "I only knew them in passing, both were of the former associates that I mentioned earlier. One was of considerable power; he would have been a fair challenge to your team all by himself and yet he did not return. The other was craftier, subtler in her ways, able to blend in and become just one in the crowd but yet she did not return either. Personally, I know of only those two, but there are stories of others."

"Second question, just how are we supposed to keep this from Marut?" asks Brasidas. "We won't say anything, but I get the feeling Marut knows things without being told so he will find out and will you back us when Marut has his inevitable tirade over this? I just get the feeling that will be a real tizzy."

"Let me assure you of one thing," responds Moorland. "Marut's dealing with you, were at my request, not something that he would have done on his own. Judging by his treatment of you," Moorland motions to encompass all who are seated at the table, "he views you as beneath him in both power and station. I do not think he will take the time to find out what you are doing. If he does, so be it. My request was for the sake of secrecy, not out of fear of Marut and his associates. They know not to trifle with me or those who have my support. If you choose to take part in this mission will have my complete support. There will be no middleman this time, you have my word on it. We will be in this together."

Over the next couple of weeks, each member present at the meeting with Moorland volunteers for the new mission. They choose the code name Warders for the new group and begin working on a plan to setup a new group of Wardens succeed them as the protectors of San Francisco.