((OOC:  Sorry, fellas.  The combination of Thanksgiving and writer's block delayed my postage here for a tad.  OKAY!!!  ON WITH IT!!!))<br/><br/>The roof of the Palace approached Chiro and Arget quickly, its spikes looking all the more sharp and foreboding as they glided in.  Arget could see the two guards looking away from them, out over the city.  One of them was obscured by the tail-boom of the helicopter.  The other was scratching his neck where his silver helmet met his torso armor.  The door leading down into the Palace was closed.<br/><br/>And then, Arget could see where the vents were.  A low ledge edged the inside walls of the roof, scarcely a foot and a half tall, made of newer-looking concrete.  Reinforced steel grates sat sunken into the ledge.  That<span style="font-style: italic">had</span>to be the ventilation system.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>Seth hissed and skittered slightly forward as Baz spoke to him, barely keeping himself from lashing out.  But as Feign came over and fetched Baz away, the spider calmed itself, muttering, "Will get rat... will get rat..."<br/><br/><br/>Mad Adam's progress downward was halted when she came into the corridor that divided the dungeons from the funeral chambers - which led into the catacombs.  About a dozen Palace guards stood in rows there, getting orders from their leader.<br/><br/>"Teams of two, with lights and wands," said the leader, a middle-aged wolf-fur.  "If the spider gives you trouble, remember just to use the wands.  When you find the source of the noise, radio me and I'll redirect the other teams.  Understood?"<br/><br/>"Yes, sir!" replied the guards.<br/><br/>The leader noticed Mad just then.  "You heard it also, I assume?  Find a partner and move out," he ordered.<br/><br/><br/>Halvorson shushed everyone behind him as he drew up to the entrance into the Palace.  "To the sides, the sides!" he whispered, motioning for everyone to press against the walls.  "Turn off your lights!"  He did so to his own, O'Toole and the medic following suit.  He stuck his head around the corner, looking into the dim light of the funeral corridor.  He thought he'd heard something.  Voices.<br/><br/>"Baz!" he whispered.  "Anyone coming?"<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The old man's choking changed into deathly laughter.  "Heh... you... you believe in him now?"<br/><br/>Distantly, the sounds of orders being given filtered into the cell.  Guards outside could be heard shuffling.  Something was up.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>Lanner's eyes burned like the sun.  He shuffled to his right as Dreamer moved, exposing the portrait as he moved to keep his gun trained on Maeve.  But what Dreamer was saying eventually seemed to get through.  Like everyone else in the House Blotar Resistance, Lanner feared Shark greatly.  If it came down to a choice between his life and a good fuck, Lanner's choice was obvious.  He grudgingly reached in his left pants pocket, tossing a set of keys at Dreamer.<br/><br/>"Fuck it.  Take her, then.  Come back with more than one cow.  If I get more than one, I won't have to go see Shark eat this one..." he smirked, "I'm flexible that way."<br/><br/>Then he motioned to the guards near Kitten.  "Your little friend stays here until you get back.  You understand, of course."  The two men firmly gripped Kitten's shoulders, their blades at the ready in their other hands.  Lanner smiled.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>Feldana nuzzled Sherra.  "I hope my Auntie's okay.  And Uncle Lakran.  Maybe we can go save your mommy next?"<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The First Sergeant looked at Marice, blinking for a moment.  Then he shook his head.  "No.  No, they're not..."  he trailed off, looking back out at the overfed dragoness, then looked back at Marice.  "But maybe..."  He rushed to the roof, calling behind him, "Come on!"<br/><br/>Emerging onto the roof again, he spoke to Jenten while he rushed over to Emiko.  "Jenten, can you hear into the park for me?  Find out what's going on over by that dragoness."  He looked at Emiko.  "I've got a hunch.  I hope it's right."<br/><br/><br/>Janus' expression drooped when Iln told him he'd be going down as well.  "I have to?" he gulped.<br/><br/>Fenson looked at Iln.  "Wait... what?"<br/><br/>"That's how she heals people, man," said Janus.  "She eats them, then spits them back up."<br/><br/>Fenson didn't seem so sure about being healed anymore.  His eyes showed his apprehension.<br/><br/><br/>Merelli barely had time to duck as Raice let loose his chain, then dashed for a door.  He loaded a fresh clip into his pistol and fired a round behind him, downing a cultist as he followed Raice into the building.  "What is it?" he called.<br/><br/><br/>The three cultists remaining around Heretic were unsettled, but they knew the effects of bloodlust as well as anyone.  All three timed their attacks together and lunged inwards, targeting Heretic's vital spots with their bladed staffs.  They would rather die fighting him than die at the hands of their master.