<div class="floatleft">(http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj499/MzHyde/PunchHisFace_zps5b16ed96.jpg)</div><br/>Chad checks his watch, then smiles and looks up.<strong>"The Merry Prankster? Is she here? Has anyone seen her?"</strong>said Chad, the host smiling and scanning the room for the heroine. The smile seemed genuine for once. Perhaps he was finally enjoying himself. Who could blame him? Watching heroes fight in these sims was pretty fun.<br/><br/>After a minute or two of quiet murmuring from the crowd of assembled contestants, a production assistant enters the room through a side door, looking to be in a panic. He looks around nervously, as if unsure, then runs up to Chad and stammers out,<em>"M-Mr. Thorpe, we found The Merry Prankster... She's d-dead, sir. In her room."</em><br/><br/>The revelation sends ripples of silence through the room, all the quiet discussions suddenly stopping as everyone looks on with wide eyes. Everyone except Recoil, HercuLina, and Chad. HercuLina doesn't budge from her spot by one of the overlooking windows, she remains there with arms folded, impassively staring out at the empty sim room. Recoil glances sidelong at HercuLina, but otherwise makes no move, her face not betraying any emotion; typical Recoil. Chad is still smiling. Still Chad.<br/><br/><strong>"How unfortunate. It's always tragic when someone passes, especially someone who wanted to do so much good for the world, but we all knew she had 'vices', so it comes as no surprise that she overdosed. Unfortunately, her will just wasn't strong enough to resist that temptation, and for that, America mourns. She wouldn't want The Hero Project to stop, though!" </strong>he smiles.<br/><br/><em>"S-sir, I didn't say that she ov-"</em><br/><strong><br/>"No, the show must go on! Let's get the next groups inside the simulations while we play back a montage of all the fond moments we've had with The Merry Prankster!" </strong>He glances off to the side at the assistant,<strong>"Go wait in my office. Now."</strong>