<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>“Well, this is where I must leave you.  Good luck.  I shall see you in a week.”</strong><br/><br/>"Thank you, sir," Demi replies with a professional nod of her head.  "I will see you in one week."  As the older man turns and takes his leave, Demi lowers her eyes to a wrist watch and starts setting a countdown and reminder.<br/><br/><strong>“Are you o.k., Demi?”</strong> asks a voice over the laboratory's speaker system loud enough to be heard over the loud hum of machinery.<br/><br/>She steps up to the glowing portal, hands clasped together and processing a few final thoughts.  "I am ready," she says and turns towards the technician who had posed the question.  She extends a <em>"thumbs up"</em> gesture in case he could not hear her in return.  "You may open the portal when you are ready."<br/><br/><br/>((OOC: Hi Mischief!  Just an FYI - I'll have my hands full with family until Tuesday or Wednesday next week.  I'll try and post if I get the free time, but I may be too busy.   :-(  Take care and I hope you have a happy holiday too!!))</span>