3.29.2021

After he doesn't check in for several days, Marie sends Alpha to retrieve Roy and find out what he has been up to. Alpha finds out Roy is staying in a cheap hotel, spots him going out that evening, and trails him to the theater.

Rose is already at the theater preparing for the show. Scanning the growing crowd, she is a gentle guide with a comforting touch, and easily locates Roy. She notes his presence with a glimmer because she feels his love and because she and W decided it is ethical to use Roy to gather information - spy vs spy. She has prepared some special inductions for implanting in Roy during meditation.

As Rose brings up the collective energy of the room, first feeding on, then feeding back the amplified prana, she notices something warping the room's energy that resembles a boulder parting the rapids in a river, leaving a blank space in the flow. Not knowing what to make of the irregular energy, she circles back to Roy, her known anomaly, and deepens her read. To her surprise one of his hidden fibers is now quite active and sending signals locally. She senses danger. Someone has hacked Roy and is present in the room.

The first skirmish goes down fast. Rose moves to trace the active fiber but just as soon as he senses her attempt Alpha stings her. Rose blacks out, incapacitated, and likely going to die while Alpha moves quickly to feed on her. Just as suddenly there is an audible crack as Alpha goes to the floor, flat on his back, knocked out. Rose gasps air. No one in the audience can move, most are passed out, except for Roy who bolts.

W senses trouble early, runs to the theater, arriving to see Roy in full flight. W rushes to Rose.

"There was an assassin - somehow associated with that man." Rose is still groggy.

"How are you alive?" W is grateful but scared.

"As I was fading I saw hundreds of rays of light rushing forward, tremendous energy, and I was their lens"

Looking out she sees the audience, slowly gathering themselves, looking toward her, then applauding loudly as Rose sits up and smiles at them through tears. It dawns on everyone that because they were connected through her they acted like one being, their collective energy spontaneously and instinctively fighting back to guard Rose and prevent disaster.

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