by Chewy Walrus, thedoctor, Sonhaven and The Eurostar
Outside the Uffizi Museum, Pisa, Italy:
"I don't much like the looks of this, chief," the gymnast known as X-Acute said, standing on the Italian rooftop, looking through a pair of night-vision binoculars.
"What's going, X?" Johnny Omicron asked, stepping up alongside his teammate and tapping the side of his visor-helmet. Instantly, his view was amplified fifty times as he got a good look at the rooftop of the Uffizi Museum: four figures descending into the open skylight.
"This doesn't look good," Omicron said, lowering his transmitting mike to his lips and addressing the other scattered members of Project Omicron. "This is Johnny O. to all members of Project Omicron. You've got some company coming in, Sheik. X-Acute and I are on our way in for back-up. Repeat: X and I are coming in."
Johnny's body shook momentarily as his boot thrusters kicked in, lifting him into a hovering position. He looked down at his teammate. "You need a lift, X?"
"No thanks, Johnny," X-Acute said, holding up a gloved hand. "I think I can handle this one on my own. I'll even use their entrance and follow 'em through, while you meet up with Sheik and the others."
"Your call, soldier," Omicron said as he rocketed into the air. The small controller joysticks slid easily into his palms as he steered himself downward toward the Uffizi Museum.
Below, he saw X-Acute leap from the building he was perched upon and freefall until he came across a flagpole. Using his downward momentum, the gymnast took off into a spiral motion, spinning around the pole before dismounting and landing on the back of a moving semi. Hopping then from moving car roof to moving car roof, X-Acute hurtled himself into the air once again, making his way onto the gates surrounding the museum and propelling himself onto the surface of the building, where he began to climb the heavy stone building.
"Well, he's as good as in," Omicron breathed, setting himself down within the museum yard. Looking around, he clicked a button on his wrist, which activated a built-in camouflage of his own design, which caused him to blend in like a chameleon to his surroundings. He then tore off toward Sheik's entrance.
The rooftop:
Dirk Bell had anchored the rope on the roof and dropped it down into the museum. The team made their way to the floor where Grimm was waiting on them. "You brought my clothes, right?"
"I knew we forgot something," Danny Hearn said in a joking fashion.
"For the love of God, give him his clothes," Dirk said. "The last thing I want to see is Grimm's meat 'n' potatoes."
Chance handed Grimm the bag with his clothes. "Well," the avatar of death said after a few moments of silence. Danny shrugged his shoulders in confusion. "Turn around! I can't help it if I'm shy."
Dirk walked over to one of the security terminals that he had noticed earlier. He pried the cover off of it and was about to try and shut it off. After a quick examination, the gunslinger pulled out his two .45's.
"What's the matter?" the Raptor asked.
"We're not alone."
"How do you know that?" Danny's interest was piqued.
"The security system is already off. Someone else is in this museum."
Ironically, Chance said, "What a stroke of bad luck!"
Inside:
"We have company," Sheik said, lowering his hand from his earpiece and looking toward Arges and Rose, who busied themselves looking for any files associated with Joaquim de Cuccubao, Tanfo de Perugia, or the Liber Vitae.
"We heard," Arges bellowed softly, trying his best to keep his booming voice down. "What do we do?"
"We take care of it," Sheik said, pulling his scimitar from his its scabbard.
"Now?" Arges whispered. "We don't even have the files out! This was supposed to be an in-and-out mission to see if we even have any leads as to whether or not this book is here!"
"This just got more complicated, Arges," Sheik hissed. "Omicron and X-Acute are on their way. Until they show up, we will have to do this ourselves."
"Do you think it's about the book?" Arges asked, pulling his hammer and axe from their places at his sides. Beside him, Rose pulled out two guns and began to inch her way toward the door.
"There is a distinct possibility that Project Omicron was not the only group brought in on this case," Sheik said, moving closer to where Rose was now standing by the door. "In which case, we must do everything within our power to see that we are the ones who finalize this contract."
"Yeah," Arges nodded, walking up behind his teammates. "Let's do this thing." Rose nodded her assent.
And with that, the three members of Project Omicron made their way into the halls of the Uffizi Museum.
Elsewhere in the museum:
Edulcore... Edulcore...
Ladnikia glowed in its scabbard. It called out to the Raptor over an ocean. Euro heard despite the distance. His brow began to sweat as his eyes rolled back into his head.
Edulcore... Edulcore...
Euro's hands shook, and he could almost feel the blade. His blood started to boil. His heart rate went into the triple digits.
"Ladnikia..." He ached for its touch. He didn't just want it, he needed it, and damn anyone who came between them.
Danny grabbed Ed's arm. "Hey, man, are you okay? Are you ready to do this, or what?"
Euro opened his eyes, and his mind returned to the moment. "Of course. Of course I am. Let's go." His gaze went to Dirk.
Dirk's stare was stern, and he said with his eyes, "I'm watching you." He knew an addict when he saw one.
Edulcore Cicciotto:
My body shakes like I've got a bad fever. I grit my teeth and press my belly. I feel I am going to vomit.
"Ed, don't shit in your pant," comments, gently as usual, Dirk Bell, while looking in the darkness to see who has preceded us.
Chance comes toward me, but I stop him with my hand. "I am fine," I say. But he clearly sees it's a lie. I can't stand upright, sweating madly and beating my teeth.
Everything becomes fuzzy, changing, mutating.
I see the bottom of the sea and an art nouveau submersible.
I see flocks of penguins coldly killing bug-eyed monsters.
I see the wind taking human form and tearing me away from the Earth.
I see a red desert populated by millions of the dead.
I see the microcosm invading our cities.
I see the dark dwarf, standing on the stage, a sad expression on his face.
I see myself from outside, reversed on the floor while my comrades are about to confront some mysterious opponent.
I hear a voice saying, "He's not breathing!" And everything turns black. There is only Ladnikia, laughing.