|Ace>

  Cherry and I hurried out of the library. Real quick, we made a stop at a print shop to print out the photos we took at the facility, then went up to the far corner of the Eclipse District. I checked my friends list as we walked. The Sewer People weren't at the headquarters, so we instead headed to the FUN Rangers' guild hall at the cafe near the sewer entrance.

  Willard and Carla were seated at the central table, surrounded by Percy, Lucy, and Fritz. A half-eaten plate of pastries sat ignored at the table's edge while the five of them pored over diagrams and notes, discussing potential strategies to some encounter.

  I knocked on the doorframe as we stepped fully inside. "Hey guys... is now a good time?"

  "We're in some serious shit!" Cherry blurted.

  Willard sighed, gathering up some of the papers. "We've got a raid tomorrow; what's up?"

  "I know what this sounds like, but here us out here!" I started.

  We took turns explaining everything - the stakeout with Livitha, the facility hidden in the canal wall, the capsules filled with shadow things, the corrupted animals, the zombie-like players, and our narrow escape from the pit. As we spoke, I watched their expressions change from polite interest to confusion and mild concern - for our sanity, not the threat of these NPCs.

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  Percy, at least, looked like he got it, but he was focused on Livitha's gloves. He frowned, lost in thought. "I don't have any spells like that, and I have all of the water specialists at least unlocked. Maybe there are hidden licenses, like the flying mounts? But where would you get them?"

  "Just look!" I said, frustrated. Cherry pulled out the stack of photos and threw them onto the table, scattering some of their raid plans.

  The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Willard picked up a photo of a dog with a pulsating black growth covering half its body, its eyes glowing that sickly yellow. He flipped through several more - a goat with tendrils of shadow extending from its spine, a chicken whose feathers seemed to be melting into the dark substance, an NPC farmer huddled in a corner with patches of his skin replaced by the same black material.

  "Guys," Willard said, "this is serious."

  "That's what I'm saying!" I shouted.

  "I think you should take this to the Guard." Willard said. "You need the police."

  Percy scoffed. "I wouldn't put it past them to be running this operation."

  "Come on, Perce." Fritz said. "They're not comic book villains; they're not going to do every horrible thing they can."

  Lucy said, "Fritz is right; I don't see how this helps the Guard. But how did the NPCs set up a whole lab like this?"

  "It was this guy!" Cherry pulled out another photo, slapping it down on top of the others. It showed the silhouette of the bald man in the observation room. "He wanted to lure us in there for some kind of experiment! He knew us by name!"

  Percy snatched up the photo, leaning forward to study it intently. His expression darkened as he examined it.

  "You seen that guy before?" Fritz asked, leaning over Percy's shoulder.

  "Not in the slightest." Percy replied, setting the photo down and looking directly at me. "Where was this?"

  "Down on 67th street!"

  Percy turned to Willard. "I'm going. I don't know what this is, but it's important." He stood up. "Keep planning if you want."

  Willard sighed and shook his head. "Let me call everyone." he said, opening his UI to send out messages.