<TIAMAT> *Sol is in the middle of -- how ironic -- a portrait painting class. There's a model in the middle of the studio and her dozen or so students are spaced around her, Sol slithering back and forth between each of them giving advice, comments, criticism, etc.

<JETMODE> *The door bursts inward so hard it slams against the wall and bounces back, nearly hitting Jimsey in the face as he scrambles inside. Once he's safely out of the hall, he shuts it and locks it, looking winded and somewhat frantic. "Sol. Babe. Gotta talk."

<TIAMAT> *Sol spins to face him, looking exceptionally irritated. "Jimsey, I'm in the middle of a class--

<JETMODE> <Jimsey> This is really, really important. *casts the occasional, panicky glance over his shoulder*

<TIAMAT> *Sol's about to say something else when she realizes just how panicked Jimsey is. Her students are peering at them curiously, but she shoots them a look and tells them keep painting, then turns back to Jimsey, eyeing him with mild annoyance. "Come. *she starts for a side door.

<JETMODE> *He scrambles after her, still horribly spooked.

<TIAMAT> *The room she leads them to is the same room they met in the night before Jansk swiped the first soul -- Cassie's. Sol holds the door open for Jimsey, then slithers in after him, shutting the door a little harder than she meant to and turning to Jimsey, giving him a cool look and crossing her arms. "Well?

<JETMODE> <Jimsey> The watchdogs are onto us, babe -- I don't know how. One of 'em even knew about the kid.

<TIAMAT> *Sol's eyes flash momentarily, her wings bristling. "The guards!?

<JETMODE> <Jimsey> They're the ones, all right -- I knew they were after me for the black market, but all this guy asked about was the kid and the paintings.

<TIAMAT> *Sol scowls, eyes still blazing a bit. "How much do they know?

<JETMODE> *Jimsey is way too preoccupied to notice how angry she is. "They know he's the painter, and they know he's the one who zapped 'em -- they dunno how he did it. And they don't know he's connected to you. Just that he lives here."

<TIAMAT> *Sol appears to be thinking hard and fast. Occasionally her tail twitches or her wings flicker a bit, but otherwise she's still and silent for several moments.

<JETMODE> *Jimsey catches her by the shoulders. "Hey -- babe, listen to me. I gotta jet, they'll be here lookin' for the kid any time."

<TIAMAT> *Sol starts a little at his touch and shoots him a sideways glance; the anger is more or less gone, to be replaced now with concern ... though for whom is uncertain. "You'd best go, then -- I'll see to Jansk.

<JETMODE> <Jimsey> *nods* You just tell 'em it was all on me, got it? Make sure the kid knows -- he won't roll on you. *grin* 'Sides, he hates my guts.

<TIAMAT> *Sol nods. "I -- *she hesitates* What will you do?

<JETMODE> <Jimsey> What I do best, babe -- improvise. It'll be easier for me to get away than you -- just stick to the story. I won't let 'em get me.

<TIAMAT> *Sol, a little coolly: Of course not. *another pause* You'd better get going -- good luck.

<JETMODE> *Jimsey grins at her, then ducks in to kiss her on the cheek. "You're the absolute best, babe, don't forget that." He starts for the door. "I'll be takin' the window, if it's all right with you -- close it behind me." Then he's gone.

<TIAMAT> *Sol's eyes flash again and her cheeks go a little red, presumably from irritation, but she doesn't say anything as she watches Jimsey disappear through the studio. She doesn't hesitate long, though -- Teal's already on his way up the steps, and she has things to do. After making sure the window Jimsey disappeared out of is shut and secured, she goes to Jansk's room to inform him of the plans.

<TIAMAT> *Sol pauses for a moment outside Jansk's door and sighs a little before knocking lightly.

<JETMODE> *Jansk is sprawled on his bed, flipping through a book. "What?"

<TIAMAT> *Sol opens the door slowly and peers in. "Jansk, dear -- I have to talk with you.

<JETMODE> *Jansk glances over his shoulder suspiciously at the "dear". He sits up slowly, setting the book aside. "What's going on?"

<TIAMAT> *Sol slithers in, closing the door quietly behind her and turning to Jansk, smiling a little in a sad sort of way. "Something's come up -- it would appear the guards know about our little paintings.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> *goes a little pale* What.. are they.. are they going to get me?

<TIAMAT> *Sol: No, no, Jansk, it won't be like that -- they won't do anything to you. Jimsey -- *slight pause* You just have to tell them that Jimsey was making you do it. And that I ... wasn't involved.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> .. *a little puzzled* Okay.. but..

<TIAMAT> *Sol shakes her head. "You're going to be fine, Jansk -- I promise. *she looks like she's about to say more, but there are raised voices from the studio, and one of her students calling for her. She glances over her shoulder, sighs a little and turns back to Jansk. "Stay here for a few minutes, Jansk -- I'll be back soon. *she turns to go.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> Wait -- what about -- the people. In the paintings. Will I have to let them go?

<TIAMAT> *Sol glances over her shoulder at him. "... Yes. I think so. *she pauses to see if he has any more questions, then slithers quietly out the door.

<JETMODE> *Jansk sits back a little with a very soft, relieved sigh.

<TIAMAT> *Several long minutes stretch by for Jansk, during which Sol acts terribly surprised and confused about all the information she's getting from Teal and, assuming they're there, Genoa and Jarod. After about 15 minutes or so, there are footsteps -- yes, footsteps -- outside Jansk's room, then a couple quick taps on his door.

<JETMODE> *Jansk flinches. The noise outside made him nervous. ".. What?"

<TIAMAT> *The door opens slowly to admit our intrepid trio -- Sol's staying in the background a bit, though she's with them too. And we can assume Teal had a regiment of soldiers with him, who are now searching the studio for Jimsey.

<TIAMAT> *Teal clears his throat a little and smiles pleasantly down at Jansk. "So this is Jansk, is it?"

<JETMODE> *Jansk gives Teal his best flatly unreadable stare. "Yeah."

<TIAMAT> *This doesn't seem to deter him much. He crouches down so he's more eye-to-eye with Jansk. "My name's Devan -- I hear you're quite the painter. *pause* Mind telling me what you've been painting lately? *his tone is friendly and warm.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod is watching Jansk intently from near the doorway. Studying him, so to speak.

<JETMODE> *Jansk scoots back, darting a glance at Sol. "Whoever Jimsey told me to paint," he lies, tail switching.

<JETMODE> *Genoa is leaning lazily against the doorframe, watching all this with an arched eyebrow.

<TIAMAT> *Teal: It's all right, Jansk -- we're not here to hurt you. You say you paint whoever Jimsey tells you to? Can you show us some of the paintings?

<JETMODE> <Jansk> *darts another, almost frantic glance at Sol* I .. yeah. *scoots over and off the bed, looking at Sol again for reassurance*

<TIAMAT> *Sol, from behind the group, smiles faintly at him and nods a bit. Jarod is definitely picking up some weird vibes, but he doesn't say anything as the group backtracks down the hall and into the studio.

<JETMODE> *Jansk leads the way into a back storage room -- they actually keep some of his belongings there, what few he has. In the back is a stack of canvases covered by an old tarp. Jansk makes a beeline for them and starts to tug it off carefully. "They're.. you have to be careful.. or you might hurt them." Once the tarp is down, he steps aside.

<TIAMAT> *Teal leads the group in after Jansk, Sol bringing up the rear and keeping up her puzzled demeanor. Jarod gasps a little when he sees the paintings -- especially the one of Cassie.

<JETMODE> *Genoa doesn't say anything, as usual. She's watching Sol, for the most part.

<TIAMAT> *Teal studies the portraits silently for several moments before glancing down at Jansk. "Can you tell us...what you did to them, Jansk?

<JETMODE> <Jansk> *flinch* I.. I can let them go.

<TIAMAT> *Teal smiles a bit at him. "Well, that's very good news -- but we'd still like to know just what you did, and how you did it.

<JETMODE> *Jansk shudders. "I.. I don't want to.." He goes still for a moment, as if debating with another part of himself -- which he is, actually. "All right."

<TIAMAT> *Teal glances back at Genoa and Jarod before returning his attention to Jansk.

<JETMODE> *He lifts his hands up to the back of his head, untying the bandana, which he holds loosely in his hands. A moment after the bandana comes down, his eyes go slightly dim, and, on his forehead, a third eye opens and glances at the group critically.

<JETMODE> *Genoa starts. "What the.."

<TIAMAT> *Jarod, of course, was expecting this -- but it's still pretty spooky to see for real. Teal starts a little himself, taking half a step backwards.

<JETMODE> *Jansk's mouth curves in a faint smile, and he speaks. His voice, however, is slightly deeper. Older. "This is our power. We aren't quite as one yet, but it will come in time."

<TIAMAT> *Teal clears his throat, frowning a little. "What ... did you do to those people?

<JETMODE> <Jansk> I took their souls from one place and put them in another. *gestures to the paintings* The subroutines that replaced them, unfortunately, are very limited. It's something we'll have to work on.

<TIAMAT> *Teal, softly: Took their souls... *he gazes at the portraits for a moment, then looks back at Jansk. "But you said you can restore them.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> Much the same way I took them. *shrugs* It's far less difficult than the removal process, really. A soul naturally wishes to return to its proper host.

<TIAMAT> *Teal nods. "Then, by all means. *he gestures toward the paintings. "Or do you need the... host ... present?

<JETMODE> <Jansk> No. As I said, it isn't difficult.

<JETMODE> *His body gives a violent jerk, and he stumbles. At first, nothing seems to have happened, but the paintings suddenly lose their vibrancy. Shortly afterward, the paint itself goes gray and crumbles away, leaving the canvases as pristine as if they'd never been painted on.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> Done.

<TIAMAT> *Teal: ... Very good. Thank you, Jansk.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> .. heh.

<JETMODE> *The eye closes, and the ten-year-old is back, rubbing his eyes and looking tired.

<TIAMAT> *At the same time, one of Teal's guards comes in to report that the studio has been searched thoroughly, though no sign of Jimsey has been found. Teal sighs a bit and nods, dismissing the guard. He looks at Sol. ".. Well. I suppose that will be all. Thank you for your time.

<TIAMAT> *Sol had been watching the scene from the doorway silently. She starts a bit when Teal addresses her. "Oh -- of course, Baron. *she nods briefly and slithers out of the way to let them through.

<JETMODE> *Jansk stays behind, shoulders slumped, and watches them go in silence.

<TIAMAT> *As does Sol. She places a hand on his shoulder once they've disappeared. "... Good work, Jansk.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> .. yeah. ... Will we get in trouble? We had to let them go.

<TIAMAT> *Sol: ... I don't know, Jansk. I think everything will work out, though. *she pats his shoulder once or twice. "Well then. You're free for the rest of the day. Go along.

<JETMODE> <Jansk> .. All right.